Should you have influence as far as you kids wardrobe?

Options
2

Replies

  • skierxjes
    skierxjes Posts: 938 Member
    Options
    I wish I had more help form my mom as a kid. I'm 21 and still don't match half of the time because I think it does, but it really doesn't. :/

    How do you know it doesn't match?

    Someone will mention it to me haha or when I'm home, I'll put something on, and my mom will comment on it. One that sticks out is I had on a striped shirt and plaid shorts and my mom said it did not match, but on Two and a Half Men, Alan wore the exact same thing once haha I still think stripes and plaid matches
  • BIG_Lew
    BIG_Lew Posts: 513 Member
    Options
    Parents should be a part of the clothing purchase. That's a part of being a parent, helping your kids make the right decisions. How they choose to coordinate with the clothes you helped pick out can be left up to them. Too many parents these days sit on the sidelines and let their kids make far too many choices.... wrong choices too.
    I agree with AZ.....I have a 15yr old son.....if he's pants hang any lower they will fall off. I yell til I'm blue in the face but needless to say my face is always blue :-(
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
    Options
    My son had a 'thing' for camo. He had camo t-shirts, camo jam shorts, camo Vans. Hilarious. As an adult he smiles and tells me that I made him wear it! Sure bud, go on thinking that way! :wink: It all worked out, he dresses well now!
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Options
    I don't have kids, but if I did I would let them wear what they want within reason. As long as it's age-appropriate, doesn't show skin, and weather appropriate, I'd be happy. Plus, with little kids, it's just cute to see what they put together.
  • Iamfit4life
    Iamfit4life Posts: 3,095 Member
    Options
    I don't have kids, but if I did I would let them wear what they want within reason. As long as it's age-appropriate, doesn't show skin, and weather appropriate, I'd be happy. Plus, with little kids, it's just cute to see what they put together.

    Nothing cuter than seeing the look of pride on their faces. Regardless of how interesting you find the outfit!
  • Deathwithab
    Deathwithab Posts: 462 Member
    Options
    I've picked 100% of what I wear since I was 4 and started kindergarden. This goes for picture days as well . I may have made questionable outfits lol but it's what I wanted to wear . I figgure if you bought the clothes for your child why not let them mix and match how they want to , you know they will be covered respectably so I don't see the problem until they are older and buy there own clothing
  • posesed
    posesed Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    I've always let my kids pick their own outfits. We're with them when they buy the clothes so they are age appropriate. My girls have always chosen to dress conservitive side. My son though has had a multitude of hair colors. He now chooses a crew cut. I think children need to figure out the best way to express themselves either through type of dress or other means. As long it is occasion appropriate I've discovered it doesn't matter my opinion they are who they are and like what they like.
  • SarabellPlus3
    SarabellPlus3 Posts: 496 Member
    Options
    My daughters are 7, 5, and 2, so I imagine this is subject to change. :) For now, I buy 98% of their clothes without them, then they pick something weather-appropriate for themselves most days. They've never complained, so it must not be too big a deal. I will definitely have "influence" forever, in that they're not going to dress inappropriately to a certain degree, but there's a ton of freedom within that range still.

    I don't think confidence comes from dressing in a certain way, or being in charge of clothing choices to a certain degree-- I think it comes from setting somewhat difficult "goals" for yourself, then working, actually working, to meet those goals through your own hard work. People (parents in this case) can help teach, but not do the doing.

    So I'm not at all worried that in impedes their confidence, but I also look at confidence in a different light than I think most people these days. If anything, I'd say kids these days have too much of the wrong kind of confidence, and not enough of the right kind. But I sound like an old lady when I say things about 'kids these days', so I should just zip it. LOL
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    Options
    I don't have kids, but if I did I would let them wear what they want within reason. As long as it's age-appropriate, doesn't show skin, and weather appropriate, I'd be happy. Plus, with little kids, it's just cute to see what they put together.

    Nothing cuter than seeing the look of pride on their faces. Regardless of how interesting you find the outfit!

    Agree with the above -- but I do retain veto power. Usually only exercise it for weather, occasionally while shopping.
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Options
    My girls are free to choose their own clothes, BUT

    1) they have to match. That's the way they learn. If it doesn't match, I send them back to the drawing board and let them choose something else.

    2) The outfit needs to be appropriate for the occasion. If we're going to church, it needs to be dressy and tidy. If it's a play event, then they need to choose accordingly and not come out with something that shouldn't be worn to roll around on the ground.

    I think it lets them learn what's appropriate and respectable and still have control over the other variables.

    Totally agree with this. . I like for my daughters clothes to be matching. . call it my OCD. . . but like prints and stripes definitely a no. . . When that was a fad for a while in the clothing industry it made me crazy. . .
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
    Options
    i'm happy to let the little things slide and will enforce my authority when they want to wear micro minis and expose parts that they shouldn't be exposing.

    as long as they are dressed appropriately for the weather and aren't wearing tank tops in the middle of winter, the style doesn't bother me yet. when they get boobs and start getting noticed by boys, i will be trying to keep them more appropriate.
  • ChristineMarie89
    ChristineMarie89 Posts: 1,142 Member
    Options
    they can chose their own wardrobe as long as they are dressing appropriate...for example my almost 5 yr old wanted to get a halloween costume that was from those little "monster high" zombie barbie like dolls.... there was no way in hellz she was going to wear a tight black mini skirt and a barely there shirt that they called a "mermaid"
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    Options
    As long as the clothes are clean and age appropriate my kids can dress however they want.

