Fashion Trends: Children and Teens as the New Fashion Trendsetters

Stop the presses! British GQ's annual Best Dressed list is out and guess who made the list this year ranking at number 26 - Romeo Beckham. Yes, David and Victoria Beckham's eight-year-old son made it on British GQ's Best Dressed list. He isn't the only tyke who has made the media talk about their style. Romeo is just the latest celebrity kiddy to follow in the ranks of pint-sized Suri Cruise and Willow Smith as style trendsetters. Are these children responsible for their style choices and should the adult media be paying so much attention to them?

The Latest Kiddy Trendsetter: Romeo Beckham, Age 8

David and Victoria Beckham's middle son, Romeo Beckham, has entered into the fashion limelight recently with a nod from British GQ. British GQ listed the little tyke as its 26th Best Dressed Man of 2010. While it is evident the little guy is well dressed, even when wearing sportier clothing, is he deserving of being on this list? It could be plausible to include young Beckham if he were a teenager because he could then be considered a young adult. However, the eight-year-old's style is more than likely the product of either mommy, daddy or nanny.

Pint-Sized Fashion Trendsetter: Willow Smith, Age 10

Despite her catchy tune, "Whip My Hair", young Willow Smith is also known as a fashion trendsetter and some have labeled her an Icon. One can't argue that Willow's attire is well beyond her years, yet, it is not sexy or risqué either. With all of the buzz surrounding Willow's style, even the tyke herself now feels she is a Fashion Icon when she got to attend front row at various shows during Milan Fashion Week. However, it does seem like Willow considers herself a fashionista for her generation and not her parents'. So if this child feels her style is more to the liking of her age group, then why is the adult media propping her up as a style icon for adults as well?

Maybe This Little Tyke, Suri Cruise, Age 4, is to Blame?

Of course little Suri Cruise is not to blame for the media attention she garnered back in 2009 and still continues to get for her outfits and accessories. Who can forget the adorable ruby slippers that perhaps began the Suri fashion craze in the media? We must remember that little Suri is not even school age yet and still gets food all over her face when she eats, as many children her age do. It makes no sense to some why she is making fashion headlines in adult fashion magazines.

Maybe These Kids Should be Left to Just Be Kids?

Even though these three celebrity tykes have great clothes, their "looks" are not their own creation. Their parents, nanny or in the case of Willow Smith stylist, are the ones who have put these looks together for them. With these factors at play, why give these little ones the credit for wearing looks they did not create? With the exception of Willow Smith, if left to their own devices these children would probably come out very mixed-matched or dressed as a princess or other storybook character.

Being that these kids are the children of celebrities, they will have a moment in the spotlight because of who their parents are. However, should the media have put added pressure on them and labeled them with titles such as Fashion Icon and Best Dressed?

Debbie Braconnier had this to say on the matter, "I personally do not believe that having children as trendsetters is a good idea. There is already so much peer pressure being put on young kids today, that they are no longer able to be kids. I have a 10 year old daughter, and at a time while she should be playing and having fun with friends, she is more worried about the cool clothes and having the 'fashionable' stuff. It is bad enough when it is HS [High School] age, but when it [is] with young children, it is just wrong."

Karen Bishop also lent her thoughts concerning the matter, "It's not good in any way, shape or form to treat children of celebrities as some sort of trendsetters in clothing or any other area. They are just kids! To copy their "style"...what style? Again, they're kids and while they may have had a part in dressing themselves, more than likely their clothes were picked for them, especially the young ones. Romeo is only 8 years old for pete sake. Adults shouldn't even look to celebrities as trendsetters."

Perhaps the Adult Media's Fascination with Trendy Children is Making Fashion Even More Youth Obsessed?

Last September, the major fashion weeks for women's ready-to-wear presented for spring 2011. While most of the clothing was geared towards adults who prefer to look like adults, some designers chose take style cues from teens and younger children. London Fashion Week showed this trend the most with a display of child-like dresses worn by adult women. Some of these looks were cute and it is not a stretch to see teens wearing them, but adult women in their 20s and beyond would look like they were trying to recapture their teen and tween years.

While Romeo, Willow and Suri will always be in the limelight because of their parents, maybe their status as fashionable little tykes should be highlighted in more age appropriate venues. Youth and parenting sites are the best places for these young stars to shine as fashion icons for their generation. Magazines like Teen Vogue are ideal for Willow, American Girl would be great for Suri and perhaps Parents Magazine for young Romeo. These venues are more appropriate for them than Style.com, British GQ and Styleite. What do you think? Is there too much adult media focus on the fashions that these celebrity tykes wear? Voice your opinion in the comments and let us know how you feel.

SOURCES

Romeo Beckham: Best Dressed Boy -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2011/jan/04/romeo-beckham-best-dressed-boy

GQ Magazine Best Dressed Men of 2010 - http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/110104-gq-magazine-best-dressed-men-of-201.aspx

Suri Cruise Becomes a Style Icon - http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/06/07/suri-cruise-becomes-a-style-icon-115875-21420517/

Suri Cruise Mini fashion Icon - http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/archive/2009/02/21/suri-cruise-mini-fashion-icon.aspx

Willow Smith, Beauty Icon - http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/willow-smith-beauty-icon-2396299

Willow Smith Teen Vogue Video - http://www.styleite.com/media/willow-smith-teen-vogue-video/