Let Her Be Little, Let Her Be Bold
You know how it goes—your little girl picks out an outfit that makes absolutely no sense, but she absolutely loves it. Maybe it's a dress that's too fancy for the playground or polka-dotted shorts for a family dinner. But, if you think about it, isn’t that the kind of confidence worth holding onto? The way she dresses is one of the first choices she gets to make for herself, and giving her that freedom now teaches her that her voice matters. It’s a small but meaningful way to show her that who she is and what she loves should never be up for debate.
The simple truth is, nothing or no one should hold our little girls back—especially us..
Drop the dress code
Too often, the way girls dress comes with unspoken rules: dresses aren’t for play, and sporty clothes are for boys. But these ideas don’t come from them. Girls aren’t born thinking they can’t run in dresses or that athletic clothes make them less feminine. They wear what feels right until the world tells them otherwise.
So when someone tries to box them in with outdated ideas, remind her (and yourself) that nothing should limit what she can do. More importantly, lead by example. A girl in a twirly dress can love science and adventure just as much as a girl in sneakers can adore tea parties and ballet. Clothes shouldn’t decide what they can or can’t do.
Breaking the mold
Fashion isn’t just about appearance; it’s also about how clothes make us feel. For kids, getting dressed isn’t about trends or rules but about what makes them happy. Think back to your own childhood—wasn’t it freeing to run around in an outfit that felt just right? The one you thought was the cutest, the most you? It lets you focus on playing, exploring, and just being a kid, without worrying about what anyone else thinks. That kind of freedom is something every child deserves.
When children are able to dress for themselves—whether it’s in sparkles, sneakers, or both at the same time—they learn early on that they don’t have to fit into a mold. They have the power to decide who they are and what they love.
Raising a trailblazer
If history has shown us anything, it’s that strong women have always dressed for what suited their lives, not for what was expected of them. Jane Goodall’s rugged, practical outfits were made for adventure, built for the moments she spent studying wildlife up close. Frida Kahlo embraced bold colors and intricate details, weaving her fashion and art into a reflection of her identity, making her craft unmistakably her own. Princess Diana moved seamlessly between polished suits, dazzling gowns, and casual knits, proving that true style comes from confidence, not conformity. And Katharine Hepburn? She wore trousers when the world told her not to, redefining what it meant to dress with strength and individuality.
These women weren’t shaped by their clothes—they shaped their style around who they were. Our daughters deserve nothing less than that.
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It’s easy to fall into the habit of nudging our daughters toward certain styles—sometimes out of tradition, other times out of practicality. But the best thing we can do is give them the chance to decide for themselves. Let them choose, even if their outfit doesn’t match or makes no sense to us. What matters is that it makes sense to them.
Show them that there’s no one way to dress like a woman. Let them know that what they wear should always reflect who they are—not who the world expects them to be.
