However, if the shoe fits, you should wear it. It derives from an English term originally written in the late 1500s in England. If the cap fits, wear it is a condensed form of the expression "if the cap fits, wear it." This proverb may have been coined around 1730 by British satirist and writer Jonathan Swift. He published an essay under this title in 1738. Swift's intent was to criticize the extravagance of the time, which led to this saying being used as a parody. The phrase itself is a caricature of an old adage that was commonly used to describe how someone should adapt their behavior to suit a situation. He wrote: "If the Cap Fit, Wear it'. A jest that had long been current against men who were fond of new clothes. But now it has been turned into a serious warning to us all not to let our habits fit our coats." For more about this proverb, its origin and meaning, see here: "If the Shoe Fits" article on Proverbion.com.