Red Flags and Sparkly Head Bands

So I’m enjoying the weather, windows are down, trendy framed Oakley sunglasses sitting on my nose, and Sexy Back is blaring on the radio.

I’m driving slowly (in traffic) past the high school in our neighborhood and I can sense the kids (when did they become KIDS? and not my peers? Oh dear god am I that old!?) glaring at me. Maybe they’re not glaring, but I feel like they are. It’s probably because I forgot my toddler is in the backseat. I should be listening to like Old McDonald or some other nursery rhyme and be more appropriate.  

I remembered a conversation I had with my friend who just turned 30. I asked her how her day was and she said she cleaned out her closet, felt she was ‘too old’ to wear American Eagle anymore. I told her NO WAY as long as it doesn’t say AE across her chest it’s probably save. Then I remember my other friend told me her sister just turned 30 or was about to and said ‘now I’m finally old enough to wear Burberry.’

Those two conversations had my wheels turning. I just turned 28. Are my youthful years of shopping at American Eagle over? Do I need to re-evaluate my wardrobe, too?

I then recalled a time a few years back when I was pregnant and had braces. I was wearing God knows what maternity wear and a gold, sparkly headband. We were at lunch at Chipotle and I was behind a long line of high schoolers. When I got to the register the cashier said ‘Honey, do you have your student ID? I can’t give you the discount without it?’ Rewind a week or two to the moment I BOUGHT said sparkly headband, I was at Claire’s with my mom (red flag number one), I had braces (red flag number two) and I purchased two sparkly headbands (red flag number three.) The cashier asked me ‘Oh, are these for prom? (red flag number four) Although I was pregnant and felt as if I looked over 17(after all I was 25!), the red flags were everywhere and I just shouldn’t have even purchased those sparkly headbands.

After that time in my life I made some changes. I ditched the sparkly head bands, and most head bands in general, and I got real with myself. I still felt that it was age appropriate to shop at AE and continued to do so. I bought skinny jeans in a variety of colors (which, based on my body shape/type probably was a poor choice in general but they make me feel good about myself so I go with it.)

Now that I turned 28 I am starting to panic. 30 is looming, and I don’t fear 30 itself as I’ve always vowed to be more fabulous turning 30 than I was turning 20, but I fear that I will have to find new places to shop.

Gap, which is my most favorite, will remain safe and age appropriate as 30 approaches. American Eagle? Thoughts? I still stand by the advice I gave my friend, stay away from large chest logos and you’re good.

I vow in year 28 to look for red flags, stay away from sparkly headbands, and stop blaring Sexy Back, at least while my kid’s in the car.