Well this is a subject that is intended to probe the inner-most being inside of us all.

Not really, but it is something I had to touch on in hopes that you too would get an enjoying moment like I did when thinking about this subject.

I want to begin by admitting that every now and then I get a temptation to run out the door in the early morning hours to the local gas station while wearing what I call my house pants.

Mine are men's pajama pants that are very nice actually, but not intended for public display.

When I am feeling like I just have to run out the door quickly (in this state of not being fully awake) I ask myself a question internally about doing this...in my house pants.

I ask myself in a split second, "What is it going to hurt?"

Then on the drive to the gas station I think, "No one is going to care about this at 6am in the morning right?"

And as I'm walking into this place of business I'm making myself feel better by this thought process --> "There's NO ONE that can look THAT special at 6am right?"

Oh the justification we give ourselves!!

Well I am here to help you and I both. I have put together a set of rules that I think will help us all with the tempation I mentioned above and may also save some ebarassment and some wishing for a "do-over."

First let me say that the driving point behind writing this is not about the need to look good for everyone else. And this is not about putting on a show for the rest of mankind.

This is about having dignity with a "smidge" of pride mixed in and presenting ourselves appropriately in public...and laughing for a minute at something we've ALL done!

So try to understand this. Although we have ALL done it, there has to be a stopping point to this kind of decision making...for the sake of being appropriate...and THAT point is NOW!

So here are the rules of thumb to go by if you want to show a little bit of respect to yourself AND OTHERS. Follow them and you should be able to avoid some general shame. Ignore them, and well...you can't say you weren't warned:

Rule #1: If you have Disney characters, hearts, or polka dots on the design of your pants, you are walking a fine line and should definitley evaluate a second choice before leaving the house.

Rule #2: Noooooo plaid fellas, even if you ARE going to or coming from the golf course.

Rule #3: If your sweatshirt or shirt is more than one size too big, go back home and mow the lawn first.

Rule #4: Ladies, if it says "Pink" on the backside of your pants, they actually were intended for the house (go ahead and ask a Victoria's Secret representative about this : ).

Rule #5: Guys, if you can even come close to calling your pants "House Pants" that's what they are!

Rule #6: If your hair looks like you just fought off a racoon or a pack of squirrels and lost, put it up, comb it, or maybe shave it?

Rule #7: If your shoes resemble a mocasin, a fluffy bunny foot, or are 100% but suede <---> they are meant for carpet.

Now there are many reasons to follow the rules above. Sure, no one is going to openly laugh at you when you don't follow the rules, but what about my friend who shared a story with me concerning his trip to the local grocery store?

I will call him John Smith to protect his embarassing identy (joking "John!"). John decided to bend the rules just a bit and run into the local grocery store quickly to get milk for his children's cereal.

That's a pretty common thing that can be needed in the morning, but what isn't common is what happened when he was pulled over by a police officer on his way back home...and falsely questioned on four felony warrants that weren't his.

Although John didn't go to jail that day, clearing up his mess for 45 minutes in his PJ's was what he called his "most memorable moment" of the day!

Or what about Mary Jones? Mary is not her real name of course, but one I'm using for the purposes of this article. Mary Jones left her house, went shopping for about ten minutes, swung by the post office, and then, when she came back home the apartment complex she lived in appeared to be on fire.

Thankfully Mary's apartment was not on fire, it was only a false alarm. But standing out in front of her complex in her Tinker Bell Pajama Pants for over two hours while almost every apartment was checked was not what she would have chosen that morning.

Now I know we all think we are above all of this and we tell ourselves, "that isn't going to happen to me." But it does. If John and Mary had a "re-do," they would have followed the rules I mentioned above.

Mainly because in life, what you cannot control is other people and the situations they sometimes get us into!

So a good rule of thumb is this; if you would go to lunch or a casual dinner...with your in-laws (or someone else's if you don't have your own) in what you are wearing, you should be ok. If not, then you will officially be deemed here as a "risk taker" and I wish you luck with that my friend!

I would like to thank "John" and "Mary" for providing the stories in this post, you both are very good people. And to all of my other friends out there, this is just my opinion, but please..."Don't Wear Your PJ's To The Grocery Store!"