A decade ago, there were two types of kids: Guess kids, the ethereally beautiful, hyper-stylized kids featured in Guess ads, and regular kids who wore hand-me-downs from their cousins or older siblings. But Suri Cruise came along in her kitten heels and changed all of that. Soon after, other fashionable kids appeared, like Alonso Mateo, the most followed child on Instagram, Alia Wang, the niece of Alexander Wang, and now, five-month-old North West, who received the swaggiest fashion swag after Paris Fashion Week from Lanvin, Céline, Alexander Wang, Maison Martin Margiela, along with a baby Bambi custom shirt from Givenchy.
Luckily, the local kids RTW landscape has progressed way beyond Osh Kosh B’Gosh and Gymboree to include Zara Kids, Cotton On Kids and Forever 21 Kids, along with local brands like Gingersnaps, Peppermint, and even the SM Kids department. Meet the kids who are reaping the benefits and whose wardrobes are probably way better than yours.
Sofi Delos Santos Natola
Sofi is the daughter of Emmanuel Natola, a videographer, and Bianca Delos Santos-Natola, also a videographer and photographer, who handles press and communications for H&F Retail Concepts, Inc. Sofi loves reading about outer space, dinosaurs and insects, keeps a drawer full of rocks and, curiously, a box of live insects, like beetles and fireflies. One time, her mom said, she brought a live beetle to school (which the other girls didn’t like very much). However, Sofi also has a girly side: She adores princesses, like Rapunzel and Princess Sofia from Sofia the First, a new show on the Disney Channel. She also modeled for the “Jupiter†collection of Eairth Kids (you can still see her photos on the Eairth website) last December, which is appropriate because Sofi can recite all nine planets off the top of her head. When she grows up, she wants to be an astronaut. You can find more photos of Sofi on her mom’s website, biancanatola.wordpress.com.
YSTYLE: Would you say that your daughter has her own sense of style already?
BIANCA NATOLA: I’m not sure. I’d say she doesn’t dress up to put together a stylish outfit, but because there’s something about a piece that she finds relatable. Like if there are bugs, animals or flowers on a shirt. She wears things that make her happy and feel good.
How much of your daughter’s personal style is informed by you?
Obviously, we buy her clothes. If she doesn’t like something we bought, she won’t wear it at all. Likewise, if she likes something we don’t approve of, we won’t let her wear it. I’m often dressed like a boy, while my husband is a boy! Sofi on the other hand, will either look feral or dainty. She’s definitely not a mini-me of sorts.
Who shops for her clothing and accessories most of the time? Do you choose items based on what you like or what you think your daughter will like?
For clothes, I buy them. For shoes, Emmanuel and I go together because shoes are a tricky thing. You have to take care of your kid’s feet because they’re still growing and because kids run around a lot. We choose things that we think she might like and that we also like.
What are your favorite places to shop for her?
Many of her clothes are given to her by family and friends, so we don’t really have to shop so much. When we do, we buy at Gingersnaps, Peppermint, Mothercare, Payless and SM — usual places.
Does she already have her “signature†pieces?
She wears her white sandals everywhere. She’s gone through about four of the same design in different sizes. I feel like my friends think her feet don’t grow, but we just keep on going back to the store.
As a parent in the age of Facebook and Instagram, what do you have to say about this phenomenon of kids like Alonso Mateo, who become street style stars eons before they’ve hit puberty?
As long as parents have perspective and manage to keep their children grounded and happy, then we don’t see this as a problem.
How do you deal with wanting to dress your daughter stylishly, but also keeping in mind how quickly she can outgrow her clothes?
It’s not just that she’ll grow out of it — some of her really nice things are stained forever and when that happens, it kinda hurts a little bit. So we don’t buy her expensive clothes and just suck it up.
Do you let your daughter choose whatever she wants to wear, or does her outfit have to go through your approval first?
Well, most of the time she just goes and picks an outfit by herself, but we have input if it’s not weather-appropriate or if there’s a special occasion. She puts up a fight, but there are times when she just resigns herself to the fact that we have the last say.
What’s the one thing you’d never let her wear?
High heels. One time, she was given a princess gown that came with high heels. She loved them, but we he had to say that the dog ate them. Also, she can’t be scantily clad.
