Lucy Loved Leopard Print Too

I didn't really give leopard print much of a thought before my early 20s. When I was 20 or maybe 21 I bought 2 pairs of flip flops with pink and blue leopard print on them from Valu-Plus. They were cheap, comfortable, easy to wear, and matched with my sundresses. One hot summer day in 2002 I spent a few hours in the local Goodwill and I stumbled upon a pair of velour leopard print pajama pants. They were soft and comfy. Them being leopard print really wasn't a factor.

That all changed, beginning on a chilly autumn day in 2003. I attended Temple University and had an 8:40am Criminal Justice Statistics class. I remember one Monday morning having a test and running late, so I literally rolled out of bed and ran down the street to the train station so I wouldn't be late. Yes, I was wearing those leopard print pajama pants, and did not give 2 fucks who saw me. Plenty of college kids wore pajamas to class. Typically they lived on-campus, but those details didn't matter to me. What I truly cared about in that moment was sleeping, and graduating. In order to do that, I couldn't miss a test. I made it and took my test, and went about my day, leopard print pajama pants and all. And not a single fuck was given on my end.

My dad works on-campus in the Facilities Management Office. I went to visit him in-between classes and smoked a cig with him. Side note: I'm happy to report that he's been smoke-free for almost 16 years, and I've been smoke-free for over 6 years now. Anyway, my younger sister, who also attended Temple, stopped by Dad's office on her way to class, and a look of horror quickly shown upon her face as she saw me, in all my leopard print, cruddy wife-beater tank top glory.

"How are we related?"

My sister and I are night and day. She cares what she looks like and embarrasses easily, whereas I couldn't give 2 shits what I look like most times, or what other people think about me.

Well let's just say, I will never live that down. For several years I would get leopard print stuff as gifts, even from people who didn't witness me wear them to school that day. Instead of getting angry though, I embraced it. I have even bought leopard print stuff on my own accord. My sister still tells that story too, but says it's forever one of her favorite memories. I was later informed by one of my aunts that my grandmother was also a huge fan of leopard print clothes and things.

I can totally picture her in my mind wearing it.

I still have those damn pants.