What party outfits are there for little girls if you don't like dresses?

[Thurlow]

First world problem of the day

I have a nearly 3yo DD, and a lovely posh Christmas party to go to in a few weeks time. There's even a professional photographer there, so it would be nice to try and make her look less like she's been dragged through a hedge backwards than usual (she just has that sort of hair!)

Anyway, our personal taste isn't for dresses on a day to day basis. In fact, considering she's 3 and permanently mucky her clothes are all just leggings/jumpers/boots sort of thing. So I thought, maybe I'll buy her a really nice dress for the party. But then I remember that we don't have tights, any kind of appropriate cardigan (or any cardigan bar hoodies...) or particularly any shoes other than wellies, stompy dark boots or sporty trainers.

At which point my natural tightness has cut in and while I know I can get loads of nice things from eBay and supermarkets and charity shops, I'm quite loathe to buy a new dress, tights, shoes and cardigan that she's unlikely to wear again for one afternoon party.

Yes, yes, completely ridiculous problem I know - but has anyone seen anything nice out there? Can I still make her look "party", as I know she's starting to enjoy dressing up, without buying loads of things she'll never wear again?

Lots of old stock in Barnyard Kids. It's gone off the boil a bit.

Sainsburys had some smart red shorts with tights. Those and a nice top would work.

DD wasn't much of a dress girl either and she would have worn shorts over tights with her converse probably.

Madthing5 wears lots of tights with shorts, I have some Boden cord ones and some from h&m that look identical to the Boden ones! She wears them with boots or if you want cheap party Shoes I got dd some silver Mary Jane style Shoes from m&s for £12! She had a diamond wedding to go to. They are leather and very sturdy so she wears them for playing even on her balance bike etc and they are fine!

Sorry - I think Rainbow beat me to it for the sainsburys shorts - I should have read the full thread

're shoes m&s do converse style hi tops that are glittery, dd had a pair last year and again they were very hard wears, we passed them on after she grew out of them and she had worn them loads. They look fab with tights and shorts etc. They are £16 but they have a sale on at the moment so you may get older stock cheaper, what size is she?

Also my dd sometimes wears a big fluffy tutu with leggings and boots looks cool and it's short enough that it doesn't get in her way.

Where are you and when do you need stuff by? Only my dd has lots of tights etc so if you want I could send some?

That's really kind, madthings, thank you for the offer but now I'm reassured that leggings and boots can go under a dress I'm going to get an eBay party dress and let her go with that look. I think she'll enjoy the pouffy dress!

I love the shorts idea for less formal parties, that's definitely the way forward. This is going to be a proper 'suits and party frocks' sort of event so will let DD choose something outrageously sparkly (now I know I don't have to break the bank buy matching shoes and cardigans!)

Shorts with tights or leggings is fab and very practical. Ditto dresses with leggings.

Def get something really pouffy!

With madthing5 being the only girl after four boys she has an obscene wardrobe despite all my plans to just put her in the boys hand me downs! We get given loads and I can't help but buy her stuff and nor can dp! So always happy to pass stuff on so it gets used! Have fun shopping!

m.ebay.co.uk/itm/221607086918?nav=SEARCH my dd has this and always gets lovely comments it has a big pouffy tutu under and looks amazing with a top, tights/leggings and boots!

if its a proper suits and dresses party I wouldn't put dd in a party dress and boots.

There are plenty of place out there for cheap sparkly party shoes and even non sparkly ones. Matalan, h&m, asda, Shoezone, even next has cheaper ballet flat types shoes in and brantano. Primark even. tights are a couple of £ in primark.

www.next.co.uk/g404432s5#697828g40 these Shoes are only £12 and come in sparkly red or sparkly black!

I need to stop looking at party clothes...

I'm distracting you all with party clothes

I think I'll leave the boots as she'll probably take them off at some point anyway. My inner tightness wins, and a tenner for shoes she will never wear again...

