Last updated 16:35, Monday, 14 July 2008

IT is my niece’s first birthday next month and I’m going mad buying the most fabulous clothes for her.

After a decade of buying blue tee-shirts, jeans and sports-gear, I am almost overcome with the excitement of going on-line and typing in frilly, flowery, frocks.

I am so sad that I actually spent 45 minutes arranging these new clothes in a mix ‘n’ match capsule nursery wardrobe for her.

I won’t be wrapping them since I need to demonstrate to my sister-in-law just how I believe they should be worn and on what occasion. (My favourite is a deep purple smock/tee-shirt with six small sequins, perfect for a family barbecue).

Alright, alright, I know I need to get out more, but the sheer pleasure of shopping for my niece is affecting my sensibilities.

However, even I have to draw the line at the latest idea from America, a website called Heelarious which sells – wait for it – high-heeled shoes for babies up to six months.

Even for a clothes-obsessed, quirky shopper like myself, this caused me to take a sharp intake of breath.

I’ve kicked off before about my hatred of age inappropriate clothes for young girls, and this seems to have taken it to an extreme.

I think the baby high heels is meant to be a funny idea, but a poll taken in my office simply produced howls of disgust.

What is it with pushing our children to puberty before they can walk, dressing up five-year-olds like Coleen Rooney’s hen night?

Given the opportunity I would build a bonfire and burn every pre-teen cropped top, children’s tee-shirts with saucy slogans, g-string and padded bra combos for the pre-pubescent, and anything featuring a Playboy logo aimed at young girls.

Extreme it may be, but at least it would allow little lasses the chance to enjoy their childhood without the pressure of trying to imitate a 20-year-old glamour model.

As our kids’ innocence continues to be whittled away before our eyes, it really is up to us to allow them some time in their lives when all they need worry about is if they have cleaned their teeth and combed their hair.