Josie's Style Book

I've always been very particular.

Wanted things a certain way.

Not necessarily because I cared what other people thought, but more that I needed order.

Although I'm sure wanting other's approval had a part in it too.

I color cordinate, alphabatize, straighten.

I crave organization.

A well executed color scheme can bring me a sigh of relief.

It's because of this slight bend towards OCD-ism that I know God laughed the day he brought me Josie.

This girl, who marches to her own beat, thinks all dresses should twirl, and sees nothing wrong with wearing two different shoes is teaching me some big lessons.

I used to be able to dress her.

She matched from the bow on her head to the socks on her feet.

Her closet was better organized then mine was.

Organized by color, then sleeve length.

And then she went and got herself her own opinions.

It started small.  

With wearing the same dress every. single. day to be exact.

It was her favorite and it was endearing and I thought, "surely this is just a phase."

So I let her wear her Purple Twirly Dress for as many days as it could stand between washings.

But lately, Josie's sense of style has reached a whole new level.

Batman Costume to Whole Foods?

A boot with a ballet slipper to church?

19 hair bows at one time to soccer practice?

She's rocked it.

I struggled with it at first.

Letting her chose her own look.

The child has a walk in closet stuffed with adorable clothes and her fashion trends reuse the same 4 items.

What a waste.

(yes, she wore this to Walmart last week)

People stare and some give her looks.

And while most of them are smiles and "isn't she adorable"'s,

Some of them are judgmental and critical and down right ridiculous.

It was one of these looks that made me do a total 180 on my view of her outfit choices.

I went from trying to get her to wear a more acceptable outfit to saying,

"Who cares?"

I mean, seriously, the girl is 4.

What does it matter if one shoe is yellow and one is silver and her sweater is technically 2 sizes too small?

She's happy and proud of herself and feels beautiful.

And that makes anything she wears super cute to me.

I want to raise a daughter that isn't afraid to wear something that isn't like what everyone else has on.

Will she get teased?

Probably.

Will it alter her future?

Absolutely not.

So many of us, myself included, get dressed in the morning based on what we think other people's perception of us would be.

What would we wear if we knew we'd be accepted no matter what?

There have been times that I felt like I really loved an outfit only to have someone make a snide comment and totally ruin my perception of myself.

The outfit never to be worn again.

And I've decided I don't want that for Josie.

The day will come, probably way too soon, where she will be swayed by her peers and her outfits will become less, well, strange.

But I am hoping to hold that day off just a little longer.

So you put on that Batman costume Josie Girl.

Wear those boots in the Summer and keep twirling that purple dress until it can't twirl anymore.

And know that you look beautiful.

Because you are confident.

And that is always in style.