I'm convinced that innate style can't be taught, you've either got it, or you don't. You can get pretty good at faking it as you get older, and you can learn some solid rules to live by to keep it together, but it's not the same. My middle daughter Lucia, she has it. At the tender age of 8, and with zero coaching, she manages to pull things together effortlessly and in a snap---throwing on a scarf at the end for flare. She's got that "this was easy and I'm cool" look about her all the time, without actually making much of an effort.
Both she and Ava bought some new spring clothes the other day and she was excited to wear her new denim jean jacket. She comes into my bathroom wearing her skinny jeans rolled up, her new aqua flats, a tee and her denim jacket--complete with a grey silk flower pin that she had pinned onto it. She came in, said, "I don't know mommy...this outfit is so....so...." , "so, so WHAT?" I asked. She paused, cocked her head and said, "so JEANY". Uh, well...yeah, that pretty much summed up her her denim-on-denim ensemble. The fact that she could articulate it, at 8, well...that is true style.
Next time I saw her she had scrapped the denim jean jacket and was wearing a python printed motor-cycle jacket.
I'd like to take credit for Lucia's "style knack", but I am smart enough to know it has absolutely nothing to do with me. Her big sister, Ava (age 10), can barely pull together something I would let her leave the house in. She's the kid who will come out of her room wearing her purple ski socks shoved into her flats and pulled over the bottom of her skinny jeans. She's a toothpick with a head right now---all legs and arms, and she loves anything with sequins and it has to be tight....really, I think she' be happiest wearing a dancers bodysuit encrusted with glitter. I've spent a lot of time trying to "encourage" her down more stylish paths, but no dice. So...it's got to be nature, and I only hope I can nuture a little style sanity into the mix somewhere.
Now Romeo...he's just 2, and I saw him carrying around a purple satin Hannah Montana handbag the other day, so the jury is still out on his style capabilities.
Signed, ME {LV}
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