Comfort vs. Style

Greetings! I discover more and more that I am rather picky about certain things.  But there are different kinds of picky.  There is the kind of picky that can't order off a menu without making 10 substitutions.  There is the kind of picky that demands that everyone around me (strangers in the grocery store, or other drivers, desk clerks at the drivers license office) live up to my standards. There is the kind of picky that feels compelled to instruct everyone on everything.  Now, I am not immune to bouts of these kinds of pickiness, but that is not usually the focus of my pickiness.

It seems that my brand of pickiness focuses mainly on what is touching my body - as in clothes, shoes, mattresses, temperature.  I can't wear polyester.  I won't wear acrylic. (Isn't that a paint? How is it also clothing?) Shoes hurt my feet.  Mattresses have to be very firm, but not too firm!  Temperature needs to range between 60-80 - no higher, not really much lower or only lower in short spells.  Certain style shoes can only be worn with certain outfits, but comfort still has to fit in somewhere.  And here is the dilemma -

                                                     Comfort vs. Style

My freshman year roommate went to a Homecoming Football game dressed in tights, loafers, corduroy skirt, long sleeve shirt, wool sweater on top.  She looked adorable.  The only catch - it was 90 degrees outside with the sun glaring down!  She told me - in all sincerity - "Fashion knows no temperature."

Wow!  I was standing there in shorts, short sleeves and sandals!



Probably you can guess which way I lean in the dilemma - COMFORT.  Which brings out the pickiness - a shirt has to be cotton, shouldn't have to be ironed, has to be seasonally appropriate, but also temperature appropriate (which means that it can't make me hot or let me get cold), can't be a dark color on a sunny hot day or a spring color in the fall, and match my shoes and pants which have their own set of requirements! Somedays it is surprising that I can get dressed at all!  Especially after having to sleep in a bed that causes me pain in a room that is either too hot or too cold!!!!

Anyway, I just had to fill you in on some background so that you can understand why I would let my child wear this:

Or even this:

It is kind of like those screaming 3 year olds in Wal-mart.  You can't really blame the kids - you have to blame the parents.