Sunday night, the checkout clerk at Meijer asked me if Madi was my daughter. I kind of did a double-take, but after I said “yes”, she told me that she was shocked because I didn’t look any older than 19. I said an awkward thanks, and laughingly told her that I was 30.
But how am I supposed to take that? I know that it is a positive thing to be considered “young-looking”, but there is a point where you start to question yourself. Do I dress too young? Is my hair too long? What does a 30 year old dress and look like anyways? It is perplexing.
The fashion industry doesn’t help much. I walked by Gap’s storefront the other day, and displayed in the window was this floor length shapeless dress which looked nice on the mannequin, but on me it would only look frumpy. And don’t let me get started on the multitude of tops that are structured like maternity clothing. I have been pregnant 18 months out of the last 3.5 years, and believe me, I don’t want to look like I’m pregnant when I’m not. However, there aren’t many other choices for someone who wants to “look younger than 80 but older than 14” (GR Press).
My other clothing obstacle is my day-to-day activities. I’m not going to spend a fortune on clothes for a couple of reasons. I spend most of my time on my knees, either playing or picking up toys. The result? My pants get worn through on a regular basis. Also, my shirts get drooled on, smeared with food and dirt, and must be able to stay put while I’m wrangling kids at the children’s museum. And hair that doesn’t go back into a ponytail? No chance. Short hair? Been there, done that…never want to grow out a pixie again if I can avoid it.
By the time I turn 35, maybe I will have it figured out. Maybe I will start to “look my age”, and then I’ll probably remember these days with a deep sigh.
