Kubitzi -- A clothing boutique you need to know about

A while back I was approached to try out some fabulous clothing from an up-and-coming boutique, Kubitzi.

Of course, they say on their site that they're for the 20-something set, an age group I sadly passed years ago. But thankfully, there actually is no age limit to style, and if you like it, you should wear it. I'm firmly opposed to all those "stop wearing this if you're over 30" lists. Because, no.

Still, there are certain looks I'm not about to want to pull off at this stage in my life, but Kubitzi sells everything from sexy club looks to professional women's wear.

Now, I'm not going to lie, when I got my outfit, I was certain it was not going to fit me, even a little. The sizing is European, and I am definitely of American stature, physically. At 5'9" and 150 pounds, I cannot be considered petite. So, as you browse, keep in mind that the outfit I'm about to show you is as big as their sizes currently run. So, we're looking at U.S. sizes 6-8 and below. And a size 7-8 shoe.

Everyone with me? Okay, great. So, here's what you've all been waiting for! My pictures. Remember, I am not a professional, and I don't even have a person who is not 7 years old to take photos of me, so you're getting mirror selfies, and the like. But on the plus side, if you wanted to know what clothes look like on an average person with average to poor photography skills, this will definitely not disappoint. The images I'm posting are probably the realest fashion photos you'll ever see in a promo post.

Before we get to me, here is what it looks like online:

Okay, so, that's how it looks online, and I'm confident posting my pictures below because, honestly, the online depiction was pretty spot on. I'm not as great at capturing it, but these pants DO make my butt look like that, and the jacket DOES close like that. And the body suit...well, the body suit is exactly as advertised.

So, if I were a clothing model and this were a catwalk, I feel pretty on point. But I'm not and this isn't. And this is a whole lot of suit to pull off. And boobs.

BUT BUT BUT. I can separate them, yeah? And get half the overwhelming effect which is just perfect for my freelance writing, mom needs.

My friends agreed. (I have a posse of fashion gurus who help me match on a daily basis. They were there for me today.)

This was the winner of every single combination I tried. This is what I'm wearing right now, actually, to sit in a Starbucks and type out this review. I've gotten many compliments.

Second runner up was this, although  my friends worried the button up of the black might make it too dressy and compete with the busy pants. I like it. I feel like it's a good Tuesday look.

This is a more casual take, but I still think it works.

This was the most favorite of the jacket pairings. People seem to go for the white calming effect with the patterning.

The black is the one where buttoning the jacket worked, and I must confess, I prefer the jacket buttoned. I like how it makes my torso look.

To pull this one off, I would have to be super intense, I think. Luckily, I usually am.

And Kubitzi sells more than this kind of look.

Shirts, skirts, dresses, active wear, they've got it.

Anyway, go check them out. Kubitzi. I'm satisfied, for real.

They also ship for free to the UK, Canada and the US, and they're as green as possible about it. And if you use Darlena10 as a promo code, you get 10 percent off your purchase.

Seven Decidedly Normal Fashions That Could Get You in Big Trouble

Looking around at the working and school world, it seems to me there are an awful lot of rules about what one should and shouldn't wear, and some of them, honestly, are downright ridiculous.

In this world of third-wave feminism, where individual choice is at the forefront of the women rights debates, we're still having debates about appropriate woman fashion.

Many are having trouble distinguishing personal style from work-wear, and it's the women that are suffering on all counts. Some are getting fired, some are losing out on promotions, and some aren't even getting hired in the first place, all thanks to their "look".

While private employers and other bastions of authority can set their dress codes as they see fit, there are some losses in the battle. Here are some of the total banal rejects. Is it stuffy in here?

1) Peep-toed Shoes




Like it or not, toes can be the subject of intense debate, even in (or especially in) a court of law. That's right. If you're a lawyer and you're arguing your heart out for a decision on the floor, other people are probably arguing about what you're putting on the floor. The debate in 2008 took off in several legal blogs, including Above the Law, and The American Bar Association Journal, spurring hundreds of comments about lawyers and their footwear.

