To ask what idiots design girls' clothes??

[Pepperwort]

And who decided that 9 - 13, 14 ish has to be a new group for marketing, and wearing those adult-like, almost aggressive (can't think of a better word) fashions?? I'm not advertising sexuality for a 'tween' or whatever they're called, creepy men can get their kicks somewhere else. I just want something nice that suits the weather! I hate hate HATE clothes shopping.

It's lockdown, so I haven't had my act together and wanted to get some summer tops for my dd, 11. Designers - summer is hot, and the sun burns. What you need is something covering the shoulders, light, loose, in natural cool fabrics and nice prints. Something patterned in nice colours.

NO MORE damned slogans or flipping' unicorns or what-have-you, scrap animal prints. Ffs ditch the polyester, and kill the 'cold shoulder' rubbish already!!

HOW HARD IS IT??? REALLY?

Ahem. As you were. And if anyone could possibly point me to some nice simple (very simple, I can use a sewing machine but I'm not a whizz) and new sewing patterns for tunic and 'peasant blouse' types, assuming I get my act together next year, I would be eternally grateful.

I hate most of the girls shorts that are available. They are ridiculously short.

Urgh- strappy summer tops for young girls really do my head in- this is the UK, we normally get about 40 days of decent weather, the rest of the year we're under wraps. Most children have white pale skin. Heck, most of the children with non-white skin are pale/pasty, we just don't have the light here.
So why do shops sell sleeveless/strappy tops when children need shoulders (and many need lots of their arm too) covered to protect from UVA/UVB?
It's ridiculous. Grrrr.

For long girls shorts my DD had shorts from Fat Face (though these seem shorter last few years!) and quicksilver/roxy (these were fab). Probably other surf brands would have similar. Sometimes gap ones also were longer. Boden often have clamdigger type shorts (but more gaudy colours).

Shopping for 8 year old SD is awful in the summer. Either the clothes are really baby-sit, all love hearts, princesses and unicorns or she looks like shes going for a night out... what's with the tiny shorts and crop tops?
H&M is where I get most of her stuff though I havnt been online in a while so not sure what the options are like on there. Be warned though, they have some lovely dresses but the are ridiculously short! If your buying for a taller child I would defo size up, SD wears the dresses aged 9-10 and they are still quite a bit above her knees.

@Ouchjuststoodonlego (my sympathies), I'd definitely try outdoor shops for sandals, although I'm not sure about that age group. I don't bother getting sandals from normal shoe shops any more.

@Mypathtriedtokillme oh dear, even in Australia? But you were practically the first nation telling everyone to cover up and protect in the first place!
Obviously girls aren't actually allowed outside...

Both my DDs (5 and 8) have these "boys" [ sigh ] shorts this year - cotton, pull-on, loads of pockets:
kids shorts John Lewis

I've also had multi packs of plain brightly coloured t shirts from the boys section at Next and M&S in previous years which have been good value.

I can't stand most "girls" summer clothes...

And yes, for sandals we get karrimor or Merrell walking sandals. Fashionable they are NOT!

Also H&M boys shorts...until she grew hips. H&M women's since (actually not too short, more floaty flowery type)

Agreed!

Landsend have nice practical & hard wearing stuff

Those cheap packs of white cotton t shirts sold as school wear are great fun for the kids to tie dye

I sew most of my children’s clothes & love Ottobre patterns but “sewing clothes kids love” is my starter recommendation- brilliant adaptable patterns & great construction advice.

You do realise that you can buy clothes labelled as boys for girls. At the end of the day they’re all just clothes. Dd frequently chooses things from the ‘boys’ section

And Sainsbury's boys' tshirts are in lovely bright colours, usually decently priced for four pack.

I've just brought mine some nice shorts from M&S. Nice elasticated waist and not too short.
They are into t shirts at the moment. Got a nice green ones on with some large print daisies on and she likes her slogans. ie. I read I know stuff and gets these off amazon. Seriously online shopping - you can get whatever you like. She'd rather have 3 decent t shirts she has chosen then 6 mass produced unicorn ones. She also has H Potter stuff and that's not pink at all. Don't like pink stuff and unicorns don't buy it.

