My little patriot

One of the down sides of using hand-me-downs, especially as a child ages, is that your child can be presenting an image that is very different from the one you would have chosen if you had picked out the clothes yourself.

Never has this been so apparent to me as now, when River regularly wears a black leather snap down jacket with a huge American flag and the word AMERICA in red capital letters emblazoned across the back. When we pair this with a purple Minnesota Vikings hat, he really looks like he could be walking down the dusty, snowy streets in the rural heartland.

This was a freecycle find. And I’m not complaining. It has saved us from having to purchase an expensive winter coat this season. When they are only going to be good for one season, the cost seems even more exorbitant. Nonetheless, I’m plagued by a reaction that ranges from laughter to strange amusement to embarrassment to a struggle for acceptance as I watch him toddle down the street in his uber-patriotic garb.

I’m still not willing to buy a coat. Winter won’t be here all that much longer and we’ve inherited some nice lighter weight jackets. But next week is the bag sale at the designer kiddie consignment store. If one is willing to stand in line before the store opens and survive a veritable mob of bargain shoppers, you can take home a whole bag of designer clothing for $10.

The setup doesn’t allow much time for careful selection. I usually head for the section with the rough size I’m looking for and grab whatever I can, waiting until I get home to discover River’s future wardrobe. But I must admit, if I would be able to score a winter jacket next week, I would definitely not mind passing this jacket along to another tot.