Please help me dress my tomboy daughter for a wedding

[sweetheart]

We are going to a wedding in June - which I know is ages away BUT I've my daughter is such a tomboy that I know whatever I buy her for the wedding will never be worn again so I'd prefer to try and save myself some money and get something in the sales if possible.

She's said she'll wear a dress "If she HAS to". She did wear a pencil skirt to a party recently after some peer pressure was applied.

She is 12 but will be 13 by the time the wedding happens. She can generally fit into an adult size 6 or usual teenage clothing.

Any ideas most gratefully received! I don't want to force her to wear something I know she'll hate!

[sweetheart]

FYI she's got red hair and fair skin. No sort of woman shape as yet - still very child like so no boob tube type things, I think she'd be mortified by those anyway?!?!?

[BlingLoving]

Why must she wear a dress? If she doesn't like dresses, then surely she can wear smart trousers and top with cardi or jacket? I think it's unfair to force women or girls into skirts or dresses - it's perfectly possible to wear something smart but still dress in a way that makes her comfortable. Especially as she's young - she could wear fashionable skinny trousers with a lovely top? Or similar?

[sassytheFIRST]

Shorts and tights, heels or boots and a fab top. Perfect.

[SilverBellsandCockleShells]

How about a playsuit?

[Rosa]

Skinny trousers - not jeans , smart tunic top - or combination top IYKWIM, smart ballerinas

[ZZZenAgain]

my dd won't wear dresses or skirts and she is 12 so I know this situation. Just smart clothes.

[milk]

Beige tailored trouser suit with a gold sequin top underneath would look perfect :)

[hatgirl]

at that age a lot can change in 6 months.... particularly for young teenage girls bodies and clothes tastes. I would perhaps wait until closer to the time otherwise it might be a case of buying twice.

[sweetheart]

I'm wouldn't force her to wear a dress, it was her that came up with the idea. I've got a sneeking suspicion she'd quite like to try it buy is just way more comfortable in her chino's & hoody combo.

I'd be happy for her to wear trouser but she wouldn't wear a top with any detail or anything she considers to be "fussy".

My parents celebrated a landmark anniversary recently and we brought her white skinny jeans, a stripped brenton type t-shirt and a denim blazer. I thought she looked lovely but even that she never wore again.

I don't think she's keen on her legs - even when she wears shorts they have to be the longer surfer style.

I did buy her a pair of hot pants type shots last year and she wore them to a local disco with tights once or maybe twice.

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

she doesn't need to wear a dress.

just buy her a posh pair of black trousers and a smart top.

what's her shape/size?

and why not dress her in a smart suit?
seriously - you could buy her a grey suit and a realy funky shirt to go with it.
It would look really cool and wouldn't necessarily make her look like a tomboy, just a stylish young woman.
try to think "hepburn hepburn hepburn"

[ZZZenAgain]

if she suggested it, could you two go shopping and just have her try on some different styles?

[sweetheart]

milk, although that jacket is nice I'm not spending £67 on something she'll never wear again. I could buy it for myself though

She won't wear sequins she finds them itchy and fussy

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

cool blazer
it has a matching trousers.

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

wide leg hepburn trousers
and

or
gold trousers
lace sequin top
(but with a vest underneath of course!)

i think you want to go grown up but not feminine.

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

opps that last one was

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

if she won't do fussy, then can you do the gold trousers in my link with a smart black blouse?

[fuzzpig]

I had my DSDs (10 at the time) as my bridesmaids. I let them choose their own clothes. One is a tomboy, and she chose black trousers, fitted blue blouse with 3/4 length sleeves, and a black fitted waistcoat (the type that were all the rage at the time). My mum gave her a flower clip that held her hair back a bit on one side. She looked fab :)

[sweetheart]

thanks nickle for the links. I can't see me getting her in any of that. The top is way too frilly - she wont even wear a t-shirt with a raunched sleeve or shouler - it has to be plain and simple, no seems, frills or anything remotely fussy! Same with patterns, almost everything she wears is plain with the exception of some of her checked shirts.

[sweetheart]

Just flicking through the HOF website and Mango seem to have some nice not too expensive suits in small sizes, they'll probably be too long in the arm and leg but we might be able to get them altered.

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

ah, i see.

it's the colours you need to think about, if she won't do patterns.
avoid anything too dark, but maybe she'll get into a proper purple or blue or etc standard posh suit?

It's scary how little out there there is for teenagers who don't want casual or girlish! :(

[worsestershiresauce]

Let her loose in topshop, and then edit her selection to something you can both (just about) agree on. At 13 I wouldn't have been seen dead in anything my mum chose for me (I was a tomboy with no fashion awareness, but that didn't mean I was about to wear her idea of suitable).

[nickelbabylyinginamanger]

jackets
with black trousers and a plain blouse?

the only detail is the bow at the waist...

[Startail]

Black slightly floaty shorts and similar light weight jacket, vaguely dinner jacket style and a white shirt with sequin collar. Black opaques and heels was what 19 yo had on at the last wedding I went to. Sorry I can't link, and knowing how much money her parents have you wouldn't want me to.

However, I think New Look, Miss Selfridge (go small on line, but adult prices) and Riverisland may yield something similar.

DD2 has a black Debenham's play suit that might also work.

Also do you have any Clothing Exchange shops, she's sure not to be the only 12yo who has occasion to need a dress for one day.

[Tigerstripes]

I also say playsuit or there are some really nice short suits about at the minute. I saw some in topshop the other day.

[hettie]

mme... she sounds like me at that age....
what about some metalic jeans/trousers like these or these or these
If you think she'd go for those then we can defo find her a blouse and cardi to go along with them?