Clothes

When Penny and I drove to Dothan to get her dance shoes last week, we also stopped by Old Navy and I found this cute, cute denim jumper on sale. I think she looks adorable in it.

I have such a complicated relationship with clothes. It is such a silly thing to think about, I know. As an archaeologist who has spent a fair amount of time in the field, clothes serve more functions than fashion. Women who wear "fashion" clothes into the field are made fun of. If you show up wearing jeans from the Gap to dig holes all day and wade through swamps, the implication is that you aren't very smart. On the other hand, a lot of women balk at wearing "frumpy" clothes - even if they are more functional for the task. (On a side note, I read a study once that said more women would rather leave the house with no money than with no makeup. This astounds me.) When I first started working in the field, and also hiking and backpacking, there were not a lot of options for women. Functional outdoor clothes were basically small versions of mens clothes. It's very hard to be attractive in those types of clothes. Nowadays, there are lots of companies that cater to that market, but even then you have to be careful not to buy "fashion-catalog" type outdoor clothes -- all look and no real function. For the poseurs. Because that's the thing. I refuse to be cold. Or hot. Or whatever the weather dictates. There are plenty of clothing options outthere that will keep me comfortable. A woman standing outside in a light jacket, skirt, hose, and heels when it is 15 degrees does not immediately garner my respect, is what I'm saying. Dressing for fashion instead of the weather just mystifies me.

The above dress was totally cute on Penny - in the house. But she spends over 50% of her life outside. Dresses and tights don't cut it. She walked outside and within two minutes was begging to go back in. So, is that it? Are women not outdoorsy because we'd rather be fashionable? Does fashion limit us in the activities that we do? I don't want to limit Penny in that way. Unfortunately, just like it was when I first started field work, there aren't a lot of pretty, functional outdoor toddler clothes for girls. If she can't stay outside for an hour or two in 35 degrees without coming in, then it's not functional for us. On the other hand, I sometimes miss the opportunities for her to wear "fashionable" things. I suppose when she starts school, I can let her dress up, since it is unlikely they let them play outside for any extended period of time. It makes me sad to think about that too - that one day she'll be stuck inside all day at school instead of outside every chance she gets now.

Ah, well. I'm rambling. I need a new wardrobe. I think I dress like a slightly dressy college student, but suits and such would be too much. But then that makes me think about need and that episode of some kids show I saw when I was home sick with chicken pox in 2nd grade about need versus want. There are tons of people in this world with one, maybe two, outfits of clothing - period. I have a closet full. And that makes me think of lots of other things about resources and the world economy, and on and on and on. Ugh. Clothes, man.