All Bundled Up

 

With daytime temperatures hovering in the 20's (Fahrenheit), we've been getting serious about bundling up to go outside.  This winter I actually haven't gotten hardly any comments about Juliana not wearing enough clothes!!  Amazing.  And kind of strange.  I must be doing something right.  Also, they seem to be more lenient about toddlers showing skin (provided it is only the 2 inches surrounding the eyes).

The other day as I bundled Juliana up for the cold, I noticed something:  Absolutely none of her outerwear remotely matches!  She has:
1. A red and blue hat with sequins, braiding, little plastic bunny pins, fake flowers, and embroidered kid faces complete with 3D hair (a present from A-yi)

2. A red and blue scarf (so actually I lied: the scarf and the hat do match!

3. A purple, black, and white polka-dot face mask (I was trying to think if I had seen face-masks in America, but since I'm from Georgia I can't imagine actually needing them.  Face-masks are an essential part of outerwear in China, though.  More important than a hat or gloves.  I have decided that Juliana's is not very useful, though, because she just keeps licking at it until it is soaking wet and cold.)

4. A peachy-pink and white polka-dot coat (the best thing we could find to fit her, and the sleeves are still a good 6" longer than her arms.

5. Purple outer-pants with a white stripe down the side and pink and purple butterflies.

6. Buried inside her extra-long coat sleeves, she's also wearing a pair of bright primary striped mittens.

Living in China for a while does dim your sense of what it means to match.  I probably couldn't get away with this in America, but in China there is absolutely nothing wrong with this outfit.  In fact, all the color and diversity of pattern make it extra pretty!

It's possible Juliana will look back at this picture when she is older and say, "Why did you let me dress like that??"  But then again, she'll be growing up in China, so she probably won't think a thing of it!

P.S. Underneath all these outer-layers she is also wearing a turtleneck, a sweater, two pair of pants, thick tights, and an extra pair of socks.  Because it is that cold in our house!  But that's another post...