Are You Having Your Picture Taken?

We get asked this question quite often. At first it perplexed me. Why in the world would someone ask us that? But then my husband pointed out to me that it is becoming more and more unusual for little boys to be dressed in anything other than very casual clothes. How frequently do you see little boys in khakis and a sweater vest at Wal-mart on a Saturday?

We tend to like our boys to match, or at least coordinate. Yes, I know some people think that this is “cheesy”, but we like it. Just like I like to wear sweaters. A lot. Even when it’s eighty degrees outside, you will likely find me in a sweater. My boys usually wear button down shirts, or perhaps a polo shirt and a sweater vest. Jacob loves sweater vests, almost as much as I love sweaters. They don’t wear jeans other than for going outside to play, and they never wear shorts. Modesty is very important to us. The clothing choices you make can say so much about who you are and what you believe. And something as simple as the way we dress has given us many opportunities to share our faith. And for the most part, we have been treated with kindness and respect by those who have asked us.

It has also been my experience that people tend to act according to what they are wearing. When Jacob is dressed in his “school” clothes, which consist of a polo shirt and either navy or khaki slacks, he is ready to learn. If you put him in jeans and a more casual shirt (much to his dismay, I might add), he tends to act a little more rambunctious. And it isn’t just children. When I am wearing something that is more feminine, then I feel more feminine. It’s hard to act masculine in a pink skirt!;)

The way that we dress defines how people view our family. I want people to know what our family believes from the moment they meet us. I want them to know that we are willing to take a stand and be different because we believe passionately in our faith.