These days the stereotypes surrounding what people can and can’t wear is being broken more and more. Clothing is simply a method of self-expression, so it should be personal to an individual. The great thing about living in a free society is that it’s no one else’s business what they, or anyone else, does.
When it comes to parents, some fans have some pretty strong opinions on that, too. When parenting and gender roles are combined, they can sometimes be a bit implosive. Some parents are perfectly fine with their son wearing a dress in public while others are convinced they need therapy and a stern talk. Some parents will totally allow their daughters to wear their own custom tuxedos, while others would cry over the fact that their little girl isn’t feminine enough.
But when it comes to the celebrity world, the rules are no different… They can do what they want and allow their kids to do what they want, within reason. And for the record, fashion is totally subjective and outside the limits of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ parenting… We’ve even got the best pictures to prove it.
20. JADA AND WILL SMITH’S OPEN PARENTING
Jaden Smith drew quite the attention when he first appeared in public in what seemed to be a dress. If someone who wasn’t famous did this, they’d probably just get a few unusual comments. However, when a celebrity’s child does it, especially one who has Will Smith as a father, that’s a different story. Will Smith has said that he worries about Jaden occasionally, simply because he’s so open and experimental with his appearance. It doesn’t seem to bother his father in the slightest, though, because Will Smith loves his children all the same… regardless of what they choose to wear.
19. ADELE AND HER SON, FREE TO BE WHO THEY ARE IN DISNEY
While Adele leads a mostly private personal life, the paparazzi did what they do best and managed to catch a moment of her and her son at a Disney theme park. This normally wouldn’t because for an uprising unless, of course, they were able to commit her son in a dress to film. Much like Megan Fox’s IG photo of her son in an Elsa dress, Adele’s son also caused some controversy. Fans then did what they do best, and had a slew of comments on the subject. The thing that everyone seems to forget is that it’s no one else’s business or issue if a child enjoys wearing a dress… regardless of their gender.
18. BELLA RUFFALO LOOKIN’ JUST AS CUTE AS DAD
How adorable is Bella Ruffalo? Mark Ruffalo has never really been a guy to settle for anything ‘normal’ which is why we weren’t surprised in the least to see his daughter show up with him in a matching tux. Even better is their shoe wear, which is so far from traditional for formal attire… and we’re loving it. Bella rocks her neutral yet statement vans while her dad rocks traditional converses, something that’s not out of the ordinary for Mark. Together, they’re a dynamic duo, taking down the red carpet one matching tux at a time. Not to mention their stances, which totally scream ‘cool dad and his rad daughter.’
17. MEGAN FOX AND BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN AND THEIR KIDS
Megan Fox and husband Brian Austen Green are yet another celebrity parenting couple who have decided to raise their children without gender. The two are incredibly open when it comes to what their children wear and how they express themselves. So much so, that Megan Fox was recently under the scrutiny of the press for allowing her son to wear an Elsa dress from Frozen. What started out as an innocent childhood allowance became something much bigger on social media when, in reality, it was just a fun thing to do. There’s no harm in a child wanting to wear a dress from a strong character, even if he is a boy.
16. SHILOH IS FREE TO BE HERSELF
Angelina Jolie has always been under the microscope when it comes to media attention and, sadly, this hasn’t always shown her in the best light. Despite what the press says, she’s a great mom to her kids, including Shiloh — who she encourages to be none other than herself. Shiloh isn’t the girliest of daughters and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Someday, she’ll likely be a role model to other girls who opt for jeans over dresses and flip flops over heels, if she’s not already. She’s strong like her mama, both in fashion sense and in who she is, something all kids should have the right to figure out at a young age.
15. SHILOH ISN’T ALONE — ZAHARA IS ALSO FREE TO WEAR WHAT SHE WANTS
Zahara, Angelina Jolie’s other daughter, isn’t too far behind sister Shiloh when it comes to her open fashion sense. She’s beautiful no matter what she wears, but she seems to lean more toward clothes that are gender neutral, something not all parents would be comfortable with.
In today’s world, seeing a girl wearing an oversized blazer or tailored pants is far less taboo than it once was, though. In this photo, she rocks a navy blue blazer with oversized buttons and gray pants, something that not many girls her age could pull off. It’s a look she’s totally stylin’, complete with her sister in an outfit that’s just as awesome.
