Pretty in pink
Don’t get me wrong – I really like seeing Violet in tomboy clothes because I can’t stand all the pink and purple that dominates girls’ fashion these days. I longed for pink as a child, when we weren’t allowed to wear it, and perhaps that’s why our daughters wear it so much – the daughters of the 1970s feminists are rebelling. But I also have a weakness for little dresses, and when I thought I was only going to be the mother of boys, I would gaze longingly at little girls in florals and checks. If only I could dress up my sons like that! Now I’m focusing my attention on my own wardrobe which, naturally, has a lot of dresses in it. None of them pink.
I also have this disconcerting sensation when I pick Violet up from creche. Often she will smell different, of their air freshener or the lunch they fed her. And she will be dressed in their spare clothes, invariably pink and threaded with gold or silver. It’s a material proof that she is moving away from me, changed by the outside world.
LET ME BE FRANK 
Why on earth would the creche dress Violet in different clothes than the ones she came in – isn’t that overstepping the boundaries and not just a bit?
Violet always gets paint or dirt all over herself at creche and although I pack a bag of spare clothes, they have a big crate of spares in the change room. She did come home in a motorcycle T-shirt once too!
I have a poem called ‘I have a little grey surprise for you’ about the daughter I never had – I should send it to you… other friends who have daughters have also commented about how early the being opinionated about clothing kicks in. It definitely wasn’t like that with my boys, although Magnus is extremely opinionated about his clothing now…he was such a stylish pre-schooler, but now it’s all track pants and car t-shirts. 😛
Do you want to swap? My daughter ONLY wants to wear dresses and it takes major negotiation to get her to don jeans at the moment. Perhaps I need to buy her a motorcycle t-shirt…
Isobel would only wear dresses, preferably pink, until she was about nine – I loved it because I’d always had my brothers’ hand me downs and ups. She’s always loved quirky shoes, too. Reuben just likes to be comfy and does not like wearing shoes. The Kindy clothing muddle has just begun. Curiously, both kids like having their nails painted.
But you’re absolutely right – school changes your kids. Makes me wish I could home school them, or at least keep them at home but then I’d be insane.