I went through this awesome period of time in sixth grade when all I wore were my dad's old sweatshirts, black leggings, and low-top sneakers (this was shortly after I outgrew my let's-hot-glue-sunflowers-on-everything phase). I remember reacting to the extreme girliness I saw in my peers; all of those floral prints, lace chokers, and weirdly provocative bodysuits of the mid-nineties suddenly made me want to rebel.

That... and the fact that I had boobs. If you didn't have boobs in the sixth grade, you probably wanted them. If you did have boobs, however, you were probably a target for ridicule by the girls (and boys) who didn't. Like much of middle school, this is a no-win situation.

I recall being called a slut by a group of seventh graders for wearing a vaguely tight top and above-the-knee skirt. I was also asked by my sixth grade camp leader to change out of a completely appropriate tank top because she found it "too risque." Eventually, I gave up. Sports bras and men's XL sweatshirts it was.

It wasn't too long until I let skirts and maryjane's and pink back into my life (I mean, Clueless had just come out, duh!). But that brief stint in tomboyland felt good. I walked to class with a new sense of anonymity. I moved around without worrying that some part of me would jiggle or pop out or – God forbid – make someone else uncomfortable. I clocked in my fastest mile during that time, beating all the boys in my P.E. class. Because, for the first time, I could just run.

Anyway this jacket, borrowed from my husband, reminded me of that phase. As much as I love a cinched waist and an a-line, there are days when I just want to disappear inside a pile of distressed cotton. And I hope that someday my kids will know that they can dress however girlish or boyish or tomboyish they want, and that they can change their minds as often as they damn well please.

Outfit details: Levi's military jacket / Borrowed | Alternative Apparel modal dress / Old; similar here | The Billie Boot / Madewell | Polka-dot socks / Old; similar fair trade version at PACT