Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Uniformity

When I was in school (Catholic school) I wore a uniform. Blue pants or skirt and white shirt in grade school and a plaid skirt and white shirt in high school. I hated wearing a uniform. I didn't want to be like everyone else, I wanted to be an individual. So I tried to push the boundaries. I was out of uniform almost every day, not a lot but just enough to make me feel like I was being myself.

More often than not my little transgressions were not noticed. I rarely got in trouble for it. But I still felt like a rebel.

Now that I am older, I understand the value of uniforms. They are easy. You don't have to think about it, you just slip it on and go. I can't tell you how many times I would stand in my closet while I was working and throw reject after reject on the bed. Some days it took me an hour to get dressed. Not good, especially when your boss is a man who can't possibly understand.

I don't have the same worries now that I am home. I don't need to impress anyone. I'm not dressing for success, I'm dressing for comfort. My uniform consists of jeans, sweaters and t-shirts. And if I'm being honest, sweat pants.

But those sweat pants, however comfy they are, are not allowed to cross the threshold of my house. I swore I would never be that mom. I would not wear my sweats in public (unless I just left the gym and that rarely happens anymore). So I'll be in the house in sweats and even if I'm running out to the store for 10 minutes I have to put on my jeans. I just do.

Maybe there is still a little rebel in me.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too was subject to the catholic school uniform :) I actually have a post about it all ready! I just need to scan the picture!! :) I have to agree with you, it does make things easier..looking back!

However (hangs head in shame) I do, wholeheartedly, go to the store in pajama pants, sweats..etc. My usual attire is "gym clothes"...haha, I am trying more and more to pull myself out of that funk..I think alot of it is having to do with my self image issues, but I can honestly say that even if I was a supermodel (not. going. to. happen. LOL) I would still go to the store in sweats. They would just be designer! hahahaha! :)

Kate Coveny Hood said...

I SOOOO miss my old school uniform days. Everything was simple. And while not really related - I think it's funny that many of my anxiety dreams revolve around me needing to leave for school and being unable to locate my uniform skirt.