I Was a Child Genius
A field trip to the fire station is the perfect place to wear a lime green bikini!
Sometimes when I look back through pictures of myself as a little girl it surprises me how much I really knew. Not in terms of school or life, but about myself. Before I hit puberty I was strong, independent, and I knew what I wanted.
I love dresses. That is something I have just come back around to realize now. I hate having to squeeze myself into pants. Ok, I actually wiggle into them, but that’s not the point. Pants just don’t fit my body the way dresses do. They make me feel confined, strapped down, stuck.
As a little girl, I knew this well. If I was playing outside, I’d wear a dress and a pair of pants so I could climb a tree without scraping up my legs. I spent every season in sandals or no shoes at all. And my toe nails were always painted red.
If I wasn’t wearing a dress, I was in a swim suit. I am a pisces, and that makes me a water baby. I spent a lot of time at the Y in the winter and in lakes during the warm months. But swim suits were not just for swimming.
I wore my Wonder Woman swim suit like a uniform. To the park, to friends’ houses, and even to school. When it got cold, I’d put on a turtle neck and tights and put my swim suit on top. Genius. I didn’t let things like weather or other people’s rules stop me from being me.
My winter swim suit.
Somewhere along the way, that changed. I changed. I stop listening to what I wanted and started trying to fit in. I followed the rules. Jeans and pants were everyday attire and dresses were saved for special holidays or big events. And nothing too pink, ever. That was too girly, too showy, too over the top.
Now I’m looking back to that little girl who knew what she wanted, and trying to follow her example. I love bright colors, flowy fabrics, and dresses. The problem is, where I live it’s always cold and usually rainy. So I went out and bought some long sleeve shirts and tights. No turtle necks for me now.
A long sleeve shirt and tights under my favorite summer dress makes me happy when I haven’t seen the sun for months. I can where what I want to wear, just in layers for the weather. People may ask me where I’m going after work when I wear my fancy feather earrings or my sparkly silver shoes, but I don’t care. I know who I am. I know what I like, and that’s what I’m going to wear. The weather won’t be the boss of me anymore.
That little girl in the swim suit and tights was on to something. I’m going to listen to her. But don’t worry, I won’t be showing up at a staff meeting in a bikini.
How have you changed since you were a child? Are there any things you’d like to bring back? Any lessons learned from the little girl you were?
Yay Pisces
I am the opposite when it comes to dresses and skirts. I wore pants every day in high school with the exception of NHS induction and graduation. Pants are my freedom! But there was an entire decade that I wore skirts exclusively instead of pants–completely squashing my desire in order to fit it. It was so freeing to finally just do what I wanted!
Isn’t it great to figure out what we actually like and then follow through with it. I’m loving wearing dresses!
Very cute pictures! I used to never be scared as a child, I climbed trees, I jumped from high places, I felt I could do anything. It’s so much different now, first I can’t even imagine climbing a tree now, I can only think of all the possible injuries. But some things never change, like the way I feel when I watch a movie, or how I still love eating green mangos with salt and lemon. There are some parts that remain the same like when you remember your childhood and it brings back all those feelings you had as a child. When I feel nervous about something I think to myself I’m strong I can do it, just like I thought when I was a little girl.
It’s kind of amazing how fearless we were, isn’t it? I want to find a way to get back to some of that. Without all the swim suits. Thanks for saying the pics were cute. The first time I saw the one at the fire station as an adult, I couldn’t believe my parents let me wear a bikini to school!
Emma, I have four sisters. I could see one of my sisters in that great lime green bikini. And of course, perfect attire for a fire dept tour!
Why is it that we are ourselves as small children, try to fit in from about jr high through a lot of adulthood, and then realize again that finally we have to be true to ourselves?
Really good post!
Thanks! I’m glad to hear it wasn’t too over the top! I’m glad you liked the post. I am trying to get back to some of that strength, self-knowledge, and fearlessness I had as a child. It really is funny how we circle back around to so many things.
I am with Coleen – slacks and jeans whenever possible! I’ve had to don business dress for jobs before, and it’s stifling. So glad my current workplace is business casual! And yes, pants preferred was something child-me always knew. Same with my affinity for computers! OTOH, my 16yo daughter is like you – she loves stylish dresses, and wears them whenever she feels like, even if she’s over-dressed. She doesn’t care – she knows what she wants and has the confidence to back it up, and I love that about her.
Your daughter sounds like someone I’d love to go shopping with! I admire that she sticks to what she likes and doesn’t just go with what is the most popular or expected. You’ve obviously done a great job as her mom!
It’s so funny, Emma, but I’ve reached the same conclusions about myself. As a kid, I wore frilly dresses, bows, little socks with lace on the cuffs, and I was all sorts of sassy and outgoing. Those things fell by the wayside as I got older, and I’m trying to get those things back. I definitely rock the high heels and frilly dresses and skirts these days, but it’s that sense of sassiness and the ability to just open my mouth and speak without worrying what everyone is going to say that I want to rediscover.
Fantastic post!
