Today, we're all beautiful

Seeing as there are 30 days in November and only 26 letters in the alphabet, at least four* of my NaBloPoMo posts will have to be non-alphabet-related. This is one of them.

The other day, Lara** wrote about the pink overalls she was wearing the day she, um, became a woman, and it reminded me that pink overalls were my favorite pants around that time as well.

Mine weren't exactly overalls, I suppose, as they didn't go "over ALL," as bibs traditionally do. Mine were pale pink tapered-leg pants with a pleated front, and they had a set of metal buttons on the waistband that fastened to a set of matching pale pink suspenders.

I wish I had a picture of these pants, because I'm sure they were just as awful as I remember. At the time, however, I loved them.

I loved them not just because of how very fashionable and awesome they were, but because of the positive affirmation they offered every day I wore them. No, it wasn't because I got loads of compliments whenever I went to school in those pants (though I'm sure I did, because hello, they were fabulous). It was because sewn inside the waist, to the right of the snap above the fly, was a narrow white tag with script embroidery that read, "Today you are beautiful."

At the time, I was decidedly not beautiful, this being the midst of those unfortunate awkward years so many of us went through. I had gangly legs and terrible hair, not to mention a mouth full of braces and a face I was convinced no boy would ever want to touch. I did not feel beautiful--"today" or any day. But when I glanced down at the waistband while pulling on those pants or when sitting down to pee, I wanted to believe that damn tag knew something I didn't.

I've thought about those pants lots of times in the nearly 20 years since I likely tossed them in a pile for Goodwill. I've wondered what brand they were, and whether their designer put messages like that in all the clothes they made. I've thought about what a brilliant idea it actually was, particularly in an item likely targeted specifically at teen and pre-teen girls. We should be told we're beautiful daily, even if it's a pair of pants telling us so.

I've also thought about what other messages might be appropriate in waistbands...

Trust yourself

A size is just a number

You'll laugh about this someday

Do NOT call him

Yes, you turned the iron off

You WILL be loved

Breathe. Just breathe.

I actually sort of love this idea. Maybe I should talk to the Patent Office about this.



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* There I go with those killer math skills again. Wouldn't that pre-kindergarten test lady be impressed?

** Lara, it feels so wrong to "real name" you publicly rather than calling you Guinness Girl as per usual, but since you've ditched the alias on your own blog, I suspect you're cool with doing so here, too, right?
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