Wednesday, December 21, 2011

"WTF... A "Longall...."

Yesterday, Crazy Toddler Wildebeest was refusing his nap. As punishment, I decided to dress him up in what will be his Christmas Day longall and have myself a little Carterito Fashion Show. Complete with toddler-man-sized Chuck Taylors. I mean, have you ever seen anything cuter? 


Here is one of the 37 pictures I took of him with my iPhone. In nearly 20 of those pictures he is a blur of Toddler Fury. In 10 of those pictures he's crying big, fat, crocodile tears because I put his Chucks on without socks. And in the remaining 7 pictures, he rocking an expression similarly noted in the picture above- The Befuddled Frowny Face. 

As if to say, "Am I really going to wear this?"And the answer, sweet Carter, is yes. Yes, you will. Until you think you're old enough to rock Justin Beiber pants and look like a complete and utter fool, you will wear what I say. 

So of course, I had to share the hilariousness with my Dad. So I sent him the following picture with only the tagline, "Modeling his sissy Christmas longall..." And here is my Dad's awesome response...




Now, if my amazing screen shot and picnik skills have failed you, his reply was, "WTF... a "Longall".... That should have been your first clue it wasn't going to turn out well." 

Spoken like a true New Jersey-ite. Because, it is the truth. Up until moving south of the Mason Dixon Line, I hadn't the foggiest idea what a longall was. Or a shortall. Or a bubble and god forbid, I had never heard of smocking before. Those are all foreign concepts to those of us who live within earshot of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. 

So, Dad? Thanks for the laugh. We needed that today. Hope it make you giggle, too, Loyals! Happy Wednesday! 

35 comments :

  1. I must admit, until I had Kendall I had never heard of longalls, bubbles, or smocking...

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  2. Love it! I have lived in MD my entire life and have never heard of a longall until recently...and kinda wish that I have bought them for both my boys!!!

    Carter looks so cute!!! Especially w/ the chucks!!!

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  3. I love your dad's comment. That was basically all the men in my family reaction when I introduced them to southern boy clothes! Cute longall, too.

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  4. Hilarious! That's so funny how the clothes are so different. I mean, Melissa Gorga's baby boy wears little mini baby suits! My husband still makes fun of G's longalls....and bubbles...and girly smocked outfits:)

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  5. C looks so cute! And, I love your dad's reaction-very similar to what the men in my family would say!

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  6. THE cutest. Like I said AP, these boy clothes you pick are ridiculous, now I want a boy! A longall rockin', chuck sportin' boy.

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  7. I live in a pocket of NJ that rocks the longalls and smocked dresses. Please note it's a pocket and when we leave this pocket we look like the Amish.

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  8. Being from the land of smocking, longalls, shortalls, and bubbles (TN), I think he looks precious! Love your blog!

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  9. I don't know what any of it is but I think it's adorable ;) Thanks for the laugh!!!

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  10. He looks adorable! I especially love the patches on his knees.

    I had no idea what longalls were until I moved to Tennessee...or that boys wore monogrammed clothing. Now, our little guy will be rocking both until I can no longer wrestle him into them.

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  11. Absolutely hilarious!!! Love it!! Your dad is hysterical! I'm venturing a guess that grandpa Santa will not be coming with a longall for C tomorrow! Lol!

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  12. Hahahaha....I love it! Ok, so I know what a longall is from this post, but what is a shortall, and bubble?!?!? And smocking is like a dress right?

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  13. Haha. Until I had a baby I had no idea what a longall was. But I have also never heard of them called Chuck taylors. And we have the same kitchen rug. :)

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  14. Your dad is hilarious, now I see where you get your wit! I was totally unaware that bubbles, smocking, john-johns, and longalls were still "cool" in some places until I joined the blog/Twitter world. We wore stuff like that when we were kids, but where we live you never ever see it now. So interesting how clothing traditions are so different!

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  15. I about died reading that hilariousness!! Seriously dying, way too funny!!!

    Before Kal, I didnt know what bubbles, smocking, or longalls were either, but now I am a bit obsessed :) They look like good old southern ladies & gentleman and that makes me happy!!!

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  16. Your dad is awesome. If it weren't for blogs, this California girl would have no idea what any of those were either!

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  17. I'm with your dad.... ;) Hey, at least Carter isn't in a pink longall, though, with one of those god awful collars underneath that resembles something a nun would wear.

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  18. Isn't it funny how regions so heavily dictate clothing? I think it is close to sinful to put babies in denim and the more smocking, the merrier! But I think that's a cultural thing in much of the South (I have noticed that babies elsewhere dress more...adult???...than babies in the South) I love C's longall. Good job embracing your south-of-the-Mason-Dixon-line status - ha ha!

