Victoria has been in the Wilder Pageant for 6 years now. Every summer, she dresses up in an old fashioned dress, pinafore, braids and bonnet, and helps reenact life from the time when the Ingalls Family lived nearby.
Until this year.
This year, she is wearing an old fashioned dress, pinafore, braids and… this hat.
She wasn’t supposed to. Her dad brought it as a possible costume change since he plays two characters, and she seized it and wore it for fun during dress rehearsal. The director told her to go ahead and wear it, much to her delight.
This came as a surprise to many of the other bonnet-clad girls, who repeatedly asked her if she was really going to wear that hat. She would tell them yes, sometimes they’d give her a look, and that would be the end of it.
Except for one girl. This girl (whom I’ll call Pageant Girl) just could not get over the fact that Victoria was really, truly going to wear that hat in the Wilder Pageant. She asked Victoria about it repeatedly.
The conversations went like this…
Pageant girl: You’re not really gonna wear that hat, are you?
Victoria: Yes
Pageant girl: But you can’t wear that hat!
Victoria: But the director said I could.
and later…
Pageant girl: You’re not really wearing that hat though, are you?
Then the next day, after the first performance, when Victoria did in fact wear the hat…
Pageant girl: Why are you wearing that hat?
Victoria: Because the director told me to.
and later…
Pageant girl: Why are you wearing that hat?
Victoria: Because I want to.
and later…
Pageant girl: Why are you wearing that hat?
Victoria: Because it’s so awesome.
Pageant girl: But it’s not awesome! It’s weird! And it doesn’t look good on you!
Victoria says, “We were next to The Bench of Teenagers and they all stood up and said things like It’s okay and It’s a cool hat and Hey, she looks fine.”
But still, later on…
Pageant girl: That hat looks so weird.
Victoria: Thanks.
Pageant girl: I feel sorry for you, because there’s no way I’d wear that hat!
Victoria: (Jumping onto a bench) I feel sorry for you because you’re not daring enough to!
I have grown to love that crazy hat — and my kid for wearing it. 🙂
Awesome!! Good for her!! and Yeahy !! 😀
You rock, crazy hat girl :-)!
Go, Victoria, go!
I feel sorry for that girl as well, Victoria. She’s just jealous she doesn’t have an awesome hat like that. Way to dare to be different!
I love it!!!! Way to go, Victoria!! You are my new hero. :o) I’m so proud of her for sticking to her guns (er, hat) and for sticking up for herself. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about this girl bowing to peer pressure or being anybody other than Who She Is. Hmm…I wonder where she gets this rebel attitude anyway? lol!
My dd (11yo) had a VERY similar experience a couple weeks ago when we met a family we know for lunch. She had decided to wear her sunglasses inside and had also written stuff on her arm earlier in the day (song lyrics and a confession of her love for a certain pop star). For some dumb reason the girls from the other family could NOT get over either choice and kept poking her about it the whole time we were there. The kids all sat at a diff. table so I didn’t know til later, but was delighted to hear that she left the glasses ON. She refused to answer them about it, hoping they’d shut up (then naturally they picked on her for not talking. grr.) so my older dd (15yo) kept politely sticking up for her and trying to change the subject hoping they’d finally move on. They didn’t. But the next time she thought we were going to run into this family she got prepared by making sure she had the glasses and by writing TONS of stuff on her arms and legs with permanent marker and on her little sister…just to drive them nuts! LOL! Turned out we didn’t see them but I was so glad to see that she wasn’t going to let them run her and she was out to prove it. :o) I can’t wait to show her this post! That last line of Victoria’s still has me giggling inside! 🙂
What a great story! And not only was Victoria’s last line a great one, but I bet she hit the nail right on the head. Pageant Girl is probably threatened by Victoria because she has the confidence to do things PG wouldn’t do, out of fear of what others might think.
The hat looks great; it’s quirky and original and perfectly in-period.
Pageant girl was just scared at the sight of someone who didn’t wear the “uniform”.
Changing from the obvious sunbonnet probably wouldn’t even have occurred to her.
I remember my school’s Victorian Week when I turned up in pantaloons, frock and pinafore and got strange looks from the other girls who were wearing the compromise costume of long skirts, and school blouses.
I didn’t care and nor should Victoria
Awesome – good for you Victoria!
We can all learn so much from your lady! I love her last LINE!
Aren’t you proud of your girl standing up for herself? On the other hand, me and my friend are always outrageous and embarrassing our girls. Her daughter accepts her mom as she is most of the time. Mine is appalled often at my shenanigans. I always tell her I don’t care what people think and if they don’t like it, it’s their problem. I am slowly trying to make her see that if WE are enjoying ourselves, no need to worry about what others think. Thank goodness your daughter “Let her freak flag fly” loud and proud. I’m going to have my daughter read this post when I get home. Keep up the great work Mom!
Oh I LOVE this ! Thank you beautiful Victoria for reminding me how GREAT it is to be truly ourselves and to stick up for what we love. You are my summer’s inspiration ! Your courage and confidence will stay in my heart and I will have my “Victoria’s moment” when I’ll find myself fearing other’s judgment. Thank you ! And thanks to the wonderful mother for sharing such a beautiful story. I love your blog.
Good for her! I think the hat looks cute. 🙂