She’s wearing black athletic shorts and a black t-shirt, her braid bouncing off her upper back as she strolls beside me in the parking lot. We are heading into Nordstrom Rack in search of a dress for Senior Class night, and I silently pray that she will trade in her current footwear for a cute pair of wedges.
After almost eighteen years of parenting, I’ve learned when to keep my mouth shut. I would never wear black athletic socks with Birkenstocks, but Gwen would. Gwen is. They look almost hip on her, in a so-dorky-it’s-cool kind of way. I don’t say a word, but she does.
“A friend in my German class told me the black socks and Birkenstocks looked ugly,” she told me matter of factly. “But that’s okay. I embrace it.”
She owns her off-beat fashion choice, that girl of mine. She is not the only teenager sporting the look, and a quick Google search of “black socks and Birkenstocks” yields results giving the trend a thumbs up. Still, it is not universally admired as runway worthy. Gwen doesn’t care; the sandals are comfortable, the socks keep her toes warm in this freakishly cool and wet May weather.
Will she always embrace her own choices, even when they are outside of the norm? I do know that she has vehemently embraced senioritis. Symptoms began showing after the first college acceptance letter arrived, and it was full blown by the end of Spring Break.
“Are you planning on studying for any of your finals?” I asked her last week.
“Nope,” she replied, not looking up from her fifth episode of Fixer Upper or whatever home show she is binge-watching on Netflix.
After three and a half years of intense studying, the last half of senior year has been as stressful as first grade. I hope she remembers how to study when she gets to college.
“But that’s okay. I embrace it,” she said about her questionable fashion statement. Her word choice reminds me that embrace is my word of the year. Five months in, and I’m trying my best.
I’m embracing the sad state of my home; two adorable foster puppies create havoc. Rugs are rolled up, barricades are in place, and we have used approximately eight million poop bags and two million rolls of paper towels.
I’m embracing the fact that Gwen has three days left of high school. I’m allowing the excitement and joy to trump the sadness. She still has 95 days at home; I know this because she is counting down. Loudly.
I’m literally embracing James whenever he lets me, and reminding him that he will be getting all of my love and attention when his sister goes to school. He knows I’m teasing, but I think he knows that I’m not really teasing. I think he’s scared.
I’m embracing my waning interest in writing in this space, because I know it will still be here when I get my mojo back. And if I don’t get my mojo back, I’ll try to embrace that, too.
I’m embracing flowy shirts and elastic waist capris, which will be the perfect (and only) fit with the quantities of chocolate and ice cream I can’t seem to stop shoving in my mouth.
I will NOT be embracing the black socks and Birkenstocks. Only a teenager and an old man can pull that off.
My dad wears white socks and black crocks – pretty much everywhere except to the pool and church. LOL!
I’m playing catch up. Congrats to Gwen, she looked beautiful for graduation. LOL to James being scared for possible too much love in his forecast.
Thanks, Kenya – it’s been a busy few weeks here! Your dad and Gwen would make quite the fashionable pair. 🙂
You know what? Good for Gwen for embracing her own style with pride. I wish I’d had that level of confidence as a teenager. May she enjoy this summer before college to the max!
Thanks, Leslie!
Embrace it baby!
I mean I couldn’t. I hate socks with a mother loving passion let alone wearing them with sandals of any kind but whatever floats your boat!
I love socks, but not with sandals. But yes, whatever floats her boat!
Argovia, my state in Switzerland, is infamous for businessmen wearing a suit and white socks!
Don’t black socks and Birkenstock sandals on a soon-to-be college girl immediately sound less hideous?
I admire her self-confidence! I hope she keeps embracing her choices! Enjoy your summer together!
Thanks so much, Tamara!
I adore her chutzpah! That’s what makes the whole look work, I believe. Your gal has confidence in spades and isn’t that just the best? If I tried to toddle about in black socks and Birks? Uh no.
High five to you on the foster front! It took me a good half hour this morning to clean up the rabbit’s cage and put her outside to frolic on the grass and then vacuum up the excess dog hair that is rollingggg down the hall. I have an idea of what you’re going through. Will you keep a foster or are they going to new homes once they’re ready?
Oh, they are going to new homes! They were just fixed and are now officially adoptable. I’m ready to get my life back, although I will miss their cuteness.
ha, yes. Very few people can pull it off but I love that she can!
Threes day left. Yeesh. Foster puppies. Yay!
Yay but yawn! They are exhausting. Cute but exhausting.
I always love your perspective, Dana! On everything! (I sound like a broken record, I know. Sorry not sorry). I’m a little envious of Gwen and the black socks and Birkenstocks – they look more comfortable than my Uggs. I could never pull it off, never mind embrace it. She’s awesome.
I agree – she is awesome! I couldn’t pull it off either.
While I probably wouldn’t embrace the Birks & black athletics socks either, good for Gwen for doing so and not caring what others think! As long as she’s comfortable with herself — which I think is an incredible quality to posses, especially as a teenager — then good for her 🙂
I wish I had had her laid-back attitude toward the last bit of senior year. Although I only had to take one final exam — for an art class — so I suppose I didn’t have it that bad 😉
I didn’t have that laid back attitude either; for all of our similarities, that is one major difference. That and fashion sense!
Embrace it, that may be my new motto : )
We can help each other stick to it!
The socks totally made me smile and made me think of the grandfather in Sixteen Candles. But still embracing is perfect and think you are both doing a pretty good job if you ask me 😉
Thanks, Janine – I’m trying!
The socks and sandal combination is hideous. I’m sorry Gwen! And I laughed out loud about James and how he should be scared. Why yes, yes he should! And I ‘m experiencing waning interest, too. If you find your MOJO, will you share some of it with me? Please…
If I can find it, you can have some!
The best thing is always to embrace yourself!