Little Town Mayor: "Nona, Don't Wear That!"

"... I don't like it. Wear your Nona clothes."

I have to admit that never have I had someone tell me so directly that I exhibit incorrect fashion. Leave it to a three-year-old grandson to set me to pondering.

What are "Nona clothes"?

He did not know me during these fun times.

In the fifties and sixties, I was to wear dresses in public - especially to school. In the seventies, pants were beginning to be proper work apparel. In the eighties, I loved my aerobic wear!

He did not know me during these maturing times.

Since I always enjoyed a relaxed, sporty look, I appreciated the fit and comfort of these fashions most of the time. They were also perfect for a mother of three. Now I am a grandmother. What has gone wrong with me as a fashionista?

First of all, I am not a fashionista! My mother was a masterful seamstress. She made the majority of my clothes for twenty years. She had a creative but conservative flair. She encouraged me to do the same.

I grew up knowing how to select really nice items for bargain prices. That was helpful when I first began teaching with a salary of $6500 annually.

According to my observations, I have always been: current, but not too trendy; thrifty, but not cheap; somewhat conservative, never flashy (except the 1980s, of course); sporty, but always with a feminine touch; comfortable, but not frumpy (except maybe at home after a long day); business casual, but very open to formality and also beach wear; comfortable in all-black or tropical brights; most happy with classic statement jewelry and my own fun creations.

I understand myself, yet I do not understand my three-year-old grandson's dislike for the above. What are "Nona clothes"? Let us observe: