Dressing DDs

[sparkout]

My eldest is a boy who is easy to dress, boys stuff all pretty much goes together, trousers, long sleeved tops in winter tshirts in summer, a couple of pairs of shorts and a fleece or two and hes away. Now have a DD almost 2yo and am finding she has very little to wear that actually goes together. With DS I just bought bits as and when he grew out of them but with DD I seem to have lots of items but nothing much goes together so she always seems to have nothing to wear (the fact that she likes to chose her outfits in the morning doesn't help either!!).

Anyone have an efficient method of dressing girls, should I just go out at start of each season and get everything she'll need in one go? Stick to one shop? Buy outfits together instead of everything separately as she grows out of them? I seem to be forever needing something for her as she has grown but then can't find it to match what she already has. DH thinks I'm mad when I say she has no clothes as she does have things and of course he can dress her but it sure as hell looks awful as nothing goes together at all

[sommewhereelse]

I don't really understand your problem. Since birth most of DDs clothes have belonged to other girls first but we have still had items with which you could make outfits that match. She has always been into choosing her own clothes so the combinations are often a bit bizarre but I don't mind. I warn her in advance when I am going to choose (weddings, school photos etc).
If it does stress you out when she chooses bizarre combinations, you could try a tip I read somewhere. You make a big glittery badge saying 'I dressed myself today' for her to wear.

[sparkout]

Maybe its because I've not got many basics type things eg plain trousers/skirts/dresses? I don't know, most of our stuff is from ebay or second hand as well but tights/tops and dresses etc never seem to work together, too many different patterns etc so she looks to "busy" maybe? I just see other little girls about the place looking neat and smart and my DD looks like she has lost a fight with a clothes airer

[allhailtheaubergine]

I like the 'lost a fight with the clothes airer' look. My daughter sports it daily.

[miche8]

you could be me, i think we worry too much-i should probably spend more time on my own outfits. I've just sold loads on ebay all hardly worn because i bought so much but nothing really matched, she had a few of the cute boden cords but i never found the perfect top. I've just restocked her wardrobe and i spent quite a bit in gap in one go but it all mixes and matches and i'm not having so much of a problem. She also has a couple of outfits from monsoon, got her a denim dress from there which i figure will go with any colour/patterned tights. I just binned lots of outgrown tights because they were too pattered and she had nothing plain to wear with them. My daughter is only 19 months she doesn't have a say in what to wear yet.

[Bonsoir]

My "method" of dressing my DD is to buy a lot of basics in Bonton every season. The beauty of Bonton is that last year's clothes always go with this year's - Bonton makes timeless children's classics, albeit with a gentle hint at fashion. And then I buy bits and pieces to liven it all up!

[accessorizequeen]

I've had similar problems although I do feel stupid for not getting it! I had boys for 5 years before dd arrived and they are easier by far. Someone said on here last winter that the easiest way to dress them in winter is a long sleeved dress. And I found that to be true, dd is 3 in a few weeks and I've got a couple for her birthday.
Would agree with denim pinafores, skirts and jeans - they will go with everything. And I tend to steer clear of teals and peacock colours as I can never find anything else to go with them. A limited number of colours makes it simpler to match as does having the same tones eg bright colours go with other bright colours. . Outfits from next and the like are too expensive for me plus dd is different sizes on top.
I found next tights were the easiest to match with other clothes, the supermarket ones only seem to go with the other clothes they sell. I love having a little girl to dress but think I ought to think more of my own wardrobe than hers!

[sparkout]

miche8 my DD is only 22 months, she has suddenly decided she should have a say in what she wears!!

Bonton looks nice, I've never heard of them before.

Where abouts have you got the long sleeve dresses from accessorizequeen? They would make things easier as only tights/leggings to work out then!

And I should def spend more time (and money) on my own outfits, DD looks like she has lost a fight with a clothes airer, I llok like I've been dressed by the old ladies at the jumble sale !

[vesela]

I know exactly what you mean, and I think the answer is to make sure you have enough clothes that are brown/grey/navy etc.

Pinks/purples/reds don't go with each other well, but dark grey leggings and a pink top do.

H&M have some good dark brown leggings, Zara have grey ones I think. It's worth looking among the boys' clothes for things - I've posted this before, but this is DD's most useful item of clothing because it goes with everything (and looks fantastic with pink).

Just re-read and seen you've got a boy anyway, so you're half way there!

[vesela]

and I've never found it necessary to stick to one shop or buy "outfits." Just make sure you have some brown/grey leggings or tights or trousers, some brown/grey T-shirts and some brown/grey fleeces or jumpers, and then something always goes with something else. Then it's a bonus when two coloured things also happen to go (like pink and green).

The grey tights that Mothercare and Next sell are particularly useful.

