Disclaimer: This post discusses things that are ultimately of zero importance whatsoever, and I am well aware of this. I hereby pre-apologize for my daily dose of shallowness.
Ali has this habit…when she’s playing a game or sharing her snacks, she will ask me something along these lines:
“Which one do you want, Mommy? The red one or the blue one?”
“I want the blue one.”
“Okay. You can have the red one.”
Every time, I follow that up with, “Then WHY did you ask??”
And she never answers.
It’s just the way she rolls.
And, apparently, my “fashion” blog posts are having the same effect on the world.
(errr, not that the world ever asked or even wanted my opinion, but … anyway.)
You see, I love The Children’s Place – it’s always been my favorite place to get Ali’s clothes. ESPECIALLY for the Fall. Since it stays at least 90 degrees around here well into September (except a few GLORIOUSLY fall-like days last week of cool 70 and 80 degree weather), by the time they’re clearancing out their first line of fall stuff, there hasn’t even been the first chill in the Alabama air.
And so, every September, I have this blissful shopping experience of buying most of Ali’s winter wardrobe all at once, and for over 80% off.
A true Ecstasy of Shopping Enjoyment.
A couple days ago, I received the email saying that they had everything marked way down (some to $5), and an extra 15% off the sale price. I dug around and found my latest coupon (another 15% off) and spent all morning basking in the shopping euphoria that was to come.
But then I got there, and realized that they had apparently read all of my fashion posts from last year….and had styled their entire Fall Wardrobe exactly according to the guidelines of every style I had mocked.
Every shirt was plaid…
And the … (it’s really hard to choke this phrase out) CHILDREN’S JEGGINGS were in horrifying abundance. 
They even blessed the world with Jeggings in the size of 0-3 Months – because who doesn’t want to bring their newborn home from the hospital wearing the biggest fashion catastrophe of the decade??? 
Now I WILL be a big girl and be the first to admit that these styles would all look MUCH better on a kid than me, but I still couldn’t warm up to the idea of dressing Ali as a walking example of everything I’ve mocked for the entire year.
I mean, if I’m going to do that, I might as well go ahead and find her a great pair of Mom Jeans, size 4T, while I’m at it.
So I sadly walked out empty-handed and coupon-unused. Because the one thing that they DID have that I wanted ever-so-desperately was, of course, totally sold out in Ali’s size:
BUT I wanted it badly enough that I managed to track the LAST size 4 in the world down at another Birmingham location.
Not only will it be PERFECT for football games (with a pair of crimson leggings), but it totally reminded me of my favorite creation from my favorite Project Runway designer ever, Seth Aaron:
…At least she’ll be dressed on for the runway football on Saturday, but as for the rest of the year, she may be destined to “not have a thing to wear”. And my dreams of that Shopping Euphoria Experience…gone. All gone.
(sigh)
Time to go break into my Caffeine Rollover Piggy Bank instead.
Loved your post. I went shopping for myself the other day.. I was amazed that the fashion world wants a 200 lb person to wear leggings also… Also with sleeve less shirts so that all your arm flab will fly in the wind.. This comes from a older lady.. :) Bat Wings and Thunder Thighs are all the rage this fall !!!! lol..
Gymboree has an awesome sale right now, 30% off everything and you can use the 20% mailer coupons that just went out while also earning gymbucks on all of their clearanced summer items (you know, just in case you needed some help on filling up shopping carts for little princesses ;-)
I did wander into Gymboree too! But unfortunately, their sale prices are more than Children's Place's regular prices… (sigh)
Maybe I'll go back and see if I can stack up some coupons and deals and make it work.
Madyson is a comfort girl. She hissyed over a pair of "jeggins" I caved and bought them and she loves them. she says "they are just like pajama pants"…right madyson. =)
You Alabama fans and your fascination with houndstooth print. I'll never understand…
But houndstooth is so much prettier than orange!!! :)
I loved that little outfit by Seth Aaron too! But alas, I LOVE plaid!
I understand why you wouldn't want to wear jeggings (although I laugh because they were the rage when I was a 20-something in the 80's) however…I think they are adorable on young girls with loose fitted longer tops.
Okay I didn't really have anything to say, but April Mechelle's comment killed me! Killed me! Bat wings and thunder thighs! ALl the rage! I'll definitely be using that in my next conversation!
I am quite over the whole Children's Place thing!! The boys' styles have not changed in five years and H will be 5 in Sept. The colors change, the numbers and phrases change, but the basic style, the same. Girls stuff is really fizzling out and I think that's why they have a huge sale every other week. And those "denim" leggings?! I saw those last weekend and cringed. I just imagined those with a diaper… Blech.
Macy's has been a huge hit for me with M, some very cute stuff for us in the "no real Fall" states!
I hope your coupon is good for Winter!
We ADORE Seth Aaron. He's our favorite Project Runway designer too.
This season has made us mad. Everyone (Gretchen) is just so stinkin' mean!
Wait, this wasn't a post about Project Runway? Oh… well… I was distracted…
just like I was when Tim Gunn said "Wooly animal balls".
I guess I can see the kids jeggings thing.
Jeans on little kids are just so awkward. The fabric is thick and stiff for the size for the pants, they never fit long enough to get broken in, they never fit, period. There are always those awkward elastic waists, the buttons are hard for little fingers to work…
Unfortunately, jeggings solve a lot of these problems. I wouldn't like seeing them past second grade or so, and I wouldn't like seeing them skin tight like they are on adults, but they look terribly practical for children, and I think they are better fashion-wise than track pants or other comparably comfortable things.
sorry :(
So with you on the fall collection from Children's Place. U-G-L-Y. Not that impressed with Crazy 8, Gymboree or anything else this season either. What a clothes crazy Mommy to do?
Jeggings continue to confuse me. Are they jeans or leggings??? It has to be one or the other but definitely not both!
You totally did the right thing moving heaven and earth to find that dress. ADORABLE!!! And, she will be adorable in it!
What a great mom you are! :)
Blessings,
Mlambchopper