When it comes to being a mother of a teenager I like to think myself a bit more understanding than some of the Other Mothers. Loren was born when I was just 22, a mere child when you really stop and think about it. Most of the O.M’s with kids Loren’s age are at least ten years older than me, I even know of a couple who are 20 years my senior. With that sort of age gap, or lack thereof when it comes to my son, I have found myself to be fairly in tune with Loren and his teen whims. We share similar music tastes, we like most of the same movies, we enjoy similar art. But I do have to draw the line at Tall-T’s.
I don’t get them. At all. They sort of remind me of hippie chicks and they way they flounce about in a dress over jeans. Why bother? Is it because they might shack up with a hippie dude and need an extra change of clothes but simply can’t be bothered to pack an overnight bag? Or do they not possess the attention span to decide between a dress and jeans, figuring, “Oh fiddle sticks, Mother Earth will love me even more if I wear them both and bask in the warmth of Her love.” This is a similar sort of feeling I get about the Tall-T movement. There doesn’t seem to be a real reason for a dude to wear a giant shirt with a hem length drooping to his knees. I mean really, what the hell gives here? My son claims they are fabulous for skiing, something about the way the wind catches the shirt and the way it makes him look so cool while he’s at it. Really? A gown-like shirt flapping in the wind is cool? I just can’t wrap myself around it. It makes me feel old and out of touch. The skinny jeans thing I understood. I think they are totally silly on a guy but I can grasp the English punk influence aspect and appreciate a fellow’s need for some tight pants. I would never wear them, for many reasons that would not be a good idea. But if my 15 year-old needs to do so then more power to him. However, the Tall-T’s are just silly. There is no way around it, they’re goofy as all get up.
I have expressed my concerns to Loren about his boy dresses but he doesn’t care. He totally digs them. This is something I love about my son, his ability to say to hell with everybody else and enjoy his whims. Maybe it’s a healthy thing to let him explore his need to push the hemline down as far as he can. I guess it’s better than if he was all into hot pants or studded leather. But someday he’s going to look at pictures from this phase and be all like, “Man, mom. How could you let me skip around in those dresses? That’s just harsh.” And I will get out my pictures of me from the same age and show him my bangs ratted and sprayed to a height of six inches, my Go-Go t-shirt cinched at waist with a webbed, yellow day-glo belt and tell him, “This is why, honey. We all have to go through vile phases in order to grow.” At least I hope he will grow out of it. Because if he doesn’t…ew, it’s just too uncool to fathom.
Old Stuff
Blogroll
Thanks for alerting me to the latest craze. My oldest is 12 and he’s not started talking about T-dresses yet. But I am so calling them that when he does. (Is it meant to be worn with the low, low pants so they don’t show the plumber’s butt? Please, enlighten!)
I think the first time he tries a fast dis-mount from a bike will be the last time he wears tall-t’s.
Yes, the tall-t’s are worn with the low slung, crack bearing pants. Seems like a waist of a good view, if you’re thinking like a teen boy, but most of what they do doesn’t make sense anyway. BUt from a mother’s standpoint it is a nice change from that look. I hear they also make tall coats. I guess if you’re looking for the well fed caterpillar look….