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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want 6 year old DD to dress like a teenager

35 replies

3ofeach · 04/07/2013 13:25

My first AIBU post please me gentleGrin

DD2 has just turned 6 and is very tall for her age, already 132 cm. DD 1 was the same as a child but has only managed to equal 5'3'' as an adult

Anyway I am fed up at trying to get what I want for Dd2 in the shops and have started to make some things for her

Due to her height she is in 8+ collections of clothes and I want her to still look her age and not like a mini teen . I will have no issue with her dressing like a 13 year old when she is 12 just not at 6 Ffs

Anyone else?

OP posts:
redskyatnight · 04/07/2013 13:32

Yes, I have the same issue. DD is 7 and is now exposed to the "older girls" clothes area of shops and so much is unsuitable. I recently took her shopping for new summer clothes (she'd outgrown everything) and we went round several shops with DD complaining that there was nothing that she liked - it was all basically aimed at teenagers, whereas DD still likes "girly" dresses and things to be covered in flowers and butterflies.

On a similar note, we really struggled to find shorts for her - really not keen to put my 7 year old in hot pants! (and she wouldn't want to wear them anyway)

SalaciousBCrumb · 04/07/2013 13:33

Yes.

Boden/Joules are expensive (unless you get the sale - which, with Boden, is pretty hard not to since they've always got some discount or another). Or John Lewis is good.

Buzzardbird · 04/07/2013 13:34

YANBU. I have just e-mailed Tesco to thank them for making swimsuits for my 6 yr old DD (long body also needs an age 8) that are suitable for a child with no current aspirations to become an exotic dancer. I spent all day yesterday in my local shopping centre of hell and couldn't find anything without padding or halter neck or horrible slogan.
Buyers seem to buy into the theory that any child over the age of 4 needs to look like a teen.

specialsubject · 04/07/2013 13:34

have you looked in the boys section? Clothes are usually better made, cheaper and not covered in pink flowered crap.

CeliaFate · 04/07/2013 13:35

Have a look at www.kidscloset.co.uk.
They sell some lovely clothes.

Crumbledwalnuts · 04/07/2013 13:36

Are Marks and Spencer as bad?

Bonsoir · 04/07/2013 13:37

I find that Gap, Zara and Benetton are the best sources of quite plain clothing.

Heartbrokenmum73 · 04/07/2013 13:38

I totally agree with this. Why are kids clothes ranges from 7-14? Who wants their little girl to dress like a teenager? Sadly, if there was no demand it wouldn't happen and far too many Mums dress their daughters as mini-them.

My DD is 11, just finishing primary. She's really into long, floaty, pretty dresses and I'm all for this. One of her 'friends' told her she 'hates' those dresses (at a disco) and wishes she'd stop wearing them. DD just said she's allowed to like what she wants and doesn't have to copy everyone else. I quietly applauded. She also loves Kate Bush and David Bowie (and One Direction and Justin Beiber) - I have high hopes for her as an individual yet.

Boys clothes are shit too. I don't want my son (8) to dress in arse-showing skinny jeans and inappropriate t-shirts thanks, but apparently (according to retailers) he should be. I'm happy to see him in his cut-offs and Super Mario tops.

cantspel · 04/07/2013 13:40

I dont know where some of you shop but i think you must be looking in the wrong shops.

Try BHS their younger girls range goes up to 10 and they have loads of no teen dresses, shorts and t shirts

www.bhs.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogNavigationSearchResultCmd?catalogId=34096&storeId=13077&langId=-1&viewAllFlag=false&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=471613&parent_categoryId=471108&beginIndex=1&pageSize=40&interstitial=true

stickyg · 04/07/2013 13:42

God im dreading when my daughter goes into the older girls section, she's just going into age 5-6 so I have another year before it happens.

heartbrokenmum ....well done on your daughter, she sounds fab

Heartbrokenmum73 · 04/07/2013 13:44

Cantspel I was going to suggest BHS too! They've extended their girls range up to 10 - it used to be 8. They must have had complaints from Mums like us. I think Next stuff is lovely too, but out of my price range. Their girls leggings with the applique butterflies at the ankles are gorgeous.

stickyg - thanks, I think I've done rather well there Grin. She also says she's going to marry Slash when she's older, the 40+ age gap isn't an issue for her!!!

