In this series, we’re uncovering important attitudes towards clothes that will hopefully help our children stay true to their style and love clothes that make them feel good. Carrying on our chats with children, 9-year-old Mairi told us all about her personal style, clothes as mementoes, and shopping with her family. Building up memories around clothes, and shopping and swapping with your family and friends are lovely ways to have a relationship with your clothes, to make them feel special and worth caring for.
Hi Mairi, can you tell us what clothes you’re enjoying right now?
My favourite clothes at the moment are a pair of flares. They’re dark blue, they look good, and I can run about in them! They’re really comfy, I like elasticated waists. I like to wear them with a cool t-shirt, maybe with a special design in the middle.
AXC: sounds great! Tell me more about the t-shirt options!
For my birthday just now I got this Eurovision t-shirt when I went to the fanzone with my Dad – we are big fans of Eurovision!! There were lots of cool outfits there. I like the t-shirt for its colours and the rainbow heart. It’s nice and loose and looks good with my flares.
AXC: brilliant. So that t-shirt will hold lots of special memories for you! How do you usually like to shop?
I mostly go shopping with my granny, we love to choose clothes together. We always go out to the shops when I’m at her house. I prefer little shops where it’s easier to choose, not too loud or too quiet. I like to shop in person rather than online so I know exactly what I am getting.
AXC: and what kind of things are you looking for when you’re choosing?
I really like 80s style, bright colours, pop star looks. It’s important to feel right for the occasion – I like to look good for a normal day in town by choosing something simple but nice. Then I can add in the pop-starry things for special occasions! I like to mix and match long and short – so I wouldn’t wear a long-sleeve t-shirt and leggings, I’d have one of them in a shorter style. I also avoid the texture of wool. When it’s cold I wear layers or fleece.
What about your school uniform, how do you feel about wearing that?
I accept the uniform, but I don’t really like the style because you can’t add in cool things. It’s not bad, but it’s not amazing. I can tie my own tie! In school I wear skirts, but outside school I wear trousers all the time.
Do you plan your outfits?
Sometimes, but I also like to choose and change in the moment. I don’t really have plans for how I’ll dress when I’m older as I might change my mind! I like hip-hop, street dance and pop music, so I like outfits that match what I’m into at the moment.
AXC: that’s great, to be creative about what you’re wearing.
Mairi: yes, I like to set my own trends! I go through phases of loving particular styles. For a while lately I wore a lot of tights with denim shorts over them, and a cool t-shirt.
AXC: your mum has a brilliant section on her website of educational resources (bigdreamslittlefootprints.org) with ideas for how children’s clothes can be planet-friendly (see this link). Do you have any tips and suggestions?
We’ve enjoyed doing borrowing days - it was great to borrow a tartan skirt from my neighbour for tartan day at school. It feels new to you, but doesn’t cost the planet! And we made a lovely chart of the ‘buyerarchy of needs’ (buy, make, thrift, swap, borrow, use what you have) that I have put up in my bedroom. I really like that. It gives me good ideas for how to dress!
Thank you Mairi!