TIME TO SELF-SPRING CLEAN

The sun is shining, the weather is warming, the flip flops are out in full swing but, you, you look in the mirror and realize that your hair is three inches longer than it needs to be, you’re dressed in the drabby black and grey theme that has sustained you through the cold winter months and your feet are not even close to being publicly presentable. In an effort to redeem yourself, you pull out a pair of white jeans that have been sitting in your closet since 2009 without realizing that 2009 was actually seven years ago and your ass no longer sustains the low waisted skinny fit.

What you really need right is to self-spring clean but how and when? You can perhaps forgo your lunch hour yoga class and hit some stores keeping faith that retail supply will meet your wardrobe demand. Chances are, however, that you’ll end up empty handed on such a tight timeline and feeling worse because, one, you were unsuccessful in securing some much needed fashion essentials and, two, you lost a one hour yoga class that was slowly but surely helping you back into those low waisted skinny white jeans!

Trade-offs. Life is full of them, but more so after having a kid. Pre-parenthood you are faced with choices, options that are typically not sacrificial in nature, call them alternative solutions. But in parenthood, it’s all about compromises and for obvious reasons your appearance is the first to submit and surrender itself to your motherly duties. Do you get a haircut or take the little one to her swimming lessons? Go for a run or prepare tomorrow night’s supper? Colour your greys or put away the laundry? Meditate or fornicate? (Ok the last one I put in there because it rhymes. Although meditation reduces stress and less stress equates to a healthier, better looking you). To make matters worse, you have become the designated personal family shopper so when you do find a moment to visit the mall you’re on a mission to buy both hubby and baby girl their seasonal getups in addition to fulfilling your own needs. Without you, his construction gear becomes weekend casual wear and her chiffon, organza princess dress becomes her school uniform. If only you had the budget for your very own personal shopper. Unfortunately, at $60/day for daycare that option is beyond feasible…trade-off.

Still, I refuse to (continue to) let myself go. Wrinkled shirts and dishevelled hair should not become the norm. I have a responsibility not only to myself, but my marriage and to my daughter who will, hopefully, one day look up to me and say, that is how I want to do it. My mother had four kids and still managed to sew herself (literally, with needle and thread) a pretty stylish wardrobe. Surely I can manage a blow dry and some ironing before bedtime.

Thankfully, my inbox is loaded with emails from Banana Republic and the Bay offering daily deals and inspiring look books so shopping will now be confined to my PC Wednesdays from 8-9 PM. My first order of business, white skinny jeans that fit.