[KatyS36]

DD is 23 months and I get most of her stuff in the Monsoon sale at 50% or 70% off, or occasionaly JoJoMamanBaby. Monsoon sale isn't generally much more expensive than Asda.
I buy pretty much only basics. Nice trousers and leggings, short sleeved tops, long sleeved tops and cardigans. I tend to buy tops on the large side and then alter what they go with as she grows. (When big they go with leggings, when small the go with 3/4 length trousers).
I'm rigerous about only buying colours that all match, so purples, chocolate browns, reds, navy etc. I tend to buy plain trousers that will go with everything and then am more adventurous with tops.
I never buy 'outfits', as I figure they will be more difficult to mix and match.
One of the main reasons for all this effort is the DH dresses her in the morning. He has no clue so I have to make sure everything in her wardrobe goes together :)
I'm assuming the above approach works as I get lots of compilments about her clothes.
BTW all her vests and pjs come from Asda :)

Hope this helps

Katy

[mohara]

I find that a denim skirt, denim dress and a four pack of different coloured tshirts mix and match well into eight outfits! Pop on some plain colour tights and away you go! Then you can add in other basics such as jeans and cardigans and use the tshirts again .......I have two DDs under 3 and this works well for us! HHH

[AnyoneButLulu]

Lots of denim and a couple of very plain tops and coloured tights. I get most of DD's clothes in sales and charity shops but she mostly looks fine.
Though one year I did take her to H&M in September and buy a small wardrobe of matching clothes and she did look more reliably smart that winter.

[vesela]

Also, DD wears a lot of dresses, which pretty much always go with grey tights and a plain fleece or jumper.

[MistyMountainHop]

oh i couldnt agree more OP

when dd (2) was born i was so excited at the thought of all the lovely girls outfits i would be putting her in

however DS (5) is WAY easier to dress, and always looks lovely, as opposed to DD who looks a state :o despite me always buying her nice clothes, nothing seems to "go"

[accessorizequeen]

Girls clothes have too many possibilities and colours!
I'd 2nd grey as a useful basics colour, dd has grey leggings from monsoon and they're vvvv useful. Brown I have a phobia of.
Boden do l/s velour dresses but I liked the ones from m&s so bought the same one off eBay last month. Red with purple spots fab. JoJo do lovely striped dresses and gap do quite a lot of knitted style ones on eBay. Next do loads of jumper dresses too.
Bonsoir, have always imagined your dd as the most smartly dressed girl on the street!

[TuttoRhino]

I've never had a problem with this for 2.3 year old DD. I tend to go for either a plain pair of leggings / trousers and a patterned top or vice versa. I pick bright colours which go together. I suppose I do colour combos that others might not - love green and purple together, purple and red, turquoise and yellow, etc. So far she hasn't hit her pink phase yet which I'm so thankful for.

Get stuff from TK Maxx, H&M, lots of Scandi stuff like Duns, Molo, El Sikke Lej, Polarn o Pyret (all on sale mind).

[MrsVidic]

I go to the next sale and stock up on tops dresses and then buy jeans, leggins and tights

[Hulababy]

Buy plain coloured tights and leggings. Then these can be mix and matched with more busy dresses, skirts and tunic tops.

[Tinkerisdead]

I get a lot of hand me downs and so I have to try to mix odd pieces together, I find that if I buy key pieces like nice jeans, tights sets and plain long sleeved tops in multi packs. I can pair the muted stuff with the more patterned bits that are second hand. So a plain long sleeved top with denim shorts/skirt/pinny dress with patterned tights and boots looks great.

[ruletheworld]

Hmm.

Well, autumn to spring my 3yo DD has a kind of capsule wardrobe which runs along the lines of:

• two pairs of very soft and comfy skinny style jeans;
  
• two pairs of more kind of boot cut jeans;
  
• probably about 6 long sleeved tops in any colour or patterns she like;
  
• three jumpers/sweaters;
  
• three cardigans;
  
• two skirts;
  
• three pairs of leggings (worn under skirts in Autumn/Winter then on their own when it gets warmer)
  
• four pairs of tights;
  
• two or three knitted dresses.
  

She turns three in August and the last couple of years our local Gap outlet has run a 40% off sale in September which is around the time she grows out of her old clothes so the last couple of years I have been to Gap and bought all of the above, except the knitted dresses which came from M and S.

It looks like a lot but the Gap items this year and last came to £100 and since I also have a younger DD and I find Gap clothes wash and wear well (I know others would disagree but they are still in very good nick) then I don't mind spending that on clothes once a year.

Her summer kit is all supermarket clothing tbh and she lives in T shirts and dresses.

[MrsPellereau]

I have a daughter the same age and have to agree with Vesela, it sounds like you just don't have enough neutral coloured basics.

It is hard because people, my in laws especially buy DD gorgeous but very over the top outfits that just aren't suited to everyday life.

What I do is let DD choose one thing say a dress then layer it over a plain long sleeved t shirt and plain leggings. Navy blue works brilliantly with all shades of pink to tone it down a bit IYSWIM.

[Francagoestohollywood]

Often odd mixes look fantastic on 2 yrs old!

[trinot]

Go for plain/denim for trousers, shorts and dresses, then you can liven them up is tshirts, tights and leggings. i reckon dresses you can wear a long sleeved t-shirt under, and leggings, without tshirt and leggings for summer. The same for those cute little shorts that are going about, wear tights under for winter, without for summer