This is CE. She is 9. We have been shoe shopping for a little bit because her feet are growing and it's the beginning of school. Yesterday was a somewhat fruitful day, I found clothes for her and shoes for her 3 younger brothers, but no single pair of shoes on which she and I could compromise. So this morning, I thought I'd do some net research to see where these elusive wonder shoes might be.
Meet CE's dream shoes:
a sassy black suede number with a 1 3/4 inch heel. Did I mention that these shoes are for school? I should back up by expressing my exasperation with the entire concept of fashion with her. She knows what she wants, but can't always express it. I suppose she's watched a few too many episodes of What Not to Wear. With her brothers all I have to do is display that shoes will jump well or make the wearer run fast and they are sold (there is some color play and opinions about the layout of laces v. velcro/elastic but it's minimal). CE has always needed more negotiation, more searching, more finesse and ultimately more tears when she can't have the exceedingly impractical choice of the moment. DH can no longer shoe shop with us, because his only sister is 9 years younger than he is and he has no experience with the whims of tween girl fashion and no patience either.
Fast forward to today. We searched every shoe website I could think of to no avail. I would prefer she wear actual sneakers to school, in order to facilitate running, jumping, playing and not getting in trouble with the PE teacher. But I am willing to compromise in favor of some cuteness, so I suggested skimmers. Basically, the shoe needs to be flat and have a rubber, sneaker-like sole. The only shoes CE would even look at had a minimum of 1 inch wedge heel or they were super slick leather ballet flats, and then she saw these shoes, the shoes she knew in the pre mortal existence and all of a sudden I become even more ogreish than usual in my refusal of her fashion wishes.
So I ask you. Am I woefully out of touch with the fashion NEEDS of the average fourth grade girl? Am I unreasonable in thinking that nearly two inch wedge skimmers in suede might not be the best shoes for her to wear as she plays tether ball or kick ball or runs from the boy crush of the moment? But the big question on my mind is, how have we gotten to this place in life (fighting over the desire to grow up entirely too soon) so much sooner than I anticipated? I am not ready. But is anyone ever really ready for this?
3 comments:
They are super cute shoes. Too bad wedges don't work well with P.E. Does she have it every day? I forgot S had PE yesterday and apparently she had to run in her sandals. Oops! Good luck finding a compromise!
I say buy the shoes! But you can consider the source. :)
Don't worry Angie - the day will come when you give up the fight & are happy to just find shoes, any shoes, wedge or no wedge that she's happy to wear and that fit in the family budget. Consider yourself lucky that the fighting and tears began at 9 - last year six-year-old Lacey wore those ruby red, sparkly "Dorthy" ballet flats from Target almost daily to school, and her strong opinions about what to wear - well - I won't even go there! Almost 10-year-old Katie wore her wedge-heeled shoes (though not suede) on the first day of school. It was fine, really, I promise. 12-year-old Madi has worn her wedge heels everyday so far this week (they were a bit of a problem in PE yesterday- so she learned that she won't be wearing them again on PE days). And Madi DID tell me that she chose a particular pair of jeans because she is sure someone on "what not to wear" would have recommended them for her body type. It is hard to see our girls wanting to grow up so fast, but as long as it's only about shoes, it will be OK. Good luck - and know there's plenty of us mamas of girlies who know just what you're up against. The fun is just beginning! :)
Post a Comment