Can We Talk 2

Changing Fashions For Little Girls

         When I was young, we didn't wear little sailor type outfits any more. But we did wear a lot of pastels, gathers, and lace with puffy sleeves and bows that tied in the back. We wore buster brown shoes, Keds - if your Mom would spend that much-, and black patent leather Mary Janes with white socks. If you were lucky, you got white Mary Janes to be worn between Easter and Labor Day only. You wore skirts to school and sweaters to keep warm. By the time I was in 9th grade, we were wearing Garland brand or similar color co-ordinated skirts and sweaters, knee socks, and shells or short sleeve blouses. I remember thinking $7 for a blouse was for rich girls only. I was envious of those who wore them. These were worn with penny or tassel loafers. Nylons were okay for school, but always for church, after age 12.

         By the time my nieces came along, little girls still wore fancy dresses, but black was acceptable. I recall being shocked thinking a perverse, deathly color could have bows and puffy sleeves and put on preschoolers. Garland was out; so was Papagallo. Madras became passe. Grown women wore colored glass and sequins on sweaters and sweatshirts, so little girls did, too. Pretty soon little girls wore sleeveless dresses in winter and spaghetti straps in summer. Teens wore hot pants to church with spaghetti strap tops.

         As a young adult I taught in a preschool and was amazed at children making their own clothes choices. They picked their own outfits at age two and three and had very strong opinions about it. My brothers and I wore what Mom told us to wear until we were at least 11. She probably had a lot of influence after that.

         For years now, girls have been wearing tutus, glitter, sequins, and anything that sparkles. Their clothes reflect adult styles with cutouts, breathing shoulders, lacing, and so forth. They don't have anything left for special occasions because they make every day special. I just spent a couple of hours vacuuming chairs, upholstery, carpets, stairs, and bedding getting up glitter from a child's dress who came to visit yesterday. (Did you gather that she gets into everything?) Their shoes and socks cost as much as an adult's.

         Of course, it's all driven by business. You can't have hand-me-downs too many years. You have to go out and buy something stylish. A five year old will be too self-conscious in something that's not currently in style. Heaven forbid that the child should wear a quaint print or not own a few items that say Nike or Adidas. That might affect his ability to grow or to learn or socialize. It's a different world, even for children.