Please describe to me the sort of clothes your 9-12 year old girls wear, and tell me where you shop for them?

[Earlybird]

Having difficulty shopping for dd (9.5). She is too tall for children's clothes, but too young (imo) to wear sophisticated/trendy small sized adult clothes that might suit teens.

What do you do when they're too big for Mini-Boden or Gap For Kids (or similar), but too young/immature for the full Top Shop trendy teen fashion scene?

Seems that the clothing market for 'tween girls' (ugh - hate that phrase but don't know how else to describe) is desperately underserved.

What do your dd's wear, and where do you shop for them?

And specifically - what is on your/their shopping list for fall/winter? And what about shoes?

Help please!

Mainly H&M/C&A.

12yr old is the size of a 16yr old.

Lives in skinny jeans/long tops in Winter.

Capri jeans/tshirts in Summer.

H&M kids clothes seem to go up to pretty large sizes and are often nice and colourful and not tarty (seem a bit crap this season though).

Converse plimpsolls are your friends for this age group as well, afaik they have sizes all the way from baby to huge bloke.

DD is 12 and a size 8 adult clothes - only the 16 year old girls clothes fit her now. She's 5ft 3inches tall.

I buy her mostly plain adult clothes - teen Boden stuff good

Haven't been into H&M since last summer, so will look there again. Last time I visited, it was very crowded - granted, it was on Oxford Street but hoped that location would = more selection. It was mostly filled with badly made clothes in thin fabric and dire colours - though we did manage to find a few bits. Maybe it is a 'check back frequently' sort of shop?

Good suggestion about Converse plimsols. Thanks.

New Look. Their Generation range is for 9-15 yr olds. Cheaper than adult clothes. SOme of it slappery but plenty isn't if you put it together the right way.

Although once a girl becomes size 6/8, there is a lot more crossover between children's and adults' clothes shops.

Jane Norman.
SOme Next items (adults)

I find H&M quite good too.

Dd is 10 yo in October and tall for her age. She loves skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans, shorts, jegging and leggings with long tops and waist coats. We buy items in Debenhams, Johnnie B, Mini Boden, H&M and Gap. She tends to wear converses or the cheap plimsols that are around with/out laces. I'm amazed she knows what she likes already

Zara has been OK in the past, though she is just about too big for their children's range - which is a real shame as we were able to find nice dresses there last year for a few special occasions.

Dd (9 and a half!) has denim shorts and jeans from m&s with plain t shirts from tu ot Gap or m&s again. That's her entire summer wardrobe In winter leggings and dress tops, same shops. Fortunately dd only likes plain clothes in sombre colours so far!

So seems the solution for age appropriate clothes is to go basic and plain?

Don't want her to dress like a little girl, but also she is far too young to dress like a teen.

Hard to know where to find acceptable, appealing and affordable middle ground.

Anyone have experience with the Boden line for that age group - is it called Johnnie b? How have you/your dd found it?

Haven't tried it but it looks over-priced and rather dull to me, plus DD (12) has turned her nose up at it.

I agree that New Look has some pretty things, plus we have an M&Co locally, and today DD has ordered some nice tops in the Republic sale. (She's a size 10).

She likes denim shorts, stripey tops, pretty dresses with or without leggings, and has some nice gladiator sandals from NL as well as cheapy lace-ups.

I'm not that organised to sort a wish list 'm afraid - bit haphazard here.

Oh, and I found a few things recently in Tammygirl at BHs - again judicious editing is required but she got some nice vests and t-shirts for holiday.

Dd 9 yo got a few bits in the Johnnie B sale. The skinny jeans are lovely as are their l/s striped T shirts. That's all dd has so can't comment on the rest of the collection.

Mini Boden still fits my very tall 10 year old - I buy a lot of it on ebay to save on the cost. (Shes in the 12 year old range)

I find the H/M stuff a bit too "teen" for her as she is in the teenager size range. Primark is good for some of the basics - Benetton kids also good she is the xl size now as shes already 5 feet tall!!
The odd thing in Next also, thats age appropriate.

Earlybird - Do you mind me asking what height is your daughter?

Dd2 is 10 and a half. I buy most of her stuff from H&M, Tammy Girl, Debenhams if they have a sale on, some Next.

Dd mainly wears skinny jeans or leggings with various t'shirts. She's not really into dressing up, and likes casual and comfortable stuff.

oh yes! Tammygirl at bhs is surprisingly good

SerendipityAlways - don't mind at all. Dd is 4'11" (148) and weighs 5st4.

Don't children's clothes go up to height 164 or thereabouts? DD2 is 9 1/2 as well, and I think a little taller than your DD and Gap age 12 jeans fit her fine - a little on the long side. Boden tops at age 12 are all a bit short in the sleeve (she is all arms, legs and hair!). Ummm, most of DD2's clothes seem to come from Gap or Monoprix or DPAM (we are in Paris) at the moment. M & S children's range this summer also good. Not tarty.

My dd is 10 and 140cm.

For this autumn she has jersey bootlegs and velour bootlegs from Boden, also a fleecy zip up.

She likes plain bootleg or flare jeans from gap and we have cords from there too.

We have some funky but not provocative stuff from m&s autumn range, a check shirt from h&m and a few things from next eg winter shorts. Have a nice fleece from the joules sale.

Zara is worth keeping an eye on too, and polarn o pyret do good tights and rainproof jackets.

Earlybird - So shes practically the same height and build as my DD. My DD is now into the skinny jeans, converse trainers, t shirt look. However, depending on the mood, she will still wear girly dresses and skirts though. For A/W I imagine it will be mainly jeans, and jersey tops. I got some of those lovely tunic type dresses on Boden (and ebay) which she wears with boots and tights. I've spotted a lovely one in the new catalogue, the layered jersey dress.

Shes only just 10 so anxious that she does not wear anything too teenagery just yet.

I was in Monsoon today and thought that there was fabulous stuff for girls older than my own DD (soon to be 6).

Long cardigan

Tweed shorts - wear with ribbed woolly tights and boots

Jeans shorts - ditto

Skinny jeggings

Ivory and French navy tops - very flattering

Fabulous jacket

Mac

Gilet for the more fashion-conscious

Pretty dress

DD is 9 and lives in tshirs jeans/combats.
I just bought her a plain coat from M&S, we get tops and Tshirts from H&M and Next. I also shop for her in the sales at Fenwicks and get a few designer bargains.

Mine are older now (dd2 is 13) but we found Zara and Gap best at that age. Zara for well-priced colourful cardigans and funky t-shirts and Gap for jeans, denim skirts and fleeces.

Sorry Bonsoir, my 9.5 year old DD wouldn't be seen dead in the Monsoon stuff-most of it is a really weird cut too, sort of maternity clothes for kids. Monsoon is associated with little girls and she and her friends are just too cool for it

Earlybird- DD and her friends still wear a lot of Mini Boden, the A/W stuff is quite older girl friendly (but jeans must be skinny) and Johnnie B is very desirable-I have bought lots of their jeans and jeggings from the clearance section for the winter, bargains at £10 per pair. THe single most important item is an oversized Jack Wills hoody, instant cred assured round here.

I get bits and pieces from other places (e.g. lovely grey boyfriend cardigan from Sainsburys), Debenhams sometimes has the odd thing or M & S. The skinny jeans uniform has made shopping much easier over the past 12 months.

converse (or that style), ballet pumps and short boots on the footwear list btw