Twinning.
There comes a time in every mothers life when you buy your first matchy matchy outfit with your child. For some it starts slowly with a matching headband or sneakers (that was my first), or others go all out with a head to toe, Ralph Lauren advertisement, matching polo’s, pants and hats with the sweater over the shoulders, sleeves knotted at the front look as soon as the baby exits the womb. I think if you can pull off matching outfits with someone of the opposite sex you are killing it.
In my 33 years of life I had never owned a pair of Chucks, I know, I was sheltered, but the day I bought my son his first pair, I bought my own. We wore our white, Converse, Chuck Taylors and ripped jeans with a simple white tee and we wore them with pride. Who am I kidding, he was a baby, he had no idea, it was me, all me! As people pointed out we were twinning I threw off a jovial laugh and a “Really, oh ha ha, I hadn’t noticed” when really I had noticed and I had spent half the week saving that outfit to wear somewhere special where we would be seen.
What is it about having children that makes you do all these ridiculous things you thought were silly and infantile before you had kids? All the things you laughed at and SWORE you would never do so help you God. I throw my hands up and admit it, my name is Zoe and I am a twinning dork. I have since had a girl but refuse to do it with her, as if, no way, that’s just too much. $50 says by the time she’s one I’ll have done it. Please just let it not be some pink dress and headband. I loathe pink and I’m not sure why. I will wear it myself, buy it for my husband and even put it on my son but when it comes to shopping for my daughter I avoid it like a Greek avoids taxes. I think it’s something about all the stores you walk in to have pink everything for girls. Like no girls wear navy or grey? That is why I shop online. It is much easier to find gorgeous, original, handmade items and the best part is you are supporting a small business or even a work from home local mum.
When I began my Instagram journey a few years ago I started to follow certain brands that just flourished and ended up so huge I see them renting out factories and employing staff to keep up with demand. I now have to set an alarm to be online at the time of their re-stock in order to get my hands on anything. Instagram is a great community for that. I never thought for a minute I would be broke because of Instagram. The first thing I do now when I want to purchase something is find and stalk Instagram for what I need before I buy. Shopping centres are a thing of the past. Plus who needs that annoying sales person with resting bi*ch face, who hates their life and have no interest in genuinely helping you out, or the others that look at you funny while you try to manoeuvre your pram through the tiniest spaces that shops leave between racks. No thanks. I don’t even need pants to shop, all I need is WIFI.
I’m not sure if this already exists but there needs to be stores dedicated solely to matching outfits for children and their parents. It would make life a whole lot easier to just find it all in the same place. They can have the same thing available in kids, adult and even pet sizes. Now there’s a visual! My husband, son, daughter, dog, cat, budgie and I all in the same t-shirt, jeans and shoes. I need to do this. Someone needs to do this. Anyone have a dog, cat and budgie I can borrow please?
Thanks for reading. Love you all – Zoe xoxo
Hey Zoe,
Would be great if you could share some of the sites you shop at. Your kids are always so well dressed and similar in age to my boy and girl! (plus I agree with all the too much pink!)
Sure Kathlyn. Most things are always tagged on Instagram. I have made a page just for them called Ari_and_Ambrosia but I have been a little slack lately. Maybe I should do a blog about it. Thanks. xx Are you following @thesubtlemummy on Insta too?