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  19. Ohhhh, AP. That's hilarious. I can always count on ILYMTC to give me a good laugh :)

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  20. Yeah I may have to agree with your dear old dad. A longall wouldn't fly in my neck of the woods. Poor Jamie would probably get beat up on the playground!

    I must admit though. Carter looks quite dashing. The little knee patches are pretty darn cute. And I love the chucks to kind of "hip" it up a bit!

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  21. He looks so cute and your dad is hilarious--like father like daughter? ;) Also, I still don't know what any of those things are...still learning all this "mom lingo!"

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  22. Hi, I HAD to laugh when I saw what you wrote about longalls!!

    Most people west of eastern Texas or north of the Mason-Dixon line have NO idea what longalls are.
    I'm from Central California, and you NEVER see little boys wear these things out here!! Oh no, out here it's too "girly", "prissy",
    and so forth. The only reason I know what a longall and jon jons are are because I came across a longall one day on Ebay in 2004, and now it's turned into my big all time hobby/obsession. I actually have about 167 (!) longalls and jon jons in my collection. I love the smocking and appliques on longalls. You
    should try looking for brands (and you can find these on Ebay) such as Kelly's Kids, Beaux et Belles, Just Ducky, Mulberry Street, Bailey Boys, Funtasia Too, Chocolate Soup, Wish Upon A Star,
    Secret Wishes, Strasburg, those high end boutique and trunk show brands.

    I love longalls and jon jons and I am a male (and don't even have kids). Most dads hate this sort of stuff outside of the South and if their wives put their little boys in something like longalls or jon jons, they wouldn't be alive to tell about it later!! LOL. Down in the South, fathers are more understanding of smocking and longalls and jon jons, but usually put an age limit to it, like no older than past 3 years old, although there are quite a few that don't mind it till the kid can't wear them anymore. And some of these brands I mentioned, they make longalls to a size 5T or 6T, which would fit most 5-6 year olds. Anavini even does it up to size 7!!! :-)

    Preston

    I have more to say -

    (have to continue in next note)

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  23. Now, I don't get the part about the Converse Chuck Taylors. I hate to say this, but that doesn't look good with longalls. If you want to dress him up like this, have him wear black and white saddle shoes.
    Or if you are daring enough (you might not be alive to tell about this though), you could have him wear T-strap Mary Janes or English sandals (double buckle T-strap shoes).

    This is an example of a T-strap / English sandal shoe:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Girls-Foot-Mates-dress-shoes-double-t-strap-buckle-sz-8-5-D-taupe-EUC-/300633778904

    Here's one that I bought that doesn't have a scuff proof covered toe:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/220894239172

    I know these were listed as little girl shoes, but I have seen these in the past on EBay many many times also marketed as boys shoes, and I have seen LOTS of photos of little boys wearing these kinds of shoes with jon jons or longalls in
    the 1970s and 1980s.

    In some places in the South, especially in South Carolina and some places in Alabama (especially Mobile), you will find quite a few little boys wearing longalls or jon jons with knee socks and T-strap shoes/English sandals. More often, they'll wear black and white saddle shoes with laces, but there are quite a bit of toddler boys wearing strap shoes with longalls. I think there's nothing more ADORABLE than a little boy wearing longalls/jon jons with a peter pan collar shirt, kneesocks, and T-strap Mary Janes / English sandals. But then, that's just me.
    I'm just giving you ideas. Of course, don't tell your hubby I said this...LOL...because you might be in big trouble. I can just imagine your hubby's reaction....LOL!! This wouldn't fly here in the West Coast, that's for sure. Back in 2006, on the Dr. Phil show, there was a mom dressing her little boy in longalls and jon jons and the dad hated it, and Dr. Phil told his mom to get him out of those clothes or he'd get beat up on the playground!! OMG. After the show, all these parents from the West Coast were saying how girly and sissyish it was, and then these horde of Southern moms come in and
    have an argument with them...look it up if you don't believe me - some southern moms were saying "If Dr. Phil says that he (the little boy) is in danger of being beat up, then ALL the little boys at my church better get into the boxing ring because they all wear clothes like this". It's interesting to see how culture can very so much in the same country in just 2,000 miles.