The blogs found that women professionals may risk losing their credibility by showing their toes in the office.

Former Cahill Gordon associate Kat Griffin, the founder of the Corporette fashion blog for lawyers, said peep-toe shoes may be inappropriate. "Peep toes are marginally better than flat-out open-toe shoes, but even then a closed-toe shoe is the preference.”

That's right, women, you tell your little piggies to stay the hell home because they're not wanted in the workplace.

Judge Kim McClane Wardlaw had this to say to Above the Law:

"My view is that if you have a question about the appropriateness of your attire, don’t risk it. Women appearing in court should never wear anything that draws attention to their anatomy over the merits of their case. You just never know how your audience — judges, jurors, clients or senior partners — will react. It’s better to play it safe in formal settings and save the peep-toes for after hours."

Now, this may have to do entirely with location. In California, apparently lawyers just go nuts, letting their toes hang out all over the place...as long as their nails are painted.

Or maybe it's just seniority-based. Even on the East Coast, perhaps it's okay to show your lower-most regions, so long as everybody else is doing it. (This is a huge boost for women's self-esteems, don't you think?)

Former Cahill Gordon associate Kat Griffin, the founder of the Corporette fashion blog for lawyers says on the American Bar Association's website,

"Don't wear open-toe shoes unless you've seen a much more senior lawyer do it."

Alas, it's probably all for the best. It must be easier to climb that corporate ladder in running shoes, right?

2) Yoga Pants

You don't have to be a career-minded woman to get into sexy, sexy trouble with clothing. Even teenage girls are suspect, but not for the mini-skirts we used to see in the early nineties. Oh, no. Now it's yoga pants in the hot-seat (see what I did there?)


Yes, yoga pants. Long the bane of the stay-at-home-mom's existence, apparently when put on a teenager's body, they become so incredibly attractive that teachers can no longer teach and students can no longer learn.

In Loveland, Ohio, for example, one high school instituted a ban on the stretching, distracting pants which look more at home with spaghetti sauce stains on them than on a teenager anyway.

Loveland's student handbook prohibits "revealing clothing" and does not permit clothing that is "distracting."

Fifty students wore those racy-as-hell sweatpants the next day to make a point. When told to change, 17 of them didn't.

On the students' side of the stretchy-pants debate, Olivia Legg (no, I didn't make that one up) had this to say.

"We ended up in 'in-school' suspension for most of the day and weren't allowed to go to any of our classes"

3) The Maxi Dress

What could be more conservative than covering your entire body in a loose garment, head to toe? While maxi dresses don't show off a woman's curves, it appears people find them "too bohemian for the workplace."

Forbes Magazine lists the maxi dress as one of the worst women's fashion faux pas in the office. They go so far as to indicate that a woman's reputation may be irreparably damage by the offending material.

If you are going to go the trail-blazing route, Dianna Baros writing for The Grindstone has some advice:

"Nothing too revealing, too clingy or too loud – Hawaiian prints and hippy tie-dyes are a no-no."

But, really, that's just good advice for anyone, at any time, isn't it?

4) Anything that's not a bathrobe

Seriously, sometimes your body is just so sexy that regular clothing cannot even handle it.

Laura Odes claims she was fired from her job due to her curves within her first week.

Her employers at Native Intimates (Again, not a joke. They are a lingerie wholesaler.) apparently gave her all sorts of work-attire suggestions after she tried wearing a purple dress, a boxy tunic-style dress and then a knee-length black dress to the job. Eventually, she says they made her wear a bathrobe over her clothing.

She says she tried another outfit that she thought would be appropriate, but was then fired. The irony, she says, is that the company markets very sexy clothes.

While her bosses were Orthodox Jewish men, Odes remains unimpressed by their religious fervor.

