It’s hard to believe that Mama is already shopping for backpacks, lunch boxes, school supplies and back-to-school clothes…it’s only mid-July for goodness sake! But we all know by know that the school system now runs on its own calendar and nothing is as cut and dry as it used to be with school getting out mid-June and returning just after Labor Day. Now some schools start next week and others do start in September. Regardless of the dates, there is one thing Mama always looks forward to…back-to-school shopping, I can’t wait for day I will go shopping for beautiful long sleeve homecoming dresses for my girl!!!
Don’t you remember as a kid going to pick out a few things to get you started for the year? You know…new shoes, new jeans, new trends…So with Lily-girl started kindergarten, Mama is so excited to make the list and head out to shops BUT then Mama realized, wait she has a UNIFORM. Now Mama is having mixed feelings about the uniform. At first, Mama thought it was great, no fighting to get dressed in the morning, it will be easy and no hassle. Now Mama is thinking…“what if Mama is stifling her personality and creativity as an individual, after all fashion is one of the best ways people express their personality.”
 |
| What Lily-girl will really be wearing — Everyday! |
Mama did not have a uniform growing up but times were also different. Mama was the only one at her school (elementary school) that was not wearing Guess Jeans and Esprit tops (the top labels at the time). However once Mama realized that, Mama worked around the house to save up for her first pair of Guess Jeans — they were red skinny jeans with zippers at the ankles (it was the 90s!). After that it was bargain hunting for the labels that Mama had to have at rock bottom prices we could actually afford. The next pair were Guess Zebra printed jeans with ankle zippers…having a uniform to wear to school would have subsided all that pressure to wear what the other girls in school were wearing but in the end, it was something that Mama loved and still loves — hunting for the bargains and reading up on the latest fashion trends.
Is Mama now denying Lily-girl this same sort of love and expression through fashion? Perhaps Mama is just overreacting to the whole uniform thing and will get used to seeing her wearing plaid every. single. day with knee-high socks and black socks….can’t one accessorize with the uniform for self-expression? Apparently not — everything must follow the “code.” In fact, her feather extensions are not part of the “code”….Mama is going for sure going to get written up by the principal for not following the fashion “code!”
What is your take on school uniforms?
I think that uniforms can be both good and bad. I wore a uniform for all of elementary school, but then not for middle and high school. That meant I spent all of middle school as a fashion disaster. I also had a mother who could have cared less about fashion as well, so it kind of set me up for failure. If you let her learn to love fashion and express herself on the weekend? Super cool. Means ifat some point, if she isn't wearing a uniform? She will already have a sense of style, whatever it may be