My daughter loves to put together outfits. For several years now, she has spent a huge amount of time picking out clothes to wear, or planning which outfits look cute enough for whatever occasion is on the horizon. Bedtime always included time for “picking out” the clothes for school the next day. She says she wants to major in fashion, and even takes her sketch pad on trips with us to draw the ideas she has for cute clothes.

So she decides that she wants to change schools…to a school that has a very strict uniform. Go figure.

Today was the first day of school. Last night I went up to say good night and she had her clothes all lined up. Skirt, oxford cloth shirt, knee socks (they had to be the exact right length), shoes, and headband. The shoes and headband are pretty much the only way she can “individualize” her look. She can wear either Wallabees (she won’t even touch those, so that’s not an option for her), or white athletic shoes. Not a lot of options there, either. But, when we were in Paris this summer we walked by a sports store on the Champs Elysees, and she found the cutest pair of white patent leather Nikes.

So this morning we took pictures of her in her uniform, all cute and everything, and drove her to school (5 minutes instead of 30…yeah!). She didn’t tuck in her shirt, because she thought someone had told her that was O.K. But just to make sure she texted about 6 friends this morning, but no one got back to her. We drove up to the drop-off, and all the girls were walking to class with shirts tucked in. So now, instead of making an “entrance”, she walked in with her backpack, her computer case, and both hands frantically tucking her skirt in. Hopefully they’ll give her a break on the demerits since it’s her first day.

Good luck, my sweet girl!