Tips for Mini Matching
I love to coordinate my outfits, and if I can bring my family into it too, even better! My son’s sixth birthday is in two days, and he still loves to match me (the dream!).
However, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to do mommy-and-me matching, but it’s not as easy with a son. It’s not fair! But I like a challenge, so I’ve spent the past six years figuring out how we can coordinate and match.
I have boys on the brain because that’s my only, but these tips work for matching any kids, and can extend to other size demographics as well!
Jackets
Matching, or very similar, jackets are a great way to unify your look, and your matching outfits. The other thing I love with jackets for kids is that you can size up pretty significantly and they still work, so you get a few years’ wear out of them. That’s a score for any clothing items, but especially for matching mileage!
Look for:
Denim jackets: they can be the same wash or different, the effect is still there! White denim jackets are super cute all around too.
Bomber jackets: we have olive bomber jackets that are almost exactly the same! They’re pretty common and easy to wear.
Pleather jackets: I found an amazing pleather jacket for Rooney when he was little. Not only did it look awesome, but I could wear a similar jacket and it made us both look super cool.
Rain jackets: often available in bright colors, they don’t have to be the same color to have the same shape and vibe.
Puffer jackets: brands are showing more and more colorful puffers (I think as a morale boost in dismal weather), so it’s easier to find fun ones that work for you and the little one.
Sweaters & Tees
Sometimes retailers will have essentially the same sweater for adults and children. If not the same, then I stick in the same color story or similar pattern, like wide stripes.
Tees are also very easy! I love to do a classic white tee for both of us, and then similar pants and jackets, or colors. When Rooney wants to wear a graphic tee, I’ll use the colors in it as a guide to pick what I wear.
Look for:
The same color: easy-peasy!
The same pattern: love striped sweaters and abstract tees; also graphic tees that have similar features (I have a bee tee that matched a bug tee from when Rooney was a toddler)
The same shape: especially with sweaters
Bottoms
Pants, jeans, shorts - these are easy to find at different retailers, and they don’t have to be the exact same to match perfectly.
Look for:
Denim: easy! Shorts too. White denim isn’t practical for kids, but it is SO cute.
Color: if the pieces aren’t the same silhouette, color will make them work! Extends your options from just pant-derivatives to skirts as well.
Socks & Sneaks
Matching sneakers is pretty easy. A lot of brands, like Converse and Nike, do the same styles across size ranges. But your picks don’t need to be exactly the same. My white Keds have the same visual effect as my son’s white gap sneaks (which I need to replace, now that I think of it).
I’ve found cute sets of socks, either specifically matching mommy-and-me or just available in adult and child sizes. Matching ankles are very subtle, but really cute!
Look for:
Similar details/shape
The same color
Colors
When all else fails, just go with color! Rooney loves to say “my (this) matches your (that)” because they’re the same color. It can really be anything.
For us, it tends to be black (the easiest neutral), pink (Rooney’s favorite color), yellow, and orange. You can both be wearing completely different pieces, but if the colors are the same, you match!
Look for: whatever colors you and your kiddo both like to wear!
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TLDR: coordinate pieces, colors, outfit formulas, or some combination of the above, and you have your very own matching outfits!
For more information on how to use outfit formulas, check out this post about how they work, and these posts with some examples.