As a young child, my mom dressed me much like a pilgrim. Well, maybe not a pilgrim exactly, but not like every other child on the block. My dresses and outfits could be described as classic rather than current. In the very best cases. And while I did look pretty cute sometimes, I didn’t exactly blend in. I vividly recall my first grade teacher complimenting my outfit one afternoon at recess. You don’t often see kids wearing kilts these days, she remarked. It’s so refreshing.
Flash forward to junior high. While everyone was wearing Jordache and Z. Cavaricci, I donned long skirts and button downs. I actually have a yearbook photo of myself wearing a corduroy vest. I’m pretty sure nobody else in high school wore a corduroy vest. Ever. Say what you will about being independent, but I do believe that my high school experience would have been a little less awkward had I just blended a bit more. If my fashion sense had been somewhat more… fashionable.
It took until college before I realized that I could dress however I wanted, and finally wore the jeans with intentional rips and layered t-shirts just like everybody else. And it was fun. I had a good decade of dressing well before trading everything in for the mom- yoga pants and sweatshirts I live in these days.
It came to my attention, recently, that my daughter was on the same track as me. Like my mom, I too, prefer girls clothes that look classic rather than trendy. I’ve refused to buy the faded jeans and Hannah Montana shirts that her friends all have. I shop discount for the good stuff, rather than the crap that falls apart. Corduroy pants are cute! But add some dated hand me downs to her “classic” closet, and even I could see that it needed some updating.
Last week, she proclaimed that she wanted some “cuter” clothes. Always up for a shopping spree, Jeff brought her to H&M for some retail therapy. They returned with six pairs of skinny jeans, a bunch of “cool” t-shirts and a metallic birthday dress. While the clothes are a bit skankier and have a few more zippers than I would like, I have to admit she looks adorable in them. She can be the well dressed girl that I always longed to be, and living vicariously through her is kind of cool.
But I draw the line at Hannah Montana shirts. And someday, she’ll thank me.
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LOL!
My mom always dressed me like a baby doll. In fact she would make me and my dolls matching dresses. All throughout high school she would make (failed) attempts at buying me coordinated outfits. It was like she found the worst dressed person in the store and had them pick out their favorite clothes. Fast forward to today and she buys my child doll like clothing. She has gotten better, but this Christmas she did send some questionable items. I dress my kid in clothes that I would wear. I’m an old navy/HM kinda girl. Even the Gap gets a little too girly/doll-like for me. I not a big fan of matchy matchy. I do agree with you on the crap that has some overpaid tween’s mug on the front of it… like hannah montana. I actually won’t put anything on her with “characters.” I’m proud to say she’s never worn anything w/ winnie the pooh, dora, mickey/minnie, etc… Although, I did breakdown recently and allow her to wear pj’s with princesses on them.
With that said, the clothes for girls these days does border on the lines of child prostitute, so hopefully that trend will pass by the time my kid gets a mind of her own. :-)
.-= Danielle @danielle92278´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Good job Mom!
I went to Catholic school up until high school…all I can say is THANK GOD for uniforms because my parents were more open to letting us pick out our weekend/afterschool clothes since we were in uniforms most of the time.
.-= Patty´s last blog ..Book Suggestions…Please! =-.
I dream of uniforms!
I briefly considered buying the Mini-Kamp a pair of 7′s. Briefly.
.-= DCUrbanDad´s last blog ..Five Questions with Always Home and Uncool =-.
I’m laughing at the corduroy vest image…yeeeooowwww!
And I bet your daughter doesn’t even have a TRACE of skank in those new clothes. Because I know that the really skanky stuff would never make it past your front door. Have you SEEN some of the stuff kids wear nowa…Oh My God. It’s Official. I’ve turned into my mother.
.-= TheKitchenWitch´s last blog ..Neighbor Friday: A Design So Vast =-.
I was the 10th of 11 kids and the youngest of 6 girls. I had nothing but hand me downs. I got the crocheted vest one from each sister. It sucked and when I was old enough to babysit clothes were the only things I bought with that money. My mom did what she could afford and so did I. MY girls basically get the clothes they want and luckily it’s not full of designer names. The younger 2 love to shop at Tilly’s and I’m happy to have a stoe that they both find things they love.
P.S. I want the password to read the protected posts. I think I read the first one before it was protected….
.-= Julie´s last blog ..Faith and Courage =-.
Oh my Jill. You look adorable and I can see you in that little girl. Minus the corduroy overalls. Your face is precious.
My mom liked to give us bowl cuts. I think I have issues, that’s why I haven’t gotten a haircut in 6 months :)
.-= Live.Love.Eat´s last blog ..Breakfast Potato Skins =-.
Best blog ever! I remember wanting clothes items so badly and never having them. Some I still long for as an adult! Cute picture.
.-= Weekend Cowgirl´s last blog ..Girl Watching =-.
