Long red earrings

“You are looking really good today.” It was the third time that day that someone had paid me that compliment, and I had still not got used to it.
“Erm, thank you.” I always believed that feeling good was an integral part of looking good, and I definitely did not ‘feel good’ in my figure hugging red sleeveless shirt, fitted black pants and two inch long red earrings.
“Why such a tentative ‘thank you’?”, my colleague queried. “Do you not like my complimenting you?”
“That’s not the point”, I replied hastily. “It is just that the clothes I am wearing were picked out by my sons, and I am not at all sure they even go together.”
“Your sons?”
“Yes, my sons. My older one made me change twice till he was happy with what I was wearing. And just as I was stepping out, the younger one brought me these earrings to complete the outfit.”
“And I thought it was only girls who liked dressing up.”

I had no answer to that. I too thought it was only girls who were interested in clothes, but none of the 'mothers of girls' that I know have their daughters interfering with their choice of clothes as much as my two boys do.

I guess girls are too busy dressing themselves up to bother with their mothers. And I think I am relieved that I only have to go out dressed like a tart – I don’t have to fight with a daughter who wants to go out dressed like one.

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