Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Head Over Heels

It totally happened yesterday. I turned into my mother.

Don’t get me wrong, my mom is a great person. I’m crazy about her and now that I’m all grown up, she is not only my mom, but one of my best friends as well.

Still...

Yesterday we went on a shopping spree to a mall the size of Montana in search of Homecoming dresses for my two oldest daughters. Homecoming is this Saturday and there’s nothing quite like waiting ‘til the last minute to do these things. We didn’t wait on purpose, this really was the first opportunity we’ve had to go shopping.

After hiking 30 or so miles through the mall, we finally found dresses that fit, weren’t too revealing and were acceptable colors to the girls. Great! Well, it was great until it came time to accessorize and buy shoes.

That’s when I turned into my mother.

My oldest daughter and I are the same height. 5’ 9”. In high school, that translates to very tall. A head taller than most of the girls and taller than the boy that asked you to Homecoming, that’s for sure.

We started to look at some shoes and Middle Daughter found a pair that she liked. Middle Daughter is only 5’ 3” so she doesn’t have the high heel, taller than the boys worry.

I asked Oldest Daughter if she found a pair of shoes and she replied she didn’t need them because she was just going to wear flip flops.

Flip flops?! Listen missy, I just dropped $130 on a dress and you’re going to wear flip-flops with it?

I didn’t exactly say that, but it sure did pop into my head.

I did say “That’s ridiculous. I’m sure your date won’t care that you are taller than he is.”

UGH!

My 5’ 5” mom used to say that to me when I would go on massive hunts to find flat dress shoes. It’s high school! Of course he cares and if he didn’t care, I sure as hell did!

But flip flops? There are so many cute flats, even dressy ones out there.

I got the much practiced teenage eyeroll. “Mom, you just take your shoes off at the dance anyway”.

Ok, I remember that, too...but what about the pictures!

“Don’t get my feet in them” she said.

Middle Daughter was picking out earrings and I asked Oldest Daughter if she would like a necklace to go with her dress. No, she said, she was going to wear one of those candy necklaces because the blue candy would be the perfect color.

Candy necklaces and flip flops? Good Lord.

My sister, who accompanied us on our shopping trip, just looked at me and said “head band”, recalling the argument I had with my mother about wearing one of those thin 80’s headbands with my gorgeous prom dress. My mom thought it looked “asinine”, I thought it looked totally awesome!

I shut up right then.

I had been in my daughter’s shoes at one and although they weren’t flip flops, they occasionally still fit, like when my wedding photographer asked me to take my heels off for some of the pictures.

Oldest Daughter's a good kid, sometimes even as sweet as the candy necklace she wants to wear and if she ever does give me headaches, I still have the headband to help ease the pain.

17 comments:

cindy kay said...

I love this story.

I remember when we shopped for wedding clothes a couple of summers ago, LovelyDaughter ended up with a pair of flip flops, but they were really cute and dressy-looking... and they were CHEAP!

Congratulations on being able to put yourself in their shoes/flip flops!

(I think the candy necklace idea sounds cute and creative! Your daughter will probably start a trend...)

JAM said...

Wow, did your sister know the perfect thing to stop you in your tracks, or what?

I photographed a wedding a couple of weeks ago that some of the new couple's immediate families wore flip-flops or crocs to the main event. You can get away with that easier in Florida, but still, I was kinda shocked. There they stand, forever, in the formal photos of the families, with flip-flops and crocs on.

Growing up in Louisiana, no self respecting girl would EVER leave the house even to go to 7-11 for half a gallon of milk without being in full makeup and decentl clothes. Living in Florida has taken some getting used to.

Kendra said...

very cute story! thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

being tall sucks in HS, but thank God for it after HS! Gain five pounds? No one can tell. It rocks to be 5'9 sometimes!

What about the new ballet flats they have now? they are cute, and she can get them in any color! Some even kind of 'different' to go with her candy necklace... ;-)

katherine. said...

yep yep yep.

My two girls are totally different...and it REALLY helped to remember what it was like when I was trying to be my own person....

isn't it great to be a Mommy?

Pen said...

Ha! That is just such a telling story of the obligatory switch from daughter to mother. I guess as old as time this happens to everyone.

Only, I have twin boys. *sigh*

Oh well, I can always come here and live vicariously through your tales of mothering a girl ;o)

Excellent post. Thanks for sharing this story. It made me smile.

Anonymous said...

Jessica you crack me up! Good thing your sis was there to "remind" you.

Lord I remember the search to find a fancy, dye-able pair of shoes that had as little heel as possible for my wedding. I could stand the thought of being taller in the pictures. I don't think flats were much in or I would have got a pair!

Anonymous said...

Oh, girl. You were just saved from becoming your mother. I guess sometimes we just have to remember that we have to pick our battles. Just take pictures so you can blackmail them down the road!

carrie said...

Thank God for sisters and head bands ;) I think the candy necklace idea is neat ;)

Anonymous said...

If only we believed when we were younger that we would become like our parents then maybe life would have been easier trying to fight it! ;) I see my Dad in me more and more, and not always the good stuff!

pussreboots said...

My mother is also 5'9" and I've never understood her worry about being taller than men.

I agree that flipflops are probably not the right idea for the dance but maybe you and she can find something both practical and comfortable. I can't give you any more advice than that because I wear men's dress shoes when I have to dress up. LOL.

The Rock Chick said...

Mom: well, my daughter would look cute in no matter what she was wearing, but it's so nice to see them dressed up once in a while, the thought of flip flops just makes me insane :) I'll try to look pas tthe candy necklace, too.

JAM: flip flops and (even worse) crocs to a wedding? Ohhh, ick! Crocs belong nowhere but in the garden, my opinion. That is one of the worst fashion trends I've seen!

kendra: you are welcome, my dear :)

kelly: yes, being tall in HS is terrible. I have to say, I'm still not all that crazy about it, though. I'd prefer to be just a few inches shorter....

pen: oh I have three girls--and plenty of stories that will hopefully keep you amused, I'm sure!

vixen: no, everytime I really needed flats, they were never in style either....now, though, they have SO many cute ones! I'm loving it!

shelly: I usually do pick battles. I guess I just look forward to seeing them all dressed up that when I hear flip flops, I want to cry! LOL

carrie: I saw a preview of the candy necklace yesterday. It doesn't look as bad as I'd originally thought it would.

damien: I almost couldn't believe I was saying that to my daughter. That was always a big touchy point with me in HS. Kinda freaked me out!

puss: just some crazy thing that tall girls all share, I guess!!! I don't know why we worry about it either!!

Anonymous said...

I have heard my mom in many of my words lately, what's worse is that my mom has turned into a different person as a grandma so she comes out looking like the angel. My son doesn't seem to get that she is the originator of the punishments he is now getting, lol.

Norma said...

Yes you are! Love the sister story.

My TT is up.
http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2007/10/4206-thursday-13-what-i-do-now-i-didnt.html

Amy The Black said...

Just remember that the dance is for them, not for you. But I agree that it is nice to see them all dressed up and taking something serious for once! I didn't do a headband, but I did have the fingerless Madonna gloves.

Crystal said...

Tall? Try being shorter than everyone. Like 5'.

*grin*

Anonymous said...

Loved it...cute story. Thanks for sharing...I'm a Shoe-a-holic...LOL