Monsoon childrenswear: what our testers thought (and what you’d pick!)

[MaddyMumsnet]

We’ve absolutely loved hearing from Mumsnetters who recently tried out Monsoon’s childrenswear range – from flamingo-print twirling sessions to first-night-of-the-holiday outfit picks, the reviews (and the fashion moments!) have been a joy to read. 💃🌸

Now we’d love to open up the conversation to the whole Mumsnet community. Whether you've bought from Monsoon before or just fancy a browse, we want to know…

What would you choose from Monsoon for your child this summer – and why?
Is there a perfect holiday dress or beach day outfit you’ve spotted? Maybe you’ve seen something that would be perfect for a summer wedding, a garden party, or just everyday adventures in the sun?

To get involved, just comment on this thread and share what you’d pick out for your DC from Monsoon’s Childrenswear – and you’ll be in with a chance to win a £100 Monsoon voucher to put towards your summer shopping. ☀️👒

And if you can’t wait to treat your DC to something new, don’t forget you can still use the code HAPPYDAYS for 30% off full-price Monsoon childrenswear. 🌞

We can’t wait to hear what’s caught your eye!

MNHQ x

DD liked the outfit. Girl Daywear - Black and white tile print coord. particularly the top. Skirt a bit too wide/short. May suit a younger girl.

Pink Ric Rac tiered dress size 7-8 years. DD was very impressed with this pretty dress, lots of twirling! Perfect for warmer days as it’s 100% cotton. Washed well - recommend ironing when it’s a little damp as creases are hard to get out when fully dry. I’m sure it will be worn lots this summer.

My DD loved the swimsuit and couldn’t wait to get it on, she even put it on over her clothes 🤣

The only thing I would say is because it’s got sequins, you could see that it would easily pull the material and there’s already a couple of tiny pulls on the swimsuit where it had been folded and the sequins had touched a non-sequined area of the material which is a shame. You can hardly notice them but just something to be mindful of if you were thinking of purchasing.

i have tried to upload a picture but it said the image was too large!

My son liked the green polo and shorts set. It felt like good quality material when we opened it together and the sizing was just right. I was a bit worried that it would not look as good once washed, but it’s actually fine a few washes in.
I used to enjoy shopping at Monsoon and I think I do remember them selling children’s clothes but I think I assumed it was party dresses and wedding type stuff. So this shorts set has given me somewhere other than M&S and Next to have a look!

We’re loving our dress from Monsoon! We chose the Sunset Embroidered Sundress size 6, and the style and fit are so nice. She wore it with her Converse to a friend’s birthday party and then with sparkly shoes for a family dinner at a fancy restaurant and both looks really worked. It’s washed well so far (just twice), and while I did need to run the iron over it to smooth out a few creases, that’s a small trade-off for such a lovely dress. I never would usually think of monsoon for kidswear and assumed it was mostly beach bags and swimsuits. It gives total Zara and Boden vibes!

Firstly thank you for picking us for this trial, my daughter is over the moon.

Did anything surprise you about the fit, quality or design?
Not surprised , but felt it was very fitting for different occasions. You can dress it up or down. The quality is fantastic and we loved the colour combinations

Were there any moments where the outfit really came into its own – whether that was at a party, on the school run, or playing dress-up at home?
My daughter wore it at my Mayor making ceremony and it looked so beautiful, a lot of people commented on the dress how stylish it was without being too old or young in style.
i had to google as so many parents wanted to know the name of the dress.

We’d also love to know how your child reacted – were they comfy, excited, twirling non-stop?
There was a big whoop when the dress came out of its packaging, my daughter then got a bit emotional!
quiet a strong reaction ☺️.
It certainly kept her occupied during the ceremony as she was sitting and stroking the material 😁.
just a beautiful dress made for dancing in and making a girl feel like a princess!

Did they have any funny or sweet comments?

We got the Amalfi lemon crochet dress and this was honestly beautiful. My daughter has blond hair and looks gorgeous in yellow. It’s gonna be a lovely piece for holiday too.

The dress we tried was the Zaria Daisy Lace Swing Dress Ivory
(www.monsoon.co.uk/zaria-daisy-lace-swing-dress-ivory-53801650016.html)

DD loves dresses and totally loves this one. She wore it to a birthday party on a very sunny day and it totally fit the summer vibes, and another mum complimented the dress.

