Of Fashion and Preparing for the Memorial Service

So this a.m. I checked each kid's wardrobe and determined that they had something to wear that would look appropriate to a memorial service. Especially since said memorial service is done by my mom's husband's brother in law (gotta love convoluted family ties!) He is a retired minister.

Lissa has a sweet little sundress. Her hair is freshly braided and beaded. KC has green shorts and a button down shirt that K made him. Chet has light weight black pants and a flowy shirt of the kind one does not have to tuck in. It actually has an oriental print across the bottom in black on the white fabric. Chet has sensory issues. He can not wear tucked in clothes without freaking out and a tie without looking like someone is trying to garrotte him. Seriously. I am not exaggerating. He also will only wear one kind of shoe. Lucky for me, it is black. Rob only had heavy weight pants and WANTS to wear a tie and had no short sleeved shirt that would look right with the tie he wanted. (blue and black stripe). So I went to Sears and found him light weight black pants (not because it is a death thing; because Rob at 13 is suddenly all about wearing black.) Found a short sleeved white shirt. The only short sleeved dress shirt in all of Sears. He is set now.

Then I had to shop for me. Have I ever mentioned that I hate shopping? I on line or catalog shop with no worries. But trolling through stores bores me to tears. With a capital B. But K always finds good things at Sears so I stroll to the ladies section. (at least I try to stroll. I also walk really quickly and am known to "trot" to the car. K has recently informed me that 50 year old woman do not "trot" and should walk with more decorum. I practiced this with a cane but gave up. LOL)

I find two dresses that would be okay color wise. The one I truly love is only in a medium. I am a small. So I have to monkey with the straps to make up for the fact it is a smidge too big. But it is a lovely earth toned maxi dress. And brown was Ken's favorite color. I like to wear a persons favorite color when I am bidding them farewell. But I am worried that maybe I should not wear a long dress, so I try dress number 2. Which is just a basic little black dress. It is the right size. It fits fine. I get that too. I bring them home and try them on for K. She says the brown dress is lovely but too "sexy" for the memorial service. I am going to trust her on this. My mom is from the Victorian era. She and I have never seen eye to eye on fashion. I am a sort of bohemian??? dresser. Maybe. I don't know, but I do know I don't worry about a lot of things fashion wise that my mom does. Or even K does.

As an example I adore red pumps. My mom told me and MEANT it, that only women of ill repute wore red shoes. I am a brat. I promptly bought three pairs! (but I was also 20 or so at the time.) LOL So anyway, I will wear the little black dress, my black pumps (I am leaving my red shoes home tomorrow!) and we are all set to go.

I am having everyone change at my mom's as it is a 2 1/2 hour ride and I know what will happen if I have the tribe travel is dress duds. Someone will pee. Someone will puke. Someone will spill food. None of those things will happen as they will all wear regular clothes to make the trek, but if I DID tempt the fates by driving dressy that is what would happen.