    - Preston

    (more in next note)

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  24. In some places in the South, especially in South Carolina and some places in Alabama (especially Mobile), you will find quite a few little boys wearing longalls or jon jons with knee socks and T-strap shoes/English sandals. More often, they'll wear black and white saddle shoes with laces, but there are quite a bit of toddler boys wearing strap shoes with longalls. I think there's nothing more ADORABLE than a little boy wearing longalls/jon jons with a peter pan collar shirt, kneesocks, and T-strap Mary Janes / English sandals. But then, that's just me.
    I'm just giving you ideas. Of course, don't tell your hubby I said this...LOL...because you might be in big trouble. I can just imagine your hubby's reaction....LOL!! This wouldn't fly here in the West Coast, that's for sure. Back in 2006, on the Dr. Phil show, there was a mom dressing her little boy in longalls and jon jons and the dad hated it, and Dr. Phil told his mom to get him out of those clothes or he'd get beat up on the playground!! OMG. After the show, all these parents from the West Coast were saying how girly and sissyish it was, and then these horde of Southern moms come in and
    have an argument with them...look it up if you don't believe me - some southern moms were saying "If Dr. Phil says that he (the little boy) is in danger of being beat up, then ALL the little boys at my church better get into the boxing ring because they all wear clothes like this". It's interesting to see how culture can very so much in the same country in just 2,000 miles.

    And, as an aside, I collect vintage 1970s to early 1990s children's T-strap shoes and English sandals. I now have 125 shoes, I started when I was 18 years old in 1995. I also collect
    45 rpm records (I have 400 45 rpm records), and I have 1,200 street maps in my collection, and I also
    collect city lapel pins.

    But yes, if I had a little boy, I would certainly dress him up in
    longalls, kneesocks, and T-strap shoes!! :-)

    Take care and Merry Christmas to you!!

    Warm regards, Preston
    preston1632@yahoo.com

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  25. I had never heard of any of it until you started talking about it! Some of Kitty's Baby Gap blouses & dresses have some smocked detailing...but I wouldn't have known that without your tutelage :)

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  26. HAHAHAHAH I seriously have never heard of longalls....I need to get with it asap!!! He is so freaking cute!

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  27. Longalls aren't popular up here in the "north" ... but i do love the houndstooth on them ... but I'm with your Dad. WTF! LOL

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  28. Haha! Your dad is funny! I'm a southern girl and I didn't know what all of those were until I had my girls and saw everyone talking about them on twitter. LOL

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  29. Hi again,

    I wrote a lot of stuff already, but it is very common for moms in the South to dress up little boys in jon jons and longalls. You will never see it here in California where I am from. And forget about
    kneesocks and saddle shoes (and you can totally forget about T-strap shoes).

    I've read about Moms that write on the internet "My life is over because I can't dress up my little boy". They think with a little girl, they can dress them up in
    pretty dresses and all that. They don't realize that they can dress up little boys too and they can look adorable too! I have to say though if they are not from the South, they probably don't know what longalls or jon jons are.

    Jon jons were actually called jon jons because John F. Kennedy Jr.,
    the Great President's son wore
    them. They were called short rompers or shortalls before JFK, Jr. wore them. He also wore T-strap shoes/English sandals, both before and after his father was assassinated. There are photos of JFK Jr. wearing English sandals and Mary Janes past age 6. And, they were sometimes called "Kennedy sandals". Prince
    William and Harry (Princess Diana's sons) would wear T-strap shoes and Mary Janes in the 1980s as toddlers too.

    I have high functioning Autism and I collect many different things - from 45 rpm records to vintage
    children's shoes to longalls to
    city lapel pins and street maps.
    I also am planning to relocate to
    Upstate South Carolina (Greenville/Spartanburg area) because I love small towns, and with my Autism (a developmental disability), I treasure small towns that have a sense of community.

    As for shoes, I only collect vintage 1970s and 1980s and early 1990s T-strap shoes and English sandals and Mary Janes...Including
    Stride Rite, Buster Brown, Foot Mates, Foot Traits, Child Life, Child Stride, Mother Goose, Red Goose, Baby Deer, Walk-In, Willits,
    Jumping Jacks, and many other brands, some of which no longer exist today. Most of my shoes are toddler sized, but I have some bigger ones.

    Merry Christmas!

    Preston from California
    preston1632@yahoo.com

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  30. Alright, I admit, I feel really out of it, because until I read your blog, I never heard of any of that...though Tommy does have a smock at daycare to wear for messy art projects...guessing that's not what smocking means...do I need to know any of this? LOL...and your dad is hilarious....does he have a blog? i'd follow him!

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  31. haha that is too funny! It is so second nature to me seeing longalls and bubbles and smocked clothes that I never think about how it is odd to others! Either way, I think C looks pretty cute in his longalls!

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