It feels good quality, it doesn't actually FEEL like it would be very comfy to me as it's quite sturdy/shaped rather than soft and flowy, but DD didn't seem to mind and didn't say anything to that effect, she seemed pretty happy in it.

I'll be putting her in it again for a family wedding we have this summer.

I haven't washed it yet but will update when I have!

@testerjoyoh that dress is so pretty!

My daughter tried the Taylor Daisy Embroidered Party Dress, she is a tall 7 year old so we went for a size 8. When we opened the packet we were impressed with how lovely the dress looks but a little concerned that the fabric may be scratchy or uncomfortable. DD is very energetic & active, and was delighted with how it felt, not scratchy at all and the slightly looser fit from sizing up meant she was comfortable jumping, skipping and dancing. As soon as she put it on, she was twirling around and enjoying how it felt and looked. The skirt is full enough to swing out but not so big that it gets in the way. She gave it a thorough first test at a school disco (including gymnastics moves on a sticky dance floor) and came out still looking great and in shape. She got some nice compliments from her friends and other parents. The dress washed well, and was comfortable and cool at a birthday party. DD loved the dress and says ‘it looks pretty and fancy but I can move about and it is not scratchy’. We wouldn’t have picked this dress because I would have assumed it was impractically uncomfortable and a pain to wash, but this isn’t the case and it will be worn again and again this summer.

Here is a photo of the first try of the dress

Thanks so much to everyone who’s shared their thoughts so far – we’ve loved hearing how the outfits went down with your DCs (and at school discos, mayoral ceremonies and sunny garden parties – what a range!). 🌟

@YellowRoom – that coord sounds fab! Did your DD end up wearing it out anywhere special? It would be interesting to know if the top and skirt worked well as separates too.

@bubbletubble – putting the swimsuit on over clothes is such a good sign 😄 I've linked it here if anyone would like to see.

@DaisyDando – it's so great to hear the the boys wear is also a hit! Have you had a look at any of their other bits since receiving the shorts set?

@BecauseOfTheRain – “gymnastics moves on a sticky dance floor” is such a vivid image 😂 So glad to hear the dress passed the disco test! And thank you for the photo – it’s lovely to see it being enjoyed.

For anyone else reading along – we’d still love to hear your thoughts if you haven’t posted yet.
How did your child feel in their outfit? Any standout comments, party invites, or twirling marathons? 💃🕺
And if you’ve got photos, please do share (feel free to crop faces if you prefer).

Thanks again 💖x

Definitely worked as separates. The top has been worn a lot with other trousers/skirts.

i have indeed been back to look at Monsoon and was pleased to see 20% off on some items! I like the look of the camo sweatshirt.
I was quite uninspired on the high street today. Ten is a bit of an inbetween age - too old for tractors and dinosaurs and I’m not quite ready for the trainers and labels phase. Monsoon seems to serve us quite well here and it’s a bit less twee than some brands. I might get the navy version of the green shorts and polo shirt we have. I like a theme!

It’s lovely!

@MaddyMumsnet@MaddyMumsnetthanks for sharing the link! Tried to upload a picture again but keeps saying the image is too large 🥴

She’s been wearing it again this week as we’ve had the nice weather so have had the paddling pool out.

I’m just having a look on the website now as we are planning to go away somewhere sunny in September and I made the mistake last year of waiting until September to buy holiday bits, most shops had all the autumn clothes out so really struggled to get many summer items. Trying to be prepared this year so I think I’m going to order this set as I think it would be lovely for holiday.

https://www.monsoon.co.uk/palm-print-ikat-sundress-blue-53301950007.html

@DaisyDando Totally agree that 10 can feel like a tricky age to dress – it's that in-between phase where you’re steering away from the novelty prints but still want something playful and stylish. The camo sweatshirt sounds like a fun pick – let us know if you go for it. And we fully support the themed outfit approach... navy version of the shorts and polo shirt sounds like a solid move 👌

But before you do any Monsoon shopping, they have provided Mumsnetters with a 30% off discount code, for all childrenswear (bigger than their on site discounts). The code is HAPPYDAYS 💕💜

My daughter (two years old) absolutely loves her new Monsoon dress. https://www.monsoon.co.uk/mini-me-baby-aurelia-floral-print-dress-ivory-53200490016.html

There were actually tears on the first night getting it as I wouldn’t let her wear it to bed.
The dress would be perfect for a wedding or special event! We were going to save it for a wedding later in the summer - but since my daughter loves it so much, it’s becoming more of an ‘every day dress’! Though, I’m not letting her wear it to nursery as it’s just far too gorgeous for nursery mess (despite tears for saying no!).

