A Mother’s Changing Fashions: Form Follows Function

I often wonder whether other stay-at-home moms change their outfits as many times a day as I do. Form following function, and allowing for many fluctuations in weather, I typically change at least half a dozen times per day. This does not count the number of times I put on and remove my cardigan inside the house. Today is an example of a typical day for me:

1. Early morning: I don jeans, a blouse, a denim jacket, and sneakers to take daughter to school with education fair project.

2. Mid-morning: The temperature has risen dramatically, and I change into skorts, a short-sleeved top, and sandals to run some errands with my toddler.

3. Late morning: Time for a bike ride! I change into shorts and sneakers, keeping the same top, to fix a flat tire and take my toddler around the block a few times.

4. Early afternoon: Nap time for baby, work time for me! Now I wear my painting clothes and painting shoes to go outside and stain the shed.

5. Late afternoon: The kids will soon be home and I hate to greet them looking all grimy. I wash the paint off my arms and legs and revert back to outfit #2.

6. Early evening: Things are cooling off and the breeze from outside is making the dinner cold - as well as me. I run upstairs to put on a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers.

7. Later-early evening: We are getting ready for either softball or baseball, and the temperature will steadily drop through the next two hours of activity. I put on a second sweatshirt and carry yet another.

8. Late evening: Pajamas. Final outfit change. This one is my favorite.

[The drawing shown is of a Norwegian Bride in 1883. I cannot see a practical use for this outfit but found it interesting.]