My eldest daughter is a fashionista, she comes by it naturally. My wife and I both worked in retail clothing stores as young adults, and looking good has always been something that was impressed upon me. My mom always made sure I was dressed well - as my Vuarnet shirt and Ikeda overalls will attest to. The understanding that there’s a difference between looking presentable and being obsessed with beauty standards is a tricky line to walk. Even as an adult, not looking like a frumpy dad is something I take pride in. Just say no to dad jeans!
Of course, it is important to teach our kids that beauty is only skin deep, and obviously, as the father of two girls I am always on the lookout to ensure they aren’t setting unrealistic beauty expectations. That said, it’s always good to look your best no matter the situation. We can’t all wear our dazzling personalities on our sleeves – I’ve tried, but my wit and charm wear out the seams.
We recently did some back-to-school shopping to pick out some new "fashionista" looks at Carter’s | OshKosh B’gosh. Once the initial shock of actually shopping for school in July faded (for me, not for her she loves school), we had a lot of fun.
Which outfit would your daughter choose?
My daughter loves dresses and skirts, so getting her into anything else is a challenge that has my wife pulling her hair out. To combat this, we found a pair of pants that are so colourful they could be a dress.
Outfit cost:
OshKosh B'gosh Embellished Flannel Top - $18
OshKosh B'gosh Puff-Print Top - $14
OshKosh B'gosh Super Skinny Floral Twills - $20
OshKosh Sparkle High Tops - $25
The key to this next one was the shoes. When in doubt, add sparkles. Getting her to wear leggings is a Herculean challenge but the promise of sparkly anything is like offering up ice cream for dinner...responsible parenting. Oh, and check the jean jacket, I had one just like it in 1989.
Outfit cost:
OshKosh B'gosh TLC Paris Tunic - $16
OshKosh B'gosh TLC Neon Sparkle Leggings - $10
OshKosh B'gosh Dip Dye Denim Jacket - $28
Carter's Glitter Slip-On Shoes - $22
The no pants thing is easier to overcome when sports is involved, which is why when we told her to pick out something for gymnastics, the enthusiasm was reflected in the outfit. Added bonus: dinosaur face.
Outfit cost:
OshKosh B'gosh Tee - $12
OshKosh B'gosh Printed Active Capri Leggings - $18
OshKosh B'gosh Jersey-Lined Active Jacket - $28
OshKosh Athletic Sneakers - $28
Though I have nothing against pink (I’ve been known to rock it from time to time), I try my best to steer my daughter towards some variety. Of course, the sparkly shoes are back again (this time in blue) but it’s a skirt, so everyone wins.
Outfit cost:
OshKosh B'gosh Mixed Denim & Sweater Dress - $28
OshKosh B'gosh Tulle PomPom Headband - $7
OshKosh Sparkle High Tops - $25
Finally, we decided that all this hard work and restraint deserved a reward so we let her pick out her favourite long dress (and her little sister too!). It’s more of a summer look, but hey it’s still 30°C in some Canadian cities in early September!
Outfit cost:
OshKosh B'gosh Bandana Dress - $14.99
OshKosh B'gosh Tiered Boho Maxi Dress - $18.99
The best part of the trip was how easy it was to get my daughter into a bunch of different styles that were outside her normal comfort zone. Carter’s | OshKosh B’gosh makes it ridiculously easy. Now, my only worry is that back-to-school shopping will probably only get more painful as she gets older!
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