Casual cool: Sofi sports a denim jacket from the boy’s section of
Gingersnaps, top and skirt by Eairth and shoes from Payless
Isla, who just turned three last month, is the daughter of photographer Jake Verzosa and artist Karina Estacio, who sells a bohemian line of clothing that’s also called Isla in the Sunday Legazpi Market. Like the other girls at the shoot, she also loves pink, her Play-Doh set and Princess Sofia from the Disney Channel’s Sofia the First. Her mother’s fashion peg for her is actually Alia Wang, so Isla has pieces from Burberry and Chloé to keep up. “It’s those outlets!†her mom says. To stay active, Isla has a scooter that she goes around in when she isn’t doing kids yoga. Being the daughter of a photographer has its perks: Her godparents include Mark Nicdao, who got her a trés chic raincoat from Paris, and Jo Ann Bitagcol, who shot a fashion film starring her wearing Joey Samson’s iconic Coccoon jacket, while repeating the words “My name is Isla!†Randomly, she also likes reciting the phrase, “It’s time to stand up for stronger hair!†from time to time. Her parents don’t know where she got that phrase from.
YSTYLE: Would you say that your daughter has her own sense of style already?
KARINA VERZOSA: We noticed early on, maybe at one to one-and-a-half years old — she’d opt for something else to wear that’s wasn’t part of the choices she’s given.
How much of your daughter’s personal style is informed by you?
I would say 80 percent of her style is influenced by us and 20 percent by The Disney Channel.
Do you choose items based on what you like or what you think your daughter will like?
I make sure to choose stuff that is comfy and pretty. That way, I’m sure she’ll wear them.
What are your favorite places to shop for her?
Baby Gap, Zara Kids and Rustan’s.
Does she like to shop? If so, what pieces does she gravitate towards?
Yes, anything bright and colorful and anything princess-y.
Does she already have her “signature†pieces?
She loves wearing dresses and pretending she’s Princess Sofia.
What do you have to say about kids becoming street style stars eons before they’ve hit puberty?
I think it’s very cool. I kinda want to make her one, even!
How do you deal with wanting to dress your daughter stylishly, but also keeping in mind how quickly she can outgrow her clothes?
I always get a size bigger when shopping for Isla. But when something has to be an exact fit and I know she’ll outgrow it soon, I at least make sure she gets to wear it three to four different ways to make the most out of it.
Do you let your daughter choose whatever she wants to wear, or does her outfit have to go through your approval first?
I give her a number of choices in sets and she chooses which set she likes the most.
What’s the one thing you’d never let her wear?
Kitten heels. Just the thought of a little girl in heels scares me. It makes a kid look mature. There’s lots of time for wearing heels when she’s older. Little girls deserve to be comfy and able to run around, just like all kids should.
Christmas is coming up. Does she have any cute outfits planned for the upcoming Christmas parties?
Yes, she has a few red dresses lined up already. I’m just not so sure if we got “the one†yet.
Daniela “Danda†Rábago Muroaka
Danda is the three-year-old daughter of commercial model Hideo Muroaka and fashion model-turned-makeup artist, Fatima Rábago. Danda herself also started modeling at six months for Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Powder. She currently has campaigns for Watson’s, Gingersnaps, SM accessories and soon, SM shoes. She loves watching Adventure Time and her favorite movies include Shrek, Ice Age, Brave and Beauty And The Beast. She also enjoys soccer, capoeira and of course, shopping. Having Brazilian-Japanese and Spanish parents, she speaks English, Portugese and Spanish. You can check out Danda’s other outfits on Instagram by following @ilovedanda.
YSTYLE: Would you say that your daughter has her own sense of style already?
FATIMA RÃBAGO: She already has her own style, but of course, it still has to develop because she is just three years old. It is funny to see how she likes some clothes more than other kids. I notice it when we go shopping. Sometimes, I wear long skirts and dresses, and she is crazy about it, so she always want to wear long skirts, but now, I can’t find any!
How much of your daughter’s personal style is informed by you?
I think a lot. She is always curious about how I dress or what I wear. With her father, she always said she wants to be without a T-shirt, like him, because he is always shirtless at home!
What are your favorite places to shop for her?
Daniela and I love Gingersnaps, Zara and SM accessories.
Does she already have her “signature†pieces?
A pink dress from Gingersnaps, but actually she wears all her clothes, so there’s no special piece.
What do you have to say about kids becoming street style stars eons before they’ve hit puberty?
I love it! It’s good to teach your kids how to dress up properly, and make it fun. In the end, the outfit is the first thing you see on a person.
