Wearing Ball Gowns To The Theater. — Page 3

"there were two women in floor length gowns and it was ridiculous when there were people in jeans and t-shirts"

See. That's my problem. For WHOM was it ridiculous? The other people in the crowd? I'm the kind of person who would wear jeans to her own wedding, but I can appreciate people who are all decked out, too. I view clothing as an expression of self...something that emanates from the inside.

I "came of age" during the late sixties when we wore all sorts of crazy and fantastic garments. My style back then, and arguably today, was to mix fancy tops with plain old jeans. It was all about freedom of expression. I'm not a dressy person; never will be. It's who I am. But I don't see why people like me can't co-exist with people who like to wear ball gowns to the theater.

The story of the little girl who wore the ballerina outfit to the theater reminded me of a lesson I learned quite a few years ago:

When my daughter was about four, we went shopping for a dress for her to wear in a Christmas pageant at school. She was singing a solo. I had a vision of what I thought was an appropriate dress to wear..a dress that would win the praise and approval of the other parents in the audience, and would make me feel like a terrific mother. There were several dresses that would have been perfect. But my daughter fell in love with a very green, shiny cotton dress with layers...I'm talking LAYERS...of ruffles. It even had little bells sewn onto an under layer of the attached slip. It was the kind of dress where the skirt REALLY flared out. I though it was hideous. Not offensive. Not obscene. But clearly NOT what I had imagined. Then I saw her eyes shining when she looked at that dress, and I realized how wonderful and how invincible she would feel wearing it. I decided, and it wasn't easy, to back off and let her vision rather than mine take place. That dress made her first public singing appearance something extra-special to her. It came as a jolt to realize that I, who thought I was all about free expression of self, had come dangerously close to not allowing my child to enjoy her moment to shine.

I'm not saying that every kid should always be allowed to wear whatever they want, whenever they want, but sometimes what someone wears is more about what makes them feel good and less about dressing to please others. Maybe that little girl's parents decided to let her live out her vision of that special day and special trip to the theater. And if that's the case, I say good for them.

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