The Summer of the Dress

I've never been a "girly-girl." My brother was just 18 months younger than me and we played together a ton growing up. I was very into my baby dolls, but most of my time was spent outside playing pioneer, Davey Crockett, cowboys and Indians and the like.

However, I always enjoyed getting dressed up for church on Sundays. Most of my dresses were hand me downs, but I loved them. I remember during my fifth grade year I was really into carrying a purse, especially to church. I think all I had in it was a few one dollar bills and some lip gloss. For some reason, the feminist in me reared her head and I refused to carry a purse for many years after. I much preferred large wallets or purse backpacks. And when I think about some of the dresses and outfits I put together for church over the years...I was in great need of fashion help!

I fear that even though I'm more balanced now, Miss Rose has picked up a little too much of my tomboy-independent-girls rock attitude. She is extremely opposed to wearing dresses or even skirts. She wants to wear jeans, old tshirts and her beat up shoes to church on Sundays. She wants to wear that all of the time.

About 50% of the time I don't want to fight and let her choose her own clothes for school. The other 50% I risk the argument and put my foot down on her clothing. When she is much older I know she'll look back at photos and ask me why I let her dress that way. I figure if I try to downplay it, she'll eventually grow out of it.

When it comes to my own everyday clothing, I am definately about comfort and function. I really only dress up--complete with hair and full makeup--for work and church on Sundays. Even some of those days are more casual or thrown together--depending on how much time I had. Of course, I've dressed Miss Rose with that same attitude--function and comfort.

Perhaps that was a mistake. Perhaps I should have embraced her girly side more earlier in her life. I'm sure she'll find it--just like I did. I'm all about a great purse and good shoes now. When the occasion calls for it of course. Not just to grocery shop.

Gracie however, is still young and impressionable. She has quite an opinion on her clothes--which Miss Rose didn't have at two. Gracie has her favorite jackets (jack-jacks or jacky as she calls it). If I choose the wrong one, she'll go to the closet and say "no, this one." She LOVES to stay in her jammies. Shoes are also a big thing. Last week it was the new white sandels I bought her for Easter. This week it's black little ballet flats (which she wore with too big of socks and jeans a few days ago).

So I've decided for Gracie, this is the summer of the dress. I'm going to put her in cute summer dresses as much as posssible! The right ones are just as cool as shorts and a tank top. Makes diaper changes (and potty training soon) easier too.

Who knows, in another year Miss Rose will probably be all about dressing up and I won't be able to get Gracie out of her tennis shoes. Good think Lily is coming up behind them. I'll have another girl to dress for a few more years before she can make up her own mind.

A friend gave me a whole bunch of clothes her daughter had outgrown for Gracie--and what do you know---there were several casual dresses. It's meant to be!

Frankly, I'm on the hunt for some cute dresses myself. They can be much more flattering than shorts, especially for a body still recovering from two pregnancies in two years.