My mum has bought DD a dress knowing we won’t like it.

Any baby girl would look completely adorable in that dress. It's not my taste but it is undeniably cute.

I don't seem the harm in putting dd in it for a little while on her birthday and letting your mum briefly enjoy her dgd dressed like that.

Are you very militant about dd avoiding pink girly clothes? Perhaps you could let your mum indulge her whim for old-fashioned gender stereotyping just this once?

Some people are missing the point. It's not about whether they personally think the dress is nice. It's about the fact that your mother KNOWS FULL WELL you would hate it, and bought it anyway.

My mum does this all the time. Buys us things she knows we won't want. What's infuriating is, HER mother does it to her, and she gets ENRAGED about it, but then doesn't seem to see that she's doing the exact same thing to us. I used to try and rationalise it that "gift-giving is her love language", but I've lost patience for it, I think it's actually that she's got an addiction to consumerism. And maybe some sort of weird control thing. At the end of the day it's their choice, but what a bloody waste.

Your baby, you choose the outfit. Charity shop the dress.

Get one made in your mum's size with her age on the front as her christmas present

My dm did this yesterday. Big floofy princess dress. Took a few pics of dd in it for her, then let her carry on as she ripped the skirt apart. She had a wonderful time.

It really annoyed me when people treated my children like they were dolls to dress up. I used to put them in the gift clothes for a bit out of politeness but change them back as soon as I could. It wasn’t for the child, it wasn’t for me or my partner, it was all about the pleasure of the clothes buyer, so I don’t think you have to feel particularly grateful!

But I have decided all presents seem to fall into this category, unless the giver is particularly unselfish and actually wants to give pleasure to the person they are giving to rather than themselves.

I think this is the point. @Glasscabinet does your mum have form for trying to override your wishes? If this isn’t part of a wider pattern of behaviour, I would treat this as your mum just having a bit of a laugh, take a photo of DD in the dress as suggested by others and then take the dress off.

Why does everything have to be a battle?

First birthday? Pop child in whatever is clean and still fits - I'd choose a frock for photos if a DD and some sort of jumpsuit for the actual party (if having one).

It's her first birthday, once in a lifetime. The outfit doesn't need to be practical. Just to take a picture in the dress. She'll look lovely.

Chocolate cake - the darker the better is your friend here OP. I would let her ‘blow out’ the candle then change her quickly. Then take a series of cute photos letting her loose on the cake. Then wash her and change her back. Everyone happy. That outfit is only for one day so you can let her wear it on the cake destruction section of the day.

Meh, it's not a big deal. I've seen worse.
Stick her in it, take a photo for your mum, change her into something else.

There are so many things that matter, don't waste precious head space on trivia.

I don't see the harm in one wear, drama over nothing.

It's a party dress it doesn't need to be practical.

It's not to my taste but id put dd in it long enough for a few photos then get her changed on her next nappy change. She's your dd yes but it won't kill you to make her gmother happy will it?

I suppose it depends if it's a one off or a pattern of behavior.

I did feel MIL was being controlling about DD1 clothes as baby - felt like we couldn't buy anything and that it was about her wanting a girl not DH. Wrong fabrics - eczema was an issue - binned - flouncy stuff when she was crawling didn't ware as it hampered her.

Pink OTT cutesy upset DH to point he got fed up and dyed a lot black - came up lovely and put a stop to it.

MIL still bought clothes often with twist like jeans with flowers on which was helpful and I think kids mostly liked - but with more consideration to what would be used.

It's so cute and your DD will love it.
Don't sweat the small stuff.

‘Thanks but we’ve already picked an outfit for her birthday celebrations’

@MSLRT at aged 1 don't most babies still go through about 3 outfits a day ?
Is a "first birthday outfit" actually a thing?

I’m really surprised so many posters think it’s ok and would take pictures humouring it. This isn’t the classic mum tried with the best of intentions and got it wrong so say you say thank you and take the photos so as not to hurt her feelings. She knows full well OP will hate it and doesn’t want it. She bought it anyway. I don’t see how it’s anything other than a lack of respect for boundaries and actually it’s pretty nasty because it’s a joke being made at OP’s expense. Also, way to make the DD’s first birthday all about her and her little joke. I would suggest that you nip it in the bud now, tell mum yes you’re right I do hate it and I hope you kept the receipt!

Yes, and the mother KNEW she didn’t like it, which is the point many people are missing.

Pop her in it, take some lovely photos, give your mum one in a frame and then just retire that outfit to a very rarely opened draw.

She doesn't like it

Oh god, the "be kind and gracious" crew are out early...

I'd be annoyed about her buying something you won't like. It seems pointless and a bit spiteful?

But overall I'd assess the relationship as a whole. If it's usually good and she's a good grandmother, I'd probably put her in it for 15 minutes and get a few photos and then change her out, and talk to your mum at a later date about not buying things like that as it's wasteful and not your style.

If it's not usually great and she's got form for overriding your opinions, I'd just not reference it again, and say that she didn't want to wear it/it was damaged/it was dirty if she asks directly.

It doesn't look the most comfortable.