Prom Clothes

In addition to a myriad other things that fall on this weekend, it is Prom at my Rob's gf's school.  Here he is, all spiffed up and ready to head out the door.  He and T picked out the shirt and tie together on a shopping trip, there are new dress shoes (his first since he became a teen) on his feet.  He looks so much the young man and not a kid.

I don't have to stress about clothing much with Rob.  He has an innate sense to see what it appropriate to a situation.  The skinny jeans and skater duds that he wears day to day are conspicuously absent from his attire tonight.  He decided on his own that "dress sneakers" as he puts it, were not sufficient to the occasion.  There are no furry fox tails hanging from his pockets or chains dangling.  Yes, I see those in his various day to day looks.  My wife wonders why I ignore them.  It is because of this.  That outfit is his choice. I didn't muscle him into something appropriate.  I didn't  threaten or cajole. All teens experiment with expressing themselves through their clothing.  As long as he knows where and when it is okay to push those boundaries, i am okay with him doing it.

He brought roses and a corsage for his date.  He has a matching boutenierre for himself. It isn't on in this shot as they wanted to pin them on each other.  I told him to have fun, that he was always cool but to remember to be classy too.  This too is something that he is good about learning.  The times when it is okay--even necessary--to talk "street"  The times when he should not.  He grinned as he left the car.  He knew what I meant.