Age appropriate clothing

[jocaan]

I'm looking for information on age appropriate clothing.  Some parents think its cute, especially for female children, when a child is dressed as an adult.  I'm looking for guidelines and examples in this area.  
I could also try the library but I don't know if their searches will be specific enough. Maybe a search through some periodicals will have something.  

[clownluv2006]

I am only 16 years old, so this might not be the best advice, but if I were in your situation I would let my child wear what he or she wants. Now the reason for that, is because if you tell your child what to wear, or what not to wear, then your child is going to think that you think that he or she cant make her own decisions, now im not saying to go and let her or him wear clothes that dont fit, but what you should do, is sit down with your child and ask him or her, what type of clothes he or she would like to wear. And if that don't work, then take him or her, to whatever clothing store you usually go to to buy clothes, and let him or her pick out a pair of clothes that he or she likes and you both need to agree on if its appropriate to wear, and this will work, all you need to do is agree on whatever you think is right to wear, and if he or she (the child) wants the pair of clothes, and you don't think that they're appropriate, then tell your child why you don't think that they're appropriate.

[B4Real]

I have a child and she is going to the middle school and she is voted as best dress, and she dress very appropriately but with her own twist to it. Like the doctor said you set the boundaries and if I am buying the clothes and she wants to continue to live under her mother's roof, she will do what I say.  I know society wants us to believe that clothes and the way we dress does not matter.  But it really does.  First impressions are the worst.  If you dress as a stripper;  males look upon you as just that.  Many girls dress inappropriately because they have never been taught that their beauty is far beyond what people see on the outside.  So always tell her how beautiful she is because if you don't instill it in her that she is beautiful, she will fall for the first guy that makes her fill that way.  AND PRAY.

[laura1977]

i can't believe it, there are other parents out there like me that have an issue with these clothes for my little girls ages 2 and 5.
i have such a hard time finding cute LITTLE girl clothes.  my husband went to the old navy to get some shorts for our girls, and we left and went to dillards and spent twice as much for longer ones.  i find a lot of stuff on the internet that is cute.  google, little girls fancy dresses, if you have a little girl.

[Cleveland Mom]

This is a great question!  I also like the response by Dr. Kennedy.  Its important for parents to have standards and values. Its our responsibility to pass these along to our children.  Thanks for the wonderful question!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

There are times when it's useful to seek guidelines about parenting decisions, and there are times when the best guide is your own common sense. Children are not small adults, as you know. And they should dress in a manner that is modest and respectful. The fact that you are asking the question indicates that you have your standards. Let those be your guide, regardless of what some other parents may permit. It may be that some parents permit their daughters to wear low cut blouses jeans, or skirts that are much too short. Or they might permit their sons to wear over-size pants that are literally falling off them. It's too bad that parents in some cases have abdicated their responsibility for transmitting sensible standards to their children, but most parents still act in a responsible fashion and you should count yourself among them, regardless of what some parents permit.