Wednesday 23 May 2012

Mini style stars


Some comments on my post yesterday about Goosey's wig and Goose coming out dressed for preschool this morning clad in a pair of checked shorts and a sparkly singlet, got me thinking.

Most parents I know start out with having set clothing style for their babies. Often it's an extension of their own style or something they wished they wore as kids. As the babies turn into kids they start to develop their own style and sometimes the battles begin.

From a really young age, Lil-lil has been very particular about what she wears. It must be "beautiful", it can't be pants and it must be pink, purple or another occasionally another beautiful colour. This started around the age of two and has stayed strong ever since. I can't for the life of me get her in jeans, "Jeans are just yucky, Mum" so last winter it was skirts/dresses and tights. She won't wear sneakers, just beautiful ballet flats or mary-janes. She likes to accessorise. The only time she will wear pants in when she goes to get an early coffee with her dad on the weekend, but she'll change out of them as soon as she gets home. She looks really cute in pants and she also looks amazing in blue, but it's not a beautiful colour apparently.

Goose will pretty much wear anything but it's dependant on her mood. Like this morning, she decided it was a checked shorts and sparkly singlet kind of day, despite being freezing cold. Once she's made up her mind on an outfit, it takes some convincing. In the end a compromise was made, she wore jeans and a long top under the sparkly singlet. She looked pretty ridiculous, but she thought she looked great.

Lil-lil tells me she wants to be a 'fashion star' when she grows up. Well, actually it's a fashion star vet, but we're talking fashion today. She loves to put outfits together, most of the time they are mismatched and clash, but she's over-the-moon with her creations. As she has to wear a uniform during the week and spends Monday to Friday being told what to do, I figure her outfits on the weekend give her a choice, freedom and creativity. Even if I do have to bite my tongue at some of the things she wears. Sometimes I make a suggestion, but if the clothes are weather and occasion appropriate, I let it slide.

One of Lil's friends is a complete tomboy, she only wears her brother's hand-me-downs (including school uniform). Her mother is very stylish and always looks put-together. I asked the mum this morning how she felt about her daughter not wanting to wear pretty or nice clothes, she just shook her shoulders and said: "That's just her."

I know that this would kill a lot of parents, who feel their kids' appearance reflects upon them. I know parents who feel it's really important to dress a certain way, which is fine and I understand that. For me, I'm not too bothered, the only thing I don't really like is kids dressing like adults.

In saying that, one of Goose's friends dresses like a miniature of her mum - skinny jeans, cropped cardis, ballet flats, maxi-dresses. I always thought it was strange, until her grandmother told me it was the little girl who insisted she wear the same type of clothes as her mum, not the other way round.

There are those kids who wouldn't think twice about clothes and will happily put on whatever is laid out for them. Then there are those who want to be a fireman or a fairy, all day, every day. Or want to wear their PJs to the park or only wear a certain colour (I knew a little boy who would only wear purple) or a certain item of clothing (or won't wear a certain item of clothing as in Lil's case). Often it's just a phase and another odd fashion phase will come along soon. Sometimes it's long-lasting, just like Lil's pant aversion.

Yesterday, Lil got mud all over her winter tunic and so I said she had to wear trackies. She put them on and when I asked how she felt, she said she was worried her teacher wouldn't recognise her. The tunic went back on today, but I think she just might wear trackies again. The world didn't end after all.

Do you like your kids to wear certain clothing or have a certain style? Do you enforce it? Do you let  your child go out in clothing of their own choice, even if it looks odd? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one.

10 comments:

  1. so funny. Love how specific your girls are about what they wear. I have the same problems and never expected them to start pre age 2!
    My little girl likes boy clothes, in blue, and will wear the odd bit of pink. She complains that all her clothes are 'too tight' so I have to pretend to stretch them as I put them on her... I'm hoping this is a phase but who knows!

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  2. I pretty much let them pick same as you, as long as it's weather and ocassion appropriate. I don't let them wear party dresses to work on the farm or on machinery, so they have 'work' dresses and skirts.
    I can't stand little kids dressing like adults and often struggle to find nice age appropriate outfits in the shops, there are lots of skimpy outfits and singlet tops. I also find summer is the worst, because of where we live I like shirts with sleeves and long shorts, both of which are really hard to find for girls, it's all shorty shorts and singlets.
    As for colours they do lean towards the pinks and purples, but I buy a wide range of colours so all colours get a wear in our house. I have ofetn layered outfit choices, putting vests and long sleeved shirts under summer dresses in winter, and tights are big in our house too.
    Wow, I have a lot to say about clothes and I never realised! Thanks for the post Corinne.

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    1. We do a lot of layering in our house too. Keeps things varied and warm when they insist they want to wear a frilly dress in the middle of July! x

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  3. It is so cute to have an insight into their little personalities and trends already forming. The boys are pretty good at this stage, they wear what I put them in and we don't have any arguments over clothing... but they ARE boys, so probably not as into the fashion as girls are. That being said, Angus has recently started taking a liking to certain colours. Reds, blues, browns and greens are the favourite... but if they're not washed, then it's too bad, he has to wear whatever, haha!
    I would be in a whole world of fun with the clothing aspect if I had a girl... actually, I'd be broke! xo

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  4. I have just discovered your blog and I look forward to reading often. In regards to dressing the little ones I believe it is great to let them choose what they would like to wear and form their own personal style. Vicki www.shoppegirls.blogspot.com

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  5. You know what? I would let me kids dress themselves, but have been blessed with style-less children. Neither of the girls really seem to care either way what they wear. They occassionally have a favourite dress or something but most of the time they dont really care what I pull out of the wardrobe. Maybe my boy will be the fashionista?! JB

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  6. My 4yr old has been a nightmare in the dressing dept since just after she turned two! She refuses to wear dresses or skirts or wear her hair up. Her last phase of stripes with stripes, has been ongoing for a year now and is now a running joke amongst my friends. Recently she wore a dress (similar to a tennis outfit and is now dubbed steffi graff) and I swear I held my breath the entire night expecting her to want to change! I have since taken her shopping where she picked out her clothes, none included stripes so I think we have progress!!!! I'm happy for her to pick her own clothes most of the time however occasionally looking well dressed for dinner would be nice.

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    1. Wow a stripe thing! They're such funny little critters aren't they?!

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Thank you so much for your comments! I'm always thrilled to hear from you.

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