Purple Ladies

Every morning when Gye Greene drives to work, about a kilometre before he gets there, there's a big convergence of purple ladies. Women of all ages -- but mostly in their 20s & 30s -- wearing lavender polyester dresses with hems just above the knees. He says they look like 1960's flight attendents -- or quasi-Trekkies going to a "Galaxy Quest" convention.

Actually, he thinks there's a beauty school nearby, and those are their costumes. (Or rather, their uniforms.)

Aussies wear school uniforms. Coming from the Pacific Northwest [i.e. top left corner of the mainland U.S., but not including Alaska], it's weird for us to see all the school kids wearing their school uniforms at the bus stops before and after school, and in the shopping malls (or, as they're called here, shopping centres). The boys remind him of boy scouts or summer camp kids; the girls look like Madeline (from the children's book; "In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines..."). e.g. http://www.greattapes.com/gt/product.phtml/madeline

(Note: I **could've** linked to some big chain online bookseller. But I chose not to. ;) Not that they don't serve their purpose.)

Gye Greene has a baby girl. In a few years, **she'll** be dressed like Madeline. Sooo cute!!! :)