You Want to Pay for Ripped Up Clothes?? - An Open Letter of Apology to My Mother

I confess, when designer jeans were the rage I wanted tight jeans not straight legs. When I watched Flashdance all those years ago, I wanted a sweatshirt with a ripped out neck like Jennifer Beals wore. When jeans with ripped knees were sold in stores, I wanted them too. In other words, when I was a teenager, I wanted to wear the current fashions. (Now, much to my daughters' chagrin, I wear whatever I want which is usually either jeans that actually cover my butt crack or gym clothes.)

I must have had a frugal streak even back then because I remember altering 4 pairs of my jeans by hand when I was in high school. I had quite a technique. I would pin them the way I thought I wanted them to be and then try them on inside out, with the pins in, to see if I got it right. Then I stitched each pant leg 4 times, by hand, because only death could be worse than splitting your pants in high school and my mom's sewing machine didn't work at the time. I don't remember riping up a sweatshirt but I probably did that too. I think I let the ripped knees in the jeans happen naturally but I can't be sure. In short, I drove my mother crazy.

Flash forward 15 or 20 years and my own little cherubs are driving me nuts too but generally in a frugal way as well. Leen just went scissor happy on a pair of jeans that were too tight around the knees. Her plan is to get a pair of leggings to wear under them so she can wear them in the winter. Besides, she tells me, she needs the leggings to wear under her denim skirt. (Help, help, I'm having an 80's flashback complete with Martha Quinn!) Tash and Leen both made Flashdance style sweatshirts a few months back as well. Since they are the "hand me down queens" from their very fashionable, college age aunt, they had no problem coming up with a sweatshirt to ravish. Sometimes they troll the thrift store just to find the perfect piece of clothing to revamp. They do a good job too.

So mom, I'm sorry that I made you crazy but I'm getting mine right now!