I started a new school in a new city in the 5th grade. It was 1977. My Mom was making almost all of my clothes. For the first day of 5th grade, she made me a “special” outfit, I’ll never forget it. A red high-neck, long-sleeved blouse with little white flowers on it, with a denim blue (but not denim material, that part’s important) matching vest and pants. I cared very little what kind of clothes I was wearing then, and the town we had moved from was the same, kids wore whatever their parents gave them.
Not so much the case in Okemos, Michigan, which I was about to find out. So it’s the first day of school, and I’m standing on the blacktop of the playground with all the other kids, when a woman holding one of those bullhorn things yells out that we are to form lines by grade, indicating with big waves of her arm which grades go there. I fall into formation with the other 5th graders, there’s about five girls in a row right in front of me. I notice that unlike me, they are all wearing actual blue jeans, and short sleeve tops with folded-down collars and what looked like an alligator on the front left, and their jeans all have a little red tag on the back.
And then, in a moment I will never forget, one of the girls called out “let’s tug on each other’s tags for good luck!”. And everyone BUT ME reached out and gave a little tug to the Levi’s tag sticking out from the jeans of the person in front of me. The girl behind me might have snickered, I don’t remember.
I had dorky homemade clothes and an extremely stupid and unflattering “bowl cut” haircut, and I had just moved to a town where even the 5th graders were wearing the latest fashions. Oh, and to make it worse, my Dad had gotten the job offer at the beginning of summer, and by the time we were able to sell our house and buy the new one, it was August, and both of the 5th grade classes had already been filled up. So I had to spend 5th grade in the WORST class possible, the one that was for all of the kids for whom ENGLISH WAS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.
I had no friends at all that year. That is not an exaggeration. None. It took me months to convince my Mom that I needed her to buy me clothes from Hudson’s like everyone else had, and to let me grow my hair out from the bowl cut. By 6th grade, when middle school started and I was in classes with kids from three other schools, I was finally able to live down the humiliation of 5th grade. And I did NOT wear homemade clothes to the first day of school.
This humiliating memory of the first day of school has been brought to you by Hanes Kids and the Parent Bloggers Network Blog Blast. Thanks for making me relive that, ladies. lol
{ 11 comments }
Oh, OUCH.
My mother made my clothes too. Thank god by fifth grade she’d bought me a few Izods and a pair of Calvins.
I would’ve still been your friend though.
MGM- aww, that’s sweet. I’m sure my Mom meant well too, and knowing now how much clothes for three kids costs, she probably saved a lot of money making those clothes for us and cutting our hair herself. It’s not easy being the mother of three, RIGHT? LOL
My mom made most of my clothes, and cut my hair, too. When I look back at the pictures, I cringe, but at the time I don’t remember any major issues. The only thing I remember is wearing a dress one day, I don’t remember what grade, and being told halter dresses were against the dress code. I didn’t know that, but I worried the rest of the day that I would get in trouble for wearing the dress. I didn’t, but I never wore that dress to school again. After probably 3rd or 4th grade I never wore a dress to school again, period.
Annas last blog post..7 Things
that’s a story i can relate to. the exact same thing happened to me in 6th grade only i was moving from Maryland (where people didn’t care what they wore), to California where people did. it was awful!
amys last blog post..If My Memory Lapses
Elizabeth…we must be close to the same age! In Utah however, it was Izods and Lee jeans. My mom had just married a wonderful man after being a single mom, and she was worried about spending “his” money (not that he ever would have minded). All of my clothes were clean, and hole-less…but so not what everyone else was wearing! My 10 year old is starting 5th grade on Wednesday. He’s a little robust and a little shy. He and I are heading out together tomorrow to find a couple of items of clothing that he feels good in. He HAS to have Levi’s just so I can get his waist to fit and not have legs that are 7 inches too long! Just think…if we had been at the same school…we could have had a pity party together! So funny how so many people can relate!
Hi, Elizabeth! I loved your blog, the way that you tell us your life is admirable.
Buy the way, is incredible how marks conect people, but at the same time, exclude others, no?
At the next post!
Rachel ; )
didn’t have to wear any homemade clothes, but the clothes i did get were pretty humble. so i know what it’s like to stick out because of what you’re wearing. :O thankfully, most of that’s in the past already, at least.
koujis last blog post..the dusit thani manila hotel: weekday bed and breakfast packages
Luckily my Mom was not a seamstress but she sure thought she was a hairstylist. I still can’t believe I let her give me such horrible haircuts!I would like to shred all the pictures!lol!
Kids Bible Craftss last blog post..Kidz Halloween Cat Mask
My mother made my clothes and I like it so much. I always love homemade clothes because there is a mother’s touch on it.
I remember those days when clothes meant so much. No fond memories here either.
Heather @ Cool Zebrass last blog post..Morning at the Zoo
Makes me feel sad just reading it. The things we do to our kids
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