14. PINK AND DAUGHTER WILLOW, NO RESTRICTIONS HERE
Singer Pink is a mom who’s completely open about her kids and how she raises them. Rather than restrict them to clothing and trends that speak to their assigned gender at birth, Pink allows them to wear and look however they want. This is something we’ve seen many times with her daughter Willow, who seemingly enjoys showing up with mom in an outfit that’s similar, yet totally unique. This photo is a fan favorite, and you can tell just how proud Pink is to have her daughter by her side. We have to admit, they pull off suits better than many men we know.
13. CHARLIZE THERON AND HER SON IN THE ROMPER WE ALL WISH WE HAD
Charlize Theron was under fire for a myriad of things regarding her adopted son, Jackson. She recently shared with the Daily Mail that Jackson is actually not her son but, rather, her daughter. The star says that he knew at a young age that he felt more an affinity to being female than male and, in the true grace of parenting, Charlize supported his choice. Therefore, Jackson is now her daughter, using the pronouns ‘she’ and ‘her.’ All a child can ask is that their parents love them unconditionally and accept them, no matter which choices they make as long as they don’t hurt themselves or others.
12. JAIME KING AND ADORABLE SON JAMES
Jaime King, known for her role as a southern belle on Hart of Dixie, is, in real life, so far from the character she plays on-screen. As opposed to the uptight, traditional town of Blue Bell, Jaime adopts her own set of values and morals, none of which include restricting her son to either gender. She’s been open and honest about her and her husband’s views on the subject, and they’ve decided to let their son, James, dress however he wants. Additionally, she’s letting him grow up with that same notion, with every intention of accepting him regardless of what he chooses as an adult.
11. BBC RADIO PRODUCER CHRIS EVANS AND SON AT THE THEATER
Many who don’t follow the BBC might not recognize the name Chris Evans — outside of a Marvel movie, that is. He did make it to the news for things not radio-related, however, and, more specifically, for his son. Even more specific than that, he made headlines because of his son and what was worn to the theater. Rather than a suit or a tux, Chris saw no issues in giving his son the freedom to sport (a gorgeous) green and black dress. Although his son looks mildly unamused in the photo, rest assured that he wasn’t forced to walk out of the house in such attire… his parents just love him enough to let him make his own choices.
10. ZOE SALDANA, MARCO PEREGO, AND SONS IN ALL NEUTRAL DENIM
Rather than conform to the gender norm with three boys, Zoe Saldana and her husband, Marco Perego, are choosing to allow their boys to figure things out on their own. Zoe Saldana is openly accepting of gender equality and neither she nor her husband conforms to the norm that most people believe in. While her boys might not sport dresses and pink attire in public, Zoe is no stranger to gender-neutral clothing such as an all-denim look as pictured above. Blurring the lines, allowing the boys to wear their hair long and natural, and encouraging them to be themselves is such a beautiful thing to watch.
9. BEYONCE, JAY-Z, AND BLUE IVY ROCKIN’ A TUX
Beyonce and Jay-Z are another set of celebrity parents who raise their children with artistic freedom. Blue Ivy has sported many looks for being at such a young age, and all of them have been totally inspiring. From natural to done-up, there’s seemingly nothing that Beyonce won’t allow her daughter to rock, and we’re living for it. The loving couple even had Blue Ivy wearing a chic, feminine yet totally classy tuxedo to match her dad on the red carpet. If that’s not an example of great (and fun!) parenting, then we don’t know what is. A child should be able to wear matching outfits with both her mom and her dad.
8. JAMES IS A TRUE TOMBOY, FREE TO BE WHO SHE WANTS
If there are two people who are well-known for their parenting, it’s Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Not only does Ryan update his social media when it comes to all things child-raising, but Blake Lively occasionally fires back her own input. Outside of their hilarious social media interactions, they are great parents. They’re of the new style of parenting and have agreed to raise their children with no restrictions on their style or their gender. Rather than encouraging either a masculine or feminine wardrobe for their kids, the two have opted for gender neutral outfits and tomboyish looks for daughter, James.
