He's five years old, should I let him choose his clothes? 2026

Yes...

There is a phenomenon of precocity, especially in girls, in dressing. However, the well-known clothing designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada clearly expresses her opposition to children dressing as adults. He is also categorical in stating that children should not choose their clothes before the age of eighteen, and that if parents allow a girl to decide what clothes she wears, those parents are making a big mistake.

Interesting opinion, although somewhat extreme. It is true that there are mothers who every morning have to deal with a girl who is dissatisfied with their clothes. Girls and mothers often differ in their tastes, differences arise when it comes to dressing them, and the same thing happens in stores when it is time to buy clothes for them.

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No...

It is good to allow and encourage children to make some decisions, respect and take into account their tastes, in terms of clothing as in others. It helps to develop their feeling of autonomy to not be treated like dolls, but rather like individuals with their own criteria. Which does not mean that they do everything they want, but rather that it is the parents who ultimately must always have the last word.

It depends...

But you can always negotiate and try to reach agreements. There are some tricks. Claudia's mother selects two or three sets of clothes for her every day and lets the girl choose. Other times she chooses the main garment (pants or skirt) and lets the girl choose the garment that complements it. In this way, by offering alternatives, the girl will feel that she also decides. The procedure is not foolproof but it helps. Of course, if he intends to blackmail us ("If you let me wear this, I'll tidy up my room"), we will have to be careful not to fall into the trap. And if the outfit you intend to wear is truly shocking or inappropriate, we can suggest that you only dress that way at home, to play.

Whatever the parents' decision on the issue of who decides how their child(ren) dresses, it is important to keep in mind that each boy and girl are a different world, so it is not advisable to do what we see them doing around us: siblings with nephews, friends with their children, parents of our children's classmates... Each family has its own idiosyncrasies and what is truly important is to respect the character and times of each person.

Furthermore, it is essential in the education of our little ones that dressing time does not become a nightmare either for us, parents, or for them, children. Not in a currency of exchange, neither of them with us nor of us with them. It seems trivial but the issue of clothing opens up conflicts between parents and children that sometimes fester. So be careful with your decision. Don't forget flexibility but don't leave authority aside either.