Remember being a kid and having your mom pick out your clothes for the day? Think back to that age and imagine the roles being reversed — because that’s what happened when actress and blogger Summer Bellessa let her 3-year-old son, Rockwell, dress her for a week. Do you think 3-year-old you would have made the same fashion choices?
Day 1
“The first few items were great: my Bob Dylan tee, with a gray skirt, and tights. I think I’ll put this in my rotation… But then before I could finish, he pointed to my nude heels”
Day 2
“This was probably my favorite day. These polka dotted Lula Roe leggings look great with my Mickey T-shirt… It’s almost like an homage to Minnie”
Day 3
“I was a little self-conscious running my errands that day, but again, to my surprise I didn’t get one double-take or stare of curiosity. Instead, I got a woman who stopped me to tell me she liked my socks!”
Day 4
“This outfit was a little more of a challenge. He picked out three shirts for me … and that’s it. ‘Mommy can’t go outside without any pants on,’ I explained to my 3-year-old. ‘How about we switch one of these shirts for a pair of pants?’”
“He also pulled out two pairs of shoes from a pile in my closet. I don’t think he realized that they were two different shoes”
Day 5
“This shirt was picked out because it has arrows on it, and Rockwell loves arrows. He looked for pants that also have arrows, but had to settle on a pair of jeans. ‘I guess you have to look for some pants that have arrows on them,’ he seriously informed me.”
“You can be playful with your clothes, or casual or stylish, but it’s really up to you.”
What started as a fun idea turned out to hold some pretty important life lessons for both Summer and Rockwell.
“A lot of being a mom is telling people what to do, and it was therapeutic for both of us to change roles, if even in this small way. He enjoyed having his opinions heard, but he was also done after a certain point…I realized how little people really care about what you’re wearing. The pressure we put on ourselves to look a certain way is just that: pressure we put on ourselves.”