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My 8 year old girls have been picking out their clothes for some time now but they still come downstairs with "Does this go?" or "Does this clash?"
How do you explain which colors go together, what clash is and other questions about clothes. I don't care too much about clothes, have never been into fads or trends but I want to dress appropriately and I want our daughters to gain confidence in picking out their own outfits.
I guess it just takes some time and experience but tonight I was asked to explain clash. One came down stairs with burgundy pants and a deep purple top. Strangely they blended just beautifully and I complimented her on her eye even tho is sounds like these colors would not "go".
The other has a hard time with 1 piece of her outfit has to be solid color if the other is a pattern or print. On the weekends when we are not leaving the house I don't say a word but I'm wondering if I'm doing a disservice to them by not pointing out the flaws in their choices.
My mom taught me about "fashion" by buying me things that coordinated in the first place. Matching outfits, OR color-coordinated outfits - mix and match. Back then, Hang Ten was "the" label for all the cool kids, and everything they made, went well with everything else they made. It just wasn't possible to make a mistake. And so we learned what we liked best, and that "became" our fashion statement, til we got bored with that set of designs and moved on to another.
We also generally didn't pick out our own outfits, but rather, mom let us choose between a couple of outfits. "The green dress with the white tights and the maryjanes? Or, the red patterned dress with the black tights and oxfords?" At that age we still were required to wear dresses or skirts to school (that was back in the late 1960's).
My daughter does the same thing. She is 10. She picks out clothes she really likes, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. If it needs to be changed, we look at choices and decide what will work best. She is getting the hang of it and has fewer crazy outfits. She just got a super cute pair of brown and pink shoes. She wants to wear them with everything.
I'd encourage the creative mixing (but talk about it, too)! Maybe get a color wheel or something and talk about color theory, but at the same time, it's nice to see kids having the chance to get creative and to develop their own eye. You could also start looking at color combinations you see out in public (including things you see in nature) and talking about how different colors relate. And don't worry so much about the pattern mixing, either; when done right mixing patterns can look great! (and is very chic) And if not, well, everyone has some fashion moments that they'd rather forget. Better to get practice and confidence now while still young. I wish I still had the confidence that I had when I was younger. You could check out some books at the library, too, if they're really into it; besides the fashion section, there's always good books about color in the interior design areas. I think it's neat that they're into it; you didn't ask for this advice, and while I've worked with young girls before I've never been a parent to one, I'd also take any opportunities that come along (while looking at magazines, etc.) to talk about how to look at magazine or pop culture fashion versus what is appropriate for everyday wear.
I asked our grown daughter if she remembers how I taught her and she couldn't really but does remember the 1 piece needs to be a solid rule. Also I was sewing almost all of her clothes when she was in elementary school and she was around alot of fabrics, trims, patterns, and she would match threads with fabric for me. She says that helped with her color sense.These two girls have more clothes than 1 kid and they are all in one closet. So many pieces may be making it difficult for them but I don't really think that is the problem. They don't have ownership of anything other than shoes. In other words they share everything.
It dawns on me now that they are more aware of their choices and what other kids are wearing and they don't want to make a mistake. Believe me I see all manner of styles, condition and choices in school clothes so I doubt anything they wear would not fit in.
Yesterday we went to Kohl's where we picked possible outfits based on colors and textures and they liked that game. We all certainly know you can't say "all pinks go together" so we're talking about shades and intensity and hues. A color wheel is helping as are some paint cards from home depot. I don't want them at this age to think fashion is so important and set them off on a appearance or fashion course. I'm hoping for more depth and thoughtfullness in their interests.
My mom taught me about "fashion" by buying me things that coordinated in the first place. Matching outfits, OR color-coordinated outfits - mix and match. Back then, Hang Ten was "the" label for all the cool kids, and everything they made, went well with everything else they made. It just wasn't possible to make a mistake. And so we learned what we liked best, and that "became" our fashion statement, til we got bored with that set of designs and moved on to another.
We also generally didn't pick out our own outfits, but rather, mom let us choose between a couple of outfits. "The green dress with the white tights and the maryjanes? Or, the red patterned dress with the black tights and oxfords?" At that age we still were required to wear dresses or skirts to school (that was back in the late 1960's).
I must confess, I raised a "Gymboree" baby and was matching her from head to toe at an early age. She had an eye for color coordinates at an early age, thanks to my obsession. Before uniform, I would give her a choice of what to wear. By K-5, she was in uniform for school, so not much of a decision to make other that shirt color. As she grew, she learned her own fashion loving American Girl clothes, Limited Too and Justice Quest. It was a sad day to me when she no longer liked dresses, except for special occassions. Now at 14 1/2, anything Hollister is cool.
