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Dressing Twins & Triplets Alike
It's the age old dilemma for parents of multiples. should you dress your twins or triplets the same. choose similar or co-ordinating outfits or dress them completely differently and what affect. if any. will this have on their development ?
In the mind of the general public. the image of twinship is based on physical appearance. Many people expect to see twins that bear a strong resemblance to each other and do not seem to understand that twins can be as differently physically as any other siblings. People will often expect them to be dressed the same and unbelievably can be disappointed if twins don"t "look" like twins to them!
Certainly. I would not advocate parents forcing their multiples to dress alike if they don't want to. especially when the children are old enough to express their dislike about it. But babies and toddlers are another story. and it is the parents of young twins and triplets who will undoubtedly grapple with this issue at some point.
Why Dress Alike ?
The number one reason has got to be it"s just so much easier to dress young children alike; exhausted parents of twinfants don't have the mental capacity to choose two outfits - much less two outfits in the right size or colour that are gender. activity and style-appropriate for the day"s events!
No-one can deny that twins dressed alike do look very cute and certainly get a lot of attention when out and about. It's fun. It celebrates their special relationship as twins and it does look nice in photographs!
Twindividuality and Research
Many psychologists recommend against dressing twins alike for parents that wish to emphasize individuality. For example. Nancy Segal. author of "Entwined Lives." said "I believe that it is okay. on occasion. I would not advocate it at all for fraternal twins. Identical twins are a different issue. They might enjoy it. It should not get to the point where they rely on it for attention."
Researchers acknowledge that the early years are an incredibly crucial time in the development of a child's cognitive skills. Opponents of dressing alike argue that it obscures a child's sense of self identity even at a very young age.
Some informal research conducted by a mother of twins. asking grown sets of twins how they felt about the issue. indicate that it's not really that big of a deal. unless the twins were forced to dress alike once they were older. Either they don't remember. didn't mind. or were only mildly annoyed by their parents' choice to dress them alike as young children.
Certainly. for times when you need to have your children recognized as individuals. I would consider dressing them differently or at least making a difference apparent. Even at school. where a uniform policy is in place and everyone looks the same. you may want to "help" teachers and assistants distinguish your children. particularly if they are alike in physical appearance.
It can also be helpful for friends and family if your children are dressed differently even though they will still most likely get them mixed up and keep asking which one is this !
Parental Choice - Making the Decision
Ultimately. there is no right or wrong answer to the question of dressing alike. After the age of three or so. children can express their own opinion on the matter. They may prefer to dress alike. sharing the same taste in clothing or enjoying the symbolism of their unique status as twins. Or. they may wish to express their own individuality by creating their own style.
Until that time. parents should go with the option that feels most comfortable for them.
Dressing Tips
For our complete current range. visit our Dress Us department where we have Twins Clothing. Family Clothing including Mum. Dad. Grandparents and special Sisters and Brothers too !
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In the mind of the general public. the image of twinship is based on physical appearance. Many people expect to see twins that bear a strong resemblance to each other and do not seem to understand that twins can be as differently physically as any other siblings. People will often expect them to be dressed the same and unbelievably can be disappointed if twins don"t "look" like twins to them!
Certainly. I would not advocate parents forcing their multiples to dress alike if they don't want to. especially when the children are old enough to express their dislike about it. But babies and toddlers are another story. and it is the parents of young twins and triplets who will undoubtedly grapple with this issue at some point.
Why Dress Alike ?
The number one reason has got to be it"s just so much easier to dress young children alike; exhausted parents of twinfants don't have the mental capacity to choose two outfits - much less two outfits in the right size or colour that are gender. activity and style-appropriate for the day"s events!No-one can deny that twins dressed alike do look very cute and certainly get a lot of attention when out and about. It's fun. It celebrates their special relationship as twins and it does look nice in photographs!
Twindividuality and Research
Many psychologists recommend against dressing twins alike for parents that wish to emphasize individuality. For example. Nancy Segal. author of "Entwined Lives." said "I believe that it is okay. on occasion. I would not advocate it at all for fraternal twins. Identical twins are a different issue. They might enjoy it. It should not get to the point where they rely on it for attention."Researchers acknowledge that the early years are an incredibly crucial time in the development of a child's cognitive skills. Opponents of dressing alike argue that it obscures a child's sense of self identity even at a very young age.
Some informal research conducted by a mother of twins. asking grown sets of twins how they felt about the issue. indicate that it's not really that big of a deal. unless the twins were forced to dress alike once they were older. Either they don't remember. didn't mind. or were only mildly annoyed by their parents' choice to dress them alike as young children.
Certainly. for times when you need to have your children recognized as individuals. I would consider dressing them differently or at least making a difference apparent. Even at school. where a uniform policy is in place and everyone looks the same. you may want to "help" teachers and assistants distinguish your children. particularly if they are alike in physical appearance.
It can also be helpful for friends and family if your children are dressed differently even though they will still most likely get them mixed up and keep asking which one is this !
Parental Choice - Making the Decision
Ultimately. there is no right or wrong answer to the question of dressing alike. After the age of three or so. children can express their own opinion on the matter. They may prefer to dress alike. sharing the same taste in clothing or enjoying the symbolism of their unique status as twins. Or. they may wish to express their own individuality by creating their own style.Until that time. parents should go with the option that feels most comfortable for them.
Dressing Tips
- Utilize coordinating outfits rather than matching: select the same outfit. but in different colours.
- Use matching outfits to commemorate special occasions or for photographs; dress children differently for everyday activities.
- Be sure to dress children differently in situations where you want to be sure other people (i.e.. teachers. baby-sitters. relatives) can tell them apart.
For our complete current range. visit our Dress Us department where we have Twins Clothing. Family Clothing including Mum. Dad. Grandparents and special Sisters and Brothers too !
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