Parents are everything to their kids in the formative years, including fashion stylists. Fashion is something every human becomes conscious of as they grow. As little as five, most children know how to wear some of their garments themselves and even pick what they want to wear. You must instil a sense of fashion in your kids as long as they are capable of understanding. Here are tips for introducing fashion to your kids:
Pay attention to how they like to express themselves
Fashion is first and foremost self-expression. Kids also have a sense of expression, which is mostly influenced by their peers. For example, some little girls are no longer going the traditional way of dressing for girls. They want to dress like the boys they play with, so the flowery cloth you think is cute might not be for her. To this end, it is left to you as a parent to instil the right values in your kids and provide a good environment for them so that they can have a better and moral sense of self-expression. However, allow your kids’ personality to flourish through fashion and not cage their desires to be free.
Encourage your kids to wear clothes they are comfortable in
You must take note of the thin line between giving your kids the freedom to wear what they want and encouraging them against what will harm them. Kids are very impressionistic and you have to remind them not to focus only on how they look but also on who they are on the inside. Teach your kids how to feel important outside their fashion choices and how not to be consumed with them to the point of being materialistic. However, honour their opinions too and don’t force your fashion ideas on them. It is often easier to shop for baby products at a shop that mostly or only sell items for kids. They will have more options for you to choose from. You can check reviews about online shops such as Patpat reviews UK to know if they have a large collection of fashion products for children.
Encourage gender-neutral choices and discuss budget with them
Don’t go the conservative way of earmarking some colours and styles for girls and others for boys. Instead, encourage your children to try out fashion ideas that are neither girl nor boy. This helps them to dispel stereotypes and teach them to be open to different choices. They also grow up to be individuals who are not bound by social gender constructs. If your kids are old enough to understand money matters, you can also discuss the budget with them. Kids have to understand that even though fashion matters a lot, not all their money should be spent on fashion. They should rather focus on letting their personality shine through instead of spending all their resources on looking good.
Teach them how to dress appropriately
Ensure you instil in your kids how to dress. In as much as they want to express themselves, moderation is key. Even though society has gone morally decadent to some extent, teach your kids to dress in moderation. For instance, clothes which flaunt parts of the body that are meant to be covered or have inappropriate phrases or slangs should not be worn.