"CLOTHING CHILDREN - Part 1 - Your Childhood Memories + A Brief History of Children's Clothing"

This is the first post on a series "CLOTHING CHILDREN".
Do you have difficulties in finding, choosing or buying clothing for your children? If so, hopefully the posts over the next few weeks will give you some helpful and practical ideas. 
YOUR CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

My memories of childhood clothes were of the excitement of going to Save Mart!! My clothes always seemed to be comfort driven and no matter what they were, they were always too hot. I hated singlets and any kind of button front shirt, but I also have the fondest memories of a second hand Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs hoodie which I LOVED!!! I had no idea who the team was, I just knew it was cool. R.

My little red short sleeve summer shirt with different coloured yachts all over it. All our winter clothing was made of wool which meant we sometimes smelt as mothers didn't wash every day. S.

Handmade, a lot of my clothes were handmade by my mum, nana and aunts.

All my girl cousins and I would have the same outfits in different colours or prints. We loved it – we were all “twins”. M.

Horrible, ugly leather sandals in summer – not of my fashion taste. Wearing matching clothes with my older brother. Z.

Having 3 older sisters hand-me-downs. However I got used to it pretty fast. Chopping up and changing garments became normal. I think having started out young with clothing in this way has made me more grateful for the brand new garments that I can now buy on my own. B.

What are your memories of the clothes you wore as a child?

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHILDREN'S CLOTHING

Before the 1800's in most cultures of the world, children either wore miniature versions of adult clothing or nothing at all. The slow change that occurred through the nineteenth century in child fashion, was a consequence of attitude-change about children in general, thanks to many wonderful reformers across the world. 

In the early 1800's western boys and girls were dressed in gowns with a fitted bodice, a shorter version of women's fashion at the time.

A departure from traditional white and black clothes to the subtle introduction of alternative colours and even pattern fabrics, began in the mid 1800's.

At the same time child footwear design and decoration showed more child interest. 

The 1920's and 30's saw change in the design of child clothing itself with it became increasingly more casual by the 1950's. This was partially due to the introduction of synthetic fabrics but also fabric design had become more cheerful.

Jeans finally infiltrated child fashion in the 1960's along with elasticised skirts.

The explosion of the child fashion industry started in the 1970's with fun and special event wear, and the new emphasis on unique and individual design for children.

A return to more standard and simple design with the evolution of the Tee shirt, was welcomed by those who did the laundry as it removed their task of ironing. 

A mixture of casualness and exotic fizz to the full extremes has been and continues to be the picture of child fashion right through to today. Anything goes!

THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS ~ show your kids photos of you or your parents, even great grandparents in their childhood clothing and have a big laugh together.

Cathy.