Sizing problems for 8 year old

[MulledWineMincePie]

DD is skinny 8.5 year old. Normally has trouble getting trousers to fit her waist. She has historically been 'short' for her age in clothes, mostly in the leg , so for example we have been buying her 7-8 clothes. She has had a growth spurt, and all the dresses she has been bought for xmas don't fit her!! they look like mini skirts. Trousers still seem to fit her ok, little short in the leg but manageable, and any bigger at the waist and it will be too baggy, so I think it's the top part of the dress that's the problem now.

So, I think she is probably 8-9. I am struggling to get age group that fits this in a few clothes I am looking at.

I am looking at a jumper dress by a company called Yumi, who I have never bought before, from House of Frazer. It's online as shopping in store is difficult for me, as I have mobility issues atm. They only do 7-8 or 9-10 size. Does anyone know if these come up big or small?

And/Or can anyone recommend any other places to get clothes for 8-9 size that are nice clothes, fit well, are fun and funky, or maybe flowery, rather than say pastels and princessy? She likes pretty, but more fun or 'grown up' instead of sparkle and pink these days.

Sales are good but actually, she needs clothes so badly and I keep buying things that don't fit her, so I will happily just buy her some nice clothes at full price so she isn't disappointed again (except mini Boden, which I love but can't afford full price if I am to buy more than one dress!)

Can you take her shopping and get her to try things on?

I like debenhams for girls clothes, lots of choice. Or H&M.

and if I do buy any mini Boden, do I buy 7-8 or 9-10? can't remember if they come up small or big?

gabriola not right now I can't no. I can barely walk, let alone hang around in a changing room helping her get changed into things. I feel awful for that, which is why I have got her sizing wrong so far, she has been fitting her clothes well, then in the month of me buying her dresses for xmas, she grew! a lot!

I normally love Debenhams, for the little ones, but I find, as with a lot of places, that once they reach around 8, the styles become more black and 'grown up'. Same with M&S. Some of their clothes up to age 7 are gorgeous, then they are black, grey, aztec...

H&M are usually very slim fit or you could try Next too as they do individual age sizes.

H&M do size 8-9 in their younger range: www.hm.com/gb/subdepartment/KIDS?Nr=4294944884

or it's size 8-10 in their older range:

www.hm.com/gb/subdepartment/KIDS?Nr=4294944884#Nr=4294944982

Next:
www.next.co.uk/girls/older-girls

or you could try Vertbaudet or Laredoute - I think they do individual ages as well.

Mini Boden is age sizing for a lot of things 7 8 9 etc. I'd say Biden come up small. Dd is 8 as well and usually a 9-10 in dual sizing items. She's a 9 in next.

John Lewis comes up small as well. And h&m tiny. Looking at dd amongst her friends is say she was on the smaller side of average.

Zara is good. That tends to come up big but I'd still go for 9-10 for an 8 and half year old.

I would also add that I have boys not girls so I have no idea if the girls clothes in any of these places are nice :o

Ah, sorry you're not able to get out. Could anyone else take her?

John Lewis seems to eschew the whole black pre-teen thing. Lots of lovely bright colours there. Zara has some nice stuff too. Sorry I can't help with the sizing.

ok, so, some good places to go look at, and sizing, seems probably 9-10 if there is no 8-9 option. Thanks for that help I just remembered a boden dress I got once for her age, little smaller, and it came up quite short, so I would need to go for next size up.

I had a look, thinking, you know what, sod it, I'll buy her a beautiful MD dress up to £35, just so she has a lovely one to wear, and there is not ONE dress that is lovely in her size left! not even full price (the sale means that all are discounted, even if only 10%) bugger.

I'll go check out Mr Lou Lou. Didn't think of him.

I should try to get out and get her trying on some clothes, even if only get a better idea of her sizing now she has grown upwards like a weed.

Vertbaudet come up slim and do some slim fitting stuff as well plus funky colours etc. Generally comes up small so go for 9-10 years.

Lands End has some nice stuff too I noticed whilst buying a coat. No idea on sizing I'm afraid.

Polarn O Pyret usually has some good sales on at this time of year. They're for long skinny children in my experience (and adjustable around the waist). Fun and definitely not pastel!

DS's Boden age 7 trousers are too short (he's 7.5 and bang on average height) but his POP ones are still a bit long so will fit him well into 2015

If I could bloody well check out on the uniqlo site, my dd8 would be the proud owner of some lovely jumper dresses and jumpers. They have some nice stuff.

I also like cos, though the largest size is 7-8, and the John lewis Kin range.

I've always loved po.p, but finding dd is not interested in their clothes anymore, similar to my dd6.

Have you tried gap?

I have had a look at the POP site, and they don't seem to have much at the moment, certainly not dresses. I'm still looking

What kind of dress is it you are looking for? party, day, knitted etc?

Mango?:

shop.mango.com/GB/m/kids/girls-sale/dresses/?m=familia&v=201

ooh, just spent too much in vertbaudet! That's got everything I want! I had to put stuff back as I got a bit carried away. I only bought one pair of trousers, in 9-10, as you can choose the waist size, so picked slim fit, will see how that works out, as it's free returns, so worth trying. If they fit, will get more. But bought some lovely dresses, tights, gillet, jumper/skirt set. She's going to be very happy, and look beautiful! And, I got a red/orange pair of combats fir DS who is 5, and only wears his green scruffy t-shirt because he wants to look like Shaggy from scooby doo and gets upset every day that he doesn't have the right trousers

I didn't dare look for shoes...
Thank you for the advice!

I get my 9yo a lot of stuff from gap. Great in the sales or when there's 30% off. She's just gone into 10-11 stuff but was in 8-9. Next have some good stuff too for that age.

H&m tend to be too grown up hideous for age 8+ imo.

My dd has long legs but is skinny do she tends to wear leggings as the elasticity waist means she can wear age 10 or 11. Leggings are also great under dresses that are a bit short. Next and gap are good quality.

Hope the vertbaduet stuff is ok when it arrives. I always found the quality not very good.

Next do slim fit trousers not many but a few pairs.

Judging by the shops today id stick to online shopping as they had nothing in but yet online I've ordered loads. Zara was the worst, shocking stuff I've never seen in store but racks and racks of it. H&m again nothing in the 8+ range but yet online a few nice things. Just a shame they take weeks to deliver.

Dd is desperate for some jumpers and I've had to order online as nothing in the shops.

I've had a few things from Vertbaudet/Laredoute that I wasn't that impressed with the quality off, but equally. I've had loads that were brilliant. Obviously all the kids stuff is long outgrown - my boys have been in adult clothes since 11/12 though we can occaisionally still squeeze DS2 (13) into an age 16 from Next - but I still have some tops and t-shirts that have washed and worn repeatedly for years

i hope the quality is ok. If I am unsure, I'll send it back as it's free returns.

Didn't think of next, I always found them too expensive, but haven't been in there for a long time, didn't think of looking online.

Glad I didn't bother with trying to go into town then

...I said Next!!....and I gave you the link, in the same post that i said H&M and Vertbaudet and Laredoute. Must be invisible :(

my sorry, I meant I had not thought about Next before this thread, not before that last post! I definitely took your recommendations on board

Ha ha - okay I forgive you :o

Zara?
They did have some frou frog stuff in but their trousers are great.