I’ve never identified with the term “mommy blogger.” I am rarely called Mommy anymore, and I don’t write about the humorous things my kids do. That’s typically the domain of mothers with young children who don’t know or care what Mommy writes about. There have been times when I wanted to share; I have a funny story in my drafts folder that I am forbidden to publish by the child involved. I’m still trying to convince her to change her mind…
But stories about me are completely permissible. This is one from my own childhood, originally published as my very first Finish the Sentence Friday post.
I was about six years old, skipping home from school in my dress and red tights. The dress was a comely navy blue, with a white Peter Pan collar and an antique car embroidered on the bib. I don’t remember what shoes I was wearing, but I’m sure they were fabulous.
I’m a little fuzzy on the details. The only thing I remember for sure was that I was wearing red tights. But I did own that antique car dress, and it was fierce. I may or may not have been skipping, but I’m trying to create a Brady Bunch vibe here. Sha na na na, na na na na na, sha na na na na!
My skip/walk home was uneventful except for one little spill I took on the sidewalk in front of my house. I’m sure I was trying not to step on a crack and break my mother’s back, and down I went. When I came inside, I sat down on the bright yellow naugahyde kitchen chair to have a snack – probably a devil dog or a yodel. When I looked down, I saw to my dismay that I had a hole the size of a Necco wafer in my beautiful red tights. Phooey!
No one else had seen the damage yet, so I darted back outside to find the piece that had been ripped out. All I had to do was find the hole, and Mommy could sew it right up. Amazingly, I could not find the red scrap anywhere. Perplexed and defeated, I trudged back inside. Those tights were the perfect accessory to my fabulous car dress, and they were ruined.
I don’t remember what happened next, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t worn red tights since. A few years later I figured out that tights just stretch apart at the rip; obviously, there was no hole to find and repair. I told my mother the story about ten years ago, and now she likes to share it as one of those cute “Listen to the stupid thing my kid did” story. So now I’ve told the world, Mom. You’ll have to find a new story to tell, preferably one about my sister.
I could rock a pair of tights back in the day.
Did you have red tights as a little girl? Or boy – I’m not going to judge.
You know, I don’t think I ever had a pair of red tights, but I’d wear ’em now if I had ’em. You were so cute! I DID have a pink tutu too, and I rocked that thing every day and everywhere!
i love the pictures. you are so adorable!
Thanks, Catherine. It’s funny – in that pic I look a lot like my niece. I didn’t notice it until someone pointed it out!
Loved that you looked for the red piece to fill the whole!!! So cute!
Cute now – at the time extremely frustrating!
Love your childhood photos, Dana! I don’t recall red tights specifically, but I’m sure I had all kinds of crazy colored tights/leggings…it was the 80s! I actually rocked some hit pink tights a few years ago for New Years… Total impulse buy and I haven’t worn them since, but I think they were worth it 🙂
I’m sure they were! My niece has a pair for when her school did 80s day – she rocked it. I had fluorescent pink socks I wore with my Keds and ripped sweatshirt. I thought I was so cool.
You bet your red tights I had red tights. And ruby red slippers that reminded me there’s no place like home. And red hair bows and red everything. Red has always been and is still my favorite color. I remember too well when tights would rip and the disappointment that brings.
I don’t call myself a mommy blogger either, but mostly because I rarely write about my children. I kind of like to keep their happenings off of the internet. The few stories I have shared were just too good to keep inside.
Missed seeing you around, Dana. Can’t wait for school to start so that I can get back into my reading groove.
Miss you too, Mandi! I’m enjoying the break but I do miss my girls. I’m not sure how I’m going to get back in the swing of things, though. I still haven’t read the newest Outlander; maybe I’ll just curl up and read that for a week or two.
I had this awesome dress in the late 80s that was a hand-me-town and while I didn’t wear red tights with it, I’m pretty sure I rocked it with some magenta or neon yellow tights, depending on my mood (this was the 80s, after all). That is such a cute story, and so something I could see a young child doing!
My daughter would have never let me tell a story about her like that! At least I had my own embarrassing stories to draw on.
Adorable!
