Questionable Choices in Parenting

Laughing at life as a parent so they don't commit me

Fashion Face Off in the Preschool Parking lot: Who Wore It Best?

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I imagine if you are a big, fancy star headed off to a red carpet event in your designer duds, one of the worst things that can happen to you is someone shows up with the same outfit! Gasp!

It’s probably even worse if that someone is a person you would NEVER, EVER run up to and sequel “Twinzies!”  Like if Gwyneth Paltrow found herself in the same dress as someone like Kim Kardashian. Can you imagine the serious “conscious uncoupling”  Gwyennie would have?

picture from Usweeklymagazine.com
picture from Usweeklymagazine.com

But Gwyneth, I know exactly how you must worry you won’t win the “Who Wore It Better”, but my fashion faux paus didn’t happen on the red carpet. Nope, mine happened somewhere a lot less chic but  probably has the same amount of tantrums.

Because spring brings lots and lots of rain showers, I often find myself looking like a drowned rat after a morning of school pickups and drop offs. So during my last trip to Target, I decided “Amanda, no more of this nonsense. Get yourself a hooded raincoat.”  And really, who am I to pass up a chance to do a little Target shopping?

But after searching the women’s section high and low, it was clear  the only raincoat Target thinks women need is some fashionable wrap coat without a hood. Hey, Target, now is not the time to get all fashion forward  and trendy on me. I even searched the men’s section–no luck. It wasn’t until I happened upon the little boys section that I found a raincoat that actually had a hood.

“Hmmmm, the colors are cute, blue and black, with a fun orange lining. Uh-huh, the price is right, under 20 bucks. Hey look at that, the large fits and is cute. OK, I toss it in the cart with the 45 other things I didn’t plan on purchasing today.”

jacket

I was really loving my new raincoat and wore it proudly. When I ran into my favorite gal pal at preschool drop-off I was thrilled when she chimed “I love that coat!”

“Targeé” I responded in my best French accent, “Got it in the little boys section. Can you stand it?”

With an extra bounce in my step, I put my hood up and sauntered out the door to my car. But right there in the parking lot is where I saw my coat rounding the corner and walking straight towards me. It wasn’t another mom wearing my favorite new coat. It wasn’t even another Dad. No friends, it was a little boy. A little boy that’s in my son’s class.

Blue and black raincoat with a fun orange lining. One large and one small staring each other down.

He broke first, “Hey Aaron’s Mommy, your coat looks like mine.”

“Yes…yes it does…”

I squinted and waited for the flashing light of the paparazzi’s camera. Oh wait, no one’s taking our picture and I’m pretty sure in this “Who Wore It Better” showdown, the vote always goes to the kid, right?

I should have been embarrassed or said something witty in response to the four year old mocking the fact we were coat doppelgangers, but then I realized by the end of the day one of us will probably have macaroni and cheese spilled down the front of that coat, a few Mickey Mouse stickers stuck right above our butt, and traces of today’s art project on the elbow, and that would probably be me.

Whatever kid, you enjoy your coat and I’ll enjoy mine. At least I know your mom has good taste.

 

 

 

Comments

  2. LOL! That’s funny!! Also, in regards to the first pic? I have to go with Kim K. she fills it better. i prefer neither star though

  4. I am more upset, ok jealous, that you can fit in a boys coat than I am about you having the same coat on as the kid. BUt hey at least you can rock it and pull it off.

  6. LOL – this is the most fabulous story of my morning. What used to happen to me is that one of my daughters friends would have on the same shirt as I wore and my daughter would point it out to me. Believe you me, I did not wear a girls large. It probably was on sale in the Juniors Plus area or something like that, and she probably looked way cuter in it than I thought I did up until that very moment. HA!

  9. LOL This is a great story! This hasn’t happened to me but I have certainly purchased things from the guys section. (And I think Gwen wore the dress best.) – Katy

  12. I love fashion face offs – my girls and I like to judge what we thing in US magazine…so fun. Gwyenth is timeless.

    • I’m a bit confused by your comment. By teaching modesty do you mean the picture of Gwyenth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian or do you mean my raincoat? Because this post was about me wearing a little boy’s raincoat so I don’t really understand what you mean by saying being the mom and setting the example for your kids. Could you explain?

  24. LOL, that’s hilarious! My daughter saw a friend of mine wearing the same American Eagle coat she was wearing and the effect it had on her was that she never wore the coat again. lol

  28. Hahaha that’s awesome! Kinda jealous how good you look in a boys raincoat…especially one with fun orange lining 🙂

  30. I like Gwyneth Paltrow so I would choose her and as for your rain coat … well, surely you wore it best, but he may just be trying to be cute 🙂