Thursday, October 15, 2009

Sartorially Speaking

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I would say that, on the whole, my boys are not really fussy about what they wear, regardless of whether they or I have picked out the daily apparel. Their main requirement for clothing is that the pants don't fall down, and we have to apply the Jump Up And Down test fairly regularly to several trouserly items. If I tried to get them to dress in shirts with, say, collars, or worse, buttons, I might encounter a few more objections, but by and large, they don't care.

However. Neither of them are that keen to wear their tap-dance shirts. They know we have to wear them on performance days but for the rest of the year those shirts sit forlornly in the drawer. The boys will wear it as a uniform but not as an advertising opportunity. Luckily, not all my tap students feel that way.

Tap Tees.

On Sunday morning I selected outfits for the boys to wear at the performance, only to find that Cherub, in ignorance of the day's schedule, had already dressed himself. I explained about the show, and asked him to put on the shorts (it was hot) and his tap dance shirt. He commenced changing clothes without fuss but insisted on taking off the socks and jocks he was wearing and replacing them with different ones. When I said he didn't need to go that far, he insisted he did. Turns out he had picked out the entire outfit with a special theme and purpose and so therefore all those items had to be worn together. They were: a Lightning McQueen (from Cars) shirt, some soldier trousers, some Lightning McQueen undies and some socks with Dash (from The Incredibles). That's right. Just as my little brother always firmly believed that stripes made him go faster, now my son thinks if he wears clothes featuring speedy stuff, he will be able to beat all his mates in a running race. Go-Fast Couture.

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Or, as Cherub called them, Go-Fast Undies and Go-Fast socks. I just love that more than I can say.

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These pics of Cherub (still wearing his Non-Go-Fast outfit) were taken on Sunday afternoon, after the show and after a little friend's 4th birthday party where the lolly bag at the end included a pirate eye-patch, a treasure map and a mini telescope, which meant the Cherub was inspired to drag out his pirate hat and have a fine old pirate game on the front verandah. I, of course, grabbed the camera to capture the action, at which he was suddenly determined to exchange the tap-dance shirt for another. I talked him out of it on the grounds of "Laundry", but you know, really, don't you, that I'm just looking for any opportunity to fly my flag.

13 comments:

  1. Gorgeous story! As a pirate-tapper he cuts a very fine figure!

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  2. Are you ready for the calls from Gentleman's Quarterly? Very dashing does Cherub look in his go-Fast couture! Not to mention CUTE!

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  3. Where would a boy be without his go fast socks and undies?!
    Sweet boy!

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  4. So very cute and gorgeous. And I have just ironed one of those t-shirts and it looks good close up too.
    Some of us undoubtedly choose clothes which minimise figure faults and enhance beauty, and so it does seem logical that other clothes would help you go faster....

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  5. Oooh, he is sooo cute that kid!

    Can I get go-slim undies?

    Probably still ride up my bum, so what's the point.

    But what I DO WANT is one of those shirts, in pink, soft or hot, either will do, in my size.

    Which is errr...

    Big.

    No, bigger than that, BIG.

    You know I will never tap dance in it, which is a good thing. Truly. All that meat and no potatoes, as my mum says.

    But I will fly your flag proudly.

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  6. Never argue with a pirate.

    Even for the purposes of advertising. Especially if they're 6 years old.

    Aaarrgh!!!!

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  7. Very cute - both the boy and the dressing theory.

    And your shirts look great, whether or not the boys are up for all-year-round-advertising. I guess there's no point asking them to wear a sandwich board either?

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  8. Have you told Cherub about International Talk Like a Pirate Day? I think it's in early December.

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  9. Now he's a speedy tap-dancing pirate! Arghhhh!

    In that last photo, he looks like Climber.

    Caffeine makes me go faster.

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  10. He is a fine looking pirate.
    Can I please buy a Miss Caroline T Shirt? I promise to wear it everywhere - even if it will do you no good as I'm on the wrong side of town. Seriously, I do want to buy one. A size 12 in purple please. Just let me know how much and I'll send over the $$.

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  11. Tee hee, I love the go-faster-socks and undies. So sweet. And he's the cutest little tap dance school endorsing pirate I've ever seen.

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  12. Those shirts are gorgeous!

    How lucky that the boys are so smiley!

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  13. So beautiful it brought a tear to my eye. I shall start choosing my smalls based on the speed factor. I need some speedy jocks!

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.