Am I making my children 'uncool' by making their clothes myself?

[pastabest]

They are 2 and 3.

I love designing and sewing funky leggings and hoodies etc for them but I suspect there is a time limit on how long they and society will find this acceptable.

In my head I'm going to be this cool mum who can whip up a fairy dress or a dinosaur hoodie whilst they are small and move onto creating the latest fashions In the seasons colours for them on a whim for a night out as they hit their teens.

In reality I know wearing homemade clothes would have been social suicide for me from age 5+ when everyone wanted to fit in and wear Nike or look like a spice girl in clothes sourced from New Look.

I've always been a bit awkward (and weird) so don't know if home clothes making is currently still a complete no no or if it's more acceptable these days.

I have a very cool 14 year old DD who loves home made clothes. I don’t think she would want all her stuff home made, but it’s a balance. Also, things are changing, and a lot of teens are really embracing the move towards sustainable living and moving away from fast fashion.

Go for it, wish I could be so creative

My dds loved home made clothes until they were about 10yo-but then they loved dresses.

They'd love choosing the fabric, designing the dress and watching it being made.

I remember dd1 at 2.5yo, I'd bought some fabric in the morning (pink ballerinas on!) and she went for her nap in the afternoon, and came running downstairs about an hour later asking if "I'd finished it"!
I made ds a coat when he was 2yo, and a few items as a baby, but little since.

I've only really made costumes (and they're all into theatre since that age).

I have a 13 year old who has quirky taste in clothes. No interest in cool brands or popular stuff. He'd love it if I could sew. As it is he picks out images he likes and has them printed on tees and hoodies.

This may be outing but... my mum used to buy cheap sweatshirts in the same colours as the school ones and use her embroidery machine to add the logo (she also made my blazer and did the same thing). Much cheaper than the school sold ones and almost identical except slightly better quality. Also by blazer had secret pockets in the inside. Then freinds whose children also went to the school asked her for some so she made them and then other people also got word so she started selling them to them, undercutting the (extortianate) school uniform shop prices but still making a profit. I don't think the school uniform people were particularly happy but it didnt affect me negatively at all.

Definitely not uncool at their age, nobody cares what toddlers wear provided it’s weather appropriate. My toddler wears lots of homemade stuff (not that I have made because I’m useless but I get lots of things from WAHM’s on Etsy). I only ever get compliments, today he wore a bright yellow duck puddlesuit and a few older women commented on how lovely it was .

I don’t actually think kids notice or care about style until they’re perhaps 7/8. My older DC are definitely conscious of their fashion sense now they’re 8,9 and 10. So yes, I wouldn’t be putting a 10 year old in vibrant homemade leggings .

I use modern patterns from Ellie and Mac, Made by Jacks Mum, Patterns for Pirates etc so fashionable cuts etc.

Just looked at those patterns and they are awful, they dont even look good or well made in their own photos
Over the years I tend to have made the dc fancy dress costumes and dd's christening dress, but never bothered really in every day clothes as making clothes with good materials work out more expensive to make than buy.
DD is a quirky early 20s and i have knitted her the Neville Longbottom cardigan which she adored, and made the Harry Styles cardigan for her friend .
If you look at the instagram page for the Harry Styles cardigan , over 2000 have been inspired to knit because the designer of the cardigan released the pattern. It is as quirky and ugly as you can get, but has inspired so many, hopefully they will go on to do more knitting
www.instagram.com/explore/tags/harrystylescardigan/?hl=en

Oof, those Ellie and Mac and Patterns for Pirates pattern photographs are terrible. Sounds like your fabric choices would make a better cover pic OP!

You do wonder what goes though the head of designers sometimes. Floral vomit is not a good look.

@FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack

Oof, those Ellie and Mac and Patterns for Pirates pattern photographs are terrible. Sounds like your fabric choices would make a better cover pic OP!

You do wonder what goes though the head of designers sometimes. Floral vomit is not a good look.

I know I've always wondered why so many of the pattern companies use awful photos for their patterns. I'm in a lot of sewing groups on Facebook so you get an idea of which patterns can look good by seeing what patterns other people have used and made and posted about in them.

One of my favourite jumpers to wear myself is the fall in love sweater by Ellie and Mac, mine are all in plain jersey fabrics and fit really nicely.

My teens like me to help customise their clothes but not make them from scratch- favourites are adding pockets, changing buttons, adding a border or removing collars. They do like me making other stuff though - pencil cases with fabric relating to an interest, themed duvet sets, shoulder bags etc

I think it sounds brill, as long as you listen to what style they want, and give them the option of shop-bought clothes too. As a teen I loved the clothes that was more unusual - funky clothes from the market rather than high street stuff. But it wouldn't be what my parents generation thought looked good!

My DC had no opinion about clothes whatsoever until they were about 12/13. After that I think it's fair to give them some choice in the matter though I wouldn't go down the branded / label route.

I'm still stuck on the 5 year olds demanding Nike and shopping at New Look.
Is it a girl thing? DS 5 wouldn't think too demand designer clothes and I wouldn't buy them

Tbh op so many middle class parents buy "home made" clothes I think you're fine

@SleepingStandingUp

I'm still stuck on the 5 year olds demanding Nike and shopping at New Look. Is it a girl thing? DS 5 wouldn't think too demand designer clothes and I wouldn't buy them

Tbh op so many middle class parents buy "home made" clothes I think you're fine

My kids went to a uniform-free primary and no one demanded Nike or wore designer brands, and the lack of interest lasted though secondary.

Now, some wear 'cool' stuff, plenty of teens make their own clothes, especially those wide floppy trousers the girls like, and bandanna type tops.

But very few in their S London comp are into any of the teen-orientated brands like Brandi Melville and they swerved the Hollister phase. Some wear Superdry I think, but in the main they see the big teen brands as a bit naff.

They are more into upcycling and buying second hand on DePop for environmental reasons.

Dd 16 has never worn brands or been that interested in clothes. She tends to wear H&M sweaters. Dd 13 has some Adidas leggings and a sweater but mainly primark

Case in point today: I knit a quick and easy hat and realised halfway through that it was going to be too small. Carried on anyway (lots of smaller nieces and nephews). DS 8 was most put out when it wouldn't go on his head and tried to insist it really fitted. Only when I promised to make one exactly the same but bigger would he give it up...