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Amanda and Mia (4), Downtown Orlando Amanda is in Alice & Olivia dress from Sultre Boutique; necklace from Icing; shoes from Forever 21. Mia is in jacket from Gap; tutu from Lulu Belle Boutique; leggings from Target; combat boots from H&M.

Contrary to what we have been led to believe, the battle over clothing and fashion doesn’t begin in the teenage years. Even Central Florida’s 2-year-olds are stepping up to the fashion plate and making some serious style demands. Self-expression, creativity and individuality are all things we want to see our children embrace. However, a line must be drawn when a backward T-shirt, a tutu and a Halloween mask are a preschooler’s pick for circle time.

East Orlando mom of two Jennifer Rey had to get creative with her 4-year-old daughter Isabella’s fashion demands. “Instead of daily fights, I decided to find a middle of the road where we could both be somewhat satisfied,” says Jennifer. When Isabella began boycotting sneakers and insisting on a dresses-only policy, Jennifer beelined for Old Navy to find cute cotton play dresses that were functional and satisfied Isabella’s girly girl needs. As for the sneakers, the sparkly princess sneaks that Jennifer had been avoiding did the trick. Hey, we as parents have to give a little, too.

Dana Loncar, a mom of two from College Park, offers this advice: “You control the closet. If you don’t want them to wear it, don’t buy it.” Dana also recommends bringing a teacher into the mix and allowing the teacher to review the dress code with the child. You know how sometimes kids listen to others better than their parents? So, why not use your child’s teacher as your ally for fashion sanity?

Dr. Sharon Carnahan, from the Psychology Department at Rollins College, advises allowing your child to choose between only two outfits when getting dressed. This way kids are not overwhelmed with a whole closet full of choices but still feel like they are making a decision. Other tips from Dr. Carnahan include making weekend days “free-choice” days, when the closet is no-holds-barred, and tying color-coded ribbons around hangers to indicate suitable clothing for specific occasions.

Making decisions ahead of time seems to be the consensus with most PLAYGROUND parents we’ve talked to. The majority agree that trying to make a decision in the early morning when both parent and child are still half asleep and in a time crunch is a recipe for fashion disaster. While the light at the end of the fashion tunnel might seem faint, compromising by both parent and child, along with a consistent action plan, will lead to no-stress fashion success.

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