Bryce Dallas Howard’s Approach To Dressing Her Daughter Is So Refreshing

Our relationship with clothing starts young — before we even get to chose what we wear. Mother of two Bryce Dallas Howard is very much aware of this: In a new interview with People, the actress spoke about how and why she approached dressing her child a little differently (and in a way that eschewed typical gender roles). When her now-five-year-old daughter Beatrice Jean came onto the scene, Howard had a very straightforward approach for her wardrobe: "She was going to wear primarily hand-me-downs from her brother," she told People. And that's what she did and still does. Because Beatrice was bald for a while, her appearance was almost entirely gender-neutral, Howard noted, but it wasn't an issue. "I really wanted her to lead me in a certain direction," she explained. The whole idea of gendered clothing has come into question in the fashion industry over the past few years, as we've seen both new labels dedicated exclusively to this category crop up, as well as established retailers dabble (some successfully, some not) in unisex offerings. Children's wear has actually been doing gender-neutral fashion far better than its adult counterparts, actually — partly because it's not as confined to the idea of gendered shapes and trends. "Children should be allowed to be free, and that should be transferred to clothes, as well," Kristin Nystrom, founder of gender-neutral kids label Gardner And The Gang, told Refinery29 back in August. This philosophy is clearly resonating with parents, too — judging not just from Howard's comments, but also by the breadth of gender-neutral options people have nowadays in terms shopping for their children. What she wants to teach her daughter about fashion, Howard explained, is "an understanding as to what is appropriate in terms of weather and your surroundings" — something Beatrice can then adapt to her own needs, desires, and tastes. "But she's got to just dress the way we want to dress." If you ask us, that's a great guiding philosophy for a five-year-old, a 15-year-old, and a 35-year-old alike. Then again, we wouldn't expect anything else from the realest style star on the red carpet.