I think it is a learned process and some kids just learn it faster then others. Our twins cared that their clothes matched so they would always double check with me. Our oldest didn't so he would come out of his room in the morning and I would say "try again" or "put on your blue shirt with those pants". DD would look at DH and tell him to "try again" . I think it does a huge disservice to your kids NOT to teach them out to put an outfit together. They WILL get teased at school if they go to school in plaid pants and a flowered shirt or wearing colors that don't go together. Why set them up for that?
See, we had kids in our school who would -intentionally- put together insane color combos, or plaid pants with flowered shirts. It was a fashion statement of its own, similar to how baggies are today. The crowd I hung out with was mostly the "let's write Led Zep and the YES band logo on our ripped flare-leg jeans" crew.
What's sad, is that we force kids to conform at such an early age, and then have to work overtime to encourage creativity when they get older. Kids are so creative when they're young. They become less creative when they're told "no, you cannot wear white in winter." Why not? Says who? What ninny came up with that idea? White is the color of snow. Which - occurs in the winter. White is a perfectly lovely color for winter. Imagine a model on a mountaintop, wearing black pants, a black scarf, black-rim sun glasses, and a frosty white fur (or fake fur if you have issues) coat, staring up at a snow-capped ridge, with a white wolf in the distance staring at her.
What a striking picture that would make. And yet, we tell our children "no white in winter." And they grow up repeating this to themselves, until they believe in their heart of hearts that white in winter is evil.
Personally, I like that kids know HOW to coordinate colors and patterns properly, but they should not be forced to forget their creativity. If they get to be 12, 13 years old, have demonstrated that they know about solid tops with patterned skirts and whatever else...and decide one day that they want to wear plaid pants with a flowered top, then don't try and stop them.
My 8 year old girls have been picking out their clothes for some time now but they still come downstairs with "Does this go?" or "Does this clash?"
How do you explain which colors go together, what clash is and other questions about clothes. I don't care too much about clothes, have never been into fads or trends but I want to dress appropriately and I want our daughters to gain confidence in picking out their own outfits.
I guess it just takes some time and experience but tonight I was asked to explain clash. One came down stairs with burgundy pants and a deep purple top. Strangely they blended just beautifully and I complimented her on her eye even tho is sounds like these colors would not "go".
The other has a hard time with 1 piece of her outfit has to be solid color if the other is a pattern or print. On the weekends when we are not leaving the house I don't say a word but I'm wondering if I'm doing a disservice to them by not pointing out the flaws in their choices.
Any comments?
This is a cute thread! I remember (I have pictures!) of me wearing yellow and green stripped pants with a blue and red flowered top---big flowers! It was my favorite 'outfit' when I was little. Darn glad my mother didn't 'straighten me out' and make me change my clothes! LOL
Somewhere along the line, somebody told me that I needed to match, and I became fashion challenged for years as an adult because I was obcessed with colors matching---thinking I needed to find the exact shade of a color to match a color in another clothing's pattern. Oh, yeah! I matched! I overly matched! Matchy, matchy is NOT fashionable! LOL
The best thing that ever happened to everyday fashion was that show "What Not To Wear." That's where I learned about basic colors---colors that go with everything. Now I know anything matches navy, kaki, brown, etc. You can match that purple top with any of those color pants. I no longer look matchy, matchy. I actually I have fashion sense now!
I can see the right shades of burgundy and purple going together. Afterall certain shades of burgundy and pink go well together. I don't think you're doing your kids a disservice. I think you're allowing them to grow and be creative. Overly focusing on matching is what destroyed my sense of fashion for years.
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One came down stairs with burgundy pants and a deep purple top. Strangely they blended just beautifully and I complimented her on her eye even tho is sounds like these colors would not "go".
but I'm wondering if I'm doing a disservice to them by not pointing out the flaws in their choices.
Before uniform, I would give her a choice of what to wear. By K-5, she was in uniform for school, so not much of a decision to make other that shirt color. As she grew, she learned her own fashion loving American Girl clothes, Limited Too and Justice Quest. It was a sad day to me when she no longer liked dresses, except for special occassions. Now at 14 1/2, anything Hollister is cool.
. I think it does a huge disservice to your kids NOT to teach them out to put an outfit together. They WILL get teased at school if they go to school in plaid pants and a flowered shirt or wearing colors that don't go together. Why set them up for that?
