Trendsetter

written by: Laura

In light of all the talk of fashion this week, I wanted to share an embarrassing fashion story. I KNOW you will keep reading now! ;)

Earlier this semester I was dropping Hubby off on campus for work, he looks around and apparently notices that every single girl is wearing jeans/pants tucked into tall boots. He exclaims (with a puzzled look), "I guess this jeans tucked into boots must be the new style?!" Me (laughing as I have been wearing this same style for oh, about 6 YEARS!) "I guess so, Honey."

It reminded me that being around college girls as much as I have in the last 8 years, I feel like I always know what "the style" is. Eighteen years olds are never shy to wear something on the cutting edge of fashion because it probably does look the best on them. I usually try to somewhat keep up so that I'm not that awkward 30-something (and now also coincidentally called "ma'am") trying to befriend college girls to minister to them.

Now, on to the embarrassing part.

We spent a season of life and ministry in Memphis, TN in 2007. It was the very beginning of the "leggings craze". Of course I saw them all over campus (all day every day) so it was normal to me. I was a lot closer to 18 then so I thought I would try them even though they harkened back to my early 90's childhood. I thought they would be harmless enough without the coordinating neon puff-painted shirt. I actually had to order them from Target online because they weren't carried in the store yet, at least in Tennessee (hard to imagine now, I know, young Padawan).

We were also in the window of time when you move someplace and visit a different church every Sunday to try to find a church home (not gonna say church shopping, don't get me started).

Well one of these Sundays I decided my leggings were ready for their close up. I had a little of that "no one knows me there" air that gave me a sense of boldness. I had not done my homework to know that the church we were visiting this particular Sunday was uber traditional.

It was one of those moments when you walk in someplace and immediately alarm bells go off in your head (does this happen to anyone else?). They were SO not ready for leggings! I might as well have had 3 heads.

We were sent to a sunday school class of our peers and most of the other women were dressed very "safely" in dressy pants or skirts and button ups and sweaters. I felt like I was walking around with a spotlight following me! Probably most of this was just in my head, but I couldn't wait to get out of there.

We actually did end up landing in a different church (whew!), so I was just that random one-time visitor in leggings before their time.

And now I wear leggings all the time without a second thought, and the women in that Sunday school class probably wear them now too. You're welcome, Ladies!