My friend Amy Wolfe has a gorgeous little girl. On a recent Facebook post she mentioned Miss E was going through “pants as optional” phase. My mind immediately went to Tina Fey’s Bossy Pants. Something about pants and women has been on my mind. The campaign to elect Hillary Clinton is on my mind for sure.

In Australia students in private schools wear uniforms. I see students on the trains all the time. I noticed the girls wear skirts.I didn’t realise they HAD TO wear skirts ALL THE TIME. Recently there is a movement to ALLOW girls to wear pants as part of their uniform.   Revolutionary!

This idea of women wearing pants (or not in the case of Miss E) has so many historical, political and emotional connotations. From Bossy Pants to Lean In to Glass Ceilings/Ladders. It all comes back to

“who wears the pants in the family/school/public office/community.”

How about if we forget fashion and go with the brain power, abilities, intuitiveness of women. What anyone wears doesn’t matter. I am not going to quote or share all the stats on the how much better companies and boards function with women leaders or members. You can Google it.

Here’s my thing…I want little Miss E, all her girlfriends and mine to go through pants as optional phases forever. Stand up for what we believe in. Let our voice be heard at home, work and in our communities. I want to encourage a pants as optional attitude for Miss E and others – not stifle them. Maybe there will be no glass ceiling by the time she’s ready to take charge (starting in pre-K I am sure). But for that to happen – we, women, need to decide whatever that “glass” is will be broken by the time she gets there – or sooner.