Mid-way through the school term, we needed to make D a lederhosen (German attire) for International Day.
Ooohm! Where was I supposed to get this from?
His teacher called me while I was away to place the order. (Abi?)
Teacher: Ma, we just need a pair of black shorts and crossing belt.
Me:…
Teacher: Are you there ma?
Me: Sorry I’m not sure what that is.
Teacher: Just google the costume, you’ll see what it looks like. (With the tone of so-you-don’t-what-German-cloth-looks-like?)
Me: (speaking slowly and quietly, because na work I dey) Do you mean suspenders?
Teacher: Yes that one. He will wear it with long socks. Can you get the socks?
Me: I think I can manage. Must it be black shorts though? He has dark blue, can’t he wear blue?
Teacher: No o, ma. Everyone is wearing black. It has to be black please.
Me: (Sighs) Okay, I’ll see what I can do. Thank you.
Teacher: Thank you ma, bye.
Unfortunately I couldn’t get shorts to buy in Jo’burg since it was early winter, so I returned to Lagos to comb all the kid stores at the shopping complex looking for a pair of black shorts. Where I found one, they didn’t have in his size. Some sales girl even tried to pass up girl’s shorts instead.
“My dear, my son can’t wear bum shorts,” I said shaking my head.
“Ah-ah, he’s still small nah? He won’t know.”
“But I will know.”
I was tired. My Saturday was wasting. I like to maximise my weekends as much as possible and alot of that involves minimising the amount of time I spent being vertical. Finally, I packed it in and went home. Then I remembered Ms P has one tailor that is very good at helping me mend things that I need adjusted. Never seen him, but once I mark, pin or give her a similar cloth sizing, he always seemed to get it right. So I asked her to see if he would be willing to make one for D using the aforementioned blue one for measurement. He agreed, it cost me N1500 and was waaayyy cheaper than anything I would’ve found at the shops. I had already spent too much on the hat. (I told D that he had officially become an Ijaw boy for every school cultural day from now till he grows. We are not ijaw obviously but the cap too cost abeg).
I also told her to tell him to find a way to make loops for the suspenders to go through. Hat, check. White long-sleeved shirt, check, suspenders, check. Socks? I’m sure he has long ones somewhere. Lederhosen (or a type of it) is complete.
J’s was much easier, the teacher took payments and had them made by a tailor. Perhaps I should learn this sewing something sef…
The finished look? Totally worth it! Still, I missed the presentation, no thanks to traffic. Pretty much broke my heart. But I got these cute pics to hold on to.
Featured Image from: maminsvet.net
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