I can totally see you in red tights. Still! xx
I think I’d look a little ridiculous now, but back then, I was pretty cute. 🙂
Love this story, Dana. The details get me for sure and I love being reminded of those little things (that are really big things). I wish you could find a picture of that dress, I had a white one, like an A-shaped shift, ribbed texture with blue edging/trim/piping(?) and a sailboat in a red circle where a necklace would land on the chest. Not a classic car but pretty cool anyway. One of my faves. No tights though, it was a summer dress. I think I’ll have to look for a photo – your story makes me nostalgic (in case you couldn’t tell!!)
I’ll find a photo one of these days, Steph – I’m sure my mom has one. We would have made quite a pair in our dresses!
OMG no way. I remember looking for the hole, too. This must have been one of the early FTSF posts because I totally don’t remember it. Although… well, maybe it’s my brain. I love this, though!!!
It was my very first FTSF post – way back in early 2013!
I definitely push the limits of what I publish…I know it will have to stop soon…though the recent outdoor shower scene is just so blog worth…anyway, I dearly love red tights and totally need to get a new pair! “adorkable.” Definitely have to steal that one. Great to catch up here; summer has been busy!
So many blog worthy moments that will never be published…oh well. I borrowed “adorkable” from fellow blogger Lizzi – it’s a great word!
I don’t remember the tights, but I did have a navy blue sailor’s dress with a big collar and cute puffed sleeves. I rocked the heck out of that dress!!
I bet you did, Rabia! Those puffed sleeves were the best.
I totally had tights of a host of different colours, one of which was indeed red! Sadly, I don’t think I managed to keep even one of them without holes!!
It was tough to keep them pristine, Roshni – my red ones were the first on many holey tights!
My favorite was a pair of purple tights that went with a purple dress I loved. The dress had a peter pan collar and giraffes (of all things!) printed on it. I’m a little embarrassed to admit I was in high school at the time but when you consider it was 1972 that makes it a little better!
Only a little, Mo. 🙂 I had a turtleneck with giraffes on it in middle school, so clearly you and I are both quite fashion forward.
No red tights, but I had a pair of bright gold tights that I rocked with a mini skirt on my birthday in fifth grade!
I love that you looked for the hole that fell out of your red tights!
Ooh, gold tights – how fancy, Debbie!
Well, now I really just want a pair of red tights. I am going to rock them…. NO JOKE – with my adidas sandals but of course 😉
That will be quite the look, Gigi!
Awww…Dana. I can only imagine having kids your age who don’t want you to share at times. I think it gets even more interesting when they are in school. I wonder the experience with blogging for moms with older kids who homeschool. I don’t think I know any actually. Wait, I think Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings. I’m not sure if she shares all that much about what her kids do though or if they read her blog. If I get her again on AAF I guess that’s a question I can ask. Hehe. I think this story is cute. I probably had red tights. One pair of tights I remember were white ones with like little flowers or something on them all over that were sewn into them. Haha. Those were funny.
I had a pair of white knee socks that had “Dana” written on them in all different colors – oh, how I loved them! And as for older kids – whether they are homeschooled or not, moms always have stories to tell! We just need to be respectful of our children’s privacy as they start to have their own online presence. Even if that means I have to keep the stories to myself!
I also had a pair of red tights as a little girl. They were all the rage. I begged my paremts for them. They got ripped on the very first day I wore them. We were poor and I felt so sad that my parents had sacrificed to by me the tights. I had ruined them on the first a day. I’m still sad when I remember those tights even though many years have past and i now have many pairs of tights. Those first ones broke my heart.
Aww – how heartbreaking that must have been for you! It’s a shame something so wanted by little girls are so easy to destroy.
I love little girls in tights and used to enjoy putting them on my daughters. So cute! I can totally relate to having funny stories you would like to publish but your kids being old enough to say no. It would be such good material though! 🙂
I know – it kills me not to use it! The story I wrote isn’t even that bad, but my daughter is adamant, so it sits in my drafts folder, lonely and unused.
AW!!! So cute!!! I can just picture little you going outside to find the patch of tights!! Adorable. 🙂
Or as Lizzi would say, “adorkable.”
I have a similar note in this week’s post about my reservations re: sharing the details of my kids lives as they get older. I’m not a humor writer at all and have always sort of loathed the term mommy blogger which I feel other writers (non bloggers) use in a degrading way. BUT ANYWAY, that’s getting a bit off topic. You DID rock those tights!
