to want my 5 year old to look like a 5 year old?

[SlightlyJaded]

Ok I probably am BU
And I am definitely being a snob

But... Like most 5 year olds, my dd has appalling taste and would gladly dress head to toe in Barbie themed tops, age inappropriate 'fashion' skirts / leggings etc and the more logos and glitter the better...

Now, I am not suggesting that she be permanently kitted out in Boden, Little White Company and Baby Joules (not that I can, nor would, pay £45 for a cotton skirt) and I have relented on some things like vile Disney Princess PJ's, Tinkerbell vests and pants, Hello Kitty Jeans and the like BUT my problem is that it's really hard to talk her in to nice clothes, and she really likes to come shopping and be allowed to choose sometimes.

I know it's not the end of the world, but short of explaining the concept of chavvy to her thus rendering her a complete snob (not unlike her mother) I don't know the words to use to put her off.

I have tried to tell her that things are not suitable for her age and then been blind-sided by a 3 year old with pierced ears in a pink fake fur coat strolling past

And nowhere is safe! Supermarkets, Charity Shops - even M&S seem to be full of nylon rouched tops with fricking studs on them. Any suggestions, or should I just roll over and embrace an exclusively pink, lilac and silver nylon wardrobe...??

I think the adverts are what makes people hate LKs so much. I recently bought DD (8) a pair of sequinned lace-up plimpsolls because I couldn't resist the sparkly, and I think they'll look really funky with a pair of jeans but no power on earth would make me give money to bloody Lelli Kellis, because of the adverts, the blatant appeal to pester power, and the fact that they come with free lipgloss.

The answer is to do what I do and shop in the charity shops of the poncy areas. I'm currently waiting for DD to get tall enough for the lovely Ralph Lauren violet velvet jeans I bought a couple of years ago.

But isn't buying Ralph Lauren jeans for a child as bad as buying anything that's so-called designer?

Ralph Luren are well known for their Ad Campaigns...it's just that they appeal to YOU and not your child. Its like saying do as I say and not as I do.

I wish my five year old dressed like a five year old but she is permanently glued into her tiger suit. Very cute but it has been weeks now.

She shreds anything pink I dare to buy her and will only wear black and white or animal print. I think she is just at that stage where she is starting to express herself through clothing. Showing her inner tiger perhaps.

I quite like lelli kellys.I would probably wear them if they came in my size. Ironically of course.

My dd wears tinkerbell,disney princess stuff.Dont bother me in the slightest nor do judgy pants either.

I realised what people were going to say about the RL jeans just after I posted, and you have a point, but in my defence they're for when DD is nine, so a more grown up look is more defensible. And they're gorgeous. (Also of course the money goes to Romanian orphans rather than manipulative American designers).

DD likes to look "cool" (except when she wants to look hyper-girly, or ultra-tomboy, or sparkle like a demented magpie of course).

so did an 'experiment' with DD this weekend and took her to a big M&S to pick a couple of dresses as she really has grown out of all but her summer clothes. Finally realised that she pretty much 'really really wants' the last thing she she is shown (at which point the thing before that she 'really really wanted' is completely forgotten). We looked at 5 dresses (saving my 2 favourites for last) and lo and behold, she 'really really wanted' them :)

Did help that I managed to distract her as we walked past the few pink nylon bits, and therefore all options were acceptable to me.

Oh and Dilys we do charity shops too - some of my best buys have been from charity shops and ebay.

OP, I'm sooo with you. And I don't think it's "snobby" to want your dd to look nice. I could have written the same op
Today's compromise was a new cream knitted dress, leggings and boots. I thought she looked lovely, and thankfully so did she

Kids shoes slutty lmao oh the stupidity of that comment. and girly clohtes being chavvy um ok then rolls eyes

Yeah cos a 5year old kid wearing a boob tube, mini skirt and knee high boots is the same as wearing a pair of flat sparkly girly shoes designed for children. rolls eyes get a grip that must be the most stupidest thing ive ever herd.

Ive never herd of someone describe a pair of kids shoes as "slutty" think theres something weird going on in your head if thats the case :-S lol

Sorry, but she is 5 - why are you taking her shopping for clothes?! I have 3 dds - 9,7 and 3 and I don't take them shopping for clothes. Children would rather/should be playing than dragged round hot shopping centres.

I buy a few things for my dds to choose from/try on. They try on at home, keep some things and I return the rest - simple. Clothes really don't have to be an issue unless you make it one.

My 9 year old has not really been 'into' clothes until fairly recently when she's wanted some slighty trendier things, eg leggings, tunics etc. I buy from Vertbaudet, Boden (in the sale) and same thing - try at home and return what's not needed. But she's 9. I wouldn't even contemplate letting a 5 year old choose her clothes.

