PLEATS AND ALL

Dear Spike:

I could have turned down the assignment. My job description has gotten a bit broader, over the years, but 'men's fashion reporter' still isn't on my business card.

But I'm not really a 'no' guy.

And that's how I ended up standing in the middle of my office in a skirt.

You can call it a kilt if you'd like. Some people even prefer the term "Men's Unbifurcated Garment" or "MUG." But it's a skirt. Pleats and all. I wore it for a week at the request of an editor from my newspaper who knows good story fodder when she sees it.

Life is going to offer you plenty of opportunities to say 'no.' And in many cases, that is the right answer. When you might hurt someone or hurt yourself, I expect you to say 'no.' Loud and clear.

But when you're given an opportunity to do something fun, adventurous or educational — and even if that opportunity pushes against your usual comfort zone — 'no' is a good way to miss out on a good time.

You're not always going to love everything you try (the kilt is comfy, but I'm not sure I really need to be the guy everyone stares at in the market) but the more experiences you can stuff into this life, the better.

So take the scary. Take the silly. Take the artistic and the edifying and the enlightening.

Take the drafty.

As much as you can, say 'yes.' To pleats and all.

Love,
dad

BOUGHT IT ANYWAY

Dear Spike:

We bought you a Batman onesie today.

You didn't need a Batman onesie, but we bought it anyway.

It cost $18.95 plus tax.

That's a ridiculous amount of money for something you're going to grow out of in no time at all.

I don't approve of our behavior. Not one bit.

But I really like your new Batman onesie.

Love,
dad

JUST THE STUFF

Dear Spike:

You will never need clothing again — or not until you're four or five, at least.

Our good friends Scott and Lesli called yesterday to say they had some clothes for you. This was exciting. A good portion of your wardrobe already comes from their beautiful daughter, Zoe, who is growing like one of those little sponge dinosaurs and has recently busted out of another set of clothing.

We knew we'd be getting some good stuff — all of Zoe's clothes are super cute — but we really had no idea that we'd be leaving with an entire truckload of baby gear.

No, really, it was quite literally a truckload.

Here's the deal: Scott and Lesli have multiple friends and relatives with little girls, just a bit older than Zoe, who handed stuff down to them. Add that stuff to all the other stuff that Zoe has accumulated from grandparents, other relatives and friends and you've pretty much won the baby hand-me-down sweepstakes.

Pajamas. Onesies. Boots. Sandals. Socks. Hats. Little baby bloomers. There's enough to fill your dresser drawers and then some — and that's just the stuff that will fit you now. There are five or six big bags and several large boxes of OTHER stuff in the basement just waiting for you to grow into.

I know you won't always want to exclusively be wearing hand-me-downs, but I do hope you never grow to think of used clothing as somehow below your dignity, as some folks seem to. One of the very great things we can do for this planet and for one another is use stuff until it’s so worn out that it simply cannot be used anymore. That goes for clothes, but it also goes for cars, computers, toys, TVs and pretty much everything else that we own.

Just because we've been blessed with the ability to replace old stuff with new, doesn't mean we need to. And we can do a lot for our world by simply sharing with our friends and neighbors, as our friends have done for us and we, in turn, will do for others.

You're going to look simply dashing in your new wardrobe.

Love,
dad

IN OSU ORANGE

Dear Spike:

A lovely surprise today! Your mother called me into your bedroom and proudly presented you in the outfit in which we had intended to bring you home from the hospital.

It’s still a bit baggy on you, but you look darn good in Oregon State University orange.

Go Beavers.

Love,
dad