Let’s hear it for classic aesthetic! The shirts from Walmart with Hannah Montana on them make me ill…
.-= Lori Z.´s last blog ..A letter to IKEA! =-.
I completely agree. PLEASE don’t let your cute little girls dress like skanks! It kills me to see them in the Hannah Montana outfits. I love fashion, but little girls can be “fashionable” without looking trashy.
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Resolution #4: Check =-.
My daughter’s grandmothers (great included) have had a field day buying clothes for her. From the time she was born they have showered her with dresses and all sorts of shoes. It is crazy.
Fortunately it hasn’t ever been anything too risque. I don’t get particularly excited one way or another about it.
.-= Jack´s last blog ..What Do Fathers Dream About =-.
Look at your cutie, patootie self! Oh my goodness. Will it bring us closer together if I were to tell you that I was the one in the purple corduroy knickers for my 4th grade school picture?
I love that it was Jeff who embraced H&M. I think you might be on track to change your classic ways.
.-= Mayhem and Moxie´s last blog ..I Believe I Can Fly =-.
I was never in style growing up..or probably not now either. We were dirt poor growing up and shopped at the Salvation Army. I never had the fashionable clothes or anything in style. My daughter gets Wa-Mart clothes at least…I ‘ve never been big on buying her clothes with stars on it with the exception of a shirt occasioanlly with HSM people or Twilight. She had a couple of Hannah Montana shirts that were given to her or bought by other people. I would say that she is in style for the most part, she doesn’t wear the super name brand stuff that’s so popular because I just don’t want to pay that much for a t-shirt! Anyway, she’s happy with her style and so am I, she’s cute, trendy, but conservative.
.-= Jayde´s last blog ..10 Things You Can Do To Alleviate Boredom =-.
Bwahahahahaha… I had to wear my older sisters hand me downs because we couldn’t afford anything else. Let’s note that she was 10 years older than I… that’s right… I was always a decade behind!
.-= Shelle-BlokThoughts´s last blog ..Life dropped kicked us! =-.
Oh but Retro is so cool now! With Etsy and all the handmade stuff out there, I am sure she looked adorable :-)
I love playing dress up with my daughter, it’s a ton of fun. She does have a very strong opinion and we are currently trying very hard to stave of the invasion of the princesses (only one step above Hannah). I am trying REALLY hard to let her be herself and not freak about her clothing choices because my mom always said “what will people think of ME if you go out looking like that” and it made me insane!
Isn’t having girls fun, all the issues the arise with in us!
Mom of an almost 3yr old going on 13
.-= MamaB´s last blog ..Fab Find Friday: Fun with Fishes =-.
Zippers and metallics are fine as long as they don’t come in too tight or too short packages. My mom and I used to shop together and I’d pick out a million things and she’d narrow it down to things that were fashionable (like purple and turquoise plaid pants with purple LA Gear swede boots) and appropriate (tight biker shorts under too short skirt were nixed). That’s how she survived raising a girl. I plan to use the same method when #2 is born in March.
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..12FOR2010: Pantry Part One =-.
Good for you on for saying NO to Hannah Montana! UGH!!! I bet she looks so cute in her new clothes!
My mom started taking me shopping and letting me make my own choices when I was about 11 or so. She loved taking me to the mall (God bless her!). I hope to do the same for my daughter some day too! : ) I mean how much FUN!
.-= Elaine´s last blog ..PSF – Blown Away! =-.
Your husband likes to shop? I’m in awe. And I think that picture is the cutest thing ever!
.-= Kate Coveny Hood´s last blog ..Friday Fiction: A Much Needed Nap =-.
My daughters (8 and 5) still look like pretty little girls when dressed up for a party, but some of their peers are into trendy black clothing and little glittery high heels. Scary looking stuff.
It won’t be long before they rebel against me and go with the flow.
When I was a kid I didn’t even realise that there was a such a thing as fashion until I got to high school.
.-= pixielation´s last blog ..Pants on the floor? No star for you! =-.
Hear hear! I dress my kid the same way. Or, I should say, I provide the same kinds of clothes for her to wear as she choses…
I want to see pictures of her new outfits!
.-= Alecia´s last blog ..St. Joe’s =-.
My stupid camera is broken. It’s killing me!!! I’ll post some as soon as I get it back! :)
I completely relate, I had to wear homemade tracksuits made of a horrible cheap version of velour! It is interesting how much we follow in the footsteps of our own parents, good on you for being aware and being open to change, many are not so aware.
.-= Christie´s last blog ..Why Kids are No Good at Being Good =-.
hey there! Does this mean yo are ready for some more boxes from Allison?! And whats wrong with the Hannah Montana t-shirts? Guess I will leave that concert t-shirt out. Would a led zeplin one be better? Hope all is well and hugs to all!
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