Under the cover of Forty One Designs

This story was inspired by my grandchildren. My granddaughter is a fashionista.

At seven years old this little person has the fashion sense of an adult.  

It is not unusual for her to change clothes six  times a day.

Everything has to match and she gets frustrated with her cousin, a boy of nine who is happy to wear whatever he can find in a drawer. Things don't have to match and he would be happy to wear the same thing day after day.

I watched my granddaughter spend ten minutes choosing and rejecting tops and bottoms because they didn't go together or fit her mood.

I grew up in the world of Geranimals. Remember those? A smart fashion designer and marketing team tagged tops and bottoms for children with colorful tags shaped like animals. There were hippos, giraffes, cats, puppies and more. They made it clear what goes with what.

It was possible for anyone, even me to walk into the children's clothing department of a big box retailer and make selections that worked together, didn't clash and would satisfy a little girl intent on dressing like an adult.

Ah, times were simpler then, but that was the 60's and things have changed.