Togs for little heroes

CHILDRENSWEAR is now so stylish, little ones are better dressed than mum and dad. Stephanie Smith has advice.

Some children have fixed ideas about exactly what they will and will not wear.

One little boy I know will not wear any dressing up clothes at all at nursery, while another little boy insists on swapping his jeans and T-shirts for a Snow White dress as soon as he steps through the door.

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This is way before any concept of fashion or style has taken hold, and a good thing too, as dressing up is a vital part of a child’s development, helping them to work out exactly who they are.

Some parents also have very fixed ideas about how they prefer their little ones to look. And, for some fashion-conscious mummies (in particular), this means following the latest trends. If it’s buff-coloured jodhpur-cut cropped chino trousers, black cashmere jumper and nipped-in tweed jacket for mummy, then it’s little tiered buff cord skirt, cream cashmere jumper and tweed jacket for five-year-old daughter. Cute ... but possibly taking your fashion obsession slightly too far, unless your little one really does see you as a style icon to be copied at all times. In which case, enjoy it while it lasts because, once they reach 11, your dress sense will be the precise opposite of iconic and cool. So bear that in mind as you strive for the perfect Mini Me fashion accessory to trot around town with.

Still, there are some simply gorgeous clothes and accessories for little girls and increasingly for little boys.

It can be expensive, of course, especially as children do grow out of their clothes and shoes so quickly.

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Charity shops do a roaring trade in nearly-new designer children’s clothing, as does eBay, which is an excellent place to look especially if you have a wedding or special event to go to and don’t want to spend a small fortune on buying Junior and Miss outfits that they will probably wear only, once, and even then, with much complaining and probably disrobing at some point in the day (which is why it’s always a good idea to make sure underclothing is substantial and unlikely to fall off mid-somersault.

There are agency shops too that specialise in nearly-new children’s clothing – worth a look, as long as they don’t charge too much for what is, essentially, second-hand gear.

The basic style rules for autumn dressing apply even more to childrenswear. Layering is not just a style option, but a sensible way to dress for children, who feel both heat and cold more quickly than adults. So light layers of cotton and soft, non-itchy wool work well, although you do have to keep tabs on where they drop unwanted layers as they peel them off.

As for hats and gloves and scarves, just make sure they are labelled, and hope.

NEW LOOK IN STORE FOR MEN

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House of Fraser Leeds is revamping and expanding its menswear department, introducing Armani, as well as Tommy Denim and Gant World, and expanding its Diesel, Fred Perry and Lyle & Scott departments, among others, and highlighting its exclusive brands such as Scotch and Soda. The new look will be completed by October 1, when fashion-loving men will find a whole new world of style to take them through winter.