Yesterday morning Gulley and I met for our last peaceful Starbucks morning of the school year because her youngest son is done with preschool this Thursday and something tells me that he has no interest in sitting quietly drinking a grande non-fat latte while we all discuss “The Bachelorette” and whether or not I should get bangs the next time I get my hair cut.
(Seriously, should I get bangs? I’m leaning towards yes even though some vague part of my memory is telling me that I always regret that decision. However, I’m on the precipice of needing either bangs or Botox)
Anyway, we sat outside to enjoy the unseasonably cool morning, solved at least 1/3 of all the world’s problems, and then decided to go to Old Navy to shop for shorts. I know I said I was over shorts and declared it the summer of the skirt and cotton dresses, but I have since discovered that I’m going to need some shorts to round out my summer wardrobe.
We looked through the racks and found a few different things to try on and to my amazement I found these really cute shorts for only $24.50. The only problem is that now I feel like I need some new shirts to go with them. Why does life have to be so complicated?
After I found the shorts, I decided to look through the girls’ section. A few mornings ago, I laid out Caroline’s four wardrobe choices for the day. It was a darling array of pink plaid shorts, a bright orange skirt, a striped cotton sundress and a floral dress. She gave it all the once over, looked at me and asked, “Do I have any plain khaki shorts?”
“No, you don’t have any plain khaki shorts because you have all these other beautiful things.”
“I just wish I had some plain, khaki shorts.”
Well of course you do. What little girl doesn’t want to dress like Jack Hanna?
I decided to fulfill her days old dream of owning her very own khaki shorts so I began to search through the racks at Old Navy until I found a pair that came complete with a hot pink canvas belt reminiscent of my entire fifth grade belt collection.
(Not that I had a collection of belts in fifth grade because that would just be odd)
(Although I’m sure if you ever had a belt collection it was perfectly lovely)
I also found the most precious pair of madras plaid shorts for her, complete with a bright fuschia polo. My only regret was that the shorts didn’t come in my size, even though I could maybe squeeze into a girls’ size 14 in my imagination.
When Caroline got home from school, I began to pull out the new things I’d bought for her. She immediately embraced the khaki shorts as if they were the culmination of every fashion dream she’s ever had for herself and then gave the precious madras plaid shorts the stinkeye and said, “I don’t like those at all.”
I really blame myself because I think I pulled them out of the bag with a little too much hope and desperation showing in my eyes. She smelled my fashion weakness.
Later on I was on the phone with Gulley and informed her that the plaid shorts were a total bust and then, because I sensed Caroline was eavesdropping on my conversation, I said, “I can’t believe she didn’t like them. Doesn’t Jackson LOVE his plaid shorts? Doesn’t he have plaid shorts EXACTLY like the ones I bought Caroline?”
Caroline walked over to the desk where I was talking on the phone, looked me right in the eye and said, “Jackson also has KHAKI SHORTS.”
My attempt at fashion peer pressure was a total failure.
Of course the irony in all this is that the shorts I bought myself yesterday happen to be khaki shorts, but only because I have too much dignity to attempt to fit into a girls’ size 14 madras plaid ones.
And, also because they didn’t have any left in that size.
Ultimately it all comes back around to the question of whether or not I should cut my bangs?
It really doesn’t come back to that at all but I didn’t want you to forget the question since it’s been at least two boring minutes since you read it.
