Leather Pants in the Suburbs... Really?

Okay, I admit it, I am an urban girl.  Always have been.  I grew up back east before moving here for college.  Although I didn't exactly attend an "urban university", I lived that way as much as I could.  It is my comfort zone.  As soon as I was able, I moved to Dallas.  Yes, I live in Dallas.  Lots of people say that they live in Dallas but actually don't.  I live IN Dallas.  I like the energy of a city.  Honestly, I really don't "get" the whole "suburban thing".  Please don't misinterpret that, it is not meant to be derogatory in any way.

With that understood, let my weekend recap begin. 

I actually had Halloween plans for Saturday night.  I was invited to a Halloween costume party.  Even had a date.  Honestly, I wasn't really excited about either one.  Hope the guy doesn't somehow stumble across this blog and figure it out.  Hee Hee.  I have no problem with adult celebrations of Halloween but the whole idea of a costume and a party just didn't get me going this year.  Somehow knowing all of this... the phone rings late on Friday with an alternative...

Cindy is a college roommate and one of my dearest friends.  Unfortunately (sorry Rob, you know I love you), she married her longtime boyfriend shortly after graduation and jetted off to suburbia for a big house, minivan and kids.  Her dream, not mine but she is truly blissful so I couldn't be happier for her.

It seems that Cindy & Rob actually have made plans for themselves for both Friday and Saturday night.  The problem... no sitter.  Apparently teenagers are unreliable?  In desperation, Cindy calls to ask if I would come out for the weekend and watch the kids each evening?  I said she was one of my dearest friends so of course I said yes.  Nice excuse to break the date and pass on the costume anyway.

After work I rush home, grab a few essentials, something to wear for the weekend and I am off! 

The Leather Skirt out in suburbia... this should be fun.

I work too much so Friday evening is fairly quiet.  By the time I arrive dinner & baths are done so "watching" the three year old twins is really catching up on TV and reading.  On Saturday morning the fun begins.

I am active, an early riser.  I "attack" the day right from the start.  After an early morning run I am back for a shower and then I dress for the day.  Here is what I wore.

Cute booties, Huh?  Nothing special, but cute.  I have to admit, I do like the little pattern on the side and the heel height is perfectly "walkable" all day long.

I can't figure out how to turn these.  Sorry.

Simple.  Understated.  Casual.  I wear this on the weekend all the time. 

Down the stairs and into an "active" kitchen I go for the lavish home made breakfast that Cindy had used to bribe me the day before.  Lavish turned out to be bagels and yogurt.  Ha!  When I step into the room I am greeted by Rob with, "Leather pants in the suburbs, really Jordan?"

I respond, "Sure, why not?"

Rob, "You might just feel a little over dressed, that's all."

Me:  "I don't understand, Cindy has a pair?"  I am naive.  Ha!

Rob:  "I only see her wear them when she goes downtown to meet you for a drink."

Me:  "She looks good in them."  Turning to Cindy, "You should wear them more often."

Rob looks at Cindy.  "You do look good in them."  "Maybe she has a point?"

The twins are adorable.  Of course "Aunt Jordan" doesn't see them every day so the bickering and spills are cute to me.  Mom & Dad, no so much.  Hee Hee!

After breakfast, Cindy asks if I am up for errands?  Rob will keep the kids while we do a little shopping at the local mall, stop at an auto parts store (yes, that is what I said), pick up the dry cleaning and then go by the grocery store for a few things.  Sounds like any given Saturday for me (sans the auto parts store) and it is precious time alone with my friend so why not?

Not that it is critical but for clarification, Cindy leaves the house in jeans and a light sweater.  She did throw on some booties but admits that a t-shirt and tennies would have been her choice had I not been there and had not been "so dressed up".

We make it to mall and it becomes clear to me pretty quickly that I am indeed (as Rob had predicted) "overdressed".  Honestly, this is not at all unusual so it really doesn't bother me but it did surprise me a bit.  After all, we were not at Wal-Mart.

