A Jill of No Shades
I may have walked on a runway. I may have even immersed myself in a hip, fashion forward city once. However, when it comes to piecing together an outfit? I may as well be asked to figure out calculus find the cure for cancer.
All of my life, my fashion sense hinged upon ideas from things around me. A fitted, ultra chic ensemble in the window of Banana Republic, I’ll run inside to try it on, only to confirm my body shape is nothing like a mannequin. A soft, multi-colored pastel sun dress from a friend’s closet, I try it on, only to find that it accentuates my narrow shoulders and king-king size arse.
So what’s a girl to do?
I run and hide under my fallback jeans and black shirt. Or black pants and black shirt. Or black dress and a black pashmina.
See a pattern here?
No, I am not in perpetual mourning, nor am I color blind. On the contrary, I am merely benevolent to public eyes, and avoid blinding everyone with my poor color coordination.
However, my father-in-law IS colorblind. He purchased a new Black automobile years ago, drove it home, only to find his family completely baffled at why he would buy a Purple car. His son, Dadisodes? He’s no help either. Up until last year, he thought wearing brown shoes with a black shirt was kosher.
*Insert head shake and eye roll*
My daughter is swimming in a color handicapped gene pool!
Thankfully I am fully aware of this issue and are taking steps to avoid raising a Wednesday Addams. While purchasing clothes for my daughter, I avoid black at all costs. I’m aware of the habit-forming possibilities. I am also fortunate enough to have a niece older than my daughter, who regularly sends colorful hand-me-downs. And recently, I’ve asked Babisodes to help pick out her own outfits in the morning.
Friday morning we were in a bit of a hurry. I opened up Babisodes’ dresser drawer and instructed her to pick out pants and a shirt to wear. In a flurry, I donned my usual jeans and shirt, Babisodes in her chosen outfit, and then ran downstairs to put on shoes.
In the distance I hear, “Mommy, wait! I gots to get my purse and stings!”
*loud clamoring of plastic toys*
Me: “Okay! Hurry up! Get your shoes on and let’s go. We’re late!”
Babisodes: “ Ahwite mommy. I ready to go! I gots my stuff. We can go now.”
*Enters room wearing this*
I believe she’s all set to swim in that defective gene pool now.
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ROFLL!! No really…I’m laughing WITH you! You both are going to have so much fun when she grows up and you let her read all of these posts!!!
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
There’s something wrong with that outfit?
Rebecca’s last blog post..Melting…
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:52 am
LOL!!! Hey at least the shoes match her sunglasses. It could be worse. She could want to dye her hair blue.
Great post! I can always count on you to make me smile.
Karen of Sillymonkeez’s last blog post..Silly Monkey Stories: Forgive and Forget
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:54 am
But, but, but! The shoes AND sunglasses are blue. That’s color coordination right there. Pink and brown are fabulous together! She’s a trendsetter!
(Oh and that kitchen in the background? My son wants that, a friend of his has it and he’s been pining for it for a year. hehe)
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:54 am
hmm, but don’t those pants have little flecks of blue, pink and brown in them, the same shades as her accessories? i’d say she tried pretty well to match colors! ok, i’m a guy with limited color coordination myself, but it doesn’t look all that bad to me. :-p
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
The same scene played out this weekend with our 3 year old. I wish I took a picture.
Anyway, unfortunately for my 5 children, they all took my lack of fashion sense gene. No one even got a a little bit of their mother’s I’m a runway model let me put an over coat with this outfit fashion sense.
I guess it’s a blessing in disguise, we can only fit so much clothing in one house.
Chris’s last blog post..Farewell: See You Next School Year
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I don’t care WHAT colors she wears – she is JUST. GORGEOUS. OMG, did that sound
faggyeffeminate or what?Lou Lohman’s last blog post..Framed!
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
holy cow, g/friend. she can wear anything she wants!! beeeyoooooteeeful!!!!
(but you might want to put the kabosh on the crocs. really, hon…)
the planet of janet’s last blog post..Random acts of blondness, part the third — now with bonus FISH!
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Shut up.
Go and read MY post today. We post about similar things on the same day often. We should totally talk before posting… you know like in high school when you called your best friend to ask what she was wearing.
ohmommy’s last blog post..Dire Straits
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
The only problem I see with this outfit is that her shoes are on the wrong feet.
Everything else matches…blue shades match blue crocs, brown shirt matches brown in the pants. And everyones knows that a pink bag goes with everything!
Beth_C’s last blog post..A little experience goes a long way.
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
aaaw she looks GREAT I don’t know what you’re talking about, she picked out those clothes fabulously!…………I can’t wait till LC grows up and we can play dress-up together, little girls are so much fun! The purse is what kills me….god I LOVE IT! Little itty bitty purse how cute?????
Jojo’s last blog post..I better go to sleep soon…..so to not EAT
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
LOL, that was just hilarious!! LOLOL!! She is totally adorable! Totally! She rocks!! Those crocs slay me..
LB’s last blog post..The Month of Abstinence
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Seriously. Have you NOT seen Sex and the City? Carrie???? I’m thinkin’ Babisodes is stylin’!
