Garment Construction Techniques: Kids
UNIT I- Understanding Kid’s Clothing
Mrs. Shubhangi Shinde
Lecturer, Dept. of DDGM
Government Polytechnic, Pune
1.1 Introduction to Kid’s Wear
Kids Wear/ Children's clothing or kids' clothing is clothing for kids who have not yet grown to
full height. Children's clothing is often more casual than adult clothing, fit for play and rest.
Just like adults, kids have specific preferences for what they put on. Some like to wear colourful
and funky clothes while others prefer more comfortable and no-fuss clothes. Several clothing
companies now offer a wide range of trends and fashions that are better suited to what kids want
to wear and that also perfectly complement their personalities and the adventurous spirit that is
characteristic of kids.
Clothing for babies and young children should be casual, and modern, with a variety of patterns,
designs, prints, fabrics, and colours, and made from materials that are nice, useful, and cosy. The
clothing plays a significant role for kids allowing them to express their identities, understand one
another, learn to make decisions and develop a taste for dressing nicely.
1.2 Requirements of Kid’s Clothing
All human beings wear clothing and there are several reasons why human beings wear
different types of clothing. Let us begin to understand why we select the clothing. At the same
time let us gain some insight into other people’s reasons for their clothing choices.
I. Protection
We wear clothing to protect ourselves from the environment – from harsh weather conditions,
dirt and pollution. We change our clothing according to the different seasons. In hot summer
months, we wear lightweight cotton clothes and may even cover our heads to protect ourselves
from the scorching sun, whereas in winter months we cover ourselves in layers of woollen
clothing for protection. Clothing can also protect us from physical harm. Firefighters wear
special clothing for protection from fire, smoke and water. Many sports activities such as
football, hockey and cricket require clothing that is specially designed to protect the players
from injury. You must have noticed the arm guards, leg guards, and wristbands that these
players wear along with their normal dress for special protection.
II. Modesty
Probably the most obvious reason for wearing clothes is simply that in our society, people do
not go around without them; we wear clothing for modesty. You probably know that young
children do not feel embarrassed without clothing. The need to have their bodies covered is
something that they are taught. Ideas about modesty are shaped by the society in which we
live. What is considered modest in one society might not be considered modest in another.
III. Adornment
What about wearing clothes just because you want to look attractive? Yes, we wear good
clothes to enhance our appearance. The need to decorate and adorn the body seems to be one
of the more universal drives of men and women and can be found to some degree in all
societies. Ear piercing, nail polishing, tattooing, hair braiding and knotting are forms of body
decoration still used. The desirability of each type of adornment is determined by the society.
There is a vast range of fabrics available in the market, a large number of which are used for
clothing and apparel. Selection of the type of clothing and apparel not only takes into
consideration the fabric characteristics but also the right style of garment and its accessory
details. Having earlier discussed the reasons for wearing clothes, let us look at the clothing
needs and selection of clothing for different age groups.
IV. Status and prestige
Clothes can also be a sign of status. It used to be true that you could identify people’s social
and economic status by their clothing. You may have seen in certain historical films that the
king’s and courtesan’s clothing are quite different from the common people’s clothing.
Everybody’s sense of identity includes a feeling of social status or prestige, and the manner of
dress is one way by which this can be accomplished. In India, on festivals and important family
events, people wear clothes that may reflect their social status. However, as more and more
stylish clothing becomes available at reasonable prices, today many more young people can
afford to buy them. Thus, as similar kinds of clothing (T-shirts, jeans, salwar-kurta) become
available for all ages and economic levels, these also serve as social class levellers, a step
towards social equity in a democratic society.
V. Need
garments for kids are essential for their well-being, comfort, and development. The garments
provide protection, accommodate growth, express individuality, adhere to social norms, and
contribute to overall physical and psychological health. Proper garments contribute to overall
cleanliness and hygiene. Regular changes of clothes help prevent skin issues and maintain
good personal hygiene practices.
1.3 Understanding Children’s Basic Clothing Needs
Children’s clothes must be suitable for their different activities and must give them freedom
to play, something that is so essential for their physical growth. The clothing needs of children,
from infancy to adolescence, are discussed below in detail.
I. Comfort
The most important requirement for children is comfort. They need to roll, crawl, squat, climb,
run and jump without being hindered by clothes. They need to play without fear of getting
their clothes dirty. Tight clothes are avoided as they restrict activity and even interfere with
natural blood circulation. Similarly, elastic bindings should not be so tight as to cause pain.
Heavy and bulky clothes are difficult to handle and tiring for children. Select lightweight
clothes that are made of acrylic and nylon fibres, especially for winter apparel, to keep warm.
Children need to bend and stoop often, so sufficient ease is essential in the crotch to allow for
comfortable movement. Clothes that hang from the shoulders are generally more comfortable
than those hanging from the waistline. Necklines have to be wide enough so that there is no
strain across the throat.
