What do your kids wear when they get dressed up?
Categories: Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Money & work, Life & style, Kid decor & style, Resources, Shopping & recalls
I remember being a kid and struggling with my mother every Sunday about what I was going to wear to church. Church was a reason to get dressed up, but all my nicer clothes were uncomfortable and I didn't like the thought of being trapped in them every week for even a few hours. While I liked the concept of the frilly dresses and whatnot, the shoes and tights were uncomfortable. I couldn't wait to get home to get all that off of me, to the point where I am not so sure I was paying much attention!
Holidays are one thing--kids get stuffed into nice dresses, tights and miniature suits for a few hours at a time, tops. Once they hit their own homes, half that stuff usually comes off and they are free to run around in more comfortable attire. Depending on where you live, the clothes can get more or less formal. IN New York City, for example, our kids are nothing if not fashion plates. No one seems to bat an eyelash at spending $100 on an outfit her kid is going to wear exactly one time for one special occasion. The good news is the mom usually knows at least one other family to pass the garments on to, so the item does get Miltie-wear.
In other parts of the country jeans are seen as acceptable. Throw a nice sweater on top of it and some decent shoes (which for a child can be unbelievably pricey) and the kids are good to go. They're probably more comfortable, too. Not sure if jeans are considered acceptable, at say, church, but they do fly at brunches and holiday gatherings in general.' Given the current economy, I wonder if kids' clothes will continue to become less formal as folks turn towards wardrobes they've already amassed.
What do your kids wear when the go out? My kid? Well, he wears whatever I mine from the gloriously wonderful clothes my friends lend me from when their sons were that age. We have a little network of lending going so the clothes we do buy get maximum wear.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sabrina 10-02-2008 @ 2:01PM
My daughter is a HUGE fan of skirts. She wears them almost every day. I'm trying to get her to want to wear jeans because we moved to a colder climate. For daily wear to preschool and shopping and other casual things she wears a skirt, and a t-shirt or sweater. If it's cold she'll put tights, panyhose, or leggings on underneath. Some of her leggings are thick enough to be considered pants, which is wonderful for all those other little girls out there who will NOT put on a pair of pants to save their lives. For dressier occassions, she wears a dress or a nicer shirt/skirt combination.
My son is too young to care what he's wearing. He could go out in pajamas, sweatpants, jeans, shorts...he doesn't care. I just dress him for the weather. For dressy occassions he will wear a suit, or a pair of nice pants (khakis, trousers, or his "good" jeans depending on the level of dress), a collared shirt, and if cold a sweater vest as well.
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jayie 10-09-2008 @ 10:14AM
My children dress always for church.
Young girls (age 2 to 16) in dresses and appropreate shoes
Young men in starched shirt and tie and dress slacks and jacket (age 6 to 17), just like their father.
They do have dressy dinner outfits and when going to an event, they will dress appropriately.
Jeans are for playing only.
School days are starched shirts and sweaters and slacks for the boys and dress slacks, skirts and dresses for the girls, like I said, jeans are for playing only.
jayie
Kristi 10-03-2008 @ 5:23PM
I'm not entirely sure where to buy starch. I actually looked once (wanted it for a sewing project...I gave up). My iron gets used less frequently than my turkey roasting pan (though it's not a fair comparison...I like to cook and I avoid things that need ironing).
My daughter (4) loves dresses and anything "fancy", but has to reserve her nice clothes for weekends because at preschool she spends her day with paints, markers, and digging in the dirt. My son (1) had a suit that I bought for easter, that got worn at least 3 times before he outgrew the size. He will tend to have one nice outfit per size for now, for really special occaisions like a wedding or family photo. He currently has one pair of shoes that fit him and that he can't remove by himself, so he wears tennis shoes everywhere.
But church? Where I live, everyone wears jeans to church. Heck, at many weddings I go to, half the men are in jeans. Only a few restaurants around town would turn someone away for wearing jeans, and they are both too expensive and cater to a too-old crowd for my husband and I (we're in our 30's, not exactly the 21-crowd). My family and I are usually a step above jeans at a wedding, though (my husband wears a suit, or at least slacks and a tie).
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