As we make our way from store to store it is quite apparent that I have "drawn" a crowd.  Not really but it sounds better.  Can't you just picture hoards of people following me around the mall like I was the star of a movie or some music video?  Alas, no microphone... Just The Leather Skirt.  Ha! 

Actually, there are clearly people watching as I go by.  Men watching... good.  Hey, what woman ever wants the men to stop watching her walk by?  The women, some of the looks on their faces are, frankly, amusing.  I actually enjoy those strange looks so this doesn't bother me either.  The only comment I get is from a woman checking me out at one of our stops. 

She says, quite coyly and somewhat under her breath, "I really like those pants.  I thought about buying some myself but I just don't know if I would ever wear them."

Me:  "Buy them and wear them wherever you want."  "I wear mine all the time."  "They are great!"

The dry cleaner is one of those drive thru places so that is not at all monumental.  But... the auto parts store...

We arrived looking for a tail light for Cindy's minivan.  We are armed with little more than the knowledge that this light is important and an ability to point the clerk to the van in the parking lot. 

Yes, I spent the day riding around in a minivan.  Ha! 

The clerk is a young man in his 20's and we may not be super models but we aren't scary either so it is clear that he is interested in helping us as we walk in.  He immediately looks at me, gazes up and down, pauses, stares directly into my eyes and says, "What can I do for you?"  I am not sure if he thinks he is hitting on me or if he is just being helpful.  The tone wasn't clear.  Ha!

Anyway, I point to Cindy and she makes our request.  To the back of the store he heads, but not without a quick turn of his head, followed by a quick top to bottom gaze.

From the back of the store I hear two men whispering (well, maybe not whispering as much as they think, ha!) about my pants.  One says to the other, "You have to see this woman."  "She is wearing leather pants!"

Suddenly, another 20'ish young man appears and asks to help me.  Funny.  Men are such, well, men.  I politely dismiss him and he returns to the back of the store.  Shortly they both reappear with Cindy's part and off we go to the grocery store.  can't you just hear them both after we left?  Hee Hee.

Grocery shopping in the suburbs is a little different.  The parking lot is massive.  The carts are massive.  The isles are massive.  The store is massive.  Everything really is bigger in Texas.  Ha!  Up and down the aisles we go.  On each aisle I catch another "interested & confused" soul watching as I walk by.  The expressions are so silly.  I am clearly "over dressed" but by now it is well after lunch and there are still women running around in what appear to be pajamas.  I have never so much as gone out for the paper in my PJ's and these women are out shopping... and looking at me like I am weird.  I really do find it all entertaining.

When we get to the seafood counter I am approached by a VERY nice woman named Julie.  She is a well dressed woman, probably in her late 30's.  She is standing there in heels, a nice pencil skirt and a matching silk top.  She is clearly "ready for the day".

While standing in line with us Julie leans over and asks, "Are those real?"

Me:  "Is what real?"

Julie:  "The pants, are they real leather?"

Me:  "Yes, indeed they are."  "Why do you ask?"

Julie:  "I have been thinking about buying this leather skirt that I saw online but I wasn't sure that I had anywhere to wear it." 

Me:  "Why do you need anywhere to wear it?" 

Julie:  "I like to be well dressed, even for errands, but I just don't know about leather for that." 

Me:  "Well, all i can tell you is you have to dress like you like to dress."  "I do."

Juile:  "It does makes me feel better when I get dressed in the morning."  "I feel like I get more done."

Me:  "I am the same way & I think you look great today."

Julie:  "I think seeing you standing here in those leather pants has inspired me to buy that skirt?"  "If you can wear those pants to the grocery store, I can wear that skirt here, too."

Julie, if you are somehow reading this blog, I hope you bought that skirt.

Home we went.  Baby sitting was a piece of cake.  I stayed the night, got my promised big breakfast and headed home on Sunday morning.

PS... I wore one of my many pencil skirts home.  Rob said I was still too dressed up.  Ha!