You are so right! That sass and determination is what we need back. I want to re-connect with the strength and fearlessness I had as a child. I’m going to stop trying to please others and worry about what I want.
I was always a tomboy and that’s something that never really left me. I dread having to get dressed up for anything. I can probably count on one hand how many dresses and skirts I own. As a kid, I was painfully shy and never spoke up for myself. I got over that by the time I was a teen and have no desire to go back. Great post.
Wow, it seems like we are complete opposites. That is fun! I’m glad you know what you want and that you have overcome your childhood shyness. Me, I want to go back to that little genius!
Emma, you were and are adorable! Oh when we look back on those pictures of when we were young, what happened to the time? Love that swimsuit girl! Well, as my mother used to say, wait long enough and you’ll see styles and trends repeat themselves. And sure enough, they are. Oh, that just made me feel ancient Emma. OMG! I don’t want to think about that. I just ruined my day. LOL!
Well, I think your mother was right for sure! I see the styles from the 80′s coming back around, and I don’t like it! Sorry to ruin your day.
Those pictures are so cute!
I’m still working on this. As a kid, I loved, loved, loved adorable hair accessories. My taste has changed as an adult (no big bows thank you), but I’ll still be in a store and fall in love with something…and then walk on by because it’s too “flashy” or people would say it wasn’t me. But it is, and I think that if given a chance I could make those sparkles or feathers work. Next time that happens, I hope I’ll remember this post and pick them up anyway.
I hope you do! You should have beautiful, sparkly things if you love them. I have a few pairs of sparkly shoes and plenty of feather and fake jewled earrings. I even want to get a tutu dress so I can feel like a ballerina whenever I want!
Oh, I love your pictures, Emma! You were such an adorable little girl
I wouldn’t put pants on no matter what the ocassion and/or weather when I was little. My poor mom finally gave up trying to convince me that sometimes pants were more suitable for an ocassion. I loved hair bows and clips, jewelry and Mom’s makeup (to her dismay!)
When I was about 13, I convinced my dad to buy me not one but two pairs of high heels. My mom was not happy with us but she didn’t ask Dad to return the shoes.
I still love dresses and skirts more than pants, although in my closet you will find plenty of both
Oh, and the high heels are still my favorite footwear.
I am so with you on the high heels! The only flats I like to wear are ballet flats, either in pink or with sparkles. But most of the time, it’s heels for me. I’m glad you wear what you like.
I love your swimsuit! I was always the tomboy like Coleen. I wore jeans then, I do now. Not much of a dress kind of gal. I was always climbing something, be it a tree, jungle gym or house. I rode my bike on the handle bars and rode it fast down the mountain rode using the soles of my shoes as brakes. I with through a sparkly phase a few years ago, but that seems to have passed. I’m back to my earthy self again. This is who I am. I’m glad you have discovered yourself again.
You sound like such a fun mom! It’s good to know who you are and what you like. I have finally stopped pretending I am an outdoorsy person. I don’t even own a bike, and I refuse to make excuses anymore. It’s just not me, and that’s ok! I’d rather be at the beach.
Aww, what a cute picture, Emma. I love that little girl in her tights and bathing suit. I think the majority of us bend to peer pressure. We want to look like we fit in. And when we grow out of that need is when we really grow up, whether we’re 25, 35, or 45.
So true! I’m glad I’m getting out of it now. It just feels like it took me a long time. Thanks for the support.
Hey, Emma, stop by my blog. You’ve just won a Kreativ Blogger award
http://fabiobuenoauthor.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/row80-update-8-kreative-blogger-awards/
Thanks, Fabio, I’ll have to stop by. What should I wear? Is it a fancy awards ceremony like the Oscars? Heehee
That picture of you in the lime green bikini at the field trip to the local fire station – you SO wanted to wear it!!! even then into lime which later became one of YOUR colours! I couldn’t talk you out of it….. you certainly knew very early on what you wanted to wear and indeed loved bright colours & the pants under the dress routine which I have since noted so many little girls love. very practical. Love that you are embracing your childhood & sharing it with others. Congrats on ANOTHER blog award.
Thanks. Now I’m glad you let me wear that, even if it is slightly embarassing. At least it makes a funny picture now.
Absolutely inspiring post Emma. I loved it!
You reminded me how when I was a child, I was confident. I knew what I liked and what I didn’t. And I fought to dress and wear what I wanted and when I wanted. But a long time ago, I feel into that trap of trying to “fit” in…but to what?!?!? It’s not like I want to wear patented leather to work?!?!
Lately, I’ve been buying more clothes that show off my curves and I don’t care. I am tired of trying to hide everything in big, bulky sweaters that I hate and make me feel gross. It’s time to embrace and honor our inner child by finding and living our own style. If we FEEL good, we LOOK good – period! The only person to impress stares back at you in the mirror and if you’ve got her on your side…the others will follow!
Long live tights!
I love what you said about the only person to impress is the one looking back at us in the mirror! So true. I’m going to remember that one. And I’m going to think of the strong little girl I used to be and try to be more like her.