Children's Clothing - Then and Now

My one-year old nephew attended his uncle'sthe social status or aspirations of the parents.
wedding wearing black pants, a white button-downWhile children's clothing still has social implications, 21st
shirt, black vest, and printed red tie. He looked socentury children tend to have more voice and more
adorable. Of course, he would be adorable withoutchoice about what they wear. Formal attire has given
the fabulous outfit, but the clothes made him evenway to casual clothing in all but the most formal
more so.events, except perhaps when it comes to school
If you have never shopped for children's clothing, youuniforms and religious services.
are missing a really fun event. If the children are veryModern children are fortunate in being able to wear
young it's best to leave them home. After all,clothing that fits their activities. This is not only a
choosing clothing for infants and toddlers is morequestion of style, but also of durability. While children
about the adults than the kids.will outgrow their clothes before long, the fabric has
By three, often even younger, many kids startto be sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of
having very definite opinions about their clothing.childhood adventures. For that reason, blue jeans are
Children may mimic their parents' styles or they maya popular choice for kids' pants.
develop their own unique fashion sense. It's commonToday, denim jeans have the dual distinction of being
for children to change their preferred styles severalboth rugged and stylish, but they weren't originally
times over the course of their young years.made for style. Jeans as we know them were first
Girls may tend to be more fashion conscious, butmade in the 1850s, during the California gold rush. An
don't underestimate young boys' attention to whatenterprising German immigrant named Levi Strauss
they wear. Many a lad has latched onto pajamas withresponded to the prospectors' need for strong,
a favorite action figure, proudly displayed his newcomfortable pants. The first Levi Strauss jeans were
shoes, or refused to wear a certain color.overalls. Levi Strauss & Company started using the
Historically boys and girls wore the same clothing,now-familiar pocket stitch design and rivets in 1873.
usually smaller versions of their mothers' dresses, untilBy then, denim fabric had been used for work pants
about four to six years old, roughly the time of afor over 200 years, but it was the addition of the
boy's first haircut. After that, boys dressed inrivets that made "Levis" unique.
miniature men's clothing. Clothing made especially forChildren's clothing has come a long way in the last
children did not become popular until the late 18thfew centuries. Now many fashion designers design
century. Sailor and skeleton outfits and velvet Littleexclusively for children. Parents and children can
Lord Fauntleroy suits were among the first specializedchoose clothing for style and practicality.
boys' clothing. At that time, clothing often reflected