It used to be that dressed up meant something special. As a little girl I started wearing my mother’s clothes and high heels before I could flag down a school bus. But recently I have noticed that dressing up is just not as common. And when we do see someone dressed up with makeup and heels it’s a huge wow factor because it has become so rare. Even church has loosened up a bit and I’m seeing lots of jeans at Mass.
In a way it makes me sad. If we keep those nice dress clothes in the back of the closet maybe the only time we will wear them will be funerals. Between you and me I’d rather wear it out to a nice restaurant. Less tears and better food.
As children we knew something was up when my mom put on lipstick and a pants suit. It either meant we were getting dressed up too to go along or that the babysitter was on her way over. Mom and my Dad liked to dress up and go out once in awhile.
My brother and I would mimic a Bill Cosby routine….“Mommy you goin’ out….Daddy you goin’ out…” and fake cry. It was funny.
We never minded having a babysitter. We were terrible children who liked to trick our sitters by trapping them on the roof or playing with the phone while they talked to their boyfriends. It was rare that anyone told on us, they just seemed to be very busy when my mom called the next time.
My daughter has played dress up her entire life. She would sit us down on the couch when she was 3 and tell us to watch her “passion show”— Zoe’s word for fashion show. She loved all different fabrics, belts, hats and shoes. If her sweet grandma gave her money she would take it to the dollar store and buy the reddest lipstick she could find.
She still has a genius eye for fashion and pulling together amazing outfits on a budget. I don’t ever imagine her running to the store in flip-flops and a baggy T-shirt even if she has six or seven kids in tow. I can’t think of a better legacy for her than to be the girl who made the world a more beautiful and dressier place to live. Thanks Zoe. Peace to you, your Mama No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. Regina Brett Taste of Home columnist Sandy (Anderson) Holthaus lives on a farm in South Haven, MN with her husband, Michael, and their children Zoe, Jack and Ben. Her heart remains on the North Shore where she grew up with her parents, Art and LaVonne Anderson of Schroeder. She enjoys writing about her childhood and mixes memories with delicious helpings of home-style recipes.
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