Plus, when you are that cute who the heck cares what you wear???
LaskiGal’s last blog post..I Made Her Do It
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I laughed out loud.. sorry Sandy.. I am totally laughing with you.. She is tooo cute.. her and her bag..
Kim’s last blog post..Hold Onto The Night – A Prom Carnival
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
ok – first of all, I saw your “Inside Out” photo, and if you think that YOU have a fat ass, then I must be morbidly obese (yeah – I know – blame it on the “skinny Asian thing”)
But I know how ou feel…right now The Queen’s favorite outfit is pink clamdiggers with white flowers on them, blue Ariel flip-flops and a bright orange Baltimore Orioles t-shirt that comes to her knees (a hand-me-down “sleep shirt” from her brother)…with her red sunglasses and carrying a stuffed Pikachu.
I need Coldwater Creek and Chicos to start making kid-sizes!
Mindi’s last blog post..Someone grab me some cheese!
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
lol. i think she looks SO ready for a day out on the town. let’s just say she could’ve done worse. much worse.
jameil1922’s last blog post..Becoming A Cutter
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I like her outfit. She will never be overlooked. But don’t go by my taste. My sister still delights in telling the story of me wearing red tights with an orange dress or a purple top with a rust-colored skirt. Nobody told me colors were supposed to match. I just wore what I liked. Since I’ve grown up I’ve discovered that many famous artists used the same color-combinations that I did. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me! lol
Eve’s last blog post..Me Meme – 6/3/08
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Hey..I think she looks GREAT!!
mp’s last blog post..They don’t say burst anymore.
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with it. Is that bad?
Anglophile Football Fanatic’s last blog post..Unloading the Boxes
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Hey. That is not a bad outfit! The sunglasses match the shoes and the purse matches the pants. So there!
Besides, when you are that cute it really doesn’t matter!
Kathryn’s last blog post..Trying
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Oh LOL! And the back to front shoes just make the outfit
Jenty’s last blog post..Project Blue: Take Two
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
is it bad that the only thing i see wrong there is the crocs? because, well, they’re crocs? i can appreciate fashion like crazy, i can dress anyone taller than 5 feet via IMing, but putting kids in coordinating ensembles and me in anything other than jeans/roxy capris and a tee or tank? really impossible.
zoeyjane’s last blog post..Step One and Two are in Effect (and Three)
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I think it’s safe to say you’re safe from that worry.
Jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..PSA Tuesday – Older Women and Blog Blast for Education
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Um, I definitely wear black all of the time. I just love it. But my daughter’s wardrobe is outrageously colorful. Also, she’s been wearing a bikini that she refuses to take off for the past two days.
Shamelessly Sassy’s last blog post..Once Bitten, Twice Fly.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I think Katelyn has the same exact outfit (from blue shades to blue crocs!) and has worn this same exact combination – down to the backwards shoes. Oh, they’d make the best of friends (hehe!)
SherE1’s last blog post..Breakfast at Morning Star’s
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:57 pm
OMG Sandy that picture is proceless!! And I bet she is very proud of how she dressed hersef…as she should be.
I’m the same as you though. Ihave jeans and t-shirts and most of those t-shirts are black.
Jess’s last blog post..Manic Monday
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Is she wearing her crocs on the wrong feet? Both my kiddos insist on wearing them this way!
Consider yourself lucky she isn’t wearing a Princess dress, that’s what Miss Peach would wear:o
Nap Warden’s last blog post..Rock a Bye Baby…
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I adore that.
nothing makes this entirely fashion sense free mamas day like one of those walking into the kitchen!
MizFit’s last blog post..Tues Tip.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Hilarious! I have to say though…there’s no better outfit than jeans and a black shirt!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
It’s an excellent story — and photo — and at least the shades and shoes match, right? As for the handbag? Well, I think that can be any color you want when you’re only three.
MommyTime’s last blog post..The Good, the Bad, and the Prom-y
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:29 pm
*LOL* She’s adorable!! Absolutely adorable!!! I can picture my girls doing the same in a couple of years
Sarah’s last blog post..The Budding Photographers Work
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:39 pm
What a great post! I have very little fashion sense myself (I sport black t-shirts and jeans way too often), but she looks fabulous!!
Cecily’s last blog post..Adventures and A Wet Seat
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
*trying to laugh quietly at almost-2am-in-the-morning*
Awwww she is just too cute! I love the lil outfit! She’s full of sass isn’t she?
Marylin’s last blog post..Is it just me who finds Lost to be infuriating???
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
That is SO going to be my daughter, too!!!
Nola’s last blog post..A Lafayette Rumor
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
yeah, I noticed her feet. Consider yourself Kelley slapped.
I think she is subconsciously rebelling with them on the wrong feet and all.
But the bag? Honey you are stylin’!
Kelley’s last blog post..Tiny hands
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Well, her shoes and her glasses match … I’ll give her that!
Holly’s last blog post..Meet Inappropriate Woman!