"I do not feel any employer has the right to impose their religious beliefs on me when I'm working in a business that is not a synagogue, but instead selling thongs with hearts placed in the female genital area, and boy shorts for women saying 'hot' in the buttocks area."

In fact, in Iowa, you can be fired for being too pretty, and it doesn't matter what you are wearing. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld its decision that Fort Dodge dentist James Knight had the right to fire his long-time dental assistant, Melissa Nelson, because he claimed she posed a threat to his marriage.

Nelson's provocative faults? Showing up for work.

Apparently Knight sent her some off-colored text messages, which she ignored, and came up with a whole little fantasy world involving her, then fired her when he couldn't handle his own putrid thoughts.

"Bosses can fire employees they see as threats to their marriages, even if the subordinates have not engaged in flirtatious or other inappropriate behavior. The court said such firings do not count as illegal sex discrimination because they are motivated by feelings, not gender."

This case was decided by an all-male panel in December of 2012, then reopened as the decision came under righteous national fire, then upheld by the same court six months later.

Aces.

5) Curly hair, pencil skirts or turtlenecks

The jury is still out on whether Debrahlee Lorenzana was fired for dressing too provocatively, or for simply being a bad employee. The former Citibank employee filed a lawsuit against them in 2009. Amid other trouble, she says she was told she had to straighten her hair before coming into work.

"[Her two male] managers gave her a list of clothing items she would not be allowed to wear: turtlenecks, pencil skirts, and fitted suits. And three-inch heels.

"As a result of her tall stature, coupled with her curvaceous figure," her suit says, Lorenzana was told "she should not wear classic high-heeled business shoes, as this purportedly drew attention to her body in a manner that was upsetting to her easily distracted male managers."

Citibank says her poor performance is the reason she was fired.

6) Matching shirts

That's right. Stop calling your work bestie and coordinating outfits. It could be labelled as a protest and get you fired.

Fourteen workers at the Deerfield Beach law firm of Elizabeth R. Wellborn P.A. were called into the conference room one Friday in 2012 after they all wore orange collared shirts to prepare for payday Friday happy hour. Four of the workers said they dressed like that so they'd look like a group for the festivities and had been doing so for the past few months before the firing.

None of the employees were aware of any protest involving the color orange (and bear in mind, this was well before the Texas shenanigans), but an executive said there was and fired all of them on the spot.


"There is no office policy against wearing orange shirts. We had no warning. We got no severance, no package, no nothing," said Lou Erik Ambert. "I feel so violated."

Meloney McLeod, 39, of North Lauderdale, said her choice of shirt puts her in a tough spot: "I'm a single mom with four kids, and I'm out of a job just because I wore orange today."

Florida is an "at will" state, meaning an employer can fire you for any reason--good, bad or even wrong--provided it's not unlawful. Which is up for debate in this case, isn't it?

7) A Skirt

One would think that refusing to wear pants would be legitimate grounds for firing. But shouldn't a skirt also be acceptable? Not according to Burger King who fired a Pentacostal teenager when she refused to wear pants to work.

Seventeen-year-old Ashanti McShan was sent home on her first day at the job because her Christian faith prohibited her from wearing the uniform which included pants. Skirts are not acceptable (which probably makes sense, since Burger King probably doesn't want its employees accidentally spilling super-hot oil on their skin). But she was being hired as a cashier.

She filed a religious discrimination lawsuit in 2012 and according to that documentation, Burger King management assured her that no pants were no problem.

"At the time of her interview for the job, Ms. McShan asked to wear a skirt instead of uniform pants as a religiousaccommodation. Defendant assured her that she could wear a skirt to work."

According to the Washington Times, these incidents are rising.

"Religious discrimination complaints to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have been rising over the past 10 years. Last year, the EEOC received 2,541 complaints, up 48 percent from 1,709 in 1997."

Basically, what all these examples show us is that there is no way to go right when trying to get dressed.

Always remember, ladies, it's not just the outside world you've got to impress, but also your bosses and coworkers!

