I have to tell you something that may get me kicked out of the South. Branded a traitor. Shunned from the sidewalks of Uptown. It’s a stance that causes more emotional debate amongst the contributors of this blog than any other. Here it is:
I don’t like smocking.
Okay, there is a big caveat here. I’m a boy mom. I have a feeling if I had girls instead, they’d have been rocking the bishops, whatever those are.
But jon jons are a big no no in my house, and I’m just not that into a boy in a bubble.
When the boys were almost two, we were approached by the owner of a local clothing store who wanted them to model for their next catalog. I was blinded by the prospect of fame and fortune for my little ones, so I agreed. But I cringed when I had to dress them for their photo. The little Peter Pan collared shirts were just a little too dainty for my taste, and the boys acted like I was choking them as I buttoned them up. I was relieved when I saw they were going to be modeling simple blue shortalls (or jon jons?) – I don’t know what they were called, but I was just happy that they weren’t smocked.
I will admit, my little blonde boys looked passably adorable in the outfits, but I think their true feelings were shown in the photo that ultimately ran in the catalog. Of the three boys, one was frowning, and one was crying.
(Yes, that was the end of their modeling career.)
Karmic retribution came in the form of their payment: gift certificates to the store for an outfit for each of them!
Now, I don’t mean to sound judgmental here. I have lots of very dear friends of boys who love to dress their boys in smocked shortalls, and it didn’t bother me that they cringed at the sight of my guys in tiny jeans and button down shirts. I was flabbergasted when a close friend had a baby boy earlier this year, and at her shower, she was given monogrammed boxers. So he could wear them under his monogrammed gowns. With his monogrammed bonnet. Later, when I saw tiny little Hank all decked out (and in no doubt of his initials), I just wanted to stick him in a knit sleeper from Carter’s, but I respect my friend too much for that. Plus, I’d given all of our newborn clothes away already. But I love my friend, and no matter what he’s wearing, Hank is the sweetest, smiliest baby boy I know.
I think part of it is that I’ve never really felt like a typical Southern girl, even though I was born and raised in south Louisiana. So dressing my kids in a “Southern” way just doesn’t feel authentically me. Just like I don’t drink sweet tea, how I didn’t wear pearls on my wedding day, and how I can’t stand etoufee.
I got a good LOL out of reading this. Glad I clicked the link on Twitter. Ha! You crack me up. I despise john johns and all things smocked as well. But dont touch my sweet tea girl! 😉 Thanks for sharing! Have a great day.
~Jamie
whoodatowljewelry.com
You know I LOVE smocking, but I must admit, if we would have had a boy, there probably would have been very little smocking in his closet, if my husband would have allowed any.
I’m not a fan of sweet tea & I didn’t wear pearls on my wedding day either, but oh how I love a good bowl of etoufee! 🙂
Totally agree on no sweet tea. And if I had a boy my husband would be totally against it anyway so my little boy would own little to nothing of smocking. But I am an avid monogram lover so I would have to sneak that in there somewhere!!
Pam I love that you wrote this. As you know, I’m an equal opportunity dresser. Sadly, smocking was banned a loooong time ago in our house (probably when Andrew was 6-9 months old?) and Scott was only ok with applique shortalls (or jon jons) until Andrew was around 12-15 months old. Then he REFUSED to let me dress Andrew in them, as you know. I also LOVE little boys in jeans and long sleeve button up shirts or dressed like little gentlemen too… as you can see in Andrew’s 18 month photos where he dressed in a seersucker vest and bowtie. 🙂
I do know if I would have had a girl, though, I would have been all over the smocked bishop train! LOL
You know how I feel. Although now that I think about it, we really had less smocking but a TON of monogrammed jon jons. Oh how I love a little boy (note I said little) in a monogrammed jon jon.
Agreed Pam, although I’m not really sure why. I would have to say at least one of the first reasons is the cost. Sheesh!!! $65 for one outfit, or at least that was the average cost when we lived in Mobile. One outfit that will no doubt get stained and be unable to resale. Like the most other ladies, I don’t know how I would feel had we had girls, but I know I would still be just as cost-conscious 🙂 There are also plenty of Southern material traditions I am not as big of a fan of, although I’ve also lived the vast majority of my life in the South. I rarely notice what someone is drinking, eating, wearing when I feel I can point out a Southerner in a crowd. I think (and hope!) they are always first identifiable by politeness, the ability to slow life down a little and enjoy the moment, and a real dedication to and enjoyment of family and good friends.
I like that! By your definition, I think I am a real Southern girl, then. 🙂
I’m SO with you! I have a boy and a girl and they have never worn smocking. I just don’t like the bubble look. My girl wore onesies/pants and dresses until about 1 years old then separates. My boy will do the same of course minus the dresses!
We are also a NO SMOCKING household. Being from Colorado, the whole concept is fairly new to us, we’re more about hemp,denim and Birkenstocks ;-). I’m pretty sure that I brought AJ home from the hospital in denim (in NYC) and had no idea that it was even considered a faux pas in any way. That being said, if I had a girl, I’d be ALL OVER IT!!! I especially like the bubbly girly romper things!! SO CUTE!
LOVE this..I have three boys…NONE of them wore smocked ANYTHING…LOL…and we are true southern boys…LOL
My husband wont allow it and I don’t really care for it. I prefer to dress my boys like little men- polos and kakhis and purple and gold or black and gold if ya know what I mean.
I see nothing wrong with it on BABY boys, but over the age of say 9 months or walking….my opinion would be to JUST SAY NO…:)
hold the presses!!!! Did you just say you can’t stand…etouffee!?!?!
I’ll try to forgive you on that one. I’m .. eh.. with smocked stuff. I like simple unsmocked jon jons, though. I have all boys, too. Not much is cuter than a simple jon jon, IMO. I don’t do the smocking or the bubbles, but I do like jon jons for special occasions.