12yr old girls-fashion?

[CallarMorvern]

My DD is in the first year of high school and struggles to fit in. She's clueless about how to match clothes together, think strappy lacey tops and running tights. I don't have much money to spend on clothes and where we live the clothes shops are expensive ( no supermarket clothes or Primark), so I often buy from Ebay. She says she wants dresses and skirts, but I've no idea what to buy her. When I see other kids about, they seem to just wear jeans or leggings. It also doesn't help that DD has put on a lot of weight recently.
What do your 12yr olds wear? What is cool ( bleurgh, hate that word)?

Try H & M, some of their teen range are cut a bit larger. Dd finds their age 14-15 too big but fits their ladies size 6, wheras in New Look she fits age 14/15 & ladies size 8.

My DD is 12, yr8. She wears skinny jeans with tshirts, button down shirts, and jumpers. She doesn't like to wear leggings anymore. She has one button down jeans skirt. She has one party dress. It really is mostly jeans, with Adidas shell toes or boots if it is cold. She likes to wear a cheapy bomber jacket because all her friends are wearing bomber jackets. In terms of brands she wears: New Look, Superdry, Urban Outfitters, Hollister, Boden, Jack Wills, John Lewis, JigSaw, Adidas, Nike, Arctrex.

We are willing to buy expensive clothes, but she doesn't have a lot of clothes. With school uniforms, they don't really need a lot of clothes.

Her look is basically trainers, with jeans and a top. She wears colour. She doesn't really do makeup. She dresses this way because all her friends at school do, I suppose. Getting glammed up just wouldn't be the done thing in her crowd. So much at this age depends upon what their friends are doing.

DD is 11 and in year 6. All the girls in her year dress in river island - similar maybe cheaper than Zara but 'cooler'! She lived in Zara til this year but now will only wear their jumpers. New look is ok but I find their clothes look cheap compared to RI which is similar prices

Tesco do the best skinny jeans I've found. It's all black here with cool trainers. DD has Stan smiths, but lots wear huraches.

My 12 yr old DD hates dresses/skirts so lives in jeggings/skinny jeans - hoodies & sweatshirts, she likes adidas at the moment & got an adidas hoodie & trainers for Christmas. We got her some denim leggings from Morrisons of all places, they go up to 12-13 years & my DD isn't a slim build & they fit her nicely. Long sleeves t-shirts, from primark last time we went, mainly stripy ones or plain dark colours.

My 12 year old DD lives in H&M clothes. She particularly liked their leggings/jeggings.

Does she like normal clothes? I was much happier as a teenager when I discovered blue banana ( that's is a shop) some things may be more adult size as I still shop there now. Most things from there are on ebay too

Start with one item that looks good on her (anything from an item of jewellery to a skirt).

Everything must now compliment/match that item. It gives you an idea of style.

Start with (see what she already has in her wardrobe)
3 casual bottom halves/jeans/jeggings
5 tops
Two smart outfits (can just be smart items that match the bottoms).
1 cardigan or jumper.
1 hoody
1 black/navy/dark neutral cardigan
One lightweight coat or blazer
One waterproof/warm coat.

Gives you a skeleton you can work with. H&m teens still works well for us if their mail order does where you are.

H &m online have some great bits, reasonable prices and good quality.
The small ladies fits my 9 yr old who is 5ft 6" but my 12 yr old is in their teen range.
All leggings hoodies and skinny jeans here.
I scour charity shops and shpock, facebay. Have got some amazing bundles on their posted. My girls like clothes but dont want to look 100% like everyone else which i thank god for.

To be fair your DD sounds like she is very stylish individual and not into conforming to uniform teenage fashion so good on her.
My DD is 11 almost 12 and tries to copy her friends who shop at NewLook teen. But with being so tall she is almost in the women's tall section. She hasn't a lot of confidence to develop and wear her own style so tries to find similar items in women's to the teen section.
She wore dresses and shorts in summer but now lives in skinny jeans and fake leather jacket or skinny jeans & hoodies. She also got some Adidas leggings and a track top for Christmas. Her friends seem to wear a lot of dowdy colours black and grey.

Do you have a H&M near by? My 12yo DD loves their stuff, I grabbed some bargains in the sale. Also New Look are good. Skinny jeans/leggings, strappy tops paired with a check shirt or hoodie. She wears boys hoodies as she prefers the fit. I like the sound of the docs and and tartan mini! As long as she's comfortable with her look then all is well!

I like toffeelatte's idea of a capsule wardrobe.

Dd (nearly 13) is dd3 - sisters are 21 and 23 so may affect her choices...

New Look is a definite no go. Everyone wears it, apparently. Would probably make it good for your dd??
Boohoo.com is a favourite for cheap and cheerful. American Eagle for jeans in the sale, and their t shirts are amazing. Online is weird though - they do return money quickly to be fair.
We've done Hollister (find the badly labelled sale stuff at the back of the store), Jack Wills is overpriced and lovely quality but definitely not needed. H and M is good - grown up stuff though not kids.