I need to move. Not because of the exorbitant cost of living here, or because of the atrocious driving of other residents (FYI, making a left turn does NOT mean you have the right-of-way, folks) or because of all the times my children's behavior has embarrassed me at the library and the park. It's because of the ad I saw in the county magazine.
The fact that I live in a county that has its own upscale magazine - there's not even a Gap ad in it - is disturbing enough. But when an ad for a children's clothing store in said magazine also mentions "Back-to-school personal shoppers" I know that I am in the wrong place. I can't quite get my head around a third grader needing a personal shopper. As a matter of fact, even if I win the lottery tomorrow (it's sad how many sentences I start that way), I still won't be getting a personal back-to-school shopper for the kiddos. . ..EVER.
Would a personal shopper have talked my mother out of all the Healthtex outfits she dressed me in during the '70's, which all featured floral corduroy pants and matching turtlenecks? Quite possibly. Would a personal shopper have talked me out of wearing nude hose, socks and jazz shoes throughout seventh grade? Maybe. Certainly the personal shopper would have forbid me to wear bright purple eye shadow the following year. But would that have taught me anything? What kind of character can you build if you never look at old pictures and cringe at your sartorial mistakes?
I fully support most of the ways we protect our children these days. I like the safer playgrounds. I think helmets are great. I believe that parents should know who their kids are playing with and what their kids are learning. But I think trying to protect our children from fashion mistakes is taking things too far. Or maybe these parents just want their kids to be the best dressed kids at school - what a great lesson for impressionable elementary school students.
So I think I need to move. These are not the kind of people I want my kids to befriend. Unless this phenomenon is national? Does every kid have a personal shopper these days? Am I hopelessly out of touch?
12 comments:
sad isn't it.
LOL! Seriously scary. School uniforms.....somehow I like the idea more & more.
AMEN!
Isn't one of the best things about going back to school the shopping?
I guess upscale kids nowadays can't be bothered shopping for school clothes when they are too busy on their Sidekicks and laptops, chatting with their other overly rich friends.
Whatever!
So damn weird. Stuff like that give Jersey a bad rep!
This is... um... scary. Speaking of Healthtex - do you remember their paper dolls from the ads? Those were the coolest!
I've never heard of something so downright sinful. How can we employ people to help our tween kids dress when there are kids starving out there?
I've never heard of such a thing! And I'm sure garage sales and outlet stores are waaaaaay below personal shoppers. So, never fear! We won't be hiring one for Camryn or ourselves any time soon. :) And I'll agree with Reiza, when you say you put more effort into making the kiddos look good. I do the same thing! :)
feener - Very.
Becky - Your fetus would. :)
Jess - I do too.
Petra - Absolutely - I love buying clothes for the kiddos.
Jill - Well, I bet it started in New York. Let's blame it on them.
Jen - How did I miss paper dolls? I loved paper dolls.
AFF - These are the same people who won't add food bank donations to there grocery bills. A-holes.
Reiza - Bergen . . .however did you know? :)
Love2 - I'm also with you and Reiza - the kids ALWAYS look better than I do.
My kids totally have better clothes than I do. But a personal shopper? Um, no. Never. Thanks anyway.
Thanks to you
I've never heard of such a thing. But if I had the cash, I would do it in a heartbeat. I hate shopping. I've been doing the family clothes shopping since April, when I went domestic full-time. In our former lives, my husband was the shopper. In fact, he would take the kids to the mall for fun! Every now and then I hear a comment out of him that indicates he didn't really like my purchases.
If I won the lottery, I would hire a personal shopper for my kids, not tell my husband, and let them walk around in banging outfits that he thought I picked out!
I remember the first time I truely became aware that my mom had no style was during a back to school shopping trip right before my second grade year. After a brief run through a store, I prayed to God and told him Thank you, Thank you that he had not made me blind. The reason was because I knew that if he had, my mom would have been the only one picking out my new clothes and I would have no say! The horror.
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