school pictures! EEEK!

I always hated picture day as a kid. Especially since I always felt super awkward. I was always chubby growing up… so, I was extremely self-conscious even at a young age. It’s hard for me to remember specific picture days without looking at my pictures, but I’ll see what I can come up with.

My hair was straight when I was younger, and I always wanted curly hair. My aunt was a beautician, and I beggggggged her for a perm. She told me it was a bad idea, but I insisted. So I got one. And I looked like a freakin’ poodle. For real. So, that was one picture year. It was bad. I’m thinking that was somewhere around 3rd or 4th grade. (Yes, I know my hair’s curly now… no, it’s not a perm – it’s natural. It got curlier as I got older. Weird, I know.)

I think my absolute favorite school picture was when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. (I’m totally guessing here.) I had really golden blonde hair cut into a little bob. I had some funny bangs going on… because I have a cowlick, they kind of separated in the picture. Almost like two sections of bangs hanging down. Awkward looking, actually. Anyway, what I love most about the picture is my outfit. It was super cute. We were really poor, so mama made some of our clothes. This particular outfit was my favorite! I think I would have worn it every day if I could. It was a pair of coraly-pink shorts paired with a yellow shirt with the same coraly-pink polka dots. Best part? Suspenders. That’s right – don’t be jealous. And they weren’t just any kind of suspenders. They were the kind that were like scrunch socks – only suspenders. Scrunchy, bunchy suspenders in the same coral color. I rocked that outfit. So, even though my hair was crazy with its two-sectioned-bangs, I love that picture!

What I REALLY hate most about school pictures is how impersonal they are. Those photographers could care less if you have spinach in your teeth or if your bra strap’s showing… it’s just like herding cattle. “Sit… lean forward… tilt your head a little to the right… now SMILE.” CLICK. And you’re done. The end. “Next…”