luxe kids' togs
Remember the good old days when kids were happy just wearing Garanimals? Back then Tommy Hilfiger, and DKNY were just a gleam in somebody's eye, not must-haves of the junior set.
Even Land's End, purveyor of sensible clothing, can't seem to resist the lure of upscaling its children's offerings. It currently promotes the kids' cashmere twinsets with: "You're never too young for luxury."
Not surprisingly, the trends go hand in hand with an upsurge in adult premium shopping trends. Given the hype, it's amazing that we emerged from the holiday season without being sold pashmina diapers.
But kids dressed as mini-adults, replete with jewelry and fashionable togs, is actually ancient.
Up until the mid-eighteenth century, "no concept of children's clothing as stylistically or materially distinct from that of adult dress existed," according to the Los Angeles Museum of Art, in reference to its exhibition The Fashionable Child of the Nineteenth Century.
Only in the past 200 years have children had their own styles, including what we consider to be classics like little sailor or nautical suits.
The current trends include lots of focus on little celebrity fashionistas like Madonna's daughter Lourdes, who has attended fashion shows with mommy.
Some kids' clothes are truly indulgent. Say, for example the cashmere kids pajamas at at the now-closed boutique Tracey Ross where they sold for almost $600.
But most of the uppper-end childrens' fall feature classic styling and wearability. Where to shop for better kids' and baby goods:
Mischief Kids - Doc Martens, DKNY
Monica Noel at LuxuryFinders.com
