school wardrobe

Yesterday I needed to pick up my junior high kids from school early.  My dad heard a holocaust survivor speak about her experience at our parish last year.  My family wasn't able to attend, and my history-buff father was hoping for a do-over ever since.  He heard that she would be in the area on Friday, so I agreed to take the kids out of school a bit early in order to get to her location on time.  

I insisted that my kids wear something presentable to school.  We wouldn't have time for changing clothes.  I define 'presentable' as clothing that matches, that is not typically worn in a basketball game, that is appropriate for the weather, and that fits properly.  I wasn't asking for a sport coat and tie, or tights and patent leather shoes.

The girls had no issue dressing in something 'normal'.  The boys were another story.

It seems almost physically impossible for Reggie to dress in something other than a Bulls jersey or workout shirt and athletic shorts.  No matter what the weather - he wears shorts under his workout pants and stuffs the pants in his locker when he gets to school.  The current 5th grade trend is that 'cool' boys wear shorts during the school day despite the frigid Chicago winters.

typical winter wear for Reggie!

Since I don't give a shit if Reg is cool, I informed him that he was to reserve shorts for PE class during the winter months.  I may not be able to see him during his school day, but I have my sources. 

I recently bought Reggie a pair of jeans.  They fit him perfectly, and I told him that I would require him to wear them.  With three older brothers, you would expect Reg to be thrilled to own new clothes minus holes, stains, or worn out waistbands.  Nope.

Since Coach and I are 'old-school', we insist that the kids refrain from wearing jeans or workout pants to Church each week.  Because of this rule, Reggie refers to anything that doesn't resemble a rag as 'church clothes.'  Tank owns two pairs of pants that are essentially colored jeans:  khaki and green.  These pass the family-instituted church wardrobe requirement.

Tanks' closet with clothes shoved under hanging clothes.

When I discovered these typically pricey Mavi jeans at my favorite department store, I began to stalk the sales rack for them.  I snag the 32/34 or 33/34 or 34/34 sizes whenever they get marked down in order to outfit my tall teens in these awesome duds.  These guys grow like weeds, so the minute one pair looks too short for one brother we toss them to the next shortest male sibling.

Friday morning, Tank claimed he couldn't find the casual jean-like pants.  Have no fear - smart mama was there!  I peeked in his drawers.  How silly that I thought clean clothes might have been stored there.  A moment later I was dragging wadded up, mostly-clean laundry from under the hanging clothes in Tank and Reggie's closet.

There in the middle of the mess was the tan jeans and new shirt that Tank recently wore to church.

Just before Tank could celebrate the fact that these clothes were too wrinkled to wear, I announced that I would iron the outfit for him.  I don't iron.  Tank got the message.  He was not off the 'dressing decent' hook just because he was a slob.

Notice the rugby collar he tried to hide under the bulls zip up.  He has a special hatred for corduroys. 

Before we walked out the door to school, I wrestled with Reggie and won.  My hip 5th grader had forced a Bulls zip-up over his worn-against-his-will, bulky, striped rugby shirt.  The thought of wearing a collared shirt to school had him coming unglued.

As a result of Reggie's 'I'm-too-cool-to-wear-that-to-school' approach to dressing himself, I agreed to lay out his clothing for the upcoming school week . . . whether he liked it or not.

One outfit I dressed him in.  Looks painful, right?  I wonder if he will try to contact DCFS on me. 

After that eventful morning, I couldn't help but imagine my kids experiencing my wardrobe issues as a child . . . check out 'my childhood wardrobe limitations' post tomorrow!