Mid-life Crisis on the School Run

I'm getting odd looks from the odd mum at school.

One morning Pathologically-chatty-and-ever-so-perky-mum-who-is-on-the-committee-for-everything looked me up and down and with a thin smile, asked in a very sugary tone; "where are you off to this morning?"
I answered "actually right now I have to take the dog to the park.."
She raised her eyebrows above her head;  "In those shoes? Good luck!"

I looked down at my feet, my new leather wedge sandals bought on sale for $35 and shrugged as I untied Orange dog's leash from the tree outside the school gate.

I thought, hey, it's almost summer, I have treated myself to some new sandals, yes I'm in a denim mini-skirt - it's hot.
I've also recently dropped a lot of weight and with it my jelly belly hiding loose tops, and I've dusted off some very old but back in fashion pre-pre baby clothes.  This is the sliver-lining of months of stress, so sue me if some days I just feel like dressing a bit nicer and feeling a bit more attractive.

Call it a midlife crisis. I can neither afford, nor have the inclination, to purchase a brightly coloured sports car; I have new sandals and an old skirt instead.

But I'm starting to feel after some of the looks and comments recently that I'm expected to frump it up a bit.

That afternoon I walked Orange dog past a single dad who is usually completely engrossed in the charms of one particular single mum. I've been walking past them with my pooch for a year as good as invisible.

That afternoon, he broke away from single mum and made a bee-line for my orange companion.
"What a handsome fellow he is, I'll take good care of him while you go in?  I love dogs!'
Orange dog is prone to grinning when he's fussed over to this extent and I told this man, "if you pat him like that you'll probably get a smile out of him."
He said "I can make lots of people smile when I pet them a lot.." and he gave me lewd look (practically wiggling his eyebrows Groucho Marx style).

Seriously?!

I stalked into the school grounds and the first 'friendly' I came upon I asked; "Tell me honestly, do I look like a tart?"
A startled look; "No, you look summery and nice! Why?"

I told her about Single Dad's petting comment and she laughed her arse off; she called it mens-mid-life-sleeze-crisis.

Anyway, I've worn jeans almost everyday on the school run since,  but reading this article from The Style Insider, apparently I'm ahead on trend with my pre-pre-baby denim skirts.

So next hot day, maybe I'll pluck up the courage again and ignore the odd disapproving look.  It's not like I'm wearing denim cut-offs so short that my butt cheeks are hanging out back and the front pocket linings are hanging down my uppper thighs.. I'll leave that fashion faux-pas to the nannies..

Joining the linky...