Why we wear clothes and children's clothing needs

When we meet someone for the first time, posture, smile and body language all count, but clothing creates the first impression. Why do we wear clothes at all?

• Modesty: in our society people do not go about without clothes. Young children are not embarrassed; covering the body is something they are taught. Ideas of modesty differ between societies: in one community covering the head matters, in another covering the legs.
• Protection: from weather (light cotton in summer, layers of wool in winter, raincoats and gumboots in the monsoon), from dirt and pollution, and from injury: firefighters wear fire-resistant suits; cricketers and hockey players wear pads and guards.
• Status and prestige: clothes once clearly showed a person's social and economic position, and people still dress to reflect status at festivals and family events. But as affordable stylish clothes like T-shirts, jeans and salwar-kurta reach all income groups, clothing has also become a social leveller.
• Adornment: wanting to look attractive is a universal drive, seen also in ear piercing, tattoos, braided hair and nail polish; what counts as attractive is decided by each society.

What decides our choice of clothes? In India, geography, climate, availability, culture and family traditions all play a part. Main factors:

• Age: especially for children, whose clothes are chosen by adults. Children are not dolls to be dressed for adults' pleasure; their growth, movement and activities come first. With age, peers matter more and more.
• Climate and season: clothes for cold, hot, rainy or humid weather differ. Garments useful only a few months a year must be bought with care, since children outgrow them.
• Occasion: school uniforms and rules, parties, weddings and other ceremonies each have their own unwritten clothing rules. Wearing the right thing at the right time matters.
• Fashion: styles with wide contemporary appeal, inspired by public figures, film stars or national events. Short-lived, exaggerated fashions are called fads; children and teenagers are easily caught up in them.
• Income: affects not only what is bought but how long it lasts and how it is cared for. In many families, older siblings' clothes are handed down. School uniforms help reduce visible differences between rich and poor students.

General clothing needs of children:

• Comfort comes first. Children roll, crawl, squat, climb and run, so clothes must allow free movement: no tight bands that pinch or restrict circulation; lightweight warm clothes rather than bulky ones; enough room in the crotch for bending; clothes that hang from the shoulders rather than the waist; wide necklines; raglan sleeves (which run in one piece to the neckline) rather than fitted set-in sleeves; and soft, absorbent fabrics. Stiff organdy collars or heavily starched shirts are uncomfortable.
• Safety: avoid oversized, loose clothes near the cooking fire; avoid hanging sashes and trims that can catch in a tricycle's wheels; choose bright colours that drivers can see easily; and avoid loose buttons and trims that babies may put in their mouths.
• Self-help: dressing alone builds a child's confidence. Large front openings, big buttons a small hand can grasp, and a clear difference between the front and back of a garment help. Tiny snaps, hooks and bows make it hard.
• Appearance: let children express preferences; use bright outer colours and small checks, stripes and dainty prints in scale with a small body.

• Allowance for growth: buy clothes that fit, not ones that are much too big (they are neither comfortable nor safe), but with room to grow: let-down cuffs and hems, adjustable straps, tucks and pleats at the shoulder, raglan sleeves, and non-shrink fabrics.
• Easy care: washable, needing little or no ironing, with flat seams that last longer, and reinforced knees, elbows and pocket corners. Avoid clothes that must be dry-cleaned.
• Fabrics: soft, firmly woven or knitted fabrics that do not wrinkle or soil easily. Cotton is the most widely used, being comfortable and easy to wash. Wool is warm but needs care and may irritate delicate skin, so it should not be worn next to the skin. Polyester, nylon and acrylic wear well; a cotton-polyester blend is more comfortable than pure polyester because it is more absorbent.