    This. Sometimes my daughter wants to go out in her favorite leggings and her favorite shirt -- both cute items, but together they look kind of trashy because of the way they fit. So I will make her change, or put a skirt over the leggings. Otherwise, as long as they're not showing things they shouldn't be showing, and it's something that's relatively appropriate for the weather, I keep my mouth shut. Which is why my son regularly wears his pants backwards with a shirt that doesn't match, and my daughter tends to wear bright pink leggings with a yellow dress and a blue sweater over the whole thing.
  • kmbrooks15
    kmbrooks15 Posts: 941 Member
    Options
    My almost 14 year old son has developmental delays (he's adopted and biological mom was a drug user). He will come out and ask me if his clothes match, and when I tell him they don't, he gets mad. It's funny because I'm not telling him he can't wear them. He asked, then gets mad at the answer.

    My daughter is almost 13 (going on 25!). We are starting to have a few battles about clothing, but I don't allow her to buy anything that is inappropriate to begin with. Thankfully, my family supports this and won't buy her anything that is inappropriate either. That solves most of the battles. She does come up with some interesting combinations...sometimes I think, "Wow, honey, how do you not get made fun of in that outfit?!" But I don't say anything unless she asks. When she does, I'll be honest with her, but as long as the clothing is appropriate for the occasion and doesn't expose body parts best left covered, then it's fine.
  • MrsNoir
    MrsNoir Posts: 236 Member
    Options
    My theory: as long as they are clean, and appropriate (no excessive skin, otherwise hidden body parts exposed), then I am totally fine with the self expression. On a different note, my three year old likes to pick out his clothes, so I choose three outfits ( bottoms, tops) that will match in any combination, then let him pick from those. I'm happy he matches, and he is happy he gets to be independent. My 12 year old does pretty dern good for her age, although I question some of the color combinations, etc. . . Good luck!

    Lol.. that's a great idea, I might end up doing that, letting him chose among the things I have already chosen for him. So far I'm enjoying so much to dress him cute, however sometimes I have to fit in other clothes he got as presents to please the people that bought it for him, and it's annoying, although sometimes is cool to have those clothes to let him wear them at home, and keep the cool one for going out :D. I'll try to make sure he knows what matches with what, lol.. or I'll try, easier said than done, I bet :D
  • MrsNoir
    MrsNoir Posts: 236 Member
    Options
    My theory: as long as they are clean, and appropriate (no excessive skin, otherwise hidden body parts exposed), then I am totally fine with the self expression. On a different note, my three year old likes to pick out his clothes, so I choose three outfits ( bottoms, tops) that will match in any combination, then let him pick from those. I'm happy he matches, and he is happy he gets to be independent. My 12 year old does pretty dern good for her age, although I question some of the color combinations, etc. . . Good luck!

    Lol.. that's a great idea, I might end up doing that, letting him chose among the things I have already chosen for him. So far I'm enjoying so much to dress him cute, however sometimes I have to fit in other clothes he got as presents to please the people that bought it for him, and it's annoying, although sometimes is cool to have those clothes to let him wear them at home, and keep the cool one for going out :D. I'll try to make sure he knows what matches with what, lol.. or I'll try, easier said than done, I bet :D
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    Options
    Unless we have somewhere to be together, I let them wear what they want. But they're boys. What they want is usually just ugly. I pick out awesome shirts (this is their opinion of the shirts, I swear) for them when I'm out, they just put on board shorts or something and call it a day. As long as they hate shopping, Dear Ol' Mom is picking out the shirts.

    Had to throw this in:
    I got them In And Out shirts when I was out in Cali because they don't exist in Florida. So my older son's wearing it on a quick trip to Target. He was stopped by a dude on the way out asking about whether they had In and Out here yet. The next time he wore it he was stopped by two guys. So my younger son says, "Your shirt attracts men." Neither of them will wear the shirts now.
  • Iamfit4life
    Iamfit4life Posts: 3,095 Member
    Options
    Unless we have somewhere to be together, I let them wear what they want. But they're boys. What they want is usually just ugly. I pick out awesome shirts (this is their opinion of the shirts, I swear) for them when I'm out, they just put on board shorts or something and call it a day. As long as they hate shopping, Dear Ol' Mom is picking out the shirts.

    Had to throw this in:
    I got them In And Out shirts when I was out in Cali because they don't exist in Florida. So my older son's wearing it on a quick trip to Target. He was stopped by a dude on the way out asking about whether they had In and Out here yet. The next time he wore it he was stopped by two guys. So my younger son says, "Your shirt attracts men." Neither of them will wear the shirts now.

    lol that's a funny story.
  • MrsJax11
    MrsJax11 Posts: 354 Member
    Options
    My theory: as long as they are clean, and appropriate (no excessive skin, otherwise hidden body parts exposed), then I am totally fine with the self expression. On a different note, my three year old likes to pick out his clothes, so I choose three outfits ( bottoms, tops) that will match in any combination, then let him pick from those. I'm happy he matches, and he is happy he gets to be independent. My 12 year old does pretty dern good for her age, although I question some of the color combinations, etc. . . Good luck!

    This is good advice! As long as the T & A are covered on those kids and they are clean, let them go for it. I hate seeing cleavage and crack, whether on adults or teenagers...sadly, I work in a HS and see too much of both!
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Options
    Unless we have somewhere to be together, I let them wear what they want. But they're boys. What they want is usually just ugly. I pick out awesome shirts (this is their opinion of the shirts, I swear) for them when I'm out, they just put on board shorts or something and call it a day. As long as they hate shopping, Dear Ol' Mom is picking out the shirts.

    Had to throw this in:
    I got them In And Out shirts when I was out in Cali because they don't exist in Florida. So my older son's wearing it on a quick trip to Target. He was stopped by a dude on the way out asking about whether they had In and Out here yet. The next time he wore it he was stopped by two guys. So my younger son says, "Your shirt attracts men." Neither of them will wear the shirts now.

    lol that's a funny story.

    Gosh that is great. . totally made me laugh.

Categories