'Why I won't dress my Sophie as a mini-me'
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Monday December 21 2009
Caru fashion boutique owner Caroline Daly says her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Sophie loves lipstick and handbags, just like celebri-tot Suri Cruise. And while the first-time mum from Dublin insists it's innocent, she draws the line at knee-high boots and belly-tops for girls.
"Sophie will be three in April and -- just like Suri Cruise -- is really into dressing up at the moment. She's mad to get her hands on Mummy's lipstick, handbag, shoes or anything girly and grown-up. From a very early age she was drawn to girly things like dolls, and now that's progressed on to playing with my make-up and clothes.
"I didn't encourage it at all; sometimes little girls just seem to automatically have that 'female' gene. It's quite natural, really, and so long as it's all good fun, I don't see anything wrong with it.
"I actually love the way Katie Holmes dresses Suri -- though she wears high heels, she also wears lovely traditional clothes. And I could easily see Sophie asking me for a pair of high heels if we saw them in a toy shop.
"But I must say that I hate to see little girls dressed in clothes that are provocative or beyond their years. You often see girls who are far too young wearing adult trends such as knee-high boots.
"Mums shouldn't dress their daughters as 'mini-me's' or encourage them to be fashion-conscious. Sophie's my first so I haven't had to deal with anything like that yet -- and I really hope I don't have to until she's eight or nine, at least.
"At the moment, I buy all of her clothes in the children's section of the department store -- lots of bright leggings, long-sleeved tops and dresses; she's dressed for comfort, not fashion.
"As she gets older, all I can do is guide her in the right direction and try not to expose her to that world. I hope she doesn't even know what a bra or thong is until she's practically a teenager!"
Irish Independent
