Fashion Wise

My son just informed me that he's so glad he got Vans for school this year. All the other kids got Brand Name Shoes and he'd be the only one who didn't. He would have felt left out.

I'm so proud of our kids. He chose his Vans himself at the local Salvation Army, and they were half off that day to boot. We paid a total of $4. He was thrilled, we were thrilled, and the shoes are actually next to new. I'm also thrilled that he thinks Vans are a huge name brand. How long can we keep them deceived like this?

Clothing is such an issue. Why is this? We spend years of our lives fighting mobs in malls, spending fortunes we don't really have, and for what? So the kids can say "yeh, it's okay." Or worse, "ewwwww."

Closets full and overflowing. Dressers leaking out onto the floor. Coats and shoes enough to clothe a cold third world country. And yet there's nothing to wear. If the red shirt with the paint stain is in the laundry they're at a loss as to how to even get dressed. No jeans that allow the ankles to show? What is one to wear! And just try to get a matching pair of socks. How on earth does one put 12 pairs of socks into the laundry and have 4 socks total come out? Three are under beds somewhere, one is between the couch cushions, two are on the patio and the others are missing forever. And they were just purchased for school two weeks ago.

Maybe I should pare down for school this year instead of beefing up. If they've got one pair of underwear they'd be easier to keep track of. With the length of showers the kids take I could wash their tidy whities and have them waiting. We'd always know where they were. Two pair of socks, because sometimes it isn't the kids fault that the washer eats things. One pair of jeans that is the correct length, one basic long-sleeved shirt that can be worn alone or under tees, and I'll be generous and give them 2 tees to mix things up a bit.

Yep, I'm headed to the closets. Anyone in need of clothes?