Matching clothes

[maet]

This isn't really an AIBU as such, I'm just wondering why some MNs have a problem with children wearing matching clothes, ie. an outfit that matches?
I have zero opinion on this. Most of the time babies and kids don't care what they're wearing, so probably don't care if their outfit matches.
Just wondering 😊

I find it weird to care about this as well. I have two boys 5 and 7 and they generally like the same clothes when we go shopping they both want the same things

I hated being dressed the same as my sister growing up so I would never inflict it on my children.

By matching do you mean the exact same clothes in different sizes? There are so many clothes out there I don’t see why you’d do that. Any kid I know wants their own stuff and not the same as a sibling. It’s fine if it’s like a team football shirt but if I see kids dressed the same I just think it’s a lack of imagination. Now coordinating the outfits I do understand (like having both kids wearing red and blue, as opposed to one wearing red and blue and the other pink and green).

If mine were closer in age, I would make them wear the same colour tshirts when we go out, would make it easier to locate them. That wouldn't go down well with the elder ones unfortunately

It's ok if they are younger but my friend had two boys 12 and 10 and dresses them exactly the same. Looks very odd

Because we were forced into this a kids.

My eldest sister always got what she wanted and we had to follow like sheep.

Makes children look like dolls

I agree, I don’t see a problem with it unless the kids hate it. Me and my sister were regularly bought the same outfits growing up, sometimes identical or sometimes the same item but in different colours, and we would usually choose to wear the same items on the same days to be matching.

Obviously it’s a problem if kids are being forced to dress the same when they really don’t want to, but no more so than forcing a child to wear any outfit against their will.

I'm not dead set against it but kids are individuals and should be allowed to wear what they want. My DS refuses to wear anything l pick out or make for her, then again that's a control thing for her. No way would she wear the same as someone else.

To me children are individuals and should be treated like that.

I have a friend who regularly, as in most days, dresses her 3yr old and 8yr old in matching outfits. Her reason being that if they were out they're easier to spot and if one went missing she can point to the other one and tell people, "He's dressed exactly like that." Personally I feel that children are individuals and there are so many clothes to choose from in the shops there's no need really to buy two of the same. I have an 8yr old DS, who chooses his own clothes and dresses himself in the morning in whatever he fancies. If DD was a boy, I can imagine DS would not be happy if I laid out his outfit and told him he was going to dress the same as his sibling today. He's an individual and I'm happy for him to dress as such and he's old enough to choose his own clothes. But what other people do is no concern to me and if you like siblings to have matching outfits then go for it.

God I hated this. My mum dressed me & my brother in ‘matching outfits’ - we’re 4 years apart. We looked ridiculous.

Mine actually love doing this. Especially if they're 'mini me' versions of Halloween costumes etc.

Yes, see the point about being individual, and also having them match so you can see spot them in public 😅 thank you for settling it!

Seems a bit wasteful if it's done for every single outfit? Since you'd have to have two of everything, rather than just having a couple of extra bits overall.

I do think it's pretty important to grasp that children are individuals. If you're dressing them identically, especially twins, it might illustrate that you don't really think this.

But if they are different ages and/or it's just occasionally I really am not going to get frothed about it.

Well my twins have to wear the same T-shirt or they spend the whole time arguing about who has the better one. It’s just easier to put them in the same thing. They prefer it that way anyway

Mine still like to wear the same, but it only happens for parties and meals etc. I won’t make them as soon as either object. i have an issue with others doing it though

I don't like it personally. I always feel sorry for the oldest sibling who has to look like his/her little brother or sister...and then for the youngest sibling who has to wear the same outfit TWICE OVER when it gets handed down! There's 8 years between me and my sister and my mum always dressed us the same. I'm the oldest...I hated it!

Last week I saw a family with 4 gurus of varying ages (from about 2-8 or 9 I'd say). They all had the same matching jeans and Joules tops on. Mum also had the same Joules top on...and jeans 🤦‍♀️

I always think it looks really daft on children who are clearly different ages....but not as daft as what I saw at the school fete today, which was a woman with 2 DDs of different ages - and all 3 of them were wearing identical jumpsuits! Why on earth would an adult want to wear the same clothes as her children?!

Mine used to make us the same dresses. They were beautifully made and always pretty. We liked it.

Many moons ago it was done because there wasnt much choice but now there are so many clothes out there I dont see it as necessary.

Personally I dont think it encourages individulatly. However if both children wanted the same I wouldn't say no

My mother used to put my sister and me in matching but not identical outfits. We didn't like it and developed different styles.

But we managed to buy two identical dresses independently in adulthood.
Never wore them together, though.

My boys like to wear somethings the same and I let them when they do. Usually the stuff we have the same for them is bought for them by relatives.

They spend all day in the same school uniform so there's not much point being that precious about it.

My daughter's chose matching outfits last year (aged 5 and 8). I had to resist the urge to run ahead of them in the street shouting "they chose this, I didn't make them". They were delighted with themselves.

My two love having matching outfits. I hated it when I was a kid so I always give them a choice but usually they ask to wear matching stuff. As soon as they don’t want matching stuff I’ll stop buying it. 🤷‍♀️

It smacks of dressing children up like dolls. I have a friend who does this with her sons and it's very much for her. It's performance, for other people to view - I'm uncomfortable with children being on display for others.

I understand sometimes the children choose this for themselves, but when it's a persistent theme, there's clearly an adult hand at work.