the teen & tween fashion dilemma

Greetings all,

I have never complained about teen or tween fashion because i simply don't have a personal problem with it.  I have always found gorgeous quality, well priced, non trashy clothes for my 4 children with ease.  I avoid the rubbish & black vamp gear, who on earth designs & buys those awful clothes??  Not me. I don't even go into the stores which sell them.

Alas, i was faced with a dilemma yesterday in David Jones.  I took these pretty children's size 12 Gumboots designed denim shorts to the counter & explained my issue to the lovely Fiona (mother of 4 adult daughters, perfect mentor) siting my 13 year old is slim & these shorts would still be baggy on her, yet hips have to be coming eventually . . . however, i'm stuck with a teen fashion dilemma . . . these shorts would look adorable on my daughter this Summer, but incredibly inappropriate on her more developed peers.  Can she simply get away with these little short shorts, because she looks younger than her age??  It's the whole over-sexualisation of children issue.  Are we over thinking it??  Clearly these are a simple pair of Summer shorts on a sweet young lady??  Is it Ok because she doesn't have hips & boobs, boys & men won't be looking at her??  Why do i think the same shorts would be inappropriate if she did have a woman's body??  She still an innocent mind??  She has red & khaki shorts the same size, wears them often, no worries.  Is it because these are denim??  They're not even tight Daisy Dukes!!  

I bought them.  She didn't like them.  The fabric patches "aren't my style Mum".  Said she'd wear them around the house & to the pool.  But not out.  Problem solved??  Her sisters love them.  See you for round 2 in 2 years when the twins want to wear them!!  

 Now i never complain about boys fashion either, because i stick to a few brands - Fred Bare, Country Road & Seed.  Their graphics aren't offensive or cliche, they are clever & cool, printed on quality of Tshirt material with strong stitching.   

Yes, Fred Bare boys Tshirts are $40 each (i wait for discounts & sales) but they for last years & don't fade.  In fact, these two Ts i picked up yesterday, fit all 4 of my children & all 4 will wear them too.  Children's fashion is my hobby, truly, that is why i spend money on it where others spend cash on coffee, takeaway food & pricey events . . . i save up for children's fashion, good quality & style.  Once children hit school they have a uniform 5 days a week, they require a small selection clothes, so i invest in the good gear.  I'm also an expert in stain removal, so yes, they do wear these clothes to messy play dates & dare i say it, my daughters wear dresses to parties & my son wears a button down shirt - they are often the only children not in jeans & Tshirts, the mums comment (often to mock me) i reiterate - children's fashion is my hobby.

 My sister openly knocks me about my obsession with designer children's fashion . . . guess who asks for the hand-me-downs??  FYI i've kept all my sons tiny Fred Bare clothes to make into a patchwork quilt for when he runs off with some wife who steals him away from me.  

Do you share my interest on children's fashion??  Have you moved into the murky water of teen fashion yet??  Love Posie

i'm grateful for 'slowing down'

Greeetings all,

Ah, life, it's only as busy as you make it, 'tis my new bohemian approach to slowing down life this week.  I've only ever had one nanny in my world, for my first baby when i was an oil baroness fueling the mining industry.  She said "don't rush, be organised & make your children feel special, not an inconvenience you have to hurry".  I grew up with a neighbour who was always rushing her children around, honking the car horn, it was constant chaos.  My mother, she floated around raising the 4 of us, in constant calm, we were happy, organised & punctual.  I don't like being busy, I loathe rushing.  I like to tick things off my 'nice to do' list & centre myself.  I think it's a good example to my children too, don't overschedule or overcommit.  Leaving the P&C wasn't easy, i've had phone calls & emails asking me to stay on, sorry, i don't want the responsibility anymore. 

So i'm a short hair girl who is low maintenace (irony) & had the most fabulous & graceful Japanese young man cut my hair this week.  I like his work, no more boy band hair cuts for me & lots of friends have noticed, my dead-straight-thick-hair has bounce & life again.

 I made another batch of hot water bottle covers, international flavour.