The dress is 100% cotton - and it really is a lovely quality. Gorgeous colours and design! I would actually love a matching dress to be honest!

My daughter is calling it her ‘special dress’ which I thought was very sweet.

Monsoon has some really lovely summer clothes - will definitely be making use of the 30% discount code, thank you!

Thank you, happy days indeed!

Thanks for the code! We are just about to pull the trigger on booking a holiday for June so will be using this to get a few more nice items for DD and perhaps something for my toddler son. When we first saw the range of Monsoon clothes DD was particularly drawn to the two piece lemon print outfit, so we might invest in that for the holiday. @Wildflowers66that dress is gorgeous, I love the print so might see if there is anything for DD’s age too.

Thank you for the discount code - bought a playsuit.
www.monsoon.co.uk/floral-embroidered-strappy-playsuit-blue-53601090007.html
Found the search function on the website difficult to navigate.

Compared to the offerings for girls I found the boys selection to be very small and some of the designs not necessarily age appropriate for my son. I was a bit disappointed at the lack of choice when viewed next to the scores of dresses and outfits for girls on offer.

For testing I received 2 of the same t shirt but different sizes. Aside from being a little on the short side the t shirt itself is really lovely and my son loved how soft it was. It has washed really well - he has worn it a lot! It’s a good soft green and the palm tree detail is nice. He’s worn it with jeans and shorts in various colours and it’s a good staple to have in his summer wardrobe and it’s a smart fit on his shoulders.

It’s also kept its shape perfectly when washed which tees often don’t.

Thank you for sending it to us.

We tested the white and blue stripe broderie dress (pictured). It is a lovely cotton dress, it is true to size, decent quality, and my daughter squealed with excitement when she saw it! However, it's not overly practical in terms of colour/material for active children as with it being largely white and cotton, it stains and creases easily. It is maybe better suited overall to the type of little girl who looks like she's attended finishing school and sits still and straight and neatly nibbles her food, but that is not my daughter! 😁But then that's not the fault of the dress.

We’re absolutely loving hearing about how your Monsoon pieces are being worn (and adored!) 💫 x

@Wildflowers66 – your daughter calling it her “special dress” is just the sweetest thing. We can totally picture the bedtime tears – a true sign of love for that outfit! The Aurelia dress is such a pretty one, and we agree it’s ideal for a wedding... but also lovely that it’s getting everyday wear too. We’ll definitely pass on your request for a Mummy version – wouldn’t that be dreamy? I did find a couple of options in the mean time, with a more 'grown-up' silhouette and the twinning gorgeous pink - Option 1, Option 2.

@BecauseOfTheRain – very exciting about your potential holiday! The Lemon Print Cami Top & Trousers Set sounds like the perfect pick for sunshiney adventures. Let us know if you go for it – we'd love to hear how it goes down with your DD (and whether you found anything fun for your son too). ☀
If you loved @Wildflowers66 's dress, Monsoon has this very similar option for girls over 3! Isn't it gorgeous 😍

@YellowRoom – thank you for flagging the search function issues on the site. That’s really useful feedback and something we’ll share with the Monsoon team. Hope the embroidered playsuit was a hit - absolutely love it! 💕

@Impatientwino – really appreciate your honest take on the boys’ range. Lovely to hear how well the tee has held up though, especially the quality and wash – it sounds like it’s getting lots of wear, which is great to hear!

@elrider – you definitely made us smile 😄 Squeals of excitement are always a good sign – even if the dress isn’t quite up to the cartwheel and muddy knees lifestyle! If you’re after something a bit more everyday-proof, I think this Vintage-Style Floral Jumpsuit could be a great shout – same sweet style, but in a more forgiving colour and fabric for everyday adventures. What do you think?

I absolutely love that floral jumpsuit linked. I’ll see if I have an appropriate niece.