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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To just want to be able to buy my dd some age appropriate clothing?

122 replies

bridge83 · 19/04/2016 18:29

My dd is 10yo so she's tricky to buy clothes for as she's in between kiddy and more teenage clothes. She likes to be comfortable whisky playing in our street with her friends so tends to wear jogging bottoms t shirts, shorts etc but she also likes her dresses, skirts and jump suits for when we are going out and about.

So today I'm shopping for her some summer clothes. Usually she comes with me but we go away in a weeks time and she's in school so I need to get her some stuff. Anyway I went into every shop imaginable ie Next, New Look, H+M, Tammy, Zara and all I came across were cut off belly tops, shorts that were that short they could only be described as hot pants, bra halter neck tops and tops with inappropriate slogans.

I do not want my dd who is only in year 5 to be walking round with her belly and backside hanging out simple as that but clearly a lot of parents do not mind as they wouldn't sell these kind of clothes. I realise my dd is growing up and pretty soon she won't even let me chose anything for her and that's absolutely fine but for now I buy and shop for her clothes and I just want to be able to go into a shop and buy something nice but ahe appropriate.

I see it all the time, girls my dd age, sometimes younger wearing clothes that quite frankly look to small for them ie bums practically hanging out of their shorts/leggings. Belly tops that show their crop tops/bras etc and I think it's awful. I don't except my dd to want to wear Minnie Mouse jumpers or anything like that but I expect with all the shops on the high street these days to be able to go in and not come out empty handed. So am I somehow being unreasonable about this or does anyone else with dd's feel the same?

OP posts:
JuxtapositionRecords · 19/04/2016 21:51

There are pages and pages of standard t-shirts, dresses, trousers etc on H&M's website. Crop tops and short shorts can't be ALL you found in those shops. Think you just wanted a good old judgey pants moan.

cbigs · 19/04/2016 21:53

Another one saying that's bollies op h and m is not at all belly tops and belt skirts . It's long dresses leggings funky sweatshirts etc . Genuinely don't know what you're on about .. Confused

BabyDubsEverywhere · 19/04/2016 22:31

All the girls round here wear cropped tops and short denim shorts, but they all have long vest tops and leggings underneath, I thought that was how they are supposed to be worn... certainly haven't seen any without the leggings and vest combo. My 7 year old wears them like that and so do all her friends. They look very childlike to me, all a mish mash of colours too which seems to be a thing at the moment - I like it, adds to the childlike/fun quality.

BrandNewAndImproved · 19/04/2016 22:43

Argh my dd is also 10 and in year 5 but keeps begging me for belly tops. It's not happening. I wish she would live in leggings and a hoodie however she wants hot pants and cropped tops. (not happening)

Asda had long tshirts a few weeks ago when I bought her some summer stuff. I may compromise on a cropped tshirt if it has dungarees on top but as shes now 12/13 or adult 6 in size I doubt I'll find any. She even rolls up her tshirts if they're the tight sort where she's so desperate for a belly top.

Dixiechickonhols · 19/04/2016 22:47

My DD is 10 but tall wearing age 13.

Have sorted her wardrobe and bought some stuff at next, m & s (got jeggings and some nice dresses). She also likes kylie range at m & co, she chose some white jeans, normal t shirt with a print on and a harry potter slogan t shirt.

The cropped t shirts are worn over vests. Shorts are worn over tights or leggings.

YesThisIsMe · 19/04/2016 22:53

I agree that IME girls' short shorts are mostly worn over tights and leggings unless it's high summer. You're not living in Georgia so you're not meant to wear your Daisy Dukes like Daisy did.

HPsauciness · 19/04/2016 23:02

I agree, OP. I was convinced Sainsbos might have something, but they didn't seem to have a teen range in our store, it had up to age 12 but it was all very colourful and very young looking pink shorts and girly dresses and my 10 year old is not into that stuff any more.

There are t-shirts, but most of them are very small sizing wise and have lycra in them, which is extremely unflattering to my rather solid dd - they are not nice ordinary t-shirts in cotton like I used to wear at all.

Lots and lots of up your bum shorts, I outwitted her there by buying 13 year old ones, as really they are too short. She had some last year and lived in them and it was quite mortifying at times going out with her in these shorts, I vowed to get rid at the end of the summer and not go back there!

I'm sure there is some nice stuff out there, but I checked out two supermarkets (Sainsburys and Morrisons) and Next and Peacocks and M and Co, which are mostly pretty cheap brands but where I was nearby, and I couldn't give my money away this summer. I'm hoping as everyone says if I go into town and check out Gap and some other stores there'll be more stuff.

