Mother Knows Dressed

Every spring, as I put away my drab, colourless winter wardrobe and pull out my drab, colourless short sleeved one, I look to my children’s closets to give me that fashionista-fix that, apparently as a woman, I’m hardwired to need.  Truth be told, I’ve never enjoyed shopping for clothes for myself, particularly after having had babies.  Of course, my littlest bundle is almost 483 weeks, so I’m sure those extra 15lbs should fall off any day now.

In the meantime, I’ve always enjoyed playing dolly dress-up with my real live offspring, having cart blanche to dress them anyway I please.  Turns out, if you water and feed them on a regular basis, kids can really grow in a year!  In fact, at eleven years of age and almost 5’5”, my son can actually be heard growing at the dinner table as he eat-moans.  So given the rate at which he burns through clothes, June always marks the start of my annual pre-summer pilgrimage to the mecca of affordably priced, one-of-a-kind haut couture, Vîllagè de Valûe.

Having met my husband in a vintage clothing store, second hand has always been second nature to me.  Oh, I do still shop at regular stores quite often, but once or twice a year I like the challenge of perusing the gently used racks to see what perfectly good treasures I can find.  I’m not one to brand name drop, but there’s no GAP in the amount of quality American Apparel you can find in that Children’s Place!

Yet my days are surely numbered as personal stylist to my kids, having already had to bite my lip once this year watching my son dress for school in red nylon basketball shorts and a t-shirt … in March.

I just hope I have the stamina for the pending teenage years when their bourgeoning fashion sense convinces them that this is a good look:

Really, there are no words … except for these:  choose your battles Mum.