^^^This. And to be honest, when I was T's age, I would have given anything to get to pick out my own school clothes. My mom chose my clothes for me up until I was in junior high, and the first day of 7th grade, she wouldn't let me pick my own clothes and insisted I had to wear either a dress or slacks and a blouse. The only dress I had was a hand-me-down from a friend who was quite a bit bigger than me, so she had worn it several years before. It was 1988 I think? And the dress I had was something like this, but lavender checkers.
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You can imagine I didn't want to wear that on my first day of jr. high. I would have been a laughing stock. As it was, I was forced to wear ill fitting canary yellow pants that ballooned out in front and were a bit too short, and a yellow and white referee style striped blouse. (also hand me downs) I looked like a clown, but mom insisted I had to make a good impression on my teachers. I think the only impression I probably made was that they pitied my sense of style, or lack there of. I was asked so many times that day why I was dressed like that, and kids laughed...it was embarrassing.
And even in first grade, I remember one day....it was homecoming week and both the high school and the elementary school did "spirit week" for homecoming. Each day was a different theme, the Friday being Black and Gold day (school colors), and your class got points for how many people dressed up for the theme. So one day might be Hat Day, one day might be Crazy Hair Day, or Come as You're Not Day. This particular one was Twins Day....you were supposed to pick a friend and dress alike. There was a friend of mine from class and church, and teachers always got us mixed up because we both had long brown hair and freckles. We decided to dress alike and we were talking about what we had that matched. We had both been in the Missoula Children's Theater production of Johnny Appleseed, and we had both bought the t-shirt, which was red. And being 6 year old girls, we both had pink pants. I think they were even both corduroy. We even decided on matching accessories....we both had a teddybear lapel pin. So that morning, I told mom it was Twin day at school and Khara and I were supposed to dress alike, and this is what we had that matched. Mom absolutely refused...no way was I wearing pink pants with a red shirt....what would people think??? I begged, I cried, I kept telling her we got points for it and if I wasn't dressed up, I'd be letting my class down. I was almost late for school because I wouldn't wear anything else. Finally mom threw her hands in the air and said I could wear it, but I was never again to sign up for something like that without her permission. I knew I wasn't allowed to pick out my own clothes, and I shouldn't have agreed to dress like twins with someone else. (That's what she told me) In the long run, what was the harm in me dressing in mismatched clothing? It wasn't unsafe, it just wasn't what she liked. And I doubt anyone remembers what I wore that one day....the only reason I remember it myself was because of the drama it caused.
I doubt T minds dressing himself. At least he wears what he likes and what's comfortable. My kids have both been picking out their own clothes and getting dressed themselves since they were about 4 or 5. A required help until we switched to jogging pants, because he didn't have the motor skills for the buttons and zippers, but other than that, he's always preferred to do it himself. There are so few things children get to choose for themselves, they loved getting to pick their clothes, and I let them because I remembered how much I hated it that I didn't get to. E came up with some real doozies when she was young....checkers and polka dots together, for example, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't really important what she looked like. She was learning to make decisions herself, learning what she liked and what she didn't, and learning how to tie shoes and do up buttons, etc. I don't think they are any worse off for it. We don't have to control every breath they take.
looks interesting
A neckline change and letting the sleeves flutter should do itI know what they mean of course, just really poorly worded.View attachment 419212
