Now, I know these little tykes are models and all, but for some reason the recent dress your kid up like a fashion blogger in catalogues & ad campaigns kind of rubs me the wrong way.
Don't get me wrong, there IS something cute about dressing your kid up as an adult or a little version of you, AND the kids are downright adorable, but honestly, they all just look too grown up to me. It's not really the outfits that get me as much as all the styling, accessories, the poses and vacant stares and the model pouts. What kid is going to want to wear fake glasses or sunglasses, a scarf, a hat, a purse, and keep their shirt perfectly tucked in yet disheveled? Only on Halloween is my guess & only for a limited amount of time. I could imagine it gives parents of kids who don't look perfect all the time because let's get real, what kid does? a bit of a complex as well.
* Lovecats, I don't have children so I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Am I being too uptight, these kids look cute? Or do you agree, let kids be kids?
I mean, this reminds me of THIS
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74 comments:
My 8 year old boy would never where a dress shirt on his own, or interesting shoes. He likes easy...sport shorts, tshirt, socks and heeleys. And the pout, only when he is tired...although, I suppose he would be tired after the struggle to dress stylish.
I do like those pictures though! Good looking kids and casual wear.
We should let the kids be kids!!! I don't have any kids either but this is my firm opinion, everything else is pretty absurd to me! They will have enough time to dress up when they grow up... But that's just me...
xxx,
Fashion Fractions
My little cousin does modeling and I think it's completely ridiculous. Shoot I'm a girl and the only time (when I was a child) I was in a dress was for a holiday. Children should be allowed to wear what they want, not what society thinks is fashionable. They are making kids more self-conscious. I find it adorable when a little kid is not matching at all.
I hear you!!! I want my kids smiling, I always think of this when I go in H&M. Well said Maegan.
I agree - kids can wear whatever they like, but these poses and especially the sulky expressions are very irritating! I have 2 wild sons, and I teach ballet to lots of little girls, so I am surrounded by kids at all times and they all seem to be enjoying life a lot more than these models!
Kids don't usually make faces like that until they're teenagers! And when they start, we as parents start looking forward to when they're old enough to move out! I don't like seeing kids looking like angsty teens; it destroys their childlike qualities. Some of the poses are over the top, bordering on overly sexualized.
I think it's important to note that children hold a lot of buying power now. They want to grow up much more quickly than would be good for them. I think ads such as these are a reflection on parents' permissiveness in general as well as the media images which surround our children.
haha, how lovely! as long as they are having fun this is great! xoxo
kids should be kids, right? xoxo
http://some-kind-of-style.blogspot.com/
I think they grow up a little too fast....!
Well I agree let kids be kids (I have 2) but these are pics of kid models so of course they are going to be wearing oufits like this to show off the clothes...Suri wearing heels..which is real..is a bit ridiculous!
I totally agree with Lindsay, and she took the words right out of my mouth. I think children are becoming too self conscious, of not only what they wear but how they look. I think the media is taking all of their innocence, carefree-ness which is pretty much their freedom in some way, and spontaneity away. To me the photos look just ok, because it looks as though they are trying too hard, kids shouldn't try too hard, if adults shouldn't then there is no reason why kids should.
I think society puts too much pressure on kids nowadays, where are the days when kids were allowed to be cute in their own way? not society's way. It makes me think the fashion world is desperately trying to sell to kids because adults are an old market and they're in dire need of money, seriously, the fashion world needs to tone it down when it comes to kids and let them be just that, kids.
So what, now kids are going to bully other kids at school and make fun of them because they are not tall, and skinny, and they don't have long legs, a lion mane and pouty lips, and can't afford brand name clothing?....that are the consequences that I see coming out of pictures (ads) like these, sadly.
I have a kid and I am like 'GET REAL"
my son totally wouldn't wear anything he can't run and play in..
a result of over-styling these photo's are!!RIDICULOUS.....kids get dirty and take stuff off,ect.That is why we shop Le' Goodwill and Tres'Gap.