Okay, got it? Ready to go? Then those potato sacks, and let's get some work done!

 

Finding Inspiration in Fabrics and Patterns - Guest Post

Today I get to venture into the fabulous world of sewing through Amber Snommis from Miss Parayim. I could never do this stuff myself, but she makes everything (even the ideas behind the magic) look so easy!

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There are as many ways to become inspired as there are things in the universe, but when I’m feeling especially directionless with my sewing, I generally gravitate towards 2 things to get my creative juices flowing:  Sewing patterns, and fabric.

Patterns:

The Big 4 (Vogue, Butterick, McCalls, and Simplicity) issue new patterns several times a year.  I am sure there is some sort of schedule to it…  I usually start checking daily when it seems like it’s been a while since new patterns came out, and then they are inevitably released the day I don’t check, and I have to find out from twitter or pattern review.

The independent companies aren’t quite as regular, which makes it even more of a treat when a new pattern debuts.  They usually like to tease us with twitter or blog posts leading up to it, so new pattern day is not as hard to miss!

This past round of releases hasn’t delivered many must-haves for me, but I will probably add Simplicity 1558 to my stash just for that skirt.  Simplicity 1553 is probably not something I’ll pick up, but did you see the hem of the skirt and list of notions? Battery operated micro fairy lights?  I didn’t know this was a thing, and it’s definitely got me curious.

McCalls 6891 is very interesting, and I’ve been turning it over in my head as an option for a costume if the corset  doesn’t pan out.

Then there’s Lekala.  I’m not sure how to classify this pattern company since it doesn’t really “feel” like an indie, but they aren’t like the big 4 (or their various underlings) either.  Maybe they deserve their own category.  Whatever they are, their 4282 pattern has me itching to do a matryoshka dress do-over like you wouldn’t believe.  Because I never really sold myself on that bodice I made.  Because despite pre-washing all my fabric, I got maybe 3 wears out of that dress before an unfortunate laundry accident caused the blue part to bleed all over the matryoshka part giving everything that was creme colored an off-putting and unintentional tinge of aqua.  4282 is the real reason I’m pushing onward with 4278…  Because I *need* to know if/how well this custom sizing system works before I blow another $2.18 and who knows how much time assembling another one of their blasted PDF patterns.

Which brings me to fabric:There are more online fabric stores than you can shake a stick at.  I dare you not to become inspired after spending time browsing Fabric.com, Mood, or Fabric Mart.  The fabrics you see made up into clothing at your favorite retailer are just the tip of the iceberg of what’s out there, and while I could tell you that I sew because I have a passion for fit, or sustainability, or to avoid supporting sweatshops- the main reason I wanted to learn, and the thing that keeps me inspired, is the fabric ~*~*~~*fabric*~*~*~ FAAAAABBBBRRRRIIIIIC!

Because I love my “hot dog dress” from modcloth, but what if I’m in the mood for a grilled cheese? And how else would I get a dress with roller skates all over it to wear to my favorite band’s show?

And sometimes you find a RTW dress where you love the fabric, but hate the design (and/or pricetag).  SEWING TO THE RESCUE!!!!

I found the fabric!  And this might be great for my matryoshka re-do (if it’s not too heavy….  that’s one of the risks with buying fabric online).

And so many others I could shop and sew forever….

 

Bikini Bottom

So, I think this is cute.

There, I said it.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with this child or her outfit.

She is four months old, and she's adorable. There's nothing sexy about her. She's a baby. Most babies wear even less than that in summer. Because her mom is a celebrity this is unacceptable? I think Toddlers in Tiaras and Dance Mom might have a word to say about that.

I mean, it's not like Jessica paraded the child around and did a mock strip tease. She's a baby who is wearing some clothes. End.

There is none of this:

"It is to be hoped that parents will understand that 'baby bikinis' are totally inappropriate, and that they contribute to the sexualization and commercialization of childhood. We should not be compromising the sanctity of our children’s early years."

