When I was turning 15, my grandmother made me this bright red Chinese tunic/smock sort of blouse, only it also had lots of ornate gold brocade on it, for my birthday present and wanted me to wear it. It was the most appalling looking top for a kid, not even remotely something an awkward, self-conscious, attempting-to-be-cool teenager would want to be seen dead in, and she was insisting that I wear it to my first day of school that fall and wanted us to send her a picture. I was in horror that I'd have to march into the first day of 11th grade looking like I was in a bad Halloween costume, at least from the waist up, and never ever able to show my face in school again.

My mom, fortunately, recognized a Fashion Don't when she saw one. She had me put on the top, pick up my school books, pose for a picture with my sisters, and then let me change into a normal blouse before I headed out the door. I need to thank her again for that.

There were some doozies, too, among our wedding presents, but fortunately those were easy to return or re-gift. The red Chinese top still trumped those.