Okay, confession time. When I opened my Matches Fashion newsletter this morning and spotted Balenciaga Kids, I nearly squealed. The idea of tiny red and gray hoodies styled down to pint-sized perfection? Irresistible. But right on the heels of my excitement came a wave of embarrassment. Did I really just get that thrilled over a $300 hoodie… for my kids?
And yet, here we are.
It’s not exactly uncharted territory for designer brands to expand into the children’s market. In fact, it’s genius marketing. Who better to target than moms already loyal to a label—moms who don’t hesitate to indulge when it comes to their little ones? They know full well that the parental instinct to splurge on our kids often outweighs reason. Still, I can’t help but wonder: have I fallen straight into their very stylish trap?
Because if I’m being honest… I love the collection. Love, love, love it.
The Mini-Me Effect
Take Stella, for instance. She has zero interest in dresses these days and insists on living in what she lovingly calls her “chill pants.” A Balenciaga hoodie would slide right into her comfort-meets-style wardrobe, giving her the cool edge she’s already leaning toward. And James? Let’s just say the thought of him casually shrugging into a Balenciaga sweatshirt is almost too much cuteness for my fashion-loving heart.
And it’s not as though this is the first time designer kidswear has caught my attention. Dolce, Gucci… they’ve been in rotation. Not often, but enough for me to admit it’s a thing. Dressing children in miniature versions of high-fashion pieces is undeniably fun. There’s something charming, even surreal, about seeing a scaled-down version of iconic designs on a toddler running around the living room.
But here’s the catch: fun doesn’t necessarily equal right.
Where to Draw the Line
This is where my inner monologue kicks in, and I start questioning myself. Am I just being frivolous? Am I setting my kids up for a skewed relationship with clothing and value? I’ve always been committed to raising James and Stella with strong morals, grounded manners, and a clear sense that life is about much more than logos or labels. Do $300 hoodies undermine that?
Imagine James, who can now read, asking his friend’s mom if she could hand him his “Balenciaga hoodie.” Picture the double-take that would get. Do I really want my children—who are still figuring out who they are in the world—to be walking brand billboards before they even understand what a brand means?
That’s where it gets complicated. Because the hoodies themselves aren’t inherently harmful. It’s the emphasis on them, the spotlight we put on labels, that starts to shape how children see themselves and others.
Two Possible Paths
So if I were to go through with it, I see two options:
- Buy it, but don’t broadcast it. Slip the hoodie into their wardrobes like any other sweater, treat it as just another piece of clothing, and let it live quietly in the rotation. No fanfare, no making it “special,” just fabric and thread—albeit very expensive fabric and thread.
- Stay away entirely. Save myself the money (and the guilt) and stick to brands that offer style without the luxury price tag attached. After all, kids grow out of things faster than you can say “new season collection.”
Both options make sense in their own way, and both avoid turning my children into tiny fashion mascots. But neither quite resolves the tug-of-war between the practical mom in me and the Balenciaga-loyal fashion lover.
The Bigger Question
The truth is, this isn’t just about a hoodie. It’s about where we, as parents, draw the line between treating ourselves and extending that indulgence to our children. Is it harmless fun? Or are we subtly shaping their values in ways we don’t intend?
There’s no universal answer, of course. For some families, buying designer kidswear is no different than splurging on a family trip or a beautiful piece of furniture—it’s a choice, a priority, and a privilege. For others, it feels absurd, even irresponsible, to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes destined to be outgrown in a year.
I find myself floating somewhere in the middle. Yes, I adore the designs. Yes, I’d be over the moon to see Stella and James in their matching Balenciaga hoodies. But I also know the lessons I want to teach them go deeper than aesthetics. Humility. Gratitude. The idea that worth isn’t stitched into a logo.
And maybe, just maybe, the most stylish thing I can do is to show them that sometimes restraint is the boldest choice.
So, what do you think? Are you secretly swooning over Balenciaga Kids too, even as you shake your head at the price tag? Or do you see this as a bridge too far—designer indulgence taken to an almost comical extreme?
As for me, I’m still undecided. But one thing’s for sure: whether I buy the hoodie or not, my kids are already the best-dressed people I know—Balenciaga or otherwise.
