Widow needs present advise - 11yo girl

[nnallc]

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me. My daughter is 11 but about to hit 12. I am a widow and she is in year 7 at high school.. Here the problem starts

She keep stelling me she needs trendy clothes and wants them for christmas. She keeps talking about Jack Wills and Hollister. However she is very small for her age and normaly only wears age 9-10 clothes (140cm) infact in Zara her last jeans were 8-9 as they come up big!

ANyway I digress, Please help a dad in need. WHat brands etc can I get for my daughter that will a)fit and b)be classed as trendy.

We are in NW surrey area for shop recommendations

Please help :-)

Jack Wills is absolutely OUT OF BOUNDSD for 11 / 12 year old little girls. For a start, they don't do children's clothes, and for seconds, the basic jeans start at £50.

She does not NEED these. She needs to be taken to Next or New Look, and told to choose something herself (as she will automatically hate anything you choose for her.

She's 11. Designer brands come when children start earning.

I would maybe combine the to - say one item (a tee say) from Hollister (if you can even see any thing in there - shops are like caves). and a trip to Hennes or Zara for her to choose something.

While I agree with Colditz wrt designer gear, personally I would apply that to everyday but wouldmaybe get omething desirable at Christmas.

Think Colditz is being a little harsh (I've taken the view that now DD and her mates in Y5 are into JW it must be on its way out). Jack Wills sizing seems to vary but the kids don't care that it comes up big-also means it will last. Buy her a JW hoodie (have found those smaller than the zippy tops) and wrap it in the carrier bag it comes in. She will be ecstatic. They also do wallets and pencil cases for kudos at school.

Personally I'm much more comfortable seeing girls in oversized hoodies with skinny jeans than some of the nasty, tarty stuff that New Look offers. Johnny B from Boden is also acceptable as far as I can work out and the sale will start before Christmas.

i suppose it depends on how you feel yourself about her wearing designer brands. in the fact that once you start buying them you will have to continue and they arnt cheap. id be tempted to not buy her clothes for christmas at all but to tell her that you will both go out on a shopping trip to the sales. set a spending limit and tell her the amount before you go. she can then pick for herself and will realise the value of money (like she can have one designer top or 4 tops from a less expensive shop) also it may be a lovley bonding exercise for the 2 of you - she will love the indipendance and you get a crash course in what is cool!!! xx

Oh yes the needs V's the wants .

I would agree 1 designer hoodie would last if bought big and never tumbled!!

Would she like a voucher maybe from New look/ next and a designer hoodie? That way she could choose herself what jeans/ trousers to get to wear with it. Would you allow her to shop with friends if she had a voucher?