My son's fashion statement is Thomas the Train(he is 4)
Aggh, creepy! I vote no. To me the poses are worse than what they're wearing. The serious expressions make them look so lost and used. :/
-giedre
www.walkingdotphotography.com
Ugh let kids be kids. They are only sweet and innocent for what 11 years now? They have the rest of their lives to be snotty hipsters.
xoxo
Lia
I think there are a few issues here, one being the posing and I agree that some of these kids look more like disconnected teens.
The other issue is the clothes and I have to admit, my daughter who is 8 would love a lot of these outfits. My son who is almost 6, not so much.
I probably wouldn't be purchasing from these place sjust because of the price tags, but I do love some of these clothes. And as far as the accessories go {glasses, hats, purses} my daughter would definitely wear them. She doesn't have a lot of accessories, but the ones she has {hats, purses, scarves} she loves and wears them frequently just because she loves fashion.
With that said, I don't believe in forcing anything on children. I let my kids be who they want to be and wear what they want to wear {most of the time anyway}.
oh i think they look BEYOND adoro! - my boyfriends Niece was a model for Ralph Lauren - she had to quit b/c it was too hard to go to school, travel to the city for shoots late at night, ect
but i think they are ADORABLE!
*kiss kiss*
Erika
~Tiptoe Butterfly~
I have 2 boys a 3 year old and almost 2 year old. I like to dress them up every now and then but all the accessories they get are hats and if its cold out a scarf lol Some of the pictures you posted just arent right for me either! I have to agree with one of the other comments say we need to let our kids be kids.
I do believe that all little girls would love to dress up, while boys would just like to make messes to their heart's content.
That being said, yes, those are definitely creepy poses.
Seriously that little girl with the huge hat and the dogs is the cutest thing I've seen in my life!
If the child enjoys it then it's fine, if you're forcing them to do it it's not. Neither of my parents are very into fashion but they said I was my whole life and I'd beg them to buy me frilly dresses and fancy clothes and big furry coats with muffs :)
So when I 1st read your commentary, my thought was "yes, Maegan, you're being too uptight - let the little cuties look cute!" But then I looked at the photos below, and was a little scared... these kids look way too grown up. It's one thing to dress your kids in a fashionable way using KIDS clothing, but these models look like mini adults. Fine, put a denim buttoned shirt on your son or a cardigan on your daughter (thinking Crew Cuts here), but this is too extreme for me. I'm with you on this one!
~Nicole
http://employedpanache.blogspot.com
As long as they aren't giving out their names, addresses, and personal info......
Ya this weirds me out too! I am a Mom and would NEVER post my kid all over the internet for people to judge his outfit. Just not my thing. Lets kids get dirty and get get jam on their hands.
XO Lindsay
p.s. As long as they are appropriately dressed.
They are gorgeous, but I gotta agree with you, seeing those pics gives me the hibbie jibbies a bit. Those look like droid kids, not real kids.
Awww...I'm with you. This breaks my heart a little bit. They're cute for sure, but I can't even imagine trying to get my 13 month old to wear half that stuff. He's far too busy to wear anything other than what's comfortable and easy. :)
I totally agree with you and I think making kids look like adults is speeding up them growing up. They have the rest of their lives to look like an adult, I would much rather see kids modeling while looking like innocent children... not world-ly, sophisticated mini adults.
I actually just saw a segment on good morning America last week where little 6 yr old girls were self conscious about being FAT?! WOW- are you serious?! 6 years old...I don't think I even know what "fat" was then. It's kinda of sad that our society is putting such an emphasis on outward beauty and expensive things, so much so that our children are picking up on it.
MOMs- do you talk about dieting in from of your children?? Should we introduce them to our self-consciousness?? One little girl in the segment said her teacher talks about being fat and on a diet all the time....hmmm? Maybe these conversations shouldn't be happening in front of our preschoolers. They are much smarter and in-tune with what's going on around them then we think.
