My son has taken a particular interest in his appearance recently, which he usually categorizes as either “handsome” or “cool.” Cool seems to be defined by anything with flames, skulls, dragons, or tattoos. Handsome is defined by a more preppy aesthetic, like a seersucker blazer, jeans, a white tee and flip flops. He’d probably love what the little guy in the bottom picture is wearing.

Arlo {via} MensRag

{via} The Sartorialist

Oh, how I’ve wished there was a Sartorialist for kids. {Schuman occasionally snaps a few kids, and as I discovered yesterday, had done a series for Cookie Magazine.} Last week, a friend of mine introduced me to Mini Hipster, which has a section of kids’ street style. In searching for stylish children on the web, I also came across Arlo, who happens to write for GQ. Philip Lim now has a kids line {girls only.} Life in a Venti Cup, now spawned Life in a Sippy Cup. Suddenly, everywhere I turn, there seems to be an emphasis on children and style. Joy!!!

Personally, I don’t think enough parents give their kids the credit they deserve, although I think many are starting to do better at it. Children have a remarkable ability to understand and express themselves, if you expect and allow them to. I think it’s very beneficial to allow a child to make his or her own decisions, providing guidance when needed. They should not be made to wait until they are in their teens or twenties to begin appreciating good food, art, travel, and style. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that a child exposed to and allowed to express their opinions on these things would be more confident growing up and would have happier parents.