Growing up, I was a fiercely independent child, and there was no exception to this when it came to what I wore. I was my own stylist. I absolutely hated when my mom picked out my outfits, or told me I couldn’t wear something because I was my own Personal Stylist and didn’t need her help.
However, I now realize my personal fashion choices where questionable to say the least, but at the time I thought I knew what was best stylist out of all of my friends. Although, despite what I thought what was best my mom made sure I still looked presentable. She always said to me “I will never let you leave the house looking like an idiot.” Ten-year-old me
brushed this off and took it a little personal, but I now realize that this was actually a great thing.
Be Your Child’s Personal Stylist
When I look back at old pictures, I never cringe at what I’m wearing. There were no head to toe personal Justice outfits, crazy mismatched tops and bottoms, and thankfully she prevented me from getting side
bangs (this was quite the thing to do for elementary school girls at the time). Ultimately,
though, being a stylist to a child can be a very very difficult thing.
And developing style for your child is a whole other challenge. Here are some tips and tricks on how to be a Personal Stylist for your child. (Pictured here I am wearing some of my personal favorite colors going to school!)
Stylist Tip: Provide Choices
Most children want completely autonomy when 
picking out their outfits. So when you can make sure to let them have a say. “Give your child lots of little choices about things that don’t matter to you,” suggests Jim Fay, coauthor of Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting From Birth to Six Years. For example, give your child a personal two options and let them pick out which one they like better so that they still feel involved in the process.
Stylist Tip: Allow for Taste
Even though they are young children they can still have a sense of their personal taste and what they dislike. Make sure you let them know that you respect their taste, and what to implement items in their wardrobe that fit their taste as a somewhat stylist on their behalf. If your child only ever wants to wear leggings you can suggest alternatives like Jeggings, or bike shorts that will provide variety yet still fit their taste.
Stylist Tip: Let Kids Be Kids
Kids will be kids. There’s nothing you can do to change this. It is important to allow children to express their individuality, and clothing is a perfect way to do this. For instance if your daughter loves her princess dress and wants to wear it all hours of the day let her wear it around the house, so she still knows she’s allowed to express herself.
Stylist Tip: Expose Them to Fashion
When I was little I absolutely loved watching TV shows like What not to Wear, reading fashion magazines, and shopping, of course. Because my mom exposed me to fashion at a young age I believe this was crucial to me creating my own style. To boost your child’s personal interest in clothing, and discover what they like or don’t like, flip through magazines or Pinterest with them, and they will point out to you what they like or don’t like. This will not only make it easier for you to shop for them, but also help them identify their own style.
Keep it sassy, Indy!
Libby, Fashion Intern for Beth Divine Style Personal Stylist
Fay, Jim, and Charles Fay. Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting from Birth to Six Years. Love and Logic Press, 2015.
