I hope all you US folks had a great long Labor weekend – we certainly did – very relaxing with a baseball game thrown in there for some good fun too. Most of it was spent around the pool which in turn leads me to one big gripe I have living over here – why are so many Americans uncomfortable with nudity?
I really think next time around I need to come back French or Scandinavian or similar. Leaving the pool on Sunday we were reprimanded by the lifeguard for changing our children by the pool instead of using the nasty changing rooms (someone must have had a party in there the night before). Another swimmer had complained about us. Now feel free to disagree, but anyone who is offended by a 4 and 6 year old changing discretely by the pool has some real issues. I’m neither a prude nor a frequent visitor of nudist beaches, but when in France I often sunbathe topless and the last thing I want is for my children to have any hang ups about their naked bodies, or anyone else’s for that matter. I want them to retain their innocence and cavort naked when they please – in the appropriate setting of course. Unfortunately this is not the first time I have encountered this kind of concern about nudity here. Once in the Y a woman complained to another lady changing her 3 year old son in the ladies changing room. The complainer actually said it was ‘like pornography’ – I stepped in irate that anyone could suggest this about a naked 3 year old. I was so angry I was almost in tears. Please get over it – we all have the same bits, relax and stop imposing your hang ups on everyone else.
We were lucky enough on Sunday evening to head to Turner Field to watch the Braves. MM and I used to go to the baseball quite often before the children arrived. It is a fun spectacle – great for people watching and enjoying a hot dog and a cold beer or two. Sunday was the first time we had taken the children and in Chipper Jones’ last season it was an important game. We all had a fabulous time with great seats close to home plate. We left at the 7th innings as the children were getting tired and the Braves were heading for defeat…unfortunately we missed a cracking final innings when the Braves won with a home run from Chipper!
For the game I wore my J.Crew chambray spotty shorts, AllSaints Tilly t-shirt and fab Ash Thelma wedges. It always surprises me how comfortable these shoes are.
Once again I am loving the 80s and today I feel very Nik Kershaw with my baggy Top Shop pants and Zara jacket with rolled up sleeves. Even the Sam Edelman Alvin loafers have a retro feel about them. I’d fit right in back at Live Aid.
One last note – I’ve just had a vent on one of the posts on The Frye Company’s Facebook page. They have just released some boots in collaboration with Coach. Why oh why would they do this?? It is a dangerous partnership if you ask me with my marketing head on. I cannot believe that their research tells them the same people that buy Frye buy Coach. I am so disappointed – Coach has become a masstige brand and I fear the halo effect will reduce the credibility of the Frye brand…What do you think about brand partnerships?
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Lol, we always take the girls swim tops off at the pool too and let them walk to the car with. A towel or their cover up over them. At the car, we remove their swim bottoms so the carseats don’t get all wet. What’s the big deal? Like you, we are discreet, we use a towel to protect their modesty whilst taking their tops off. The changing rooms are cramped and stinky…so, no thanks!
I think it says far more about the complainer than it does about us! Children should be allowed to run around naked without any concerns!:)
I’m really surprised at the reaction you got changing the kids by the pool, it’s common practice in Europe (even here in Ireland at the beach). Plenty of small naked kids running around on the beach in Co. Wexford during the summer too while I was there & nobody batted an eyelid. Are they funny about breast feeding in public too?? I breast fed my 3 for the first 12 mths & never encountered any negativity (I was discreet), I really thought the US would be more open about these things. Sorry for being so long winded but I’m genuinely surprised!
Crazy isn’t it – obviously I don’t want to make sweeping generalizations and the stories that make the news are always those of moms being asked to leave restaurants etc. when breast feeding. I’m sure there are many places where it is acceptable though I always used a ‘hooter hider’ to cover myself and baby whenever I breastfed in public. I think Europeans in general are much more relaxed about it – over here the British version of The Office gets beeped/censored – it is definitely a country of contradictions!
The changing thing is crazy, I always change my kids in the open at the splash park and no one even notices. Lots of Europeans in my area so maybe that is why. I can’t imagine people complaning! The Frye/Coach thing is interesting, I see it more as a good strategic move on Coach’s part, they used to be a brand similar to Frye, making high quality classic American leather products. Somewhere along the line they sold out with all that logo crap but they are clearly trying to head back to their roots again, the Legacy pieces that they have out now are beautiful. I haven’t seen the Coach/Frye pieces, if they are logo covered I take that all back!
I hadn’t really thought about it from Coach’s perspective – I used to love their bags and received many as presents before I started seeing them EVERYWHERE and teenage girls carrying them – they became a bit like Tiffany’s – prom, sweet sixteen gifts etc..and lost all their exclusivity and prestige. I like how they are trying to get back to their roots and go retro with the Legacy pieces. I hate the logo thing too – and unfortunately most of the boots I’ve seen in this collection have CC everywhere!
I run hot and find that changing angus in the change room is so difficult as I am sweating and disgusting by the end of that ordeal. Fortunately the other kids and I can be in our swimsuits and flip-flops beforehand as we change at home and then go to the pool and vice versa, but Angus is still so wee I have to change him there. I have changed him into everything BUT the diaper outside the change room, but I know that my reluctance to do the diaper outside is because I know I would get looks if I didn’t.
As a girl I spent many years and summers in Germany. I spent quite a few sunny afternoons butt-naked paddling around in lakes and rivers. LOL. My kids only paddle around completely nude here at home in the bath. Ah, well.
Oh, and I HEART Nik Kershaw. Just wanted you to know that. 😉
He’s brilliant isn’t he? And still making music:) x