Personally I cannot understand the number of clothes manufacturers who think black and bright pink is a good combination for the under 10s (or anyone of any age frankly)

I think you just need to pick your battles -

sequin leggins/fav characters on PJs/sparkly shoes and over the top glitter party clothes/fake fur/plastic jewellery = treasure for little girls, let her have some fun!

Boob tubes/"wannabe wag" tshirt/high heels/one shoulder tops/bra tops/cropped tops/"playboy"branded stuff = foul and to be avoided at all costs.

Simples

JustBeachy you are absolutely right. There is a difference between tacky in the pink plastic sense and tacky as in the age inappropriate sense.

I am just looking at my DD's Lelli Kelly boots and never in a million years would I call them slutty. Yes,they are pink with a few sparkly bits, but they are also sturdy with quite thick soles - she climbs trees and rides her bike in them all the time.

I don't particularly like branded clothing for children and detest high heels. DD knows that if she wants more Lelli Kelly shoes then she'll have to wait until Christmas when granddad will be only too happy to spoil her.

Id rather have my child look girly and pretty in clothes little girls should wear than be wearing something that looks like a duvet.
Or something kids would be made to wear in the stone ages lol.

Yes taking your little girls clothes shopping is so creul rolls eyes i have two wee girls and they happen to enjoy clothes shopping, alot of wee girls do!!!

My real bugbear is the young girls clothes section often stopping at age 5.

My DD is very tall and needs a larger size meaning from age 4 we were in the older girls range. What is ok for a 14 year old is not ok for 4.

Next have now cottoned on and go up to 5-6. M & S got alot of custom from me in summer as they go to age 6-7.

There was nothing in Asda at weekend suitable for a 4.5 ear old needing age 6-7 imo.

My solutions

More expensive stuff like Boden, US stuff like gymboree, ebay. TK maxx also sells alot of US brands.

I mainly buy DD's clothes without her or show her options on internet. If we are in a shop and she wants something inapropriate I say they are for big girls like her cousins - she doesn't know it comes in her size.

I don't want DD frumpy in smocked dresses just age appropriate.

There is a huge gap in the market. Decent stuff like nice Monsoon dresses go for alot on ebay. I've just made £300 selling DD's autumn 09 clothes - so I know i'm not the only mum with my taste.

Know what you mean about this one. I have a ten year old who's pretty much grown up in Mini Boden. Even M&S sells tacky stuff for little girls, I think. Mini Boden was funky, dependable and good quality, with no hint of tack. I stuck mostly to that!

I bought my friend's four year-old DD an outfit for Crimbo in Mr T's and I was HORRIFIED by what was available (I have a boy and boysisbest).
I'm fully aware that mums like their kids to be fashionable but the sea of pink was unbearable and hotpants? Since when were they in fashion for four year-olds.
There were about four outfits with shorts that looked way too short. It's winter ffs... I know they had tights with them but I repeat - it's WINTER.
Finally I found cords and a top that looked classy but it took some searching.

Mine (age 5) is really keen on animal print things, some of which is quite skimpy looking. Can't believe they make them - real lady of the night stuff.

Completely agree with Justbeachy. I don't want to totally prescribe what dd wears. She loves clothes and does come shopping with me (we don't go clothes shopping very often.

Tbh, my mother loved trash - I had the reverse problem to most of my friends. As a result, I never properly developed my own style but had this odd mish mash of some clothes I bought myself and mostly stuff my mother bought.

I don't want to dictate to dd and make the same mistake but in reverse - I am prepared to weather some rolling eyes from other parents over the odd short skirt and hello kitty. But I will keep a right of veto on the really trashy stuff.

We've never seen these Kelly ads people talk about. We generally don't watch ads - it helps a lot, I think.

DD1 (aged 6) has very definite ideas about what she likes to wea but, luckily for me, her very definite ideas are in-line with the sorts of things I like on small girls. She loves her school uniform, likes skirts/dresses to cover her bottom, "otherwise I'll have a cold bottom and that's just ridiculous" and wants to look grown up. If I'm ever foolish enough to take her shopping she is easily persuaded by, "hmm... it is very sparkly...I'm not sure it will make you look very grown up though..."

She has yet to ask for clothing/shoes she's seen on adverts partly because she rarely sees any and also because we've had a little chat about adverts. It was along the lines of 'if it needs advertising it's clearly not that great - if it was great people would just tell each other about it and save the toy/clothes makers the job of having to make an advert'.

Oh, and hand-me-downs from greatly admired older girls don't need any persuasion - they are always, "just what I'd really been hoping for!".

i love dressing my DD (19 months) in glittery, girly, trendy stuff, sparkly leggings, little dresses, denim skirts and shorts, pink pink and MORE pink! and in fact her whole wardrobe pretty much consists of hello kitty

if that makes me a chav i dont care :o