This may seem like a ridiculous question, but why do we call
kids’ clothes, well, kids’ clothes? Take a moment and picture a little kid.
What is being worn, from head to foot? Does she have sneakers and a pony tail
or a messy bun and a statement necklace? Is he wearing aviators and skinny
jeans or sweatpants and a tee shirt? Does it matter?
Does a kid’s clothing item just mean it is sized for a two
or five year old, or is the style of clothing distinctively different? Kids
should be kids, right?
That doesn't mean they will always be dressed in “play
clothes,” but does it mean they should be coiffed and stylized? Should kids be
wearing carefully designed outfits, often complete with accessories and
hairstyles? Is the term kids’ clothes an archaic one or does it have to mean saccharine
colors and juvenile cartoon characters?
Of course, this subject isn't so black and white. But,
you've probably noticed that there is a growing trend of dressing kids (from
infants on up) in “adult” styles. Again, what does it mean? What makes it so
that we know at a glance whether a kid is dressed as a kid or as a mini-adult?
There seems to be an important distinction between a kid
wearing the same kind of thing an adult would wear, such as a button down shirt
or ballet flats, and being stylized like a mini-adult. While the line might not
be completely clear cut and not all time is play time, do the clothes remind
you that the child is a child?
We also see this debate played out in the retail space. More
and more companies are changing their tactics when it comes to kids’ clothes.
The products themselves are different, but so is the styling. Little boys with
hipster glasses and half-tucked Oxfords; girls with oversized scarves and mixed
prints seem to be the new norm. Have you noticed how advertisements have
changed?
How do you define kids’ clothes?
