Stop wondering where she got that sweater.Photo: WireImage
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt and Suri Cruise are fashion icons. Never mind that they’re 2 years old — parents are increasingly going out of their way to dress their kids like them. This could be one reason sales of infant apparel increased 11.2 percent last year while the overall apparel market grew only 2.9 percent. Whom do we have to thank for the growing phenomenon? The baby-bump- and baby-obsessed celebrity weeklies, like Us Weekly, natch. Thankfully, that magazine knows where to draw the line:
US Weekly, which devotes a lot of space to celebrities and their babies, nevertheless steers clear of naming brands children are wearing. [Editor in chief Janice] Min says she finds the practice “incredibly grotesque” when expensive designer wear is involved. “I don’t want to equate accessorization as the equivalent to other qualities,” like loving one’s children, says Ms. Min.
And that’s where the good ol’ blogosphere comes in. Sites like Celebrity-babies.com tell parents where to buy items seen in paparazzi photos like Gwyneth Paltrow’s stroller, hair clips worn by the daughter of Dancing With the Stars co-host Samantha Harris, camouflage socks worn by Gwen Stefani’s son, and Jennifer Garner’s breast pump. (We know when we’re nursing, we won’t rest until our boobs get the same treatment as Jen Garner’s.)
So parents are sending their kids the message that the best way to dress is by copying celebrities. We hope the next time these folks think about ordering Suri Cruise’s designer pacifier they consider the cash they might need for their kid’s therapy bill.
