Dressing our kids can be a little bit challenging at times, can’t it? Unless you have a child who’s happy to wear whatever you ask so long as they can go outside and play, you’ll probably have to convince and cajole your children into wearing their coat or keeping their socks on. With that in mind, it seems particularly important to dress kids in clothes that are functional yet stylish if we want them to love their clothes enough to wear them. Here are the basics you’ll need this winter, and what kind of details you should look for in particular…
Winter coat
You won’t be surprised to see ‘winter coat’ at the top of this list, but that’s because it’s so important to find a good one. You might have to spend a little bit of money on a good winter coat (as even if you don’t spend a fortune, a cheap coat is a false economy), but it will be well worth it. When choosing a winter coat for a child, make sure it’s:
- Waterproof or at least water resistant
- Hooded
- Large enough for layering so your child can wear a jumper or hoodie underneath it
- Machine washable
- Breathable
As they say in Norway, ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather… just inappropriate clothing’. So, look for a high quality winter coat when you’re shopping for kids, opting for something that’s stylish and designed to last. Start by browsing somewhere like Muddy Puddles – the coats are so well-made that you’ll probably be able to pass them down to younger siblings or make them last a few winters. Encourage your children to pick their favourite design from a few you’ve shortlisted – kids like this kind of autonomy and independence, and they’re more likely to want to wear if if they feel they’ve chosen it.
Wellies
Wellies are indispensable in the winter: they will help to keep your little ones dry when they’re stomping through puddles, traipsing through wet fields during dog walks, or tearing round a waterlogged garden. You’ll also find them handy if snow settles on the ground, and many a morning has been saved by wearing wellies to school after a sudden downpour.
However, you don’t need to buy boring green wellies. Opt for something a bit more stylish, in vibrant colours or eye-catching prints. Look for wellies with reflective strips, grippy soles and padded in-soles, and consider buying the best you can afford rather than the cheapest: your kids will most probably run around in a decent pair of wellies while they’re camping in the summer too!
Knitted hat
A knitted hat may not sound like the most stylish thing in the world, but they’re undergoing something of a resurgence. However – it needs not to be the kind of hat knitted by your nana… that certainly won’t go down well with little ones, no matter how cold their ears are! Keep an eye out for styles that are colourful or feature a bobble on top: they’re cute and fun and make what feels like an otherwise boring item of clothing feel very playful.
Consider a novelty hat for your children – you can buy knitted hats with quirky features, like cat’s ears, monster teeth and more. Whatever you do, opt for a stylish design in a piece of clothing as functional as this, else you’ll have a hard time convincing them to wear it.
A lightweight raincoat
Finally, a lightweight raincoat is something kids need at this time of year in addition to their winter coat. That’s because a lightweight raincoat can be slipped over jumpers, hoodies and other warm layers, and is the perfect kind of layer if they’re simply hopping from the car into somewhere indoors. As a bonus, you’ll find that a lightweight raincoat is the perfect outer layer as soon as the weather starts to warm up a little in early springtime, meaning they’ll get plenty of wear out of it – even after winter. With this in mind, just be sure to buy one that’s big enough for them to grow into.