Designer jeans

When I was being educated at the expense of Metro Nashville taxpayers it was the early 80s. Designer jeans were all the rage. I didn't have any.

Now maybe my parents could have afforded some designer jeans, but I was given to believe - that we were suffering financial difficulties as a family. And I guess we were. I was young, in sixth grade, and I took this on myself. I did want the designer jeans. But I didn't want to ask for them. Even though I was being bullied for my lack of "proper attire". Like seriously bullied - like during outdoor play periods kids took time out of what they might have been doing to ask me questions - pointed, unpleasant questions - about my wardrobe. Or lack thereof.

So I borrowed my mom's one pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans and her New Balance branded shoes - yes, I still remember them. Of course, they didn't really fit very well - me being pre-teen and her not. And I wore them pretty much every day. I'm not sure my mom knew this because she left for work early and middle school started late. And now the kids had something else to pick on me for - wearing pretty much the same thing to school every day.

Now fortunately, I changed schools the following year, and this designer bullying wasn't part of the culture. But I still remember it.

And so - Metro schools has passed a "Standard School Attire" rule - a kind of quasi uniform rule. And most folks don't seem to think it's such a hot shot idea. But I do.

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On the bright side, ever since then I've absolutely hated anything with designer labels on the outside, especially anything that had big or overt branding on it. I'm sure this has saved me a lot of money over the years.