Fashion challenged

As I wrote earlier, yesterday was the first day of school for my kids. My son doesn't understand the 'first day of school outfit' thing. He just wore basketball shorts and a T-shirt. That was easy enough.

I had bought my daughter a really nice outfit for her first day. The pants were the new knicker style (like capris, only with a band at the bottom). They were a pretty aqua color. For a top, I had bought a gauzy white shirt with aqua and green stars. Of course, it was sparkly too, a requisite for any 7 year old girl's wardrobe.

When I showed her the outfit last week, she loved the top. The pants were another story.

"No offense, Mom," she said, "but I already have a pair of pants that have stars on them too".

"I'm sure you do," I replied, "but those are red and pink. I think the aqua pants will work better since they match the aqua stars on the top".

She pondered my words.

"OK," she said, "I'll wear this today, but I'm using the other pants later".

Mom 1
Daughter 0

I tried not to flinch when she pulled on white knee socks with red flowers that she rolled down to her ankles. I've learned to pick my battles.

Today I figured I'd let her pick her own outfit. "Be afraid", a little voice inside my head warned me.

My fears were justified. She came down the stairs proud as can be. She wore a hot pink skort (skirt shorts) and a peach and brown colored top with a monkey on it that said 'My Brother Drives Me Bananas'.

"Let's go upstairs and brush your teeth!", I said cheerfully, hoping to find a top that matched a little better. As she was brushing her teeth, I went in her room and picked out a light pink top with hot pink flowers.

"Hey, honey," I said excitedly, "How about this top instead? The flowers in it match the skort really well!"

"Mom," she said, pointing to the monkey shirt, "this top matches just fine. See? It's kind of pink too! I'll wear that another time".

"OK", I said, knowing that I had lost that battle.

Downstairs, I asked her to pick out a hair ribbon since I knew she wouldn't like the one I would pick. She picked out a lovely purple and white striped one that I put on her ponytail. After that, she picked out an orange headband and put that on too.

To top it all off, she put on pink knee socks that she rolled down to her ankles again, and her brown and pink sneakers. I'm sure that her teacher will think she is a new last minute student that is color challenged. Gone was the girl with the cute aqua knickers, sparkly shirt and aqua hair bow.

This is all nothing new. Last year she did the same thing. The only rule I have is that she can't wear anything that is too grown up for her. These days the stores are selling clothes for little girls that are duplicates of the clothes for teenagers. So far, I am winning on that rule.

Who know? Maybe someday people will come to realize that mismatched clothes are all the rage and my daughter will be a millionaire...

...but I doubt it.