They're Cooler Than You!

Think you’re styling? Do you rock all the latest trends? You too can have your 15 minutes of fame as long as you catch the eye of a street style photographer. Wanting to create a two-way dialogue between the world of fashion and everyday life, The Sartorialist, pioneered fashion photography blog-style, by capturing images of ordinary people wearing clothes “in a good way.”

Street style is blowing up all over the fashion blogosphere, but just recently the World Wide Web has turned it’s attention to the tiniest trendsetters. We’ve all seen it...children dressed ridiculously well and now blogs like Hide and Go (Style) and MiniHipster are saluting those itty bitty stylin’ kiddies.

I know, some of you might be shaking your heads in disgust.

Are parents going too far? Are we forcing these children to grow up too quickly?  Is it really that serious?
 
There are countless arguments stating we should “let kids be kids.” Children should be dressed in what is comfortable; “hand me downs and cheap Target gear,” but being fashionable doesn’t necessarily mean you’re itching to yank off whatever it is you’re dressed in.

Fashion is meant to be an expression of self. Is it wrong to say a three year has no sense of self? I’m 22 years old and just figuring out who I am and what my style is. Children are influenced by the world around them, and instilling a fashion forward mindset by outfitting them in the latest trends is no different than building an athlete by putting them on a soccer team or in ballet classes.

Although I’m not a parent, I do think it is fair to say that as long as the child is not being harmed there is nothing wrong (or more adorable!) than a child dressed in an outfit you wish you had hanging in your closet.

Do you think these children are being objectified, or are these blogs allowing children to creatively express themselves in a game of online dress up?