14 minutes left on THIS
Just put 'party outfit 3' in the ebay search.
Loads of stuff comes up.
Cheap and cheerful for sure.
Or Primarni is always a good bet.

I love THIS but it's from China and won't get here until end December/January.
Shame!

Crikey that is cheap, hells!

Black sparkly leggings and Christmas jumper with boots will see you through any Christmas occasion and looks super cute.

www.ilovegorgeous.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/480x480/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/j/e/jessie-playsuit-aubergine_1.jpg

Pricey stuff but I love the playsuit and boots look. Keep an eye out for their Jan sales as they knock loads off.
It's rare that you see kids wearing shoes for more than 5 mins at a party. They are usually running around in socks getting on and off bouncy castles or dancing. Trainers with a few sparkles are better value though DD has had a pair of party shoes since last pre-Christmas sales which still fit her as I bought them two sizes too big [had to be that colour and only option available and she only wears them for 5 mins anyway

Debenhams do nice kids dresses. Blue Zoo or something similar - it's their own label I think. Usually good quality knitted cotton (so not scratchy)with a sequined animal on the front. Warm, wash and dry well and charming rather than twee. My work browser is out of date so I can't link to anything but DD loves them

I didn't know you could buy a dress for under £10.00! I'd be careful and look at them in person rather than buy online, as they could look very cheap and out of place at a formal affair as this party sounds.

I'd also avoid Monsoon as it seems to be the most popular party clothing round here for little girls.

Ilovegorgeous is divine but the clothes aren't particularly well made for the costs involved IMO.

Oh yes bluezoo do some lovely bits, Dd has had a few bits fRom there, good bargains in the sales. She had the most gorgeous little blue dress with coordinating stripes tights that was bluezoo when she was a little baby. Ahhh now she is all jeans and dinosaur t shirts, though she still likes a tutu!

Those Shoes from next could be worn during the day etc as wEll not just for a party. Though the silver Mary Jane's Dr has from m§s are better.

I am terrible the madboys just had geox trainers and welllies and crocs for summer, Dd ends up with numerous shoes.

What size is your dd as I have a pair of lellie kellies dd has outgrown, they can go in the washing machine and are the ultimate party shoe!

Is she potty trained? If she's not used to wearing dresses then I would avoid personally. Unless it is properly swanky she could definitely get away with a little sparkly long-sleeved t-shirt and some leggings. Maybe a fancy hairband to glam her up instead.

Or go properly girly but make it a slightly too large skirt so she can wear it to every party for the next 2-3 yrs before it's indecent
loolaandgoo.co.uk/accessories/tutus/

Friend of mine had a tomboy daughter and had a wedding to take her to. Her DD chose to wear a white shirt with a long ruffle bit, smart blue shorts and sparkly tights and said she wanted to be a pirate. Everyone won - her DD was happy and looked wedding appropriate ;-)

Fortunately not potty trained yet so no problems with that.

Thanks all - am going to have a good browse on eBay and the supermarkets this weekend, but I hadn't thought about dressy shorts and will see if those are any nicer than the dresses!

Missed you post, madthings I can well imagine the girl getting spoiled for clothes! DD is now an 8, nearly an 8.5. I can't get my head around those little pumps for girls though - she's either inside and so barefoot or in slippers, or outside, and its winter, so in wellies or boots. But I might just be odd on that one!

Have to say I was not a fan of Mary Jane/more girly shoes and wouldn't have bought the lelli Kellie Shoes, mil did! But they are surprisingly hard wearing and as I say can go in the washing machine etc. Great for Summer and they have a removable inner sole for as their feet grow.

Dd mainly wears boots like ecco or some petasil ones but also has some Mary Jane style ones in the summer, plus wellies and crocs etc.

If you are looking for funky tutus and fancy dress look at 'fluffy clouds' they are on Fb and have a webpage, just a lady from her home but they are cute and pouffy and gorgeous. Dd is getting sone bits from them for her bday courtesy of her great aunt!