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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dressing table teen girls

54 replies

rennite · 22/04/2026 17:01

AIBU to think that not all well not even most teenage girls have a designated table for their beauty stuff? Dd's room is small and she has to make do with a tall Ikea malm chest of drawers to store her beauty products keep her mirror etc.
Dd14 is in a huge huff and says all her friends have dressing tables and it's an absolute embarrassment not have one and no, a drawer unit does not count apparently.

So do your teen girls have one? If not how do they possibly cope?

YABU - get the girl a dressing table and get rid of the drawers
YANBU - Malm drawers are ok for this

OP posts:
OnlyOneAdda · 22/04/2026 23:24

Both teen DDs do have dressing tables despite having tiny bedrooms - one in the bedroom, one on the landing.

There’s a post on the teenage forum at the moment asking for advice from those with grown kids…over and over advice is pick your battles!

I get if you were saying you couldn’t afford one or no space but if you’re just objecting because you don’t agree and think you’re right…let me hand you a grip. Be the grown up here. Get her a dressing table.

Loobyloolovesandypandy · 22/04/2026 23:44

KiddyMcKiddly · 22/04/2026 17:55

My Dd has a dressing table but inadequate clothes storage. Sometimes I think a chest of drawers would have been a better buy than the dressing table, as her clothes are all crammed into her tiny wardrobe and she keeps half on the floor 🫣

The floordrobe 😂

ComedyGuns · 23/04/2026 00:02

Krevlornswath · 22/04/2026 18:28

I always had one as a teen but don't as an adult but it's not relevant really. In reality she's not upset that every teen on the planet has one, the issue is that she feels left out because her friends obviously do, coupled with the fact that's obviously something she'd really like to have. If it weren't there wouldn't be a fuss at all.

I'd probably just give in on this one, it could be facilitated pretty cheaply and be a nice bonding thing to set up.

I think this too - it’s peer pressure and I’d just get her a cheap one to keep the peace.

Bristolandlazy · 23/04/2026 00:10

One daughter does, the other has a desk instead. I don't. If you've got the space great. I guess staring in the mirror practising eyeliner etc is fairly standard teen hobby.

ItsaFairWind · 23/04/2026 00:27

The girls always sat on the floor in front of a propped up nearly full length mirror. Make up was kept in a basket on the floor. I do the same on the rare occasion that I wear make up these days, I've always viewed dressing tables as a waste of space.
All the kids had desks so could have used them as dressing tables if they'd wanted. Pretty much all our furniture is second hand too.

PloddingAlong21 · 23/04/2026 04:27

Get her one if you can afford it as has the space. Clearly really wants one. Better than sitting on the carpet and getting makeup on it (was that just me….?)

I hate hate hate clutter. My wardrobe is fitted and the whole length of the bedroom wall. Husband has half and me the other. I slide open one of my doors and there are fitted drawers and I the the top of it for all my makeup/hairdryer etc. had a socket installed and a mirror. Then I can close the door and nobody would know it’s all there, hidden away.

RoundRedRobin · 23/04/2026 06:59

It’s her room, let her decorate it how she wants.

it doesn’t matter if you think it’ll look odd, she thinks it’ll suit her room/lifestyle. I’m guessing she doesn’t get a say in how you’ve set your room up.

ToffeeCrabApple · 23/04/2026 07:03

If you wouldn't buy your son one why does a daughter need one.

My kids have desks in their room. We don't have dressing tables as adults either.

Vanillalime · 23/04/2026 07:20

rennite · 22/04/2026 17:12

She has a desk that's 140cm so also plenty of space to store cosmetics stuff on one side (drawers on both sides of the table). It would be odd to add as second table and chair imo.

If she has a desk, then can’t this also work as a dressing table? It would be easy to get a nice mirror, chair & a few items for makeup storage from b&m,

I think she is telling the truth that her friends have one. Every teenager I know has one filled with Drunk Elephant & Brazilian Bum Bum Cream from Sephora!!

I have one that doubled up as a desk when WFH during COVID lockdowns. I think mine measures 160cm but held 2 monitors, laptop, large mirror & various perfumes & makeup.

travailtotravel · 23/04/2026 07:24

52, using a tall Malm unit .....

troppibambini6 · 23/04/2026 07:27

Dd has the ikea desk/table which has two drawer units and a top that balances on top.
She has a Hollywood mirror and some clear plastic carousel storage for perfume etc…
It looks like a dressing table but also is her desk.

