The youngest members at any event usually get the attention, at a wedding, sharing the spotlight with the young ones is an exciting opportunity. Children are often a core part of the wedding day, bringing limitless energy and excitement into the ceremony. Dressing up for such an event means looking sharp. For children’s apparel, comfort and style are fundamental. Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Stef Grinberg teams up with Lourdes Dingli, the State Manager of Ollies Place, to discuss all things children’s fashion: trends, nostalgia, and aesthetics
As a child, participating in festivities and being a member of the wedding party felt like the greatest and most prestigious job in the world. From getting your outfit tailored to deciding how to do your hair, being involved in the ceremony was a new and exciting experience. As a flower girl, traditionally, your job is to set the stage for the bride, scattering petals before the bride makes her grand entrance. Having an official title and pretty dress is sure to make any little girl feel like a real-life princess, one who feels like she is taking part in the fairytale rather than reading about one. Then there’s the ring bearers; they walk down the aisle closely after or with the flower girls, carrying the ring that symbolises unity and love.
Image courtesy of Allie Claire Creative.
Comfort And Style
Children’s clothing is hard to get right, from fabric to fit, each child deserves comfort and care at formal events. Not considering this element enough can lead to clothing ill-suited for children, such as designs that don’t take movement into account, as children love to run and play throughout any event, no matter the occasion, often causing minor chaos in the pursuit of entertainment. That’s why, Lourdes Dingli says, “comfort, the material of the clothing, and style is important” going on to say that the age of the children impacts fabric choice and “tolerance of lace and different textures.” Dingli has worked at Ollies Place for seventeen years and has seen the industry evolve in real time, through the trend cycles and different aesthetics. One thing has stayed the same though, children’s need to explore and seek excitement. With a focus on stylish outfits for any occasion, Ollies Place offers formal attire from Prem to twelve years’ old, ensuring that even the youngest – and cutest – family members can dress for any occasion.
Although aesthetics and style are important, especially in the wedding fashion industry, Dingli says that the focus at Ollies Place remains on comfort and affordability as well as the design of the garments.
The Symbol Of Love
Oftentimes, the first wedding you go to is that of a relative or family friend, in any case, you’re surrounded by people you’ve known your entire life and a blend of joy, warmth and love. Dingli says that, “a lot of couples have children before they get married and want to include them in this very special day.” As the celebration is centred around family, there is no better way to include those you love most than to have them in the wedding party, standing by you as you celebrate the next chapter of your love story. The role of ring bearer or flower girl is mostly symbolic; the flower girl can represent a younger version of the bride, as the two are often wearing similar dresses. Alternatively, the flower girl can even be a symbol for new beginnings and growth of the couples’ love. Ring bearers on the other hand are page boys that bring the couple’s rings down the aisle rather than carrying the bride’s train, sometimes, the ring bearers are given duplicate rings while the best man holds onto the real ones to ensure safekeeping during the ceremony. Including children in wedding activities makes for a uniquely special memory, as oftentimes it would be the most formal event that the child has attended.
“Families want their children to feel like they are a very big part of their celebrations,” Dingli explains.
The most interesting part of formal wear at weddings for the young attendees is style, oftentimes if the child is included in the wedding party, whether that be for the role of flower girl or ring bearer, they will be wearing an adjusted style of the bride or grooms’ attire. Carefully planning each aspect of the ceremony, the newlyweds often have a strong vision for the outfits. Individual elements are hand-picked and designed by Ollies Place to meet this special vision. Typically, the fashion choices are curated by the couple and the parents of the youngest within the wedding party.
Including younger family members through outfits, colour palettes and aesthetic coordination makes all the difference. Dingli says, “less is more and make sure it is age appropriate,” considering the needs of the children involved only adds to the unique celebration of new family and harmony.
The Smallest Guests
Not all of the children are a part of the procession, sometimes, the wedding party has a limit of the children involved. This doesn’t mean that these young guests miss out, in fact, there is opportunity to still find the perfect outfit. Going shopping for formal wear is usually a challenge, but with the assortment of styles, fabrics and aesthetics, Ollies Place is home to a variety of elevated clothing pieces. Celebrating love with friends and family means that children should feel like they belong at the event. Dingli continues to say, “anything goes with children, kids are adaptable to anything you put on them.” That flexible nature is mostly true, as children are learning about the world around them every day.
Dingli wants clothing from Ollies Place to inspire confidence in those who wear it and hopes that “each child feels special and loves what they are wearing.”