When I was a kid my dear Mother used to dress my sister and I up in matching outfits. Sigh. This, I have now come to understand, is a bit of a right of passage. Most Mama’s in the Suburbs are guilty of this “dressing sin”. I didn’t do the matching outfits, but I did do matching colour schemes. Sorry babies! I wish I had the picture of the day my Mom completely crossed the matchy line. My sis and I grew a spine refused to go along with her matching ways, so what did Mama do? She dressed me up in an outfit that matched the neighbour boy. Red plaid rompers. Seriously?
Through the years I learned to dress to fit in. There were jelly shoes and leg warmers, acid wash jeans and neon T-shirts, parachute pants and Olivia Newton head bands. The 80’s were not pretty.
Sometime in my late teens? I realized the ridiculously skinny body with teeny boobs and a padded bra I was dragging around, it had some power! Power over boys. I started dressing for them. Shorter shorts, bigger hair, and tighter T-shirts. Sorry Mom.
A Career brought “work” clothes. Sensible, but not too stylish. Had to fit in. Again.
Later Motherhood brought the clothes of survival. Yoga pants, a pony tail, and pretty much any shirt that didn’t have spit up on it became acceptable clothes for trips to the store or the park.
Somewhere in my early 30’s I got a little lost. Worried far too much about what other women thought of me and what I was wearing. I wasn’t dressing for my kids, my work, my Hubby..I was hoping “the girls” liked my clothes. Sad but true.
Now I am entering my 40’s, oh okay, I turned 40 in May. My girls are 9 and 12 and spit up is not really an issue any more, so I do strive to dress beyond the yoga pants. I gave up that career to stay home with those kids. Career clothes, they all went to Good Will. I landed the boy of my dreams 15 years ago, and although I want him to think my outfits make me look like all that and a bag of chips, I’m also smart enough to know at this point in my marriage, “the sex card” is far more powerful in marriage then the “new outfit card”.
Perhaps an epiphany? Is it possible after 4 decades of dressing for everyone else I FINALLY get to dress for me??
Who wants to go shopping?!
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Of course when I was young I dressed to fit in and be cool but now I dress for comfort and for me
I still dress for men, and for comfort…one day a pretty dress, the next day a ponytail and yoga pants. Yeah, I’m confused too.
I love, love, love this post. The sex card totally cracked me up, as did the 80’s reference. Eesh! I would love to go shopping with you. After seeing the shoes you bought in Paris, I know I’d have lots to learn! 🙂
That was fun. I am sure I have done the same things over the years. Now I like to look nice and be very comfortable in my clothes.
My mother did dress us the same or one was in pink, the other in blue.
wow. this is a great post!
i am still in my comfy yoga pants and ‘nice’ old navy tshirt phase..and my kids are 6 and 10..crap i really gotta start looking nicer!! i totally feel dumpy.
My mommy used to dress me up matching too! When I was about 8 years old I finally got up the nerve to tell her I wanted to dress myself. It was a big day for me. I had no idea what I was doing until I turned about 19.
Good that you’re finally just dressing for YOU! I love to shop, any excuse to get me in the stores… and now, I’m freaking out because I feel like I have NOTHING TO WEAR to BlogHer, OMG! And no time to shop, not really! See you SOON!
I think that’s the natural cycle of most woman. Sadly no matter who I was dressing for I was always trying to find what I thought was appropriate from my body type.Only just down did I realize I had it all wrong. Now that I buy what I like , not what I think makes me look the least fat I’m noticing I look and feel better then ever.