 Oh, pretty butterflies with a Bambi button & a transport one with a car button.  I got to school early each afternoon this week to do some hand stitching in the car, therapeutic & a great car spot too.  Love not rushing!!

 We spent two whole nights ditching homework for Lego.

Even the car got a pampering at the drive through car wash.

 Farmers Market on a brisk Saturday morning, oh the orange juice will do my itchy throat the world of good.  Have to admit, i've felt run down all week, but always better after the gym.

 We picked up fresh flowers & all the ingredients for homemade carbonara (free range eggs, leg ham, mushrooms, Italian bread) which i'll make with my youngest daugther tonight & test drive our new cutting tool to make frilly fettuccine.

 With handsome soldier in town & his fear of freezing (this is a man who has ice climbed in Canada & patrolled through -20C Afghan Winters) he made good on his offer to replace our newly wed underlay & doona with luxurious new ones from the David Jones preWinter 30% off sale (if you ever want to sponsor me DJs, don't hesitate).  Well, um, $2K RRP (gulp, no wonder we only replace this stuff every 15 years & wait for sales) we will dive onto this gorgeous Summer/ Winter reversible woollen underlay . . .    

 under a new wool quilt + new pillows, new doona cover & this new silvery quilted bed coverlet tonight - we're using it as a throw, but there is double doona potential.  I don't sleep well when i'm on my own, but i think this can only help.  Beautiful bedlinen, ah, heaven.

 When we build we will might reupholster this bedhead (i still like the shape & style) but it's a decade old & now has custom design additions - an alien drawn with green texta & a chap stick love heart, i.e. it screams "we have children who jump around in here" rather than boudoire.

 The doona cover is actually a jet green (the darkest green ever) & very masculine.  Yes, i'm the floral patchworker who loves Cath Kidston, Amy Butler & Rachel Ashwell, but i can't imagine handsome soldier feeling at all sexy in such surrounds, so i've never inflicted florals on him.

Finally, as per last week's Grateful post 'breaking point' i marched the broken bed base into Harvey Norman (yes, the WHOLE FULLY CONSTRUCTED bed base, which made for an interesting ride to school that morning with 3 children trapped under it) & the staff could not have been more wonderful, professional, understanding & quick to say "we'll replace it completely".  Glee, mind you, i did look like a woman who was not going to take no for an answer.  Now this mattress stands in the hallway, waiting it's new bed.  Ah, have a dreamy weekend & find more gratefuls at Maxabella Loves. 

Next week i'm spending more time thinking up other ways to slow down, which will contradict me screaming "run run run" as my 3 youngest try out for Cross Country.  My biggest girl is already in the regional high school team, yippee.  Love Posie
PS not so grateful that Blogger stole 48 hours worth of comments & denied me leaving any comments anywhere in blog land, sigh.

i finally have a Christmas theme

Greetings all,
Well after being berated by many a Christmas decoration sales person & Christmas decorating enthusiasts (Tania!!) for NOT having a theme thought out for Christmas . . . it appears i finally have one.  Birds.  I've been scouring Myer, David Jones, Bed Bath Table, Typo & The Bredbo Christmas Barn for decorations, before i realised . . . i did have a theme after all.  I'm liking silver, white, red.

 With a good hint of aqua blue.

 I still love the hearts which are everywhere right now, giant jingle bells & a few angels for good measure.

There are more Babushkas to be added too. 

Christmas theme or not, these are the things i have found i'm naturally drawn to for our tree.  Tonight i'm working on more handmade items to add to the collection from Shop Handmade, yes, more birds, hearts, angels & fun things, like GingerBreadMen & jolly Santas!!  I bought 3m of felt today.  Then add the lot to the decorations we have stored in the linen cupboard, we'll have a beautiful tree.
  Off to chomp out some die cut paper garlands too.  I'm loving twine, washi tape, folk printed stickers . . . love this time of year, the preparation is as much fun as the giving, joy, Summer & smiles on Christmas Day.  Getting the children involved makes it even more beautiful.  Love Posie