Let's make sure we allow children to be children- don't push them to grow up to fast!
i have two kids, and yeah, thanks for sharing! i've been getting a little annoyed at this too but thought maybe it was just me. kids are kids, i think (in a way) by asking them to pose all serious and sorta sexy or whatever, basically like mini adults, we're asking them to BE adults and DO adult things. my kid would never stand there, with hands in her pockets, leaning back all suave like while someone takes a photo. and really, i'm not sure i'd want her to....
just my thoughts.
I have two boys and they would NEVER dress like that. It's just not realistic.
Let kids be kids. They have the rest of their lives to deal with looking/acting/being a certain way.
I have a girl (3) and a boy (1). She's brunette and he's blonde/blue eyed. I have been repeatedly asked why I don't put them (especially my daughter) in modeling... "she's just so cute." My mantra is that which I stated above.
Don't mean to get all cranky about the subject, but there is just no need. None.
Take care Meagan. Love your style and confidence behind it!
Kristine
www.babyweiss.blogspot.com
As the mother of a 5 year old girl I totally agree with you we should let kids live their childhood freely. Besides the reasons above I think they shouldn't look like adults because one can think that "if s/he is grown up I can do whatever I want with him/her". I don't want to say what it is but I think you all know what I mean. For me such photos are provocating child abuse.
Well...I have to agree it's kind of unsettling how old they look...HOWEVER is anyone else thinking how much they are WORKING these pictures? I scour the fashion rags and they really outshine a lot of older models.
postsomethingcreative.blogspot.com
My son loves to wear hats (he's 3 1/2) and my daughter begs to wear my necklaces and sunglasses. BUT I would never expect them to leave them on or wear them if they didn't want to. It's all in good fun and the hats keep the sun off their precious faces.
Let em be kids! I don't have any children, but my fiance's mother made him wear (ridiculous) clothes that he didn't want to wear when he was young, and it was so bad that he had a teacher at school that provided him with a change of clothes as soon as he got there so he could feel like a KID!
If a kid actually wants to dress like this, whether it's to look like his/her parents, stand out, or whatever the reason, then I'm all for it. I think kids should have a say in what they're wearing -as long as it's not completely inappropriate.
I'm not so sure that the kids wouldn't want to wear this. To me some of these looks look like a little girls dream, something they would wear when they play dress-up. -But not something a responsible mother would let them wear.
These companies are extending their brand to children s clothing and the adverts are an extension of that brand. I don't think they should be expected to completely abandon their aesthetic just because these ads for for children. If you want basic kid stuff, Gymboree and Carters fulfills that market. I've only been a parent for a nanosecond (I have an 8 month old), but I find myself buying her outfits that appeal to me. I love Zara kids because not everything is super bright or covered in prints and cheesy sayings. I like that their ads for kids reflects their look.
I think it is somewhat perverse. Let kids be kids! I had no idea about anything fashion related as a kid and I think it was very beneficial. I was out playing in swamps.
I have no problem with the clothes, but the pouting faces are extremely creepy.
I think you are so right! There is something unsettling about seeing kids dresses as adults. Let them be kids, it seems like adults are living a bit vicariously!
Am I the only one that thinks it's cute? I find the pictures very lighthearted & silly. I like =)
I don't have kids either, but this is just downright creepy. I don't like this ad campaign
No no no and no! I have three children and not one of them would go for this nonsense. My daughter loves to dress up from head to toe but it's her OWN style...not a grow-up's outfit styled on a little kid. Even the colors of half these clothes are all wrong for children. YUCK!!
They look cute, but too grown up, i wouldn't do that to my kid if i had one. I photograph my niece just as she is, but maybe without the jelly in her hair and chocolate on her chin:)
Odd. I get playing dress up and all but the pouty lips and vacant stares kind of creep me out. My little peanut (while a lot younger than these kiddos) LOVES the camera. However her look could be described more as the "OMG! I'm so happy! The camera! I want to eat it! OMG! The dog! I want to eat him! OMG! The remote control! I want to eat it!" ADHD look.
