I Blame Keds

I was always the kid who wanted to be like everyone else.  If the cool kids were crimping their hair and putting it into a side ponytail you better believe I wanted to do that.  It didn't matter how ridiculous it looked.

In junior high the cool thing was Keds.  White Keds with four lace holes on each side and a blue "Keds" tag in the back.  You could get a similar shoe at other stores with a green tag in the back, but it wasn't the same.  It screamed "wannabe" rather than "cool."  Or so I thought.  Honestly, my permed and ratted hair screamed "wannabe" way more than colored tag on the back of my shoes, but the 13-year old me wouldn't have ever believed that.

I still remember the first day my mom said I could have the Keds.  It's such a big deal that it's one of the few things I actually remember from junior high. 

Apparently this awareness starts much earlier than 13 now.  It could be the times or it could be that I was just totally unaware of status.  I'm going to choose to believe it's the times.

It's Sunday morning and Zoe is in the nursery at church waiting for all her friends to arrive.  She's in adorable navy blue pants with butterflies on them and a green shirt to match.  She's got on her new Echo shoes that sparkle and her hair is perfect.  Then her friends arrive.

First Carolina shows up in a princess-like dress.  The bodice is covered in pink, satin roses and the skirt is overlaid with tulle.  It's a cross between a princess dress and a frilly Easter dress.  It's beautiful. 

Then Eve shows up.  She's in a princess-like dress.  There are flowers and tulle.

Then Katie shows up.  Same thing.

Zoe starts to cry.  She wants her princess dress too! 

I'm going to confess.  I'm not a fan of those dresses.  They're cute, but they're really frilly.  I have a hard time paying money for a dress that looks like she's entering Miss Toddler USA.  Do I put on some red lipstick, put her hair in pin curls and teach her something to do for a talent competition? 

I thought Zoe looked perfect.  She could run, jump, climb and whatever other physical activity she wanted in her pants.  She was girlie too.  Pink butterflies are totally girlie.

Her outfit didn't have tulle and satin flowers and frill.  It didn't twirl and make her feel like Cinderella at the Sunday School ball. 

It was crushing. 

We tried on last year's Easter dress and the Christmas dress.  Apparently these are the only acceptable outfits for Sunday School. 

My mom willingly spent an extra $10 to get me the blue label on the back of my shoes.  I'd spend $1,000 on the tulle and satin flowers.  Everyone needs to feel like a princess.