Similarly, sleeves with bands at the end are irritable as they restrict free movement. Essentially,
be sure that fabrics are soft and absorbent, suitable for the child’s sensitive skin. Organdie
collars for girls’ frocks and heavily starched shirts for little boys are uncomfortable to wear.
Clothes that are too large can be as uncomfortable as those that are too small. To avoid this,
select garments that fit but have enough allowance for the child’s growth. Regarding sleeves,
raglan sleeves provide more freedom as well as growth than set-in fitted sleeves.
II. Safety
Comfort and safety go hand-in-hand with children’s clothing. Clothes which are too large may
be uncomfortable and may also be unsafe. Loose garments can catch on fire more easily (than
fitting clothes) around the cooking area. Hanging sashes and trims can get caught in the
moving parts of the tricycle or objects. As bright colours can be more easily seen by motorists
than dark and grey colours, it is advisable to use such colours for children’s clothing. Loose
buttons and trims are unsafe for infants and toddlers who put everything into their mouths.
III. Self-help
Dressing and undressing themselves give children a feeling of confidence and self-reliance.
Many of children’s clothes are too difficult to put on or take off by the children themselves.
Remember, it becomes frustrating for a child who wants to dress on her/his own. The most
essential self-help feature is the opening in a dress. This must be large enough so that the child
can get in and out of the garment easily. Front openings are easier to handle. Buttons should
be large enough to be grasped by a child’s hand. The front and back sides of the dress should
look different so that the child can learn to identify it easily. Small snaps, hooks and eyes,
bows tied at the waist or the neck and small buttons with thread loops retard the self-help
features in a dress.
IV. Allowance for Growth
Children’s clothing should have an allowance for growth, especially in length. It is not
advisable to buy a much larger size as they are neither comfortable nor safe. It is better to
choose clothes to fit with the provision to increase length. Select fabrics which do not shrink.
Trousers can have cuffs at the hemline which can be later let down to increase the leg length.
Adjustable straps on skirts are a must. Raglan sleeves allow for growth better than set-in
sleeves. Tucks and pleats at the shoulder line can allow for increasing width.
V. Easy care
Children are happier if they do not have to be worried about getting their clothes dirty. Even
mothers appreciate easy-care clothes, ones which can be easily washed and need little or no
ironing. Flat seams are essential as they wear longer than plain seams. Areas of strain as knees,
pocket corners and elbows can be reinforced.
1.4 History of Kid’s Clothing
Children, regardless of gender, shared styles and cuts before the twentieth century. From the
sixteenth to the twentieth centuries, both men and women wore gowns, tunics, and robes. The
gown became a thing for women, newborns, and toddlers only after men's attire evolved into
two-piece clothes, shirts, and breeches. Children's styles evolved from gowns to adult
garments as they grew older.
While men's clothes changed dramatically as they grew older in the nineteenth century, girls'
dresses stayed relatively unchanged. Women's attire did not alter much in terms of cut or
stylistic detail, from their birth robes to the skirted outfits they wore their entire lives. The
fundamental distinction between children's and women's fashion was that the length of the
dress steadily increased, eventually reaching the floor by mid-adolescence.
Gender-specific clothing for young children was rare throughout most of history, for purely
practical reasons. This included both the type of clothing and the colour. Before birth, the
parents did not know whether the baby would be a boy or girl; white clothes were easier to
clean; and less clothing was needed, since all of it could be used for any baby, instead of
parents feeling like they should buy or make a full set of pink dresses for one baby and then a
full set of blue overalls for the next baby.
Before the 1940s, young boys and girls alike wore short dresses. In the US, during the 1940s
and 1950s, boys were dressed like their fathers, which meant shirts and trousers and the same
colours that their fathers wore. From the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s, the fashion for
American girls was unisex clothing, such as jeans and T-shirts. Thus American fashion
transitioned from having both boys and girls frequently wear dresses in the 19th century to
having neither always wearing dresses by the 1970s.
Gender-specific colours emerged in the middle of the 20th century. Clothing was expensive,
and white clothes could be bleached when they became dirty. Consequently, coloured clothes
were not used for babies until the Victorian era, and at that time, any child could be dressed in
any colour. The colour of using pink primarily for girls' clothes and blue primarily for boys'
clothes did not appear until the 1940s onwards. In fact, in the first part of the 20th century,
light blue clothes were recommended for American girls, as being the more "delicate and
dainty" colour, and pink was recommended for boys because it was the "stronger
colour". Other colour-coding schemes recommended that the colours be selected to coordinate
with the child's hair or eye colour, with blue being recommended for blond hair or blue eyes.
