Clothes for Girls aged 8-12 years.

[missyclavel]

There seems to be a real paucity of tasteful clothes and shoes for this age group.
I like quite timeless and practical clothes for girls, nothing too trendy or tarty (i.e. no leopard/ black/ disney/ frills). I also like bright colours rather than the sea of lilac and pink that seems to abound in most shops. I have picked up a lot of nice things in Gap/ Zara/ Boden (on the expensive side for me) over the years but I think that this age group is particularly difficult and the general quality of clothing seems to be falling.
Does anyone have any recommendations for me?

My daughter is 7 years old, and it's difficult buying clothes for her, she don't like anything girlie now, she wants to dress up like a teenager.
I miss buying her nice frilly dresses and dungarees, now all she ever wants to wear is skinny jeans and leggings. I agree that this age is difficult and don't seem to have that much choice.

John Lewis i think do some lovely girls clothes, and between their own range and the other ranges they stock I think they do a good mix of girlie girl, trendy girl and classic girl.

I'm stuck too, dd7 seems to young for the clothes that are for her age group she still loves dresses and pink but I can't find anything girlie. I tend to go to john Lewis, debenhams, next, pumpkin patch I now pick things up if I like them rather than need them as you can guarantee if I don't ill never see anything as nice again.

John Lewis & La Redoute - well anything French or Spanish (so that includes most of the shops you've already mentioned) - the Europeans seem to dress their children as children for longer. If you're finding it all a bit pricey them look on Ebay or at NCT nearly new sales - girls rarely actually wear out their clothes as they have too many.

I have an 8 year old and find John Lewis a bit too girly for her. She likes the leggings under shorts and skinny jeans look, which I like too as it is not tarty but not pretty pretty either. I would second Zara (basics though, not full range), some Gap.

I also go to H&M and always have a good look in M&S, I actually think their older girls range is far more on the money than John Lewis. Have a look at the John Lewis sales and see the racks of size 11 years and older that is left as really who would want to wear it at secondary school? I even have to filter it for my 5 year old.

One other place, but you need to look carefully is River Island, some of their stuff is really fun for this age group.

As for black, it suits my younger dd, but I would only buy in Gap and I have bought them leopard, but again H&M and Gap where it is fairly minimalist.