Claude Knight, you may be out of your mind. Where do you get sexualization and commercialization of childhood from this photo? Why is any sanctity being compromised?

And if you see sex in that picture, I would guess the problem is with you.

"Celebrity choices carry great influence, as can be seen by the manner in which their accessories and behaviors are copied widely."

Oh God, oh God, not naked babies! Anything but almost naked babies! Oh wait.

"It is very disturbing to see a young baby presented to the world wearing a bikini."

Why, Charles? Why is it disturbing? Your comments have not answered that question for me. So far you have said because it makes the baby sexy (not true), it commercializes childhood (I'd argue that childhood is already commercialized and Jessica Simpson had nothing to do with it), and that other people might start imitating Jessica and dressing their own babies in bikinis (first, unlikely. Give the public some credit. And second, if that were to happen, I'm just not seeing the abject horror and disgust here. Who cares?)

So, please, give me some reasons I can hang onto as to why this baby in a bikini is the worst thing ever. Because your hand-wringing isn't doing it for me.

Guest Post - Traveling with Children

Today, I have a guest post from Danielle Birch. She gives some much appreciated pointers on traveling with children!

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Now summer is upon us, many of us are taking our annual family vacations. From visiting relatives, to spending a week by the beach, getting away is often the highlight of the year for many of us. But if we have young children it can often be very stressful – stressful enough to make people think twice about taking their children away. But taking a holiday is really important for your well-being, as well as your children’s, as it gives you a chance to take a break from the normality of everyday life and enjoy new experiences.  But if the thought of enduring a long flight or car journey with your kids fills you with dread, there are some ways to make the whole experience a lot easier to deal with.

The way you deal with any problems or issues will really affect how your children behave. If you become very stressed and irritated because you’re stuck in traffic, or the flight’s delayed, your children will pick up on the tension and become aggravated themselves. So if you try to stay positive and calm throughout, it will help your children to stay relaxed too. If you’re catching a flight and it’s your child’s first time in an airport, they might find it quite intimidating. Tell them about the exciting adventure they’re about to embark on, and how the airport is the start of the adventure. It goes without saying that you should dress them in comfortable clothing, but you could make it even more exciting by getting them a new outfit and use a t-shirt printing company to mark the date of your holiday! This will really help create a sense of occasion for them, and if you have more than one child you could dress them in the same bright colors so it makes it easier for you to keep an eye on them.

When you’re going away a lot of time is spent waiting around. Whether you’re waiting for your flight or waiting for your car journey to be over, your children will need something to keep them occupied. However, it’s not practical to bring their toy box with them so you need to be selective. Paper and pens are always a good choice, as they’re really versatile. It’s best to avoid taking anything that involves lots of little pieces, as they will be more likely to get lost. Take an old favorite toy and you could perhaps get them a small token for when they are getting really agitated after traveling for hours. The surprise and novelty of the new toy should help keep them occupied for a little longer. A couple of their favorite books will also help you get them to sleep, and will obviously come in handy throughout the holiday. Sticking to their routine as much as possible will help them adjust, it’s not always feasible but it will help give them some stability in the journey.

How children cope when traveling will change from family to family. But ultimately you will reach your destination so if things don’t go according to plan, at least you know it will be worth it in the end!

 

What Is Up with Sizing?

I don't know what size I am.

This is not because I've changed size. I've been the same weight and shape, basically, since my teens.

Now, I started out in a size 10-12, but I wore my clothing much looser back then (per the fashion), and it was a revelation to me that I was actually an 8. And I'll believe it (why not?). I'll believe that I've been an 8 this whole time. Sure.

That's basically what I've been wearing since I found that the size fits me.

But then you get the stretch material. In stretch material, I can pull off a 6. Because of the forgiving material, I don't bulge, and the way the fabric fits, it acts like a little makeshift corset, toning and curving, not squishing and jamming.

