With the growing awareness, nowadays, parents as well as children are equally involved in the fashion department.  Michelle Salins takes a look at what’s hot this summer, while offering a few styling tips for the budding fashionistas...

I have always been fascinated by how much kids know about fashion and styling their own looks. From choosing what to wear to the mall or to go grocery shopping with mom or to a friend’s birthday party, they have it all sorted out in their creative little minds. Nowadays, children as young as three are fashion conscious! All Mama has to do is open that cupboard door or chest of drawers and the little fashionistas come alive.

Today, we have kids blogging on fashion, a trend that is fast catching up in the West, where moms and their kids are invited to blog about fashion trends and offer style tips for the little ones. With the growing awareness about kids’ fashion and style, parents and children are equally involved in creating the entire look.

Last year, we saw fur hats, berets, coats, collars, muffs and fur trimming for shoes and bags ruling the roast, in terms of kids’ fashion. Here’s looking at what’s hot this summer, while offering a few tips for styling your kid.

For the girlsLittle girls go pretty in pastels and small prints. Polka dots, stripes and hearts always score as the biggest trend, as is the case with this season, too. Butterflies, small flowers, tiny checks with contrast colours, teddy bears and umbrellas are some of the prints to look for this summer.

Frills and collar dresses, baby doll and fun ribbon dresses make for the evening, while fresh breathe-easy cottons in thin strap necklines and light flares complete the look for the day.
Dresses with bell silhouettes will always look cute and dainty. This is also a very easy silhouette to find in stores, so go ahead and give your little girl some Parisian chic style. 
Three-fourth length princess gowns cut at the waist look pretty for occasion wear. Use trims like bows, ribbons and small rosettes.

3D flowers and tulle always make for a cute little girl. Style it with satin hair bands or little rosette clips.

For girls who like denims, these days, you see them in a variety of colours with           embellishments like embroidery in butterfly designs and flowers or crystal motifs, which add the sparkle every girl loves.

Mixing and matching is another way to go, especially when you are packing for the summer holidays. For example, you can pack in a stripe shirt or top with plain leggings or cotton shorts, and then, use the same lowers with a pretty small flower-print top and dress it up with a hair clip to match.

You can’t  afford to forget accessories like hair bands and pretty clips in candy pinks and purples. But that's not all, girls also want to flaunt blues and greens; the little girls’ confidence in carrying “boyish colours” is soon becoming the trend.
The girls want multiple sunglasses for summer; after all, even they don't want to wear the beach sunglasses to the mall!

Sling bags are the new must haves, too.
Footwear is another fashion accessory to complete your little princess’ look. Ballet shoes or flats are best-suited for kids and are available in a number of colours, prints and styles these days. My favourite designers for kids’ ballets are Charlotte Olympia and Hello Kitty, although Barbie also has a limited collection ballerina flats.

For the boysDressing like their animated superhero is passé. It's the film and rock star looks that are doing the rounds in their little minds.
They like cropped pants with big pockets and lower-length shirts.
Tee shirts are graphic and “messaged in” - most often, layered for the 'cool kid' look that he aspires for.

Constructed shirts for the evening with well-fitted denims in dark are totally the look this season. If it's the trouser, mum better get him the drop-down length trousers.
Nautical stripes are a big trend for young boys. Get them in colours or sport checks on reds, blues, and yellow.

Yellow is very big for boys this summer. Again, use the mix and match trend, which will never go out of style and is also very convenient for the holiday season.

Denim pants and jackets are a boy’s favourite clothing. Get them in distressed finishes or varied styles. Triple folding the denim trouser and teaming it with a loose-fitted shirt and a denim jacket thrown over would rock any kid’s look.

For footwear, sneakers are the coolest thing for summers. Available in a variety of colours from reds to greens and blues to yellow, it adds a lot of fun to a boy’s attire. Add a summer hat to complete the look.

Teaching your child to have a  presentable appearance is quite important since this helps them to express themselves and increase their self-confidencein this ever-competitive world.  So, go ahead, bring out the fashionista in your little one.  (The writer is a fashion designer)