Friday, May 25, 2007

When exactly did I turn into my mother?

Don't be a chicken--wear something decentWhen I was about 15, a fashion fad swept through our school: Wearing men's boxers as shorts. Of course I marched out and bought myself a three-pack. My parents were appalled and decreed that I could not leave the house wearing underwear without outerwear.

So, typical teen, I just changed into the boxers after I left the house. Eventually I got busted. And to this day, I have a rather old-fashioned formality-meter when it comes to clothing. I believe that if you are at church, in a theater attending a live performance, in a hotel lobby, or at a chicken-nugget-free restaurant, you should be wearing real clothes. I don't mean head-to-toe Prada, but come on--avoid workout gear, stained sweatpants, and ripped jeans. There are plenty of decent clothes that are also comfortable. If you are over 4 years old, there is no excuse for wearing pajamas outside the confines of your own home (or, OK, your car). Are we clear?

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm cool with that, so long as the car is still ok. Because SOMETIMES I am so desperate for Starbucks that I will drive thru in my jammies. I do try to look presentable from the neck up, though! ;)

Anonymous said...

Karly, I have done the same--that's why I had to include the Vehicular Exemption!

Lara said...

okay, what about being in college and going to take a final at 9am? are jammies okay then? 'cause if not, a lot of people here should be in serious trouble...

Anonymous said...

I am with you - you shouldn't be wearing them once your past a certain age because you will just look ridiculous.

I always saw the girls in college that would wear their jammies to class. I could never do that. Heck, I still see girls that do that.

Julie Pippert said...

Maybe the better question is when did *I* turn into your mother? ;) LOL

I have the same sort of code.

Karianna said...

Mmmm. If you don't wear workout clothes to drop off your child at preschool, then you are uncool.

But, if you wear them while picking your child up in the afternoon, then you are a LOSER.

Girlplustwo said...

um, well....hmmmm.

coming from the woman who has indeed taken her child to day care barefoot. in pajamas.

heading to the back of the class now.

flutter said...

A-MEN!

nonlineargirl said...

I am there with you. Portland is a VERY casual town, which in most ways I like, but the clothes thing can get a little out of hand.

Oh, and in high school I had shorts, bought at maybe the Gap, that were for girls, but built to look like boys' boxers. What exactly was I thinking?

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Julie Marsh said...

I do remember the boxer fad.

And we just had a similar discussion about an hour ago - little girls who are five need to wear a swimsuit when playing in the backyard baby pool. Going nakie is no longer acceptable.

Lisa said...

I have a dress code like that too. Saw on that last post you are going to BlogHer. Hope to get a chance to meet you!

Lady M said...

We had a pajama-themed Christmas party with some friends, and I must admit that I went and got new PJs for everyone, because our real ones were too battered. It worked out well, because we wore them over the holidays visiting family and looked respectable. :)

cce said...

This reminds me of my seven year old's recent comment about Pajama Day at school. While everyone in the elementary school was encouraged to wear p.j.'s and robes and slippers to school and the cafeteria served breakfast for lunch, my O declared he wasn't participating because, in his own words, "Wearing pajamas outside of the home is just unattractive." I just wanna know when my son became my mother?

Her Bad Mother said...

I wore boxers as shorts for awhile. I wore a lot of psycho stuff. Then I got super anal.

But I'm actually more lax about that kind of thing, now that I'm a mom and live in yoga pants. Pre-momhood, I'd have scoffed at sneakers in the city, sweatpants at the grocery store, ALL OF IT.

Now, what gets my mommy goat is overly-sexy clothing. ON ANYONE. Like, people, COVER IT UP.

Bon said...

how did you get that picture of me...erm...my mom, i mean?

personally i try to avoid these issues by not leaving the house. but as i'm starting to job search in a serious way, i suppose i'm going to have to relearn to dress myself, alas.

i suspect there will be an awkward acclimation period...but i promise, no pyjamas. outside the car.

OhTheJoys said...

...and while we are on the subject, can we also mention that your belly should NOT hang out of your shirt, your jeans should not be so tight as to SQUEEZE your belly up and over the top and out the bottom of your shirt and white pumps are not acceptable at any time, ever.

Oh - and keep your bra straps hidden.

There. I am a stickler too.

Mrs. Preschool said...

Ok, I have a confession. For the first time in my life I went out in my pajama bottoms. It was a 1:00 desperation run to Taco Bell. I thought, "well I'll just go through the drive thru." Wrong answer. Long story short, I ended up having to park my car, walk by a bunch of teenage boys, and scramble into Taco Bell wearing blue flannel pajamas with pink flamingos ala Target 2006. Needless to say, after a 15 year old boy yelled, "Nice pants!" I decided then and there that was my first and last foray into the world of "loungewear" out of the house.

Magpie said...

And if you don't wear pajamas, you definitely need to be wearing clothes!

Anonymous said...

I don't remember boxers but I do remember a high school fad of long underwear bottoms under everything. Everybody was doing it!Looking back it's SO NOT COOL. Not even a little. WTF were we thinking?

Jennifer said...

I'd forgotten all about the boxer shorts days. Good times, good times.

Seeing as I'm a mom to a toddler and a newborn, if I even get dressed and GET to leave the house...I don't care what I'm wearing. I'm sure I'll go back to my fashion forward days when i have time to shower again!!

Anonymous said...

But I AM okay in the restaurants that HAVE chicken nuggets, right? I just want to be clear... I have some pretty torn-up shorts and I don't want to offend :)

HMA said...

what about the beaded bra as a top... if we're talking about inappropriate clothing fads from the 80's! And what if your mother still dresses that way (yikes), can I turn into someone else's mother?

Kelly said...

You are so busting me. Every pair of sweatpants I have at home are stained, and I frequently venture out to the grocery store in what I wore to bed. But hey, I brush my hair and teeth, and apply some foundation and powder, so I'm not THAT bad.

(Am I?)

PunditMom said...

Yes, ma'am!

Actually I agree.

My high school clothing story -- my parents would NOT let me wear mini-skirts. Had to be down to my knee. So I wore my sweaters over top and rolled the waistband when I got to school. Not original, I'm sure, but I felt like SUCH a rebel! ;O

Anonymous said...

Uh-oh, I'm in trouble. That's pretty much all I've got these days :o) Hope you're having a great trip.

Movin Mom said...

OMG....did you see me dropping the kids off in the morning. It's not my fault that their school is in your neighborhood!!!!