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Just wait until she comes home with this question: “Will I be in a lot of trouble if I pierce my eyebrow?”
Tasina’s last blog post..Epic Fail
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Oh my that’s nothing. You should see the photo my mom took of me when I picked my own outfit. Pink stripes with red plaid. It wasn’t until third grade that I was told that your socks are supposed to match. I had no idea until another kid told me. You’d think I was raised by wolves.
Babisodes = totally adorable even if she’s not all matchy matchy.
skiplovey’s last blog post..Spring cleaning
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:46 pm
That is for sure the cutest picture I have seen today!!!
Amy Shipp’s last blog post..Our Golf Outing and Flagstaff
June 4th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Yeh, so what’s wrong with it?
Ashley’s last blog post..Finding God. Again.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Don’t worry–she’s adorable! Plus, I’ve been told that everyone will know that my daughter dressed herself on the days that she doesn’t quite match!
Asianmommy’s last blog post..Big Bugs Exhibition
June 4th, 2008 at 12:53 am
lol!! love the story!! and i really Really LOVE the outfit!!
she is so darn cute though that really it doesn’t matter at all what she wears!! 
my girls have started to want to take a purse with stuff in it every where we go too… must be the age.
they are quite the lil’ ladies. 
she is BEAUTIFUL!! ( and quite honestly I think she looks just like YOU!!! )
xoxo’s
Jennifer’s last blog post..Feelin’ Froggy!
June 4th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Actually, she looks super cute! No need to worry about her color coordination. Someone as adorable as her can probably look good in anything…unlike us adults…sigh!
Linda’s last blog post..The Scent of Bond Girl 007
June 4th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
how cute! and she did match her purse with her pants. LOL! are her shoes on backwards?
Jeanne’s last blog post..Just A Little Excitement
June 4th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
You have a way with words and certainly create wonderful images as you share your perspective. I think Ella looks adorable … and I suspect you always look ‘put together’ as well. As for the purple car … I’m scratching my head over that one because I don’t think I’ve ever SEEN a purple car!
Hugs and blessings,
storyteller’s last blog post..Blog Blast for Peace ~ A Revolution of Words
June 4th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
What a fun story… I think Ella looks cute in that getup. Maybe I need color combi lessons, too.
mama meji’s last blog post..Thankful Thursday
June 4th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
She coordinated her glasses with her shoes and her purse with the pants! I have always thought that pink and brown went together fine. I think that you should have her help you pick your outfits.
She may need some help with her shoe placement though. Ella always brings a smile to my face.
Christine’s last blog post..It’s A Dogs Life
June 4th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I’m ready for my close-up now, Mr. DeMille.
Grandy’s last blog post..Click My Button for Cancer
June 5th, 2008 at 2:25 am
Lookin’ good, little mama! LOL
My son is colorblind too, as well as my dad. We love to pick on them!
dysfunctional mom’s last blog post..Your Parents Must Not Have Liked You Much.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:39 am
But she’s still so cute!!!! LOL
louann’s last blog post..Nope. Not. Really.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:58 am
As long as she gets your wit and your smarts she’ll do okay. LOL
AtomiK Kitten’s last blog post..Tagged!
June 5th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Sniff….sniff (wipes a tear)… I’m so proud! The only thing that makes those Crocs even better is that they’re on the wrong feet. Fashion statement!
Autumn Dahlia’s last blog post..Ready to enter the Sinead OConner look-alike contest.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
She’ll be fine! Her shoes (although on the wrong feet it looks) match her sunglasses and she is trying to bring out the bright pink in the pants with the purse
I think she’ll be good at accessorizing. And brown goes with anything…she’s so cute!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I love how she puts her “stings and stuff” together!!! This is so funny!!!
I think she’s a trend setter.
Or she will be, one day, you mark my words!!!!
ROFL!
Jientje’s last blog post..Project Blue #5
June 5th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
She’s so darn cute! Some of it matches, and I love that’s she’s got a purse.
I wear lots of black, too.
Jennifer H’s last blog post..Backseat band
June 6th, 2008 at 1:43 am
I was here the other day to leave comment but have to go…
and now I have to go again and in a hurry…
I just notice that may be the blue croc was ‘terbalik’? left should be on right foot and vice versa? hehehehe
June 6th, 2008 at 4:36 am
I love how her shoes are on the wrong feet too…
You might be interested to know that I watched a recent episode of What Not to Wear and they said it’s OK to wear black and brown together. I doubt they meant shoes though…
Siobhan’s last blog post..HF: Montana-stachey-views
June 6th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Had to comment, it reminds me so much of my daughter and I find it the most adorable thing ever! I love it when she dresses herself, it cracks me up.
Rebecca’s last blog post..The Courtesy of Punctuality.
June 7th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
awh sandy,
this is perfect. just adorable. and she looks so pleased .. or indifferent. can’t tell. your baby pics and comments are such a hoot. just the giggle i needed right now. thanks for the laugh, kathleen
so grateful to be mormon’s last blog post..bitter vs. sweet .. hugged by a 5 y/o childlike angel
June 8th, 2008 at 9:34 pm