Wednesday, February 20, 2013

What to Wear

Right now, at this stage of our lives, I am a homemaker.

This means that I keep up a rather unkempt appearance for 75% of the day.   I forgo a shower and stay in my pajamas.  I do this because loose-fitting clothing that you don't really care about just lends itself so much better to things like breastfeeding, spit-up, leaky diapers, toilet-cleaning, and the inevitable spills that I make in the kitchen.

Do I miss dressing up and going out to earn a paycheck?  Absolutely.  But I love my son more than my career.  And I was a workaholic before, so I know that I can't juggle a professional life with a family one.  I admire the mamas that do.

About an hour or two before Michael is expected home, I straighten up.  Toys are put away, dinner goes in the oven, and Liam's high chair slides into the bathroom with me so that I can take a shower yet also keep a careful watch over him.

But once I'm clean, here's the dilemma: What do I wear?  Do I put on an outfit that I love?  Or should I save that for when we're around other people and instead just throw on a T-shirt and yoga pants?

Then I think about Michael.  He always looks dashing when he steps out the door.  Case in point, from this morning:


But as soon as he gets home, he switches to jeans and a T-shirt.  This means I would look odd if I was more dressy at the dinner table than he.  Hmm.

Just as I decide on the the comfy T-shirt and yoga pants, I remember that they're pretty similar in form and texture to that next pair of cotton pajamas that I was going to wear to bed tonight.  So why don't I just get into those now?  Hmm.  It seems reasonable.  But it's certainly not exciting.

Michael bought me a striped navy dress from J. Crew this past weekend.  I absolutely love it.  So should I wear it for him tonight, even though we're not going out?  Should I go to the trouble of putting on tights and tall boots and selecting a fun belt?  I honestly can't decide, and I'm so thankful that he loves me no matter what I'm wearing.