There's something I've been meaning to make a quick note of for a few weeks now. That is the fact that a few Saturdays ago at a retirement party, a lady/co-worker at Burton Elementary complimented me on my shirt then added, "But you always have cute clothes on!" to which my coordinating teacher heartily agreed. Now to me this was quite an alarming exclamation because I have always very much been the jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes girl. That's pretty much all I wore in high school and my first two years in college. Nobody complimented me on my consistent "cute" wardrobe back then because I had no wardrobe.
To hear that compliment was rather surprising and marks a huge milestone in my dressing abilities. This has probably been the best dressed year of my life thus far because I had to dress up for school/teaching every day. A requirement Zach was pleased with. It's true that you do feel better about yourself and more confident when you are dressed nicely. I suppose I am moving on to a new phase of life in my sense of style and ability to always wear "cute" clothes. But part of me is a little sad to let the jeans and tees go. That was my comfortable, athletic identity. Sporty Sarah Thorne with her hair forever in a ponytail. Losing that means losing a bit of my athletic side. Changing to the "cute" side is like a sign that that part of my life is over. Teaching has taken over and therefore a whole new set of clothes too.
Most people I met this year were shocked to know I was a tri-sport athlete in high school and played college volleyball. Then I when they learned that I love backpacking and the outdoors they got another surprise. Apparently, clothes can conceal a lot about a person - or show a lot too.
So for now I guess I have to be content to be the girl with the "cute" clothes who actually wishes she were wearing jeans and a t-shirt.
