Dressin' Up

There's nothin' like a great dress to boost your mood and confidence and make you feel ultra feminine.  We all have our favs we secretly wish we could wear every day, we just choose not to, 'cuz wearing the same clothes every single day would be weird... I wish I could communicate this fashion sense to my little 3 year old. 

Here's her beloved dress at the moment:

She picked it out with her daddy while she tagged along during a dress-pant shopping trip.  I'm not sure if it's her favorite because of the memory of precious daddy time, because of the sparkles (the girl loves her bling), or because it has a picture of Hello Kitty.  Speaking of--- what is this magical attraction little girls have with Hello Kitty?  I don't get it.

This was my favorite dress when I was three:

I totally remember wanting to wear it everyday, as if it had magical powers or something.  I have several pictures with me in this particular outfit, including this hilarious one:



I love all the different facial expressions (sorry it's grainy).


Even though she has a closet full of in-style fashions, Ivy would prefer her comfy, sparkly, special memory dress.  I guess it could be much, much worse.



Self Expression

Ivy has decided mommy isn't an expert in fashion anymore.  I can no longer convince, cajole, or sweet-talk her into any outfits of my choice.  I've decided to give her more freedom to choose what she wants to wear (unless it's inappropriate for the weather).  Some days she is looks perfectly put-together. Other days I wish I could glue a sign on her forehead citing: I DRESSED MYSELF TODAY!  If I force her to wear what I want or constantly critique her appearance I figure I'll just inhibit her confidence, independence, and creativity.  So bring on the clashing colors and patterns-  I'm raising a strong woman here!  Who's to say I know anything about style anyway...

She chose to accessorize with stickers today