I read your post, Nina – I have many of the same off limits topics as you do. And thank you for appreciating my rockin’ tights!
Oh my, I have many, many stories like this one! My mom used to love making blonde jokes at my expense because even though I was a pretty bright kid, I was lacking in the common sense department. Sometimes I still am!
My mom used to say that for a smart kid, I had no common sense. And I’m a brunette!
What a cute story! I can totally understand why you would be looking for the scrap that ripped out 🙂
Thank you! It does make sense if you don’t know anything about tights material, right? I was a logical child.
I used to love wearing tights when I was growing up (since my mom made me wear dresses almost everyday!!). I fell a lot so I know I ripped plenty of tights:)
And your mom didn’t sew them? 😉
Hehehe I think I read this before. Nice one. Hope you get permission for the story you want to share.
It won’t happen, Lizzi. She’s a stubborn one, that girl of mine.
Aw, cute pictures. I’m jealous of your red tights. I went to Catholic school and we had to wear either navy blue knee socks or tights. I hated knee socks so I always wore tights. One day the only pair I had to wear had lost its elasticity but since I wouldn’t wear knee socks I put them on. As I walked to school they made their way down to my ankles and I had to keep stopping to pull them up. Knee socks were a little less unappealing after that.
Ha – you must have been quite the sight! Your description reminded me of the little girls whose swimsuits have lost all their spandex by the end of the summer, and are drooping in the behind and belly. Somehow it still looks cute on them. And I’m pretty sure I stopped wearing tights by the time I was eight!
I think that’s adorable!
I am sure I had red tights. Scarlet had thick wintery ones and I cut them into long red socks for Des! See. I’m crafty when I wanna be.
I like the wintery ones – they are softer and more like socks than pantyhose. Crafty Tamara – I knew you had it in ya.
You were adorable. The dress and devil dogs really conjured up memories! I didn’t wear tights…only jeans with holey knees and football shirts. Yup, raging tomboy!
And you were much better off – the holes in the jeans just made them look cooler!
Hey, I’ve worn red tights as an adult. I have a Super Sarah costume I pull out from time to time. But here’s a lesson: don’t wear it to the airport. The Universe will decide to play the joke of making the flight delayed so you have to sit there for hours in your costume, waiting. Pre-9/11, of course.
Seriously? Do you have a photo of you in this Super Sarah costume? I must see this immediately!
Yes! I had rd tights and I would have been very sad if they had gotten a hole in them!
If only I hadn’t been such a klutz. Some things never change!
Awwww man! Your poor red tights! I totally had some as well…they went fantastically well with all my holiday themed clothing! ;)-Ashley
I’m sure they did, Ashley! They went fantastically well with my much adored car dress as well.:)
I did have red tights! I loved them. I also bought a pair for my daughter, who has refused to put them on – even during the holidays!
My daughter was not a fan of tights either, although I never bought her red ones. She much preferred softer, sturdier leggings!
My mom wouldn’t even dare to put tights on me when I was little. I was one of those rough kids:) Love the story!
Thank you, Nicky!
That. Was. So. Funny! Phooey! Sorry ’bout those tights..wait, what? You had “car dress”? I think I was neglected because I don’t recall having one. I want to ‘break the cycle’ here, should I get one for my daughter?? Ha!
You jealous of my car dress? It was pretty smoking – it takes a special kid to wear that kind of dress 🙂
I rocked the red tights as a girl. They were my favorites, because they matched everything. (I came from A Mother Life’s Hump Day Hook Up.)
They were awesome, weren’t they? Thanks for visiting, Ginger!
It’s amazing the things we remember and how they change us profoundly. Thanks for hooking up to the Hump Day Hook Up.
My pleasure – thanks for hosting!
LOL! Oh how I hated wearing tights with my school uniform. I would purposely make holes in them hoping I could get out of wearing them. 🙂 Thank you for the laugh! 🙂
Always happy to provide a laugh – thanks for reading!
You need to go buy yourself a new pair of red tights. Go on. You know you want to.
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
Nah, I’m a little past the age where red tights are acceptable. I do love a nice pair of textured black tights, though! Thanks for commenting Joyce!
Hi Dana, I’m Anne from Life on the Funny Farm (http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.com), and I’m visiting from the Super Sunday Sync.
