Creativity through clothing

I can always tell which child’s parents let them dress themselves!  They are usually dressed in some sort of mixed-matched pattern, perhaps a tutu or skirt over pants, or some kind of crazy color combination.

As the mother to two girls, and someone who loves fashion as a form of self-expression herself,  I loved choosing outfits for my girls  to wear when they were little.  However, it wasn’t too long before my daughters decided that they wanted to be in charge of what they wear.   In the beginning, it took self-control to keep my mouth shut in order to not try and persuade them to choose what I thought looked best (e.g., “Jules, are you sure you want to wear those hot pink checkered leggings with your orange and red floral print sweater?”)

I know that the child who dresses themselves is seizing an opportunity to express their individuality and creativity through their choice in clothing.  Most of the time children are told where to go, what to do, what to eat, etc., so it makes sense that giving them agency to choose what to wear is a form of empowerment and allows them to express themselves in their own unique ways.

Now, I love seeing what my daughters are going to pick out to wear. Their creativity and boldness to express themselves is admirable, and oftentimes their looks are more stylish than anything I could have imagined.  If you’re looking for a way to infuse some creativity into your child’s life, ask them to start choosing the outfits they want to wear and you’ll be amazed (and perhaps inspired) by what they come up with!

Take a look at my favorite looks worn by my youngest daughter, Juliette. She often reminds me of a 6 year old Carrie Bradshaw with her mixing and matching of patterns!