Toddler Grandma Style Will Set You Free

There is an amazing viral post going around the internet called ‘Toddler Grandma Style,’ The Fashion Approach That Will Set You Free. And it is amazing. The premise is that you don’t have to “grow out” of the colorful fun prints of the children’s section, nor do you have to wait until you’re “old enough” to not care what anyone thinks of you. Wear whatever you love RIGHT NOW!

When I started this minimalist journey I looked at capsule wardrobes and 33-item clothing challenges and loved them. I thought, “That’s how to do this! I can have everything I need with just a small number of items.” And this is true. But it also wasn’t super fun for me. I would wear out a pair of jeans and replace them with another pair. I’d favor blacks and greys or the occasional brown item and focus on having a small number of neutrals.

I looked very put together and adulty.

And then this internet sensation happened and some friends of mine were talking about this stuff called LuLaRoe, which is clothing made with wildly outlandish patterns (and some with much more subdued patterns, and some in solid colors for those who do not want wildly outlandish patterns). And I tried a couple items, because they were for a charity auction.

What did I buy? A grey dress and black leggings. Still holding strong to my “neutrals are for minimalist winners” line of thinking.

Later I got my first pair of crazy pattern leggings and they were so fun. Then in another charity auction I got a maxi skirt covered in constellations. Then in yet another charity sale I got another maxi and more leggings and a skirt. And on and on and on… and now I have a wardrobe almost exclusively made up of this stuff.

And every single piece of it makes me smile from head to toe when I wear it. It is so much fun. I love color. I love the confidence I feel in these clothes. I am fully embracing the #ToddlerGrandma approach to my fashion and also in other facets of my life.

Toddlers and Grandmas Don’t Give any Fs

What else is amazing about toddlers and grandmas? They do what they want. It’s pretty awesome. Toddlers aren’t bogged down with anxiety, depression, and worrying about what other people think of them. Toddlers can run around in a circle or play with a cardboard box and have the time of their life! I strive to be like a toddler in spirit, although I still do grown-up things like going to work and paying the bills. I’m not eschewing my adult responsibilities, but I am totally throwing away the notion that says adults can’t have fun and do things they enjoy, even if those things are considered childish by their peers.

I will play the Pokemon game on my iPhone. I will re-read the Harry Potter books. I will watch the cartoons. I will sometimes even eat sugary cereal for breakfast. The horror!

And when it comes to grandmas, everybody knows there’s a point where people just stop wearing the weight of everyone’s expectations on their shoulders. The old lady who wears the red hat and vibrant purple dress does not care that everyone thinks her style is inappropriate. Nor does she sit back and let you talk down to her or anyone she loves. The devil-may-care old lady tells you how it is and she’s not pulling punches to be delicate or diplomatic.

Women are raised to be delicate, polite flowers. Screw that! We don’t owe the world pretty, polite, or poised when those adjectives have to be written out of our psyche’s checkbook and we are in deep, deep overdraft from making sure everyone else’s expectations and needs are met before we even begin to wonder what we ourselves might need.

Do you.

Be absolutely you. If that means toddler grandma style, embrace it. Wear the crazy colors. Dye your hair. Wear sneakers with your wedding dress. Dismantle the societal expectation that you owe anyone else more than you owe yourself when it comes to your style and your body.

Love yourself without apology.