Yay! I've gone from a size 12 to a size 6, just by wearing differently styled clothing. Amazing.

And I'll take it. Why not?

What I won't accept, what I cannot accept is that I am a size 2. That I am an extra small. What the hell? That's not even complimentary, that's just confusing.

Last summer, my husband bought me a pair of white shorts and a little black dress from White / Black. He checked my closet for appropriate sizing and bought me size 10 shorts and a large dress.

They fell off. Literally fell off.

He was so disappointed.

So, I went back to the store to exchange them. I tried the 8. Then the 6. Then the 4. Then the 2. I'm a 2.

The dress? I tried the medium. Then the small. I got the small, and it's still too big. But I just could not imagine that I would be an extra small. I should have gotten the extra small.

Me.

I'm five-foot, nine-inches tall. I weigh 145 pounds. I have 42-inch hips.

I think this gives a fairly accurate representation of my size.

This has nothing to do with self-image or confidence. I'm happy with myself. That doesn't change the fact that I am not a size two, and I'm not an extra small.

Vanity sizing is out of control. I mean, I know you can just try stuff on, but wouldn't it be nice to kind of have a range and not have to eyeball it and then be completely wrong? It's harder for me because with twins, I'm either shopping with them or during nap time, so sometimes I don't try things on at all. I just accept that I'll probably have to bring them back.

I'm thinking about this because I went shopping last week and got a skirt and a pair of shorts. They had two sizes on them. In Australia, they were a 12. In the United States, they were an 8. And I was confused. I ended up getting them, after asking the associate if the 8 was a true 8. She said yes, that the clothes there fit her in her normal size.

Lies.

They're too big. By far. And that's strange to me. Because with my hip size, I simply should not be smaller than an 8, unless we're going to redo the whole system.

Simply put, if I'm an extra small at Black / White, what the hell are the 50 percent of the people who are smaller than me wearing? Do they have to go to children's sizes? Negatives? Nano sizes?

I guess I should just relax about the whole thing and enjoy my new status as fashion-model size.

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Toddler Tricks - 67: Keeping the Clothes in the Dresser

Problem: You've got an inquisitive one year old and she loves to play with her clothes, meaning toss them out on the floor and laugh about it. Or you've got a mischievous two year old, always finding a way to cause trouble. Piles of clothes strewn about? No problem for her. And in my case, that one year old and two year old morphs into a headstrong three year old who wants to pick out her own clothing in the morning, but can't get the article she needs without going through every option...all clothes ending up, you guessed it, on the floor.

Solution: Well, we tried one of those plastic, childproofing devices for cabinetry. The twins broke it in less than two weeks. Snapped it in two. The one thing that has worked for us through the years is a sundress.

Yes. We "lock" the dresser using a sundress.

When I first picked this hand-me-down to use, the girls were so small, I couldn't imagine them ever fitting into it. And they've never worn it, even though by now it'd be too small for them. It's remained my steadfast companion and warrior in clothing-keeper-inner style.

Something about the give of the material when they pull on it keeps them from being able to untie the knot (so far). It's too spongy for their fingers to pry. And they can pull and pull without breaking the dress or opening the door. And the impact of the force is muffled, again by the give of the material, so that they'll not be able to tip the heavy dresser over on themselves. It's brilliant, really. It's saved me hours of refolding.

Plus, I can hear when someone perhaps wants to change her shirt. The knocking of the doors together alerts me. Then I can go in and supervise, while letting my child feel independent enough to make her own choice and do it for herself.

All I do it loop on of the straps through the back and tie it to the other strap in two regular knots. Easily clean.

Identical Clothing Only Please

That’s it. I give up. I am never buying non-identical clothing again. I don’t care if the people stare or think I’m “that mom.” Do I think it’s cute? No. I think it’s stupid. But it doesn’t matter what I think. It only matters that I’ll not be able to think at all soon, what with the fuss every morning.

How one child asking for a polka dot coat sends the other into a tailspin until she also has a polka coat is beyond me. And then the first coat isn’t good enough anymore for the original asker. No. Then the original asker needs the pink polka dot coat that goes with the white polka dot coat that you picked out for the second one. You get the coat. You think it's over.

The winner

Is it over? No, of course not.

Then the twin wearing the white polka dot coat wants the pink polka dot coat that the original is now wearing. And we don’t have two pink polka dot coats. I’m not sure when she’s going to stop screaming and come out of her room. I’m not sure I care when she does. At least the screams are muffled in there.

The reject, crumpled on the floor

Over a coat. An ugly, polka dot coat. Really, girls?

Franchise Flops

I hardly ever buy commercial icon stuff, not only out of any belief that my kids shouldn't be advertisements for a company, but also because that stuff is so damn expensive.

You take a $1 plate, you put Mickey Mouse on it, and it becomes a $10 plate.

I know because I got the kids Mickey Mouse plates for Christmas, thinking I was treating them.

Silly me. First of all, the kids don't care. They're just as happy eating from the plain pink or green sectioned plates I got for a buck at the Publix. Secondly, the set-up isn't even remotely practical. One big plate area, for the main piece of the meal (way bigger than necessary.), and two teeny tiny "ears" for the side dishes. Seriously, I can fit, like, three peas in those side dish sections. No good.

Most irritatingly, they're badly made. I get that I'm not supposed to cut bites on the plate itself due to the laminate, but sometimes it's just not practical to cut the meat on my plate first and then transfer. I believe I used a knife on these plates once, right after I got them. I hadn't thought about the laminate until I saw the results, which at the time were minimal. Now?

As you can see, the dishwasher was kinder to one of the plates than the other. Both need to be tossed out. Little pieces of plastic mixed in with food isn't ideal, now, is it? But, the whole plate came undone after just one cut-up pork-chop experience and lots of washes.

And now, I have to hear a million questions about where Mickey Mouse went, whenever the babies so much as catch a glimpse of these no-longer-used plates. It's unpleasant all around.

I recently stocked up on these, six of which cost less than half of what the two Mickey plates cost.

Perfectly-sized sections, stackable for storage, holds up well against a knife blade. They're great.

This franchise phenomenon doesn't end with dinnerware. My mother recently bought the kids some Dora underwear. The kids had been wearing underwear for quite a while before that, so I had plenty of regular pairs around already.

The Dora underwear pairs are shot. They're done. I'm tossing them. After less than three months' time, they're unravelling at the seams, tearing and breaking down. The underwear I'd bought months before Dora made her appearance, on the other hand, are still holding up strong.

Just because an item has a picture of some popular icon on it doesn't mean it's any better than any other item out there. In fact, it's probably worse. And it probably costs 10 times more.

No, thank you.  Back to generic babywear for me.


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A Boy Clothing Nightmare - Guest Blog

Emilie, school teacher and blogger extraordinaire over at Teaching Ain't For Heroes, was kind enough to give me some insight on shopping for boy clothing.  And I thought I had it rough with girls!

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I kind of always knew I was having a boy. It was just a hunch. I just couldn’t imagine having a girl. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have a daughter and would be delighted with a girl, but my surprise pregnancy just had some sort of boy vibe to me. I like being the mother of a boy. I’m not sure what would be different, aside from diaper changes, about having a boy, but this seems like the gig for me.  If I could make one complaint about being the mother of a boy, it would be the clothes.

Shopping for clothes when you have a boy can be a frustrating, depressing and futile process. Just walking into the clothing section of Target or any children’s clothing store is depressing. You walk in and you see that approximately three quarters of the floor is dedicated to girl clothing. Not only that, it’s all freaking adorable! The first time I walked into my local Children’s Place, there was a tiny corner for baby boys while the girl baby clothes took up more than a quarter of the store.

