Party in the USA! Now, how do you turn this thing on?

I used to work at Nordstrom, an environment where the expectation was to stay knowledgeable about current fashion trends and forecasting future trends. Now, that I am a SAHM, I am cut off from that world. If I want to know how pop culture influences the next season’s fashion or hot items for Fall 2010, I have to do the research on my own. That’s a lot of work and I’m not sure if I can find the time between all the cooking and cleaning.

I am fearful of becoming so wrapped up in my world of managing my household that I lose connection with the outside world. I am frightened of walking into a tornado of Lysol disinfectant spray and PTA meetings. When I am finally spit out of the vortex, I will be wearing “the Rachel” haircut and sensible shoes.

I know it’s inevitable. Everyone slips into that state where we start showing our age and lack of coolness. Easily recognizable signs include:

• Quoting lines from movies that no one remembers or even heard of
• Recalling time periods in life based on the price of gas at that time (i.e. “I remember my junior prom. It was right around the time that gas hit $1.10”)
• Seeing fashion trends re-emerge and saying, “I remember when leg warmers first came out…15-20 years ago.”

Then there is the opposite extreme. I am referring to the moms who desperately try to stay cool that they turn juvenile. You know the type. What if I wore the same clothes as my 15 year old daughter and had Miley Cyrus on my ipod that I didn’t know how to use (Party in the USA, right?). Picture me strutting about in an Ed Hardy trucker cap and ridiculously thinking that I can keep up with the younger girls. Trying to stay youthful and fresh is one thing but reliving the glory days is another. Not cool.

So what’s the answer? How do I walk the line between in touch, cool mom and growing older gracefully?