Well, i can't knock the photography at all. The actual photos are great. When I 1st saw the 1st few photos i thought they were cute. Then i scrolled down to the bottom and was like, oh, these are a little edgy. Then i read the comments and got other perspectives...looked at the photos again and i just dont know. The ones at the bottom especially are just too grown up. But after reading comments from parents (i'm not one) all I can wonder is what was happening in between these shots? Were the kids bouncing off the walls, playing with each other, getting restless with all the posing? lol! While the pics are cute, the kids are too young for that and i can totally see how it could cause insecurities with kids who have parents that cant afford those clothes or just think it's inappropriate and wont allow it. The last thing we need is more bullying! My final vote: save these looks for the adults!
I'm with you on this. The clothes aren't the problem for me, it's the attitude in the photos. I like great outfits on kids but it's the smirking and dare I say sexy poses that bother me.
I really dislike these photos, I hate the attitude that the kids are trying to give off. Kids should be kids and smiling and jumping and laughing. These really bother me :(
parents living vicariously through their kids...deplorable.
You have to let children be that children,,,,,dont rush them!
A mixed bag of opinions, and I'm not even talking about all the other comments!
-I think it's good that none of the clothing is toooo unrealistic (the plaid shirt and green jeans were cool, and really age appropriate), I think a lot of it still looked great for active kids, or special occasions like a wedding (the pink dress). The jumpsuit however....NO WAY! Costume only!!!
-I hate 'Licensed' clothing for kids, ie Thomas. Unfortunately, my son would wear it every single day if asked. So he wears it to daycare, to bed and lazing around the house. If we're heading out, he gets t-shirts and jeans etc. He likes wearing a cute scarf, or cardi, so we're happy all round :o)
-The expressions on these kids faces, horrible. Kids this age never look like this unless they are tired or unhappy, and if my son looked like this because of something he was wearing, I'd whip out that Thomas Tee asap!
-The Pink dress and Black hat image is extremely cute! I love it! But I would have loved it just as much, if not more, if it was a smile peeking out from under the brim!
-My son doesn't mind what he is wearing, provided I have done his hair correctly. It must be gelled into a 'faux hawk', in the middle (NOT to the side like I once tried) and I often catch him throughout the day checking it and pushing it up with a 'shark fin' hand action.
Let kids be kids, but don't be suprised if they love a faux hawk!!
My two cents as a mother of three...these ads are clearly targeting parents who are trying to force their kids to be more "model-ish" or "attractive". No boy or girl under the age of 10 would look twice at these ads and have the desire to look, dress, pose, or be like these children. They are clearly targeting the desire of parents to have their child be more like these children. My kids wear what they want when they want and it sure doesn't include a hat with an extra wide brim and we live in Hawaii!!! BTW...Love your blog!
I totally agree with what "anonymous" said above.. kids could care less about this particular look, and its definitely targeting parents who want their children to look like fashionable young adults, and maybe even grow up too fast :/
That being said, on a photography scale, I think the pictures are great and they are definitely artistic... which I appreciate :)
Thanks for posting this! Loved it!
As a mother of two, and a fashion blogger, I think the average looks displayed in a Crew Cuts ad are a joke. My kids at 4 and 6 have very clear choices about what clothes they want to wear, and it all surrounds COMFORT! There is no way either of them would ever keep a fedora on, layer their shirts with blazers and wear slouchy desert boots just so. It's ridiculous. Even Gap is getting a little too much for my taste.
I think they're all pouting because they are bored with their milquetoast clothes.
(Sorry, had to re-comment because I had a spelling error and boy do I hate that!)