Then there’s the variety. Boys don’t have many looks to choose from. You can do dinosaurs, motor vehicles and sports. A lot of the shirts talk about how boys are “Daddy’s Little Champ” or the kind of annoying “Daddy’s Wingman”. Boys also sport labeled shirts explaining that they are wild, trouble makers or ladies’ men. As boys get older, they move into the camouflage, skulls and rock star clothes.

What really boils me up about shopping for clothes isn’t the lack of variety or the fact that the girls get double the space. No, the problem is that despite the label shirts, there are some nice unisex clothes in the boy clothing section. The girl section? There are what would be nice unisex clothes that have little flowers sewn on the pockets or those darn ruffles on the sleeves. So even if I could venture into the girl section for a little variety, the clothes are still all girl.

I could make some rant about how we over label our children using gender. I know the labeling isn’t unique to boys. Girls are princesses and brats with flowers and pink everywhere. The reality is that they sell. Girls get more space because people like to dress up little girls more than little boys. People buy the sports and dinosaurs, so they make more of it. We could try to figure out what came first, the chicken or the gender labels that distort clothing ideals for small people in America, but there are other options out there for those willing to look.

Despite all of my ranting and thinking about clothes, my son tends to do his own thing. My husband is always the one who drops him off at day care. As I picked him up sporting an orange shirt and blue pajama pants, which my husband informs me, were what he insisted on wearing, I realized that overanalyzing the clothing options for boys is useless when my kid is just going to pick out his own clothes anyway.  

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Emilie writes Teaching Ain't For Heroes, a blog giving readers a rare inside look at the school system, the children within it, and the state and federal programs and regulations that are working...or not.  She can also be found on Facebook.




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Targeting Target

The babies and I just got back from a "shopping spree" in which I bought them shoes, slippers, nighties, socks and jackets.  Gone are the days of meandering through boutique after boutique looking for purses, perusing the dress selection and impulse-buying that adorable centerpiece.  When you're shopping with toddlers, you've got one shot, and you had better make it count.  We chose Target.

The trip went well - no meltdowns, no screaming, no merchandise ruined - but I still came away with a few complaints:

1)  You cannot find anything.  Why is it that toddler socks are not near toddler shoes, and that toddler shoes are not in the regular shoe department, nor in the toddler clothing department, but hidden away in a little off-the-beaten-track nook?  I have twins sitting precariously in a Target shopping cart.  We don't fit into nooks.  Someone should rearrange the children's section so that it makes sense.  Everything should be out in the open, and one item should transition to the next.

2)  Everything looks ridiculous.  All I wanted for my kids were a few solid jackets in neither pink nor purple.  What is it about a two year old that screams "I need polka dots and stripes!"  Nothing matches polka dots or stripes.  When you finally do find something in a solid cream color, for example, you rejoice until you notice the garrish Cinderella, Winnie the Pooh or Dora the Explorer emblem in neon colors on the back.  In contrast, the little girls' section has more fashionable items than the women's section - cute little coats with belts, newsboy caps and trendy jeans mocked me, all being just a little too big for my girls.  Apparently, four years old is the age for fashion, these days.

3)  Everything is ridiculously expensive.  When we finally did find the socks (a lucky break - I spotted them while we were on our way to the checkout), I had the option of bright pink and green patterned socks in a pack of three or days-of-the-week socks in a pack of (obviously) seven.  They were $6 and $10, respectively.  Meanwhile, a large bag of little girls' socks beckoned to me at $5 for 10 pairs.  Again, way too big.  Why the mark up for toddler-wear?  Less material is used, after all.  Perhaps they're more expensive to cover the costs of the silly designs and colors used to make them.

In my dream world, a Target or a Walmart or a Kohls would have every item I wished for in the same section.  They'd at least give me the option to buy my kids normal-looking clothing, and they'd knock the price down to a rate comparable with the rest of the merchandise in the store.  Of course, while I'm dreaming, maybe they could potty train my kids while we're there.