Trendy children's clothing stores have proliferated in shopping malls. Provided to China Daily

Chinese parents are putting in more effort and spending more money to make their children look fashionable, as income levels rise.

Chen Ni, a young mother of a 2-year-old girl in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, says she spends a lot of time on buying clothes for her daughter.

"I never allow others to buy clothes for my daughter," Chen says. "There are so many factors to consider when selecting a piece of clothing for a child, such as colors, styles, materials and so on."

She buys mostly from shopping malls and online shops that sell imported clothes.

She follows fashion blogs on children's wear for inspiration, and visits online parenting forums to discuss ways to dress up children, and where to buy pretty clothes.

The price of children's clothing is relatively more expensive than those of adults, but Chen says the money spent is worth it.

Chen is not alone.

According to Sun Yiding, president of Gymboree China, a popular children's wear brand, the children's apparel market in China is growing rapidly, thanks to the generosity of Chinese parents.

"Price is the last thing on parents' mind when they buy clothes for their children," Sun says.

"Buying clothes for kids is a family event, especially since many Chinese families have only one child."

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