business casual a. and n. orig. and chiefly N. Amer., (a) adj., designating clothing or a style of dress that is less formal than the traditional business dress code (esp. one in which men do not wear suits or ties), but is intended still to appear professional and businesslike; (of a workplace) having a relatively relaxed dress code; (b) n., this style of dress.
I looked up this definition on the OED online today, not because I like to waste my time with seemingly unimportant and irrelevant tasks (although that might be true), but to make myself feel better after feeling a bit underdressed at last night’s PTA sponsored family dance. Apparently some people think if an invitation says “business casual attire” that means you should show up in suits, cleavage-bearing cocktail dresses (for the moms), and prom dresses (for the elementary school 
aged girls). Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up in Rhode Island, but the whole thing seemed a little weird to me. I like doing things with my kids and their friends, and school activities can be really fun, but I am not sure if first graders really need their own version of the prom. The boys, in particular, didn’t seem to get the whole disco ball, macarena, get-out-here-and-dance-with-your-mother business. Last year the dance was just for Dad’s and daughters, which I think is kind of cute (even with the prom dresses and tiaras), but you throw in the rest of the family and it gets a little crazy.
I know, whining isn’t becoming, at least that’s what I keep telling
supergirl, so I will stop, for now. The girls did have a good time, and between their adventures on the dance floor and their boy chasing antics by the refreshment table, probably burned more calories than a marathoner. I spent most of the evening hiding behind my camera, but my five-year-old did manage to pull me onto the dance floor so I could groove to MC Hammer’s Can’t Touch This with her (there’s a sentence I never thought I would write). The best moment, however, was the Daddy daughter dance; it was pretty cute watching the girls take a break from their regularly scheduled hyperactive girlishness to dance to Butterfly Kisses with their Dad.
I took some pictures, but some of them didn’t turn out very well, although I got one really good one of some random person’s bum (don’t worry I won’t post that one, at least on this blog).
Also, for those of you who are feeling a little sad because you never had the chance to go to an elementary school semi-formal, here are a couple of videos:
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