Chinesealan · 19/04/2016 23:04

All be appropriate in Gap.

CodyKing · 19/04/2016 23:18

Have you tried mandco.co.uk?

Catanddogmake6 · 19/04/2016 23:29

Lands End do knee length (rather than short) shorts and also skorts for those who might be looking. Spent ages looking for slightly longer shorts for DD as she has long legs. Lands End also did a series of space t shirts including in girly colours. Silly thing but pleased me as DD loves space and pink. Also agree with Fat Face doing nice t-shirts that last. If only they tumble dried.

neolara · 19/04/2016 23:35

Jonnie B is good.

defineme · 19/04/2016 23:36

Morrissons- i have just bought 11 year old dd just above the knee denim shorts, a couple of nice tshirts, shorter but loose shorts and a jumpsuit all in shades of blue from the Nutmeg range, not top quality material but inexpensive and fine for a summer's wear.

minnymoobear · 19/04/2016 23:44

Yanbu OP!
My dd is a tall 9 year old - I want her to dress like a 9 year old not a mini 18 year old!!

kipperydippery · 19/04/2016 23:49

I was just about to suggest Lands End catalogue but Cat beat me to it. Lovely clothes, expensive but they last ages.

My DD2 (8) is the same height as most 11 or 12 yr olds (tall family) & Lands Ends is brilliant. Don't know what I would have done without it. Clothes cool enough for Y3/4 but also suitable for her age.

Word of warning, don't be tempted to buy shoes, every time we have they don't fit, I have no idea how they do their sizing

StarkyTheDirewolf · 20/04/2016 00:06

Try the forever 21 girls section on the website. Some quite nice stuff and I've always found the forever21 stuff to be nice quality. (For me, I've never bought children's clothes from here.)

ShanghaiDiva · 20/04/2016 00:10

Uniqlo is good for basics up to 150cm in height.

Cressandra · 20/04/2016 00:30

H&M, Next, Lands End all great online but the first 2 are a bit hit and miss IRL shops, and the last we don't have IRL. Trouble is, DD wants to go actual shopping in actual person to actual shops. Harrumph.

And I have to accept that part of the problem may be me wanting to dress her "too young". I still miss rompers FFS.

I hadn't considered Gap, I'll try there.

herecomethepotatoes · 20/04/2016 04:25

And down with the OP and her thinly veiled pop at overweight children not dressed to her standards

I think it was to do with showing too much flesh as opposed to a dig at fat children.

curren · 20/04/2016 06:23

I don't get threads like this.

I have a Dd (11) she lives in comfy clothes. Tracksuit bottoms, shorts, tshirts. She has clothes for 'best'.

She never has her belly hanging out, doesn't have a pair of bottoms that leave her arse hanging out, not shorts that are that short that you can see her bum cheeks.

We shop all over H&M, next, supermarkets, la redoute, sports direct, TK Max, river island etc.

Never had a problem buying age appropriate clothes or cloths that actually cover her up.

Neither do any of her friends parents. I just don't get why people can't seem to find clothes for their dds.

AllPowerfulLizardPerson · 20/04/2016 06:39

I don't get threads like this either.

Here's the 'tops' page for Mew Look.

Lots of different lengths there. And colours and styles.

So what I don't 'get' is why OP can't find clothes she likes.

It's a search problem, not (for once) a problem in what the industry supplies.

CodyKing · 20/04/2016 06:47

Ok - I've looked at Nee Look link -

You have clingy tips- baggy tops - belly tops - grown up strapped tops -

Where the Normal T-shirt range?

You know a basic tshirt shape with is nice but not cute for an 11 year old?

YesThisIsMe · 20/04/2016 06:53

That link didn't work for me so here is a mobile one. There are a lot of crop tops, more than half I'd say, but that leaves a shedload of longer length ones to choose from (or wear a crop top with a vest underneath like my teen does).

I now want to buy her all the caticorn ones but that's my problem.

YesThisIsMe · 20/04/2016 06:55

Here Cody. That's just the first of the many many normal tshirts in amongst the crop tops.

YesThisIsMe · 20/04/2016 06:57

Now of course you might not want to buy a tshirt saying "squad goals" or "selfie ready" or with an endless stream of unicorn-related references, but that's a matter of personal style which comes with the territory at New Look and none of them are age inappropriate for the 9-13 group IMO.

GreatFuckability · 20/04/2016 07:00

Go to Asda. I buy my 9 and 12 year olds plenty of dresses/leggings/shorts/tshirts there.