I definitely think that seeing these kids like this is a bit creepy. I have to admit, though, I did have my moment of looking at them and going "oh my god I want that outfit!" :)
I guess I see it from an artistic photography standpoint....I doubt these little tykes are hating this, but even if they did, it's just a little shoot. It'll be okay...
I agree...I'm a little creeped out by it.
And I just scanned the photos again...NOT one of the kids is cracks a smile. NOT ONE!
Is that what bloggers (including me) do?
I'm gonna make it an effort to smile more! LOL! I don't want "looking sad" to be my legacy!!! LOL
It's funny. One person commented that they though the little girl with the big hat and fake dogs was adorable... my thought is that she looked unhappy. I believe in children being children. I am not a mother yet either, but I relished my childhood. The freedom, the innocence, the completely carefree feeling that comes with not caring how you look when you leave the house :) I respect others' opinions, however I want my (future) children to delve into childhood without abandon, with smiles, mismatching socks and mud pies.
I have a 5 year old girl, and a 4 year old boy. She dresses like this daily(her clothes are slightly "younger" though- I enforce a strict age appropriate rule)She is always in my closet. She left this morning with a scarf and a pink fedora. She chooses this, and it is how she feels comfortable. If I have a camera, she loves to pose. My son? T-shirt and basketball shorts. Daily. I'm on the fence. I agree some of the kids look too adult in these pics, at the same time- for mine... it is done solely by her, on her own creativity, by clothes I approved and paid for- she shops for herself, although I have veto power. She chooses what she will wear every day. So who's to say? Would it take away from her if I dressed her only in osh kosh? Oh, and she plays organized basketball... in a tutu.
Longtime reader, don't comment much, but I had to on this one. I COMPLETELY agree with you, and then some. This is gross! Creepy and not cute and borderline as trashy as kiddie pageants. Ew.
Thanks for commenting on this. I don't have kids either but have strong opinions (obviously!) on things like this. Let kids be kids is right! Totally weird and inappropriate.
End of rant.
LOVE your blog!!
Emily
Might be in the minority here. But I am a mother & I love the looks. I actually don't see anything wrong with them at all. And I just added all the boy looks to my pinterest style inspiration board for my son. Because as far as I see it. I still have another 15 years to control, I mean suggest what he wears
i'm so with you! while these kids are obviously stylish, super cute and pose better than i ever could, they look like a bunch of snobby biatches! HA! yes i just called children that. i guess i like my kids to smile...that is if i had any kids.
btw good call on the camp counselor reason behind me not wanting kids. i never thought of it that way but yea i can see it now.
I think its cute how they are making light of blogger poses and faces.
It's a little weird to see these kids look so serious and slouchy. As someone else pointed out, they look like sulky teenagers! I would love to see them smiling and laughing, the way kids should be. :)
I totally agree with you 100%. It's so sad that we can't let kids be just that - kids! Whilst it often can be hard to not want our kids to be an extention of ourselves, at the end of the day, they are individuals and should be able to be themselves, not clones of adults. I know my boys wouldn't last 2 minutes in those outfits, they'd be full of mud in no time, glasses and hats would be thrown off in seconds and if they attempted to pull such serious faces, they'd just burst out laughing. Thank goodness!
I agree that kids should be kids, although by the time I was 8, I was already into fashion, posing, etc so if the kid is into it, then so be it. Most kids probably wouldn't like it.
Don't like this issue too. Mostly because there is not much this exact kid personality in outfit - he wears what his parents/stylist give him, it's not his choice. Model child is looking just like a doll or mannequin.
As a parent, I have to agree. I get why they do it though. The pics are great. I can't help but fall in love with the girl in the denim shirt and jeans. Love!
Really good post. And beautiful pictures. I love the kids.
maybe the girl in the pink dress is crying and thats why we cant se her face...
none of them looks really happy to me...
have a nice day =)
Let Kids Be Kids...
The kids looks so cute no matter what their pose and the clothes that they are wearing. At young age they already have an attitude.
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