About Sweetmama Editor
Nadine Silverthorne’s love of journaling began in Grade One with the entry, “I am the greatest dancer!” Two babies (and countless diaper changes) later, she has found her home away from home as editor of SweetMama. Don’t miss her humorous bi-weekly accounts of the joys and pains of working while raising them fabulous.
Hiding the Haute
silver spoons canada
(Mar.30.09)
At a Christmas party this past winter, I caught my SIL staring at my son and whispering to her friend. When it was clear that I'd noticed, she quickly muttered, "Those are some fancy jeans," while raising her eyebrows.
OK, I'm coming out of the closet. I have become the mom who likes designer threads for her kids (I'm raising them fabulous!). While my kids have a wardrobe consisting mostly of hand-me-downs and bargain items, once in a blue I don't mind shelling out the cash for something of a high quality. I don't go overboard, and many of the nicer duds they have are gifts from my label loving sister, but I'm tired of making excuses for it.
The jeans in question were a fantastic pair of Joe's Jeans, purchased for $105 from www.GingerbreadMonkeys.com. I bought them to replace the Diesel jeans that he wore practically every day for two years. With the new adjustable waistbands and some old-school cuffing, my kids don't outgrow things as quickly as you'd expect. My thinking is, I'd rather he wear one quality pair of jeans that will last for two years, than to have to buy him five pairs of pants that will shred with one wash or one playground fall.
Lucine in Baby Dior hat, cashmere pants and Joe Fresh
I'm well aware that there's a recession (my husband works at the CBC). I don't live a ridiculously priveledged lifestyle by North American standards (two-bedroom house, public transit to work, no crazy transcontinental vacations). I come from humble, working class, immigrant roots, so I struggle with the fact that people may perceive me as "rich" or "spoiled" because of my shopping habits.
But sometimes the little things make me happy. You have to have a careful eye, because you don't always get what you pay for, but there's beauty in the details of some higher priced lines. A Lacoste shirt that my sister brought back from France is still in perfect condition waiting for my second child to wear it. An adorable Baby Dior newborn hat (another gift from "Tante") is going in Lucine's keepsake box, surely an heirloom item.
The recession definitely has us high fashion lovers hiding in dark corners. I've read of women forgoing hot pink Holt Renfrew bags for something more modest. When asked about my own rainboots (Burberry) Sunday afternoon by a friendly sales-clerk in a kids' store, my reaction was to play it down. I mean, it's one thing for me to hide tags and receipts from my frugal, responsible husband, but this is getting to be too much. So listen 2009, I get your recession bringing us all down, but I don't want to be embarassed by my occasionally frivolous choices, OK? Life's too short for that.