Wrangler cargo pants (pockets! heavy canvas that doesn't rip the third time I wear them!) and quality thick, solid-colored tee shirts (I love the Eddie Bauer shirts--get them off thredup.com). And drool. So much drool. Noses get wiped as they run. Most of the mess comes from weeding during outdoor play. Socks in the house and soft-soled leather moccasins if my feet are freezing; sneakers outside.

I've been known to wear overalls and I put my hair into braided pigtails when I care enough to do anything other than tying it back, so I describe myself as "Wednesday Addams meets Jed Clampett." I'm in Tennessee so I figure I can get away with it. My day care families all wear scrubs, athletic clothing, or durable clothing for manual labor; the only person who shows up spiffy is in his police uniform. One thing I've loved about my career change is not having to wear impractical synthetics and foot-destroying shoes to meet a company's creepy beauty standard. Business casual? Never again.

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