How old should dressing well starts?

If it were 20 years ago, dressing well started only from the moment we can go shopping.  However, if you look around in the malls today, parents have started dressing their young kids as early as when they are born!  Will dressing well at such a young age influence the child’s attitude and shopping habits as they grow up?

pic cr: www.jujules.com

I don’t have to look far, just by looking at my children, I noticed their awareness towards dressing compared to my younger days.

1)      My daughters will ask for their nails to be painted when it comes to festive season or school holidays.

2)      They will point out to girls who are wearing nice dresses when we are out.

3)      They will pester me to buy accessories when they see nice or cute ones.

4)      They will ask me to buy certain dresses/clothes as they form their own perception of what are considered pretty.

5)      They want to choose their own clothes to go out or even to sleep!

6)      They perceived certain hairstyle I tie for them as nice or not nice.

7)    My younger girl even innocently said she wanted to be a dressing table when she grow up! (!?!)

I also have a friend whose mother dressed her up since young.  She is well travelled and her mother loves to dress up too.  Now that my friend is an adult, she is always impeccably dressed and it looks effortless!  With her friendly and easy going personality, she always leaves a deep impression in others and enjoy smooth luck with her career.

On the other hand, as a stewardess with Singapore Airlines for 5 and a half years, it was drilled into us that grooming was of utmost importance, together with the soft skills to shape our attitude.  It becomes alittle tedious on those who never had strict regime on grooming that they will be struggling during the first few years.  You even get picked on if your grooming is not impeccable!  Having chosen Image Consulting as a career for the last 8years, I have acknowledged the fact that people around judge.  Most people won’t have a chance to know you well during the first meeting and it’s your physical self that decides what impression you leave in them.

So how old should dressing well start?  I definitely feel that it will put a person on a competitive edge if this is instilled in them since young and they can focus on that personality, attitude, knowledge and education to bring them further in life!

About the Author : Sherrine Teoh is the Principal Image Consultant with Image and You Consultancy.  She runs regular training for corporations and institutions as well as Individual Consultations on Personal Grooming, Dressing and Social Etiquette.  She is also Mrs Singapore Queen of Hope 2012, Mrs Asia International All Nations 2012 and Mrs Photogenic 2012 (Mrs Asia International).