Please help me help 10 yo DD become more stylish....

[HelloItsMeAgain]

My beautiful 10yo DD & I had a heart to heart last night when she told me some of her friends are teasing her a bit about her lack of interest in style/fashion. (They are at a school with no uniform - Yr5)

We are quite out-doorsy kind of people - climbing, kayaking, walking, camping - so clothes for all of us tend to be about practicality - warm, waterproofing, layers etc. Her clothes for school mirror this a bit but are not just the practical stuff - more a mix of Next, Landsend, Hi-gear/Outdoor wear stuff and supermarket stuff.

My DD is beautiful (clearly ) and she has been, up until now, quite happy with jeans, t-shirt, fleece and boots/trainers. As she said last night "Surely being able to put together a t-shirt and jeans that go is enough." She is not particularly interested in fashion and does not want to grow up and change (according to her).

I am not going to force her to get more "fashionable". I love the fact she thinks the other girls who are getting into it are just trying to grow up too quickly. But I do want to help her make clothes choices that she is comfortable with. Yes when climbing and kayaking you wear the right kit. But that if she wants she can wear stylish stuff too. But oh wise MNetters - I do not have a clue.

Not a scooby.

I am not fashion-savvy. I wear jeans, vests, v-necks with converse/Vans/Birkenstocks. Fairly classic in wardrobe- though I may have a bit of a teeny tiny quirk - like bright pink birkies or leopard print Vans to liven up the grey v-neck/black jeans. My nod to growing older is to not give two hoots about what people think about my wardrobe and to relish being able to afford cashmere jumpers now So my knowledge/interest in fashion is pretty low. non-existent Not sure if I have a single designer item in my wardrobe. Took me 3 years to bother to buy skinny-jeans.

So - help. Please? How can I guide her? Are there appropriate magazines we could look at? What (preferable on-line/mail-order) clothes ranges should we browse next time she needs some clothes (some stuff is getting a tad small so possible due some updating). Is Next OK? Or should I take her to John Lewis? Somewhere else?

Thank you in advance. My mum never helped me with this stuff just carried on giving me hand-me-downs and frumpy homemade dresses so I want to help her develop her own style and self-confidence.

[HelloItsMeAgain]

Oh, and anyone have any opinions on whether TK Maxx would any good? As above, I hate shopping and TK Maxx rummage racks are my idea of hell. Would the stock there be worth looking it or is it hit and miss and we could end up with the equivalent of 1980s pedal-pushers? (See, totally clueless about what is fashionable)

And btw I will try and look at what the other girls are wearing - but mostly hidden by coats at the moment! Up until now I will confess my eyes mostly do not see what people (young or old) are wearing.

And finally, to clarify, DD is not totally out of sync with her peers - the denim jeans over leggings/tights, the skinnys and hoodies, etc It is just taking it to the next level I suppose.

[CamdenTownie]

I've got two daughters of a similar age to your dd, one knows exactly what she likes and is very stylish in a tomboy kind of way, she wears skinny jeans mostly, with baggy jumpers, long sleeved tshirts, DM's or her most prized possession Nike Huaraches, a lovely warm parka coat with a fur hood. She has waist length hair usually in a side or high ponytail. Large hair bows are very much the in thing here.

The other dd wears all sorts of crazy combinations, I do try to steer her towards clothes that at least match, but she's always been very determined and to be honest she really wouldn't care what anyone else thinks.

Boden is a big no no, whilst the clothes are lovely for toddles it's not great for older girls, we buys loads from Zara, h&m - although this stuff isn't great quality, Next and house of Fraser.

[choppychopster]

9yo DD would love the biker jacket up thread!

She's started to get more in to fashion recently and is getting better at putting outfits together. One of her favourite Christmas presents was a H&M red checked shirt (90s grunge style) which she wears with skinny jeans or denim shorts with tights.

She finds stuff she likes in most of the shops mentioned and usually begs me for a mountain of stuff when we go shopping.

[CamdenTownie]

Also just a thought, my girls both love the emoji tops and tshirts you can buy in next and primark, would your dd like something like that?

[choppychopster]

Johnnie B stuff from boden is often nice for this age group but their main kids range would be deemed lame by DD now.

[iPaid]

It is a time of transition, isn't it OP? I'm not looking forward to DD starting secondary school where there will be real peer pressure. I hope that my DD, like yours, will continue to march to the beat of her own drum.

Shopping phobics like you and me should avoid the racks at TKMaxx as it's very hit and miss though you can get reasonably priced Converse there.

[SuperFlyHigh]

What you could do is go with your DD and one of her close friends shopping....

You could take in Paperchase, wagamama and then browse before or after.

I've got a friend with 3 girls of ages similar to your DD (over under and same) and neighbour with DD now 12.

What's very popular is denim shorts with tights under, sweatshirts with slogans (or no slogan), the odd dress (more casual) and the occasional sweater dress with leggings etc. converse are popular, jeans generally seem to be out. Brands appear to be anything from sainsburys TU to H&M to proper brands but they're not fussy about brands. The biker jacket I agree is for braver girls! I've seen them mostly in parka fake fur trimmed jackets for winter. Oh and fake or real Uggs! They seem to fight against anything too white and frilly and party dress looking. hardly surprising

I often buy them (eg at Christmas) glitter tights in H&M and those fake leather bracelets and roses for hair (hair bands) and the odd H&M tshirt, or Gap tops (long sleeved). They also tend to like things like bags - the other day I saw one of them with a pale blue patent larger bag from Sainsburys I think (the 11 year old) but she was thrilled with it!

[SuperFlyHigh]

Oh I forgot. Leggings still very popular...

[PirateSmile]

One of ds1's friends who is super stylish started wearing colourful doc marten boots at around the age your dd is. She always looked very cool in them.

[SanityClause]

DD2 got a bit upset at a similar age that she didn't know much about the crap boy bands that everyone else seemed to know all about.

She also didn't really have a style, either, and as she was a bit chubby, it was really hard to find clothes that fitted, and were stylish and age appropriate.

Now she's 14, she has different friends who share her taste in music. And she has her own distinctive style of dressing. (Which is very different to mine.)

Your DD will get there.

[Higge]

Dd puts on a pair of converse or black DMs and looks instantly cool....she wears leggings, t shirts, slouchy jumpers, soft scarf, parka, bobble hat. I leave her with H&M website - she orders a massive pile of stuff and then we have a catwalk session at home - return anything that isn't suitable. Took her into Jack Wills last week for the first time, she wasn't impressed and I was relieved.

[QueenC]

I haven't read the whole thread yet but my 10yo dd is getting very intetested in clothes. The outfit of choice amongst her and her friends tends to be denim shorts and tights with a tee or shirt and hoody. Shoe wise she has some tan ankle boots and has pinched my old converse!

I tend to get her clothes from a mixture of places-zara, gap, m&s, next, Fatface, primark and John Lewis.

[ShutUpLegs]

TKMAxx terrifies me. I think its fine if you have the patience to sift and the nous to know what you are looking for. Otherwise, I'd avoid unless you are doing a lightening raid to look for Birkenstocks Converse.