Styled by a 1st grader

     I usually take for granted that because she's bouncing on my bed without a care in the world, that my curly girl has no idea what I'm doing when I'm throwing clothing on my bed and mumbling under my breathe.
     I could swear that as I sleep some adoring Lady Gaga and the old school Madonna fans have invaded my closet.  Replacing all of my black and grey, safe and practical wardrobe with fringes, feathers, and sequins.  Tops that don't cover my naval and skirts that one need have a good wax to wear.  For all those times I've made purchases to 'go out' in, it seems that we've stayed home more than I'd like to admit.  I've  become a fashion hermit and only notice it when it's time to get dressed to go somewhere special.
     Everything I attempt to  put together has me looking like I should be serving coffee in a 24 hour truck stop or welcoming passengers onto the next  Jet Blue flight.
      As I hold simple and black top up against boring and off black bottom, something strange takes place. Her ombre corkscrew curls have come to an immediate halt.  Joycee jumps off my bed and darts to the closet with a mission.
     "Why don't you wear this?"  She holds out an airy chiffon skirt with cutout circle flaps that move when I walk.
     "I dunno honey." I say taking it from her and getting ready to hang it back on the rack.
     "Just try it on."  I can hear my mother's influence in her statement.
     In no rush to get ready, I appease her and put on the skirt.
    "Now try on this top." She points to an army green strappy tank with fringes. 
    "This is too much."  I wince.  Too much movement in the top, and way too much in the bottom.
     She then picks up one of the black strappy pieces of confetti strewn across the bed.  "How about this?"
     It was a cute black Tibi top.  An easy throw on piece that dressed jeans up and in the case of the black flying dotty skirt, cooled it down.
      I had gone to a class about vision boards the day before and had still been working on mine.  Part of my board was be adventurous, 'show your sparkle,' and have fun with the kids.  Wearing this out represented all of those categories I was summoning on the large poster board. 
   Had I invited my little cherub into my closet sooner, who knows what red carpet styled outfit she could have put together for me!
     Joe walked in to get dressed and looked at me the way he has countless other times when he wasn't exactly sure if I was serious about a wardrobe choice.
     "You're a little dressy?"  He questioned.
     "This is what Joycee picked out for me, I like the way I feel."  I said into the mirror.
     Joe looked at his choice, his black jeans and cream color ribbed sweater that was lying on the bed and sighed.  Upon hearing my decision, Joycee showed off all 20 of her white Chicklet teeth and began jumping up and down on the bed in victory.
     Before I left the house, I tucked her under the Hello Kitty sheets and asked which pair of earrings I'd be better off wearing.  Definitively, she points to the shinier lobe.
     "Thank you so much my love, this feels beautiful!"  I said.
     "Mommy, do you think I can be a stylist?"  She glowed.
     "I think you could be an excellent stylist!"
     The day I let my daughter pick out my clothes was a win-win for us both.