I remember myself as a delightful teenager.
I suppose it is possible . . . though . . . that I wasn’t.
A still-dear friend once told me (years after high school) that she kept a journal of what she wore to church each week. She did this out of fear. She had heard me express disgust at the thought of someone wearing the same outfit two weeks in a row.
Yes. I am properly horrified with my teenage self.
Well, here I am more than two decades later and (hopefully) much less obnoxious.
And I’ve realized that I wear almost the exact same outfit . . . every single Tuesday.
See, Monday is Laundry Day. Therefore, a specific outfit is (almost) always clean on Tuesdays. And it’s on Tuesdays that I work with 10-12 year olds, choreographing a musical.
And choreographing a musical is the most-fabulous-ever reason/excuse to wear comfy clothes. Specifically, my favorite sweatpants and one of two favorite comfy t-shirts.
But Tuesday, as I once again felt giddy at the realization that my Weekly Perfect Excuse for Wearing Sweatpants had arrived, and that my Favorite Sweatpants were CLEAN . . . AGAIN, it hit me that I’m quite a bit different than my teenaged, obnoxiously-obsessed-with-spacing-out-outfits self.
And I wondered if perhaps I should wear something else since I’m pretty sure we’re going on four Tuesdays in a row of these sweatpants.
But I didn’t wonder for long. I prefer the me now over the me then.
And I really love these sweats.
Just yesterday I realized that I’d probably worn the same outfit to Storytime every Wed for several weeks.
I fully understand teenage Nony. I would never want to be young again. Even though I was thinner, smoother and had less aches and pains-never, never.
You know, just to be sure, you could ask one of the kids you work with. No doubt they’ve noticed your outfit, commented on it, and will most likely compliment whatever you wear that’s different. I teach 7th grade, they noticed new grey sneakers (as opposed to the old grey ones) that were half hidden by the pants I was too lazy to hem.
I wear the same four outfits to work almost every week. Sometimes the color of the shirt changes… But not often.
I pretend it’s because having so few outfits (that I would actually wear) is part of living simply. Not because of my intense distaste for shopping.
My husband wore the same outfit to school every day. He had volunteered to teach one period a day of junior high science to help the school out of a bind. Since his regular job required very casual clothes he wore his one Sunday outfit (this was in the seventies) which happened to be green. At the end of the year I found out from the yearbook that his nickname (to the kids) was Evergreen!
Many years ago when I wasn’t much older than the teenage Nony, there was a woman who we worked with – probably about the same age that I am now – who wore the same Chanel-style suit every day. It got to the point where we (the younger women) were running a sweepstake on when the outfit would change.
As if that was important? Would we have done the same thing for a man? Probably not! I hang my head in shame.
Well, my new year’s resolution is to start actually getting dressed every day, so you’re doing better than me! LOL
I know you like when someone comments on an old post so I want you to know how much I’m enjoying reading how your process developed. I read both your books a while ago but just recently thought to check the blog. So glad that I did! I even started listening to the podcasts from the beginning while I de-grossified the top of the refrigerator.
I love everything about this post. The honesty, the conclusion, the message. Honestly, in most cases, if 16 year-old you would be horrified, it probably means you’re on the right track. 😆