Children’s clothing appeared only 200 years ago. Until now, children’s clothing and children’s fashion for girls and boys did not exist at all. They wore the same clothes as adults, and there were no clothes for toddlers at all. During the Middle Ages, it was customary for children to swaddle tightly, so the whole clothing was a piece of cloth. When the child grew up, their clothes consisted of a simple tunic or a loose-fitting dress. It did not matter what sex the child was, a boy or a girl.
For modern parents, it sounds crazy but several centuries ago the relation to children was completely different. They didn’t care much for comfort and especially the appearance of their children. Fortunately, nowadays we can choose not only cute clothes for our toddler girls and boys but also comfortable items made of natural fabrics.
The Evolvement of Children’s Clothes
Beginning from the 17th century, ornaments began to appear in the form of embroidery on children’s clothing. Shirts, aprons, and caps were mostly decorated with embroidery. At the same time, infants were no longer swaddled.
And in the early 19th century there were clothes for children, divided by color. Pink clothes were fashionable for girls and blue for boys. Light dresses with belts appeared for girls, and jackets were designed for boys. During this period, the Empire style became fashionable, when girls wore knee-length dresses with protruding trousers from under the dress, and boys wore trousers with ruffles and short tunics. In the middle of the 19th century, a sailor suit became fashionable, which is still popular.
A breakthrough in children’s fashion occurred in the 19th century during the French Revolution, when the “Empire” style became fashionable. It reminded of the ancient world, girls wore only sleeveless shirts under dresses, and boys wore lace shirts and pants.
From 1825, the waist in dresses was lowered, and a corset became fashionable again, which helped to create a waist. In the 1840s, the Biedermeier style dictated its rules to the laws of fashion. The boys’ clothes were now not completely a copy of the adult’s – pipe pants, corded coat, and hat with a visor.
Beginning in the 20th century, the differences between boys’ and girls’ clothing began to smooth out. The girls are already wearing pants. Among the fashion trends are:
- bright T-shirts;
- comfortable shoes without heels, and
- jeans.
Clothing is popular because it is very convenient for the active image of modern children.
And already in the 21st century, the fashion trends of children’s clothing have undergone significant changes. Clothes become very bright and varied. Outfits with children’s applications are considered fashionable. Clothes for celebrations and holidays are developed separately: ball gowns for girls and strict costumes with a bow tie for boys.
More attention is paid to accessories in children’s attire – now you can buy a special handbag for a girl to her formal dress. Parents are beginning to follow more closely the fashion trends not only in adult clothing but also in children’s. They are more careful in choosing clothes in stores and specialized online shops.