The Perks of Neutral Colours for Your Children | AD

*This is a collaborative guest post

Clothing trends come and go more quickly now than ever, and that’s especially true of childrenswear. However, there is one direction that children’s clothing seems to be heading and not turning back. 

More and more we’re noticing the rise of neutral colours for children, not just in clothing but in toys and games too. What exactly has caused this shift towards neutral colour palettes? And are there benefits for your little ones? We take a closer look at the neutral trend. 

Neutral Clothes and Outfit Building

Neutral colours are a favourite for minimalists, and they’re ideal for creating a capsule wardrobe. Capsule wardrobes needn’t just be for grown-ups either! There are so many children’s clothes that are brightly coloured, in jazzy prints and with various patterns that sometimes it’s hard to put two things together. Have you ever sent your child out in zebra leggings with a flowery top and polka dot socks? Having all your pieces in neutral tones can help create a coherent outfit with ease. 

Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance

Sometimes in the chaos of a morning, what your children wear is simply a case of what’s clean. With tiny clothes, it can take a while to get a full load! Having a neutral wardrobe means everything can generally go in together. You don’t need to worry about sorting your bright primary colours, simply stick to one colour story and you can wash everything in one go. Full-colour items are also ideal, so you needn’t fret about turning those zebra leggings into an allover grey colour or a pink floral running into a white base. 

White childrenswear is always ambitious! But opting for shades like sand, mushroom, and grey are so much easier to wash. Plus, you’re less likely to spot an oatmeal spill on an oatmeal coloured top! 

Saving Time, Space and Money

The above is an excellent example of how neutral coloured clothing can be more affordable than buying every colour under the sun. So often, children’s clothing is cute in theory but a nightmare in reality. Hand wash only? Forget about it. Twee designs like purple flowers on a pink top can be a cleaning nightmare, just asking for the colours to run and spoil the item. 

Having a neutral colour palette means you’ll need fewer individual items overall. Lots of children’s clothing is sold in outfits, like a co-ord or a pinafore that goes with a certain underlayer. Having such specific outfits can quickly add up cost-wise, with each day being made up of four or five individual garments. When you need plain tights to go with the rainbow dress, or some purple overalls have a particular matching purple stripey top, it can feel rigid and lead to buying more alternatives. Having several interchangeable pieces can save on cost because your child will have any number of outfits from the core collection you buy. 

The concept of a capsule wardrobe is also ideal for those with limited space. Saving space ultimately saves you money on storage, not to mention saving time! 

Avoiding Heavily Gendered Clothing

We’re increasingly moving away from the heavily gendered childrenswear of the 80s. No longer do baby girls get pink and baby boys get blue. The Let Clothes Be Clothes campaign has a huge amount of information about the benefits and importance of challenging gender marketing. Boys and girls shouldn’t be subject to stereotypes, especially from such a young age, and dividing clothing by colour in this way can actually prove harmful to children.  Children should, of course, be able to choose from any colour on the spectrum, and neutral coloured clothes are simply an easy workaround.

Perfect for Mini-me Matching! 

The increase in popularity of neutral clothing for children absolutely goes hand in hand with influencers and content creators. There’s a massive trend for mini-me fashion, and it can be tricky to match a toddler when some of the styles are so kooky! Neutral tones tend to be considered more adult, so getting your little one to match you is easier than the other way around. Jamie Kay is an influencer favourite for stylish mums dressing their stylish little ones! Their heirloom classics are a great example of muted tones that are still fun for children. 

Harmonious Clothing and Harmonious Living

Some children with conditions like Autism and ADHD can suffer from sensory overload, and clothes are often a trigger. Commonly, the feeling of labels and zips can cause hypersensitivity, but colour and patterns can also affect children with sensory issues. Busy imagery and graphic prints can contribute to a feeling of overwhelm when children are experiencing sensory overload. Many children prefer to wear block colours, and more muted tones are a great way to avoid “loud” colours. 

Having a really consistent colour palette made up of similar colours can also give children a sense of consistency which can help reduce the chances of them being triggered by something new and uncomfortable. 

These are just a few of the ways a shift towards neutral colours can benefit you and your baby while making them as adorable as can be!