Newsflash: Ducks and bunnies are out. Skull and crossbones are in.
At least to some hipster parents who have decided to dress their babies in clothes that reflect their own tastes. Everything from images of Che Guevara and gambling images to AC/DC onsies is available for tiny tots.
Apparently it’s big business too as retailers across the country, boutiques and online stores cater to these mostly affluent, urban parents. One parent said that since babies have no idea what they are being dressed in why shouldn’t parents, “amuse ourselves?”
Sale of infant clothing topped $17 billion dollars in 2005 and is expected to exceed $20 billion by 2010, according to research firm Packaged Facts. I’m all for parental choice but I can’t see dressing a baby in a shirt that screams, “chick magnet.” You can also get shirts with popular icons like Billie Holliday and Iggy Pop. Gandhi can even adorn your little tots t-shirt. And some are downright crass with sayings like, “mother sucker”.
And the cost of being hip is not cheap. You might have to plunk down $152 for a pair of jeans that your child will probably grow out of in a month. Prices for shirts start at about $20. Major retailers like Old Navy and Gap are also trying to get a slice of the million dollar pie by offering shirts with cute sayings like, “Good looks run in the family.”
So why do parents do it? According to Packaged Facts, parents see their kids as an extension of themselves and their personalities. Marketers use a strategy called “parental flattering” which is an attempt to appeal to the tastes and lifestyles of adults. Parents who dress fashionably also want their kids to dress the same.
Call me old-fashioned but I like the idea of bunnies and cute puppy dogs. I can see a child’s character, like Mickey Mouse, emblazoned on a t-shirt but somehow I just can’t see my child walking around with John Cougar Mellancamp staring back at me (and I‘m a fan of his!).
See also:
How To Get Your Kids Clothes For Less Money