When 2 Year Olds Dress Themselves...

They think "color coordinated" means as long as one or more colors are in the shirt AND pants.

They wear socks with sandals.

They put shirts on backwards.

They repeat outfits. With different socks. Since that makes all the difference.

They get attached to a certain pair of shoes that don't go with any outfit, except for one.

They throw in a few variations in pants and shoes, and call it a NEW outfit.

These are the kinds of fashion trends you can set when you're a toddler.

I've been taking pictures of Abby for the past 2 weeks, simply to document her budding fashion flav-A.

It's been quite interesting. I've noticed, for instance, that she favors certain pairs of shoes, especially the green pair (that I bought to match ONE outfit--big mistake on my part).

She really likes the purple shirt.

I still haven't figured out the socks. She HAS to have socks. I have to pretty much beg her, if we are going to leave the house and be seen in public, by people who might judge my mothering skills on what outfit my child is wearing, to PLEASE don't wear socks with sandals. PLEASE either put on pants, or take the socks off and wear the sandals.

I thought for a while that maybe she shared a common fashion sense with 70 year old men.


But then Joe pointed out that the socks-with-sandals style is also TRES European.

But I don't think that the same fashion-forward minded peoples who gave us this:

are to be completely trusted.

Regardless, Abby enjoys dressing herself. And at the very least, it keeps her from running around in the buff.

Oh, I take that back. She is currently running around in the buff....

I was getting ready for church the other day, wearing a really cute blue sleeveless dress that came right above my knees. And since it was a little on the cool side, I chose to put on a light bolero style jacket over the dress.

Abby looked me over for a second and said, "Mom, you are not, umm, you are, umm, you have a big belly."

Yes, I do.

"Mom, umm, you are not, should, umm, not wear the coat. Mom, don't wear the coat, ok?"

Why not?

"Because you have a big belly now."

(Long Pause.)

"But it REALLY is a nice jacket, mom."

I went in to Joe, who was in the other room and said, Can you believe my 2 year old, who insists on wearing socks with sandals pulled up to her belly button, is giving ME fashion advice!?

And Joe said, Well, Ellen, that jacket does kinda make your belly look bigger.