7. RUSSELL BRAND WILL NOT IMPOSE GENDER ON HIS DAUGHTER
Russell Brand said in an interview shortly after his daughter was born, that he would refuse to impose any type of gender on her. He believes that the choice is hers and that no one, even parents, has the right to tell a child who they should be. Allowing his daughter the freedom to choose will open up a whole new world to her when she’s old enough to understand it, something many parents don’t do. The best part of Russell’s personal beliefs is that he explains it in such a way that seems totally normal… That a child should be free to choose who they are, and their style, simply because no one else will ever be them.
6. JENNIFER LOPEZ GIVES HER TWINS A CHOICE
Jennifer Lopez and her ex-husband Marc Anthony, are also completely open about their children. Nowadays, though, Jlo is engaged to former MLB player Alex Rodriguez. Together, they have a relatively large family, something they both love, and they give each and every one of them the freedom to choose. That includes outfits, as they’ve both agreed to not impose gender on any of their children. Jlo doesn’t seem to mind gender-neutral clothing, either, allowing all of her kids to dress exactly how they want to as long as they’re comfortable. Whether it’s jeans and a tee or slacks and a collared shirt (obviously!) if her kids want to wear it, then it’s up to their parents to support it.
5. GWEN STEFANI PAINTS HER SONS’ NAILS
Together with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, singer Gwen Stefani have three sons together; Zuma, Kingston, and Apollo. Those who are fans of the No Doubt singer know that when it comes to fashion, Gwen doesn’t hold back — and she dresses her three sons the same way.
Back in 2015, people started noticing that Gwen’s son Zuma had his nails painted, along with being seen in a beautiful pink tutu. But that’s nothing new to Gwen who told ET she encourages her sons to express themselves. After telling ET, her sons are so used to seeing her play around with her image, they decide to do the same thing. “It’s just normal for them. What I like to say is that being unique and original is what makes me happy, and I think that rubs off on them.”
4. TORI SPELLING HAS A BIG FAMILY, BUT A HAPPY ONE
Surprisingly, Tori Spelling is among those who firmly believe in letting their kids have fun, regardless of what others might think. She was criticized for allowing her son, Liam, to get a pedicure with his father and she had the most perfect answer in response: “My son Liam asked if he could get his nails done like dad, and I was thrilled. I want him to try things; I want him to think outside the box. I want him to be an individual and a free thinker. I gladly obliged him.”
It’s not outfit-specific, but getting one’s nails done is part of an overall appearance, something Tori believes should be up to her children and not their parents.
3. DASCHA POLANCO BELIEVES IN GENDER-NEUTRAL PARENTING
Dascha Polanco, known for her role on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, firmly believes in a house with rules, but with creative freedom, too. In addition to making sure culture is alive and well in her household, in an interview with People, she said, “Not that my kids are going to run around like chickens and hens, but that they will be independent and successful, yet [have] rules, because I am the parent and always embracing their individuality and creating gender-neutral homes.” This doesn’t come as much of a surprise but is refreshing to hear from such a well-loved celeb.
2. OLIVIA, JASON, AND THEIR FREE-SPIRITED HOUSEHOLD
Not only do Olivia Wilde and her husband support women’s and human rights, but they’re strong advocators for gender neutrality, too. They don’t believe in the traditional norms started by generations prior and do advocate for what they believe in, a passion they’ll undoubtedly pass down to their daughter. There’s nothing more awesome than seeing two parents not only fighting for the rights of others but fighting for rights their child will eventually inherit as well. That’s something these two do well, and it all starts with allowing their daughter to be who she is, gender-bender clothing or not — even down to her pop in colorful shoes!
1. MAGIC JOHNSON AND SON EJ, NOTHING BUT LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE
Many fans were up in arms when Magic Johnson’s son, EJ, formally came out. He’s not the most subtle of celebrity children but he’s completely unapologetic, as he should be. The successful son of the renowned basketball player has no shame in his fashion game, especially when it comes to gender-bending (did you see what we did there?) the rules just a little bit. Fashion is something he lives for and believes it should bend to fit his life, not the other way around. Despite what fans say, Magic has shown nothing but support for his son, gender roles having no place in the love for his child.