It goes without saying that if you are raising two or more daughters (and let’s face it, sons) in the South, they will match occasionally. And by “occasionally” I mean all the time. Special occasions call for carefully thought out coordinating outfits from the top of their bow heads to the bottom of their tiny sandaled feet.
Sometimes a monogram is added for good measure. You know, so you can tell which kid is which.
Color coordinating can serve the same purpose as the monogram while allowing the children to show a bit of their individual personality.
Matching clothing on children is not just for special occasions. Nope. My children can be caught twinning when out for a fun-filled day on the town.
For about a year, my girls wore these shirts every time we went to the playground, so I could easily spot them. All I had to do was find two pink and blond blurs. It was for safety, which is ironic considering the words on the shirts.
As my girls grow older, they dress themselves, which means not quite as many matching outfits. They are beginning to express their individual personalities in the clothes they choose for themselves. But to my surprise, sometimes this happens, and I love it…over sized t-shirt tied on the same side and all.
When my girls were very little, I chose the outfits. Dressing my little girls was fun, and the matching outfits were more for me than them. It tickles me that at the ages of 8 and 5 they still enjoy the occasional matching outfit. At this point, choosing to buy the same swimsuit is all them. It means that they are not only sisters, but friends who enjoy being associated with one another. As they grow and matching each other is no longer desirable, I hope the desire to share clothes – as so many friends do – will emerge. But this is so much more than the clothes. They matter not. The clothes are a minuscule representation of their personalities and love for one another. I hope and pray that they are seen for who they are and not what is on their bodies.
But twinning will always be my favorite look for them!