Love your story. Lots of memories it brought back! And what would our mothers do without those “stupid things my kid did” stories, right?
Exactly – I already have an arsenal of them for my own kids! Thanks for visiting!
I can see why your mom likes to tell that story…so sweet! Not sure why, but you talking about red tights at the age of six, reminds me of a ballet concert I was in around that time. We had to dress like lady bugs and I’m pretty sure our tights were red too. 🙂
Funny how we remember certain things (and outfits) from our childhood! Thanks for commenting, Melanie!
What a great story! Thanks for sharing it … and with such great detail!
Thank you – and thanks for commenting!
Can totally picture that whole scene!! Thanks for sharing…but maybe not for getting the Brady Bunch stuck in my head….:) You know I’m a big Silver Platters fan!!
It’s an additive song, isn’t it? Thanks for reading, Bari!
You just reminded me of the day in kindergarten when I walked home with Nancy Ann Fitzgerald. We were in her bedroom and I was dazzled and amazed by her ALL-one-length hairdo so neatly contained in a stylish tortoise shell headband.
Me, with my Tony Tenille coif: Where are your bangs?
Nancy Ann: I don’t have any.
(Flash forward two hours, back at my house.)
My mom: hello hairdresser? My daughter cut off all her bangs!
I’m sure this story and many others are the reason I was “gifted” with three daughters. Well done Dana!!
Thanks, El! Wanna co-write with me? 🙂
What a cute story and yes, you can rock a pair of tights! Love your references to the Brady Bunch (my favorite show as a kid! A few years ago I bought my kids the DVD boxed set of the entire series and they actually loved it. Go figure!) and also to Necco wafers — haven’t heard that cookie named in years. Great post! (here from FTSF)
Thanks, Emily – and thanks for stopping by!
This is hilarious! I love the last line “hopefully about my sister.” And you totally nailed the Brady Bunch vibe! But I might be upset with you if the song lingers in my head for much longer. Glad I found you via FTSF! You’re bookmarked!
Thanks, Kristi!
Awww that is cute. I think we all have those moments where we look back and go duhhhh. I think it is sweet you went back to look for the missing piece to repair your awesome red tights.
Thank you, I thought it was sweet too. Unfortunately it’s not so sweet when I have those duhhhh moments now. Thanks for commenting!
Sometimes I remember these childhood clothing fiascos and I realize how warped my memory is because I don’t think I looked hideous and then I see the pictures and I’m like – WTF? Great post!!
Thanks, Julie! If only I could’ve found a picture of that car dress…
OK, now I have that song stuck in my head… sha na na na na na na na na….What a great story- you have such vivid details, I could totally picture your whole fabulous ensemble. I love those moments when you can get back inside your childhood brain a little… Thanks for linking up with us today!
Thank you, Stephanie – it was fun! I almost used the lyrics to “Sunshine Day,” but “Time to Change” was always my favorite 🙂
Wow, with all the childhood references (step on a crack, Necco Wafers, etc.), that really was a “trip” down memory lane. 😉 Very cute! Stopping in for the first time via the #FTSF.
Thanks for visiting Chris. I do get nostalgic for all the yummy foods of my childhood that I could eat with worrying where the calories would land!
That was cute! I have a picture of my in the first grade with the most hideous tights EVER. They were striped, brown yellow and white I think with a dress in the same colors. But I loved it. Wearing tights made me feel fancy. I giggled that you went back to look for the missing piece. Visiting from FTSF
Thanks for visiting, Kenya. Tights still make me feel fancy 🙂
I’m beginning to wonder if the hole in my head that my wife keeps saying is there might somehow be like the hole in the knee of your tights! Oh well, welcome to the hop! Good read!
Maybe, Rich! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Dana, thank you so much for linking up and loved hearing about your red tights. Sounds like something that any little girl might have done or thought myself included. Thanks again for the linkup and hope to see you back next week, too 🙂
Thanks, Janine. Next week’s may be more challenging for me – but I’ll definitely be back!
Still love your story and must admit I was totally a girly girl back in the day and probably would have shed a few tears had I ripped my favorite pair of tights, but still love how you thought that you would indeed find the fabric outside and your mom would mend them for you. Totally made me smile again this morning 🙂
You were one of the few who read this the first time around, Janine! It was your first visit to my blog. Memories…