JerseySpud · 04/07/2013 13:47

I feel your pain OP. As mother of 2 girls one big for her age the other short, i struggle clothing them.

My eldest is 6.5 but in age 7-8 clothes for the length however there is nothing to her weight wise. So what ever she has has to beadjustable or i take it in otherwise its all waaay too short.

1Veryhungrycaterpillar · 04/07/2013 13:51

There are a lot of people on Facebook who make dresses and skirts if you tell them the measurements, Charlie and Grace is a lovely page

Original poster
3ofeach · 04/07/2013 14:50

Thanks everyone. Will look at BHS haven't been in there, usually try places like George and H&M

Heartbroken your Dd sounds fab.

Luckily I can pretty good at sewing and it's fun for me to make clothes and Dd2 has loved coming to choose fabric for her new clothes. It's just finding the time to do some sewing that's difficultWink it's making me think my pipe dream of a children's clothes business might be worth a go as its not just me that finds this a problem

Or maybe a new campaign to retailers ?

OP posts:
StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 04/07/2013 15:08

what about buying cheap stuff in plain colours and customising with applique butterflies etc yourself or plain white tees and iron on motifs. beads, sequins and braid are reasonably priced and can make a plain top or leggings very smart. I used to cut off all the pictures on Ds's fave tops when he was young and sew on new tops.

Pennyacrossthehall · 04/07/2013 15:43

It was years ago, but I still can't get over bumping into one of my DS1's classmates (when he was 11) with her mum . . . . and the daughter was wearing a T-shirt with "Holiday FCUK" in big letters across it.

W.T.A.F?

JazzDalek · 04/07/2013 16:37

It's not a problem I've had yet, as eight-year-old DD is small and still fits most 5-6 clothes, but I've seen what's on offer for 6+ girls and a lot of it is indeed horrible. I mostly buy Boden (sales / Ebay / good discount) for the DCs.

fatlazymummy · 04/07/2013 16:43

Sainsbury's TU range has lots of dresses and 'little girl' type clothes that go up to age 12. Definitely not teenagerish at all.

mrsjay · 04/07/2013 16:56

A friend had the same with her dd at that age she was very tall and by the time she was midway through primary school it was teen clothes and some adult clothes she found it hard to dress her what she felt was age appropriate , dds were titchy for ages so i never found it a problem although you can get age appropriate clothes if you look or mix up the taller girls clothes

mrsjay · 04/07/2013 16:57

Thanks everyone. Will look at BHS haven't been in there, usually try places like George and H&M

dd2 loved BHS and the clothes were fine for her age

Rowgtfc72 · 05/07/2013 20:55

Would second Sainsburys. DD is six and 130 cm tall but because of her long back and the fact that shes built like a rugby player wears 10-11 clothes. You try finding a Charlie and Lola top in that size (yes i have resorted to cutting up tops to stick on others). Everything in the shops makes her look like she should be stood on a street corner. Sainsburys have normal clothes up to age twelve.

phantomnamechanger · 05/07/2013 21:02

haha, I don't even like my teen (13) dressing like a teen LOL - I now tend to buy her a small ladies size in plain coloured T shirts etc rather than skimpy tops with cheeky slogans on

boy stuff is all skulls and slogans bordering on rude/aggressive, masquerading as "cute", thats all yuk too

orangeandemons · 05/07/2013 21:07

I would second BHS and Sainsburys. My dd is 6, and I am currently buying age 10/11 for her. Boden is ok to, but a bit twee.

H and m is ok if you look, but have to filter out lots, M and S is awful, and Next is pretty bad too.

Mumsyblouse · 05/07/2013 21:10

I find Next clothes among the inappropriate, unless you want a very flouncy bridesmaid dress or a mini denim skirt, not much inbetween. I go to TKMax for nice continental clothes although it is very hit and miss, pay out for the odd M & S nice dress (they do have them), the odd John Lewis tunic (very costly but worn endlessly by my very fussy dd2) and mix it in with the plainer t-shirts and stuff from Tesco. My 9 year old doesn't want to dress like a teen either, given she isn't one yet.

I also hate anything not in cotton (one sweaty dd with eczema) so that's much of the cheap high street out (some brands such as M and co used to have nice plain cotton clothing for children, it is now polyester and hideous).

orangeandemons · 05/07/2013 21:21

Sainsburys do lots of cotton....that brand has been the saving of this problem for me