Identity: Age

In Western dress, children’s clothing has reflected society’s changing attitudes towards childhood. During the Enlightenment, children were considered to exist in a state of purity, a belief that encouraged freedom and informality in children’s dress — for example, loose, high-waisted dresses for girls. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the early nineteenth century, children’s dress started to imitate that of adults. A rising middle class dressed its children as miniature adults to display social status. After World War I, interest in sports and outdoor activities influenced the development of styles for both children and adults.