Can you not just buy the "boys" shoes?
My DD mostly wears mens shoes because she is a size 43 now (aged 16). Fortunately her tastes run to DMs in winter and Birkenstocks in summer.

I think the problem sometimes with buying boys/men's is that it states it in the label. If you change your top for sport/swimming and friends see it in the changing room, they're likely to comment.
JL said they were going to stop that, don't know if they have as mine are too big for JL children's clothes now.
Sainsbury's definitely have 'men' in the labels though, as that's where DD's most recent top came from.

Fat Face has nice girls tops. They have nice prints in reds blues and yellows rather than lots of pink. Also as they are a brand with an outdoorsy vibe most of their tops have shoulder coverage even if they are sleeveless - and lots have sleeves.

We get shorts / tshirts and footwear from Mountain warehouse / Millets etc. or sainsburys. Look for walking sandals. Lands End have been great for skorts and some tshirts, also sensible UV tops and swim bottoms with skirts attached so they look like skorts. My dd is really not into clothes that most stores market at girls!

not unicorn- proud

What is wrong with unicorns? Why is it ok to like things considered boyish (dragons) but not unicorns? Just as bad as forcing gender roles is considering anything seen as girly (unicorns) as silly frivolous and not cool.
Liking unicorns, make up and glitter isn't something to be ashamed of. We are told that to further insinuate that girls stuff is stupid and boys stuff is cool.

My little girl can dress in pink, unicorns or whatever she wants. Pisses me right off when people say they're proud of their girls not liking 'girly' stuff. There are a billion ways to be a girl and all of it is good

I don’t see bums as inherently sexual though so we’ll have to agree to disagree

You are happy with adults who you have no idea about, staring at children's bums. Got it.

Moumia Mon 01-Jun-20 14:59:52
You do realise that you can buy clothes labelled as boys for girls. At the end of the day they’re all just clothes. Dd frequently chooses things from the ‘boys’ section

Even for those who are not slaves to the gender bollocks, most girls reach the stage from which boys' clothes are not a good fit. My DD really misses being able to wear boys trousers, she really hankers after decent pockets. (She loved getting her brother's hand-me-downs ).

Depending on how well-developed you 11-14 YO girl is, I tend to look to adult ranges for a lot of of DD's stuff now, she's ok in an xs or a 6 and there are a lot of plainer more simple clothes available. Obviously you're paying VAT on them so they're a bit more expensive but there's a lot more choice. I feel your pain though as both DCs needed new clothes, could I find some basic cargo shorts for a 13 yo boy? I could not.

I have struggled, the nearest supermarket to me is a Morrisons and all their young children's clothing is emblazoned with "Mummy is my best friend" or "Cool like daddy", not great when the children you are buying for are your foster children.

My grandson (aged 5) requested a T shirt with sequins on, his mum was surprised as only looked at boys stuff.

They chose together online and picked navy camouflage print shorts and a blue T-shirt with a sequin whale on it.

They were both pleased with the outcome and in future will select the ones they like rather than boy/girl sections.

Where on earth are you shopping ?? I've honestly never had this issue.

@Pepperwort
I just bought 'boys' ones.
@Moumia of course we realise that but it's not the point is it? They are still marketed at girls and boys and what message is that giving to children of both sexes?

One girl's top I saw today said 'smile, be happy, be kind.'
On the next rail a boy's said ' why be ordinary when you can be awesome?'

Why should a boy be any less kind than a girl or a girl any less awesome than a boy? Why are we still training our girls to be passive and polite?

I fully agree op. I dress my DD in either hippy stuff, boys stuff or stuff made by WAH mums in the main. Next and TU are ok sometimes but still the girls' stuff is thin and see through or covered in tat. Or sodding unicorns, or lamacorns or other fresh hell variations. I have a separate issue about why put slogans on clothes for lithle kids who can't read either? Agree with PP about girls' footwear being substandard too.