I was recently promoted.
I will give you a moment here to cheer and clap. It’s kinda a big deal.
My son, 11 years old is ever so proud. Sorta. In a way kids are proud of their parents life success.
We were all having pizza at a local Italian joint and he says to me … “So. Mom. You’re a manager now, right?”
I smile at my sweet innocent boy and wait for him to be adorable and congratulatory. I just knew he was super proud of his hard working momma.
That’s about when the dramatic mother – son music moment going in my head screeches to a halt.
Instead of lavish congratulations he snatches the last piece of cheese bread and gives me what he affectionately calls “a life lesson”.
My kid. “I guess you’ll need to be wearing tuxedos to work now.”
I just stared blankly as he continued to chomp the last piece of delicious cheese loaded carbs.
He swallows the last bite and then catches himself …
“No. I know tuxedos are for weddings and proms. You need a tux-odd-o.” … “You can’t be wearing what you always wear.”
What I always wear?! I clutched at my sweater collar and shifted in my seat a bit.
Mind you my office is casual and our work wardrobe is generally dress casual. I wear skirts and dresses and tunics and leggings.
Mostly.
Never a tuxedo. Or a tux-odd-o. Whatever the hell that is.
I dismissed entirely that he just made up a word. I didn’t or couldn’t understand any of the other words that were coming out his mouth.
My daughter did though. She advised him to shut up.
“Shut up now!” I believe is how she put her advice to him.
I asked, almost nervously, what it was I should wear and he gave it to me straight.
Ties and polos and black pants.
Because that’s what people wear when they wish to be considered serious.
He went on to tell me that I should no longer wear dresses and skirts as being attractive wouldn’t be professional. Nobody is going to take orders from a women in a skirt. If she is attractive people won’t listen to her. She can’t be the boss. Managers wear pants. and ties.
Seriously.
It got worse.
He pointed out the most powerful and well known lady in politics and said that because she wore dresses and looked pretty nobody cared what she had to say. Her husband wore the pants. Literally. He wears the pants. He also manages an entire country but that’s not the important part.
I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say. He sensed the potential immediate danger and so did my lovely co-parent. She made a joke about shopping where Hillary Clinton does to lighten things up a bit. Pant suits?? I was not amused.
I’m not sure where a kid with 2 moms gets this stuff.
Other kids?
School?
TV?
His dad??
Not from me.
I can assure you I am taken quite seriously with my dresses and cardigans. It just goes to show it doesn’t matter entirely what you teach your kids at home, society will influence their thoughts.
As for his “life lesson” it’s pretty funny. It’s pretty sad and it’s probably pretty true.
By the way I will most likely be bombarded with neck ties for Christmas from my coworkers. They thought that story was hilarious.
I may even rock a tie and some black pants on occasion in the future.
My wardrobe style is versatile enough to pull off even a “tux-odd-o” on occasion.
My Idiotic Bliss 