"See? I warm!"

Alice prefers to be naked. We've discussed the benefits of clothing with her several times, and sometimes that is enough to convince her to dress...

"No shirt."
"Your shirt helps keep you warm, and safe from the sun."
"Okay, shirt."

"No shoes."
"Shoes protect your feet so you don't step on pokeys."
"Okay, shoes."

The other day, I'm helping her change out of her pajamas into play clothes. She's happy to strip down but becomes resistant when it's time to dress. Before I can say a word, she bounces over to her teddy bear:

"Baby! Look I warm! I warm?" and she clutches him to her bare chest. Then she lowers her voice into a grumbly squeak and has her bear reply, "Oh. You warm. Yaaaaaaaay!"

Then she turns to me, beaming, and holds outs her teddy, "See? I warm! No shirt, Mommy!"

Midway through summer, with sweltering heat in the forecast that day, I find teddy's testimony convincing and I allow her to play topless in her room for a while. Secretly, though, I am devising ways to teach and demonstrate 'modesty' in terms that a 2-year-old can grasp.