NEXT recently launched a new campaign, putting kids in the driving seat. Sound familiar?! Giving kids the freedom to get creative and mix it up when it comes to clothing is the name of the game with the new ‘Kids Style’ launch.
Research by the clothing retailer highlighted that 77% of parents think that allowing kids to dress themselves increases their confidence and self-esteem, with 85% of parents agreeing that it helps their child/ren express themselves. That’s definitely true in this household along with some easy wins in not having to battle it out over what to wear on a daily basis- this includes daily school uniform arguments with a 5yo!
Next’s Kids Style documents kids’ creative journey to discovering their own style and making a fashion statement in a fun, light-hearted and creative way. The range is versatile – practical yet beautifully crafted with stylish cuts and attention to detail.
Outfit inspiration for younger children often comes from movies, animals, sports and more recently daily lockdown activities such as baking and playing dress-ups and Next’s current range epitomises several of these elements from a design and style angle.
So, to put the experiment to the test, we invited three willing volunteers the chance to pick an outfit completely of their choice and the results were interesting!
Maybe my kids like to antagonise me for fun, because they picked out three beautiful, well-co-ordinated outfits that I would happily pull from their wardrobe. In a nod to my son’s favorite toy, he selected a two pack of beautiful gold/black Nintendo tees – thick quality cotton fabrics with gold detailing that were a great buy at £12 for two. Paired with some denim shorts, they’re a fab wardrobe staple that wear well and can be worn with a casual tee or dressed up with a charming shirt.
The girls decided on matching denim jackets and both went all out with pretty floaty dresses in summery prints and colours. The lightweight dresses are comfortable to see them through the heat of the summer and look adorable.
Feedback from Next also shared some insightful stats – 77% of girls aged 5 – 8 years old choose what they wear most days or every day, compared to only 55% of boys aged 5 – 8 years old; with 35% of mums with girls aged 5 – 8 years stating that they thought their child would dress differently to how the parent would dress them if they had the choice, compared to only 23% of mums of boys the same age.
In a world that’s set out with rules and processes, it’s always fun and a little intriguing to see how your kids make decisions when there’s no guidance!
If you fancy getting involved, give it a try, you might just be surprised by the results! To view the Kids Style collection, visit www.next.co.uk
