by Susan Lower

Created on: November 06, 2008

As parents, we want our children to dress in style. Yet, it is how we define style that makes the difference of whether our children will follow the trend of everyone else, or that stand out in an expression all their own.

Styles revolve with time, especially with our children. As our children grow, mature, and develop self awareness they discover what it means to be an individual. They choose a particular color over the rest. They have a favorite jacket, or pair of shoes that they refuse to part with, even when they've outgrown it or it falls apart. They know what they like, and what they don't when it comes to their clothes. However, as parents, we need to remember to keep our children's wardrobes simple, modest, and age appropriate.

It's important to keep your child's likes and dislikes in mind when selecting their wardrobe. For example, if little Jane thinks wool sweaters are itchy, don't buy them. They'll be a waste of money if they never get worn. However, if scarfs are the trend, and your child loves them, then by all means, buy two. The point is, you never want to buy clothes that will just hang in your kid's closet untouched. Before you know it, that sweater will be too small, and Jane never did wear it.

Select basic assembles for inside the closet. Pants are the foundation for any good outfit; they can be worn with several different shirts or different pairs of shoes. You can have several pairs of dress pants, skirts, and blue jeans to start building an outfit from. Adding items like shirts and shoes expands your child's choice of outfits. It's best to provide a small variety to work with, and later items can be weeded out that don't suit your child's lifestyle, or can be added to accommodate new tastes.

Today, modesty has become a major issue amongst mothers of young girls ranging from adolescents to teenagers. Start now by teaching your children self preservation. When you create a dress code for your children, it helps resolve dress conflicts later. To determine an appropriate dress code for your child establish what they can wear by your child's age. Discuss this with your child, allow them to have questions, ideas, and you may even compromise on some issues, but encourage your child to create an expression on their own within the limits of their dress choices. This could mean eliminating tube tops, backless shirts, low cut or sliced clothing, or following the strict guidelines of your school system's policy on dress.

You wouldn't send your six year old daughter to school in high heels, would you? Keep in mind your child's age, and what is age appropriate for them to wear. Too many times, our children want to grow up too fast, and as a result we see young children parading around in their older sibling's clothes. They wear baggy, saggy, indecent clothes that are wrong for both the child's age and body type. Maybe they like sloppy t-shirts and lace tucked sneakers, but do their pants need to hang beneath their butts? Maybe they do, if that is the style your child chooses within their dress code.

Style is something we all have to discover, it is an expression of who we are through the way we dress and our lifestyles. Our children are the budding blossoms of their own unique styles. As they grow to discover what they like to wear on their own, encourage them to keep it simple, modest, and age appropriate.

Before you know it, not only will you have raised self confident kids, but stylish ones as well.

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