How do you deal with wanting to dress your daughter stylishly, but also keeping in mind how quickly she can outgrow her clothes?
Hideo always keeps that in mind, but honestly, I can’t think about that when I see her in a super cute outfit. I just prefer to shop for her than for myself.
Do you let your daughter choose whatever she wants to wear, or does her outfit have to go through your approval first?
It has to go through my approval. Sometimes if I let her, she’ll go out in tsinelas and a T-shirt.
What’s the one thing you’d never let her wear?
I never let her put makeup on or wear heels, even if they’re for kids.
Maggie is the daughter of Mara Reyes, a fashion stylist. Like her mother, she also has her own collection of Nike sneakers, particularly Air Jordans. Her style has a street edge to it — last week, she picked up a few pieces from Proudrace's newly launched kids line. Maggie’s favorite colors are black, white and pink. For her fourth birthday last May 1, she went to Disneyland and had her photo taken with Mickey Mouse and his friends. Like other girls her age, she also loves princesses, but has a slightly different take on them: Last Halloween, she went as “Snow White Zombie.â€
YSTYLE: Would you say that your daughter has her own sense of style already?
MARA REYES: At her age, I don’t think so. Her style is probably developing just now since she’s not that aware of the whole idea of style or fashion. She’s slowly getting exposed to things at this age, but she’s getting it, especially when I work. I have to explain everything to her because she asks a lot of questions. She knows that pink is girly and very princess-y, and that black is cool and dark. She knows a few types of patterns and she knows a pair of Jordans when she sees them. She knows what the Air Jordan jumpman looks like, the Nike swoosh, the three stripes of Adidas, along with the difference between studs and spikes.
How much of your daughter’s personal style is informed by you?
A lot. I explain to her a lot of things in terms of clothing: how to dress up, which type of clothes to pick, especially since I really want to influence her with my style. We bond through window shopping, a lot of magazine reading and weird girly talks. I take her to work sometimes, so she gets to be exposed to my job at an early age.
Is she already beginning to have certain preferences?
She likes pink, like most of the girls. I blame Barbie and all the Disney princesses. She usually gets a sit-down, one-on-one talk with me where I explain to her that she doesn’t necessarily have to wear tutus and glitter all the time, just because Barbie and all the other girly characters dress like that. She likes leopard prints, skulls and studs, and I’m very, very happy about that. I also usually bring her to the boys department and show her how she can rock boys clothes and make it still look girly and cool through mixing and matching.
Do you choose items based on what you like or what you think your daughter will like?
When we go shopping together, I allow her to pick whatever she likes or I pick out my options and let her choose.
What are your favorite places to shop for her?
H&M, Forever 21, Uniqlo, Cotton On, and Nike here in Manila. I usually get the coolest finds at random stores in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Does she like to shop? If so, what pieces does she gravitate towards?
Yes, usually dresses and shoes. When she was two, she went missing for half a minute and I found her in a shoe store trying on a pair of black pumps.
Does she already have her “signature†pieces?
Leggings and sneakers.
What do you have to say about kids becoming street style stars eons before they’ve hit puberty?
I have nothing against it, as long as the clothes the kids are wearing are reasonable or appropriate for their age. We want to dress them up to look cool and cute, and start them young with a sense of style, not spoil them and make them materialistic when they grow up.
How do you deal with wanting to dress your daughter stylishly, but also keeping in mind how quickly she can outgrow her clothes?
I buy her a lot of stuff, but make sure the prices are reasonable. If it’s beyond the price tag a kid should be wearing, I usually keep it and some I give away. Like with her shoes, since I collect sneakers and we usually go matching, I like seeing our pairs laid out side by side. My job consists of shopping and dressing up people everyday, and having a daughter for someone like me is like having your own “mini-me†or Barbie, so I really can’t help but obsess about buying her stuff.
Do you let your daughter choose whatever she wants to wear, or does her outfit have to go through your approval first?
I give my approval, but I make sure not to insist too much on what I want her to eventually look like when she grows up. I want to influence her, not make her look exactly like me.
What’s the one thing you’d never let her wear?
Tacky dresses, backless tops, types of clothing that not even a grown woman should be wearing. Also, heeled shoes for little girls.
Christmas is coming up. Does she have any cute outfits planned for the upcoming Christmas parties?
We always go matching in Christmas, usually in black, red and/or white. For Halloween, she said she wanted to be a Princess Zombie or Snow White Zombie.