Ireallywantadoughnut36 · 23/04/2026 09:27

Jeez, I don't have a dressing table! My dd is younger so not yet bothered, but she too will not have space (especially as she wants a double bed). I always just sit on the floor in front of my mirror, can she have a cosy area set up (maybe a small bean bag or something, and lots of plug sockets for any hair devices)? I think a full length mirror and a surface like the drawers to keep everything on is fine. Does she have an idea about how to fit one in/as a birthday or Christmas present could the IKEA drawers be swapped out for drawers that are also a dressing table.
I'd just throw the problem back to her - course you can have it, you tell me how you'll pay for it and where it will go (ensuring you can still store all your clothes and get into bed). If she can answer those questions then I'd go with her solution. I suspect she won't be able to!

fartotheleftside · 23/04/2026 09:34

I thought I was doing pretty well with a chest of drawers doubling up as a dressing table.

can you not just stick a little stool and mirror on top of the chest of drawers she already has?

ByPinkOP · 23/04/2026 10:18

I think most teen girls have a desk come vanity table. The notion of having both a desk and vanity in one room, unless the room is so huge that it can house separate study/dressing/bed areas, is plainly ludicrous.YANBU

gabsdot45 · 23/04/2026 10:21

I got my first ever dressing table when I was 50.
I do love it though. I don't wear a lot of make up but it's lovely to have a place to sit to get ready and to have a place to keep everything.
My DD has one but she doesn't use it. It's a clutter collector.

Wherearemyspecs4 · 23/04/2026 10:30

I'm 48, I wanted a dressing table all my adult life but had to make do with sitting on the floor in front of a mirror. I hated that. I now have the dressing table of dreams with proper vanity mirror etc in our spare bedroom (also doubles as my office and workout room). I can see why your daughter wants one, but also I wouldn't fall for the 'all my friends have one'. I remember using that myself when it was blatantly untrue. A desk should be able to easily double up as a deessing table?

Hmmmmwineandchocs · 23/04/2026 10:46

Mine is 9 and getting a dressing table soon, the Ikea Malm one, about half of her friends have dressings tables.

Comefromaway · 23/04/2026 10:50

In our old house dd had a traditional dressing table with a chest of 3 draws inbuilt but she did not have a separate desk. When we moved house she chose this https://www.ufurnish.com/en-gb/p/a/5107054/ms-ladder-desk-white-white She mostly uses it as a desk and does her make up etc in the bathroom

BudgetBuster · 23/04/2026 11:12

33yo here and I've never had one.
When I was a teen I had a chest of drawers and I had my beauty stuff in the top drawer, a mirror on the side of my wardrobe, no fancy stool... I sat on the bed or the floor. No desk either, homework was done in the kitchen. We couldn't physically fit more stuff in the room and I needed the storage for the drawers.

Now as an adult I dream of a lovely dressing table but again I can't prioritise one... At various times we have baby cribs and cots, needed to store items from other rooms in the bedroom to make way for kids furniture elsewhere etc. We have decided that we will save up and in late 2027 or 2028 when the babies are all in their own room (currently expecting) we will redecorate our bedroom and maybe then I will get a dressing table 😂

I know lots of my friends kids & teens have gotten fancy tables and mirrors for Christmas or Birthdays in recent years. Perhaps that could be the compromise given it seems you have the room for it.... when's her birthday? Could it be her bday gift?

LaMontser · 23/04/2026 11:44

My 19 year old got the ikea Alex desk which has tiny drawers on each side when we did up her room last year. She has a holywood vanity mirror on it and uses it for make up and as a desk. It’s fine for both. She really wanted something but as she’s been sharing a room it couldn’t be accommodated.

CoffeeChocolateWine · 23/04/2026 12:25

I had a very similar issue with my 13yo DD a year or so ago. She was desperate for a vanity table but realistically didn’t have the space in her small bedroom (and getting rid of drawers was not an option!)

It was important to her though so we eventually came up with something that worked for her. She already had a small bureau-type desk in her room so we essentially split it so that half could be for her laptop and school stuff and the other half has her make-up brushes etc and a Hollywood mirror sits on top. We could also just about squeeze in one of those Lack tall shelves from Ikea down the side which is only 30cm width and she has all her bottles and things on there. It’s a vanity ‘space’ but it does the job in a small room.

Nochoiceofuser · 23/04/2026 16:15

I'm 58(F) and don't have a dressing table, I did but it was a waste of space as I rarely sat at it to do hair or makeup so it became a dumping ground. My jewellery box, makeup etc now live on top of a tall chest of drawers and I mostly use the wardrobe mirror door. My son (early 20s) has the same malm drawers you described and it would have been ideal for me (might have to get them when we move house!) as I usually stand up to do my hair and makeup

KafkasScooter · 23/04/2026 16:47

My eldest two just used their desks with free-standing table mirrors on them. But we just got my youngest teenager a Wayfair 7-drawer dressing table with an integrated mirror and light bulbs, because that's what she wanted - even though compared to her sisters, she barely ever wears make-up.

TwinklyRoseTurtle · 23/04/2026 16:49

Yes I think a lot do these days both myself and my teen DD have one- if you’re short on space you can buy slim ones x

Coka · 23/04/2026 16:53

I voted YABU but then saw she already has a desk. Surely the desk is for whatever she likes and could be used as a vanity desk