Children's clothing in the English-speaking world has become increasingly segregated, with
young girls especially being expected to wear pink. pink-coloured and princess-themed clothes
are almost ubiquitous for young girls in shops in the United States. Further, clothing companies
have started to sell clothes that are unisex or gender-neutral, such as the Swedish
company Polarn O. Pyret, while others have been founded specifically to offer such items, such
as Tootsa MacGinty
1.5 Terminology and Usage of the following Kids’ Garments/ Accessories
• Baby mittens- A mitten is a type of glove that covers the hand but does not have
separate finger openings or sheaths. Generally, mittens still separate the thumb from
the other four fingers.
• Baby suit- An infant bodysuit or onesie (American English) is a garment designed to
be worn by babies much like a T-shirt; they are distinguished from T-shirts by an
extension below the waist, with snaps that allow it to be closed over the crotch.
• Baby sheets- It Helps to prevent your Bed Getting Wet. Baby Dry Mat is the Best Baby
Bed Protector. Water proof mattress protector is Dry Sheet for Babies solid and sound
sleep. This helps in baby sleeps diaper free entire night.
• Beanie- It is skull cap, which not only protect kids from the cold, but from the sun's
harmful UV rays as well. Many styles, designs are made of fabric, wool that helps head
and ears protected from the sun and cold.
• Bib/ baby apron- A bib is a garment worn hanging from the neck on the chest to protect
clothing from accidentally spilled food. Bibs are frequently used by young children,
especially infants, but also by some adults.
• Bath Towel- The bath towel is used to dry baby after bath also, to wrap baby up while
travelling, use it while changing diapers, it adds an extra layer in your baby's bedding,
and so on.
• Bloomer- Bloomers for girls are the type of innerwear that can be worn under shorts
and pants but aren't as long as shorties. This type of underwear is a perfect blend of boy
legs and shorties and offers complete frontal and rear coverage.
• Bonnet- The bonnet is a soft head covering for babies. Its shape is similar to that of
some kinds of bonnets that women used: it covers and protect the hair and ears, but not
the forehead.
• Booties- A bootee (also bootie or booty) is a short soft sock or bootlike garment used
for warmth or protection. Bootees for babies are usually thick and knitted, to keep the
baby's feet warm.
• Diaper- Diapers are made of cloth or synthetic disposable materials. Cloth diapers are
composed of layers of fabric such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, microfiber, or even plastic
fibers such as PLA or PU, and can be washed and reused multiple times. Disposable
diapers contain absorbent chemicals and are thrown away after use.
• Infant set-This set is a combination of garments and accessorized for infants and
newborn. Offering the best of style and comfort, this set will be an excellent choice for
your little one's everyday activities.
• Jumper- A sweater or pullover, also called a jersey or jumper, is a piece of clothing,
typically with long sleeves, made of knitted or crocheted material that covers the
upper part of the body. When sleeveless, the garment is often called a slipover, tank
top, or sweater vest.
• Jumpsuit- A one-piece garment consisting of a blouse or shirt with attached trousers
or shorts, it is generally worn for jumping.
• Lap Pads- A lap pad describes something that is made of material, thick, mostly soft
and has some weight to it. The word “lap” is used because it is designed to fit on your
lap. Therefore, it is larger than most stuffies or stuffed animals. But smaller than a
weighted blanket for example.
• Nappy- a piece of soft thick cloth or paper that a baby or very young child wears around
its bottom and between its legs to soak up its urine and bodily waste discharge.
• Pinafore- A pinafore is a sleeveless garment worn as an apron. Pinafores may be worn
as a decorative garment or as a protective apron. A related term is pinafore dress, i.e. a
sleeveless dress intended to be worn over a top or blouse.
• Playsuit- an all-in-one stretchy garment for a baby or very young child, covering the
body, arms, and legs.
• Romper- A romper suit, usually shortened to romper, is a one-piece or two-piece
combination of shorts and a shirt. It is also known as a playsuit. It’s generally short
sleeves and legs contrast with the long ones of the adult jumpsuit.
• Slips- Girls slips are the most versatile part of innerwear and they are worn under any
garment.
• Sleeping bag- A sleeping bag is an insulated covering for a baby, essentially a
lightweight quilt that can be closed with a zipper or similar means to form a tube, which
functions as lightweight, portable bedding in situations for kids.
• Singlet- a piece of clothing without sleeves that is worn on the top part of the body
under clothes, or for playing particular sports.
• Skegging- A skegging is an article of clothing that combines leggings and a skirt.
Generally worn by small children so they don't show off their undies to the world.
• Skort/ Culotte- women's pants that end at the knee or just below, and that look like a
skirt.
• Socks- A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or
some part of the calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In
ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. In the late 16th
century, machine-knit socks were first produced.
• Sunsuit- a child's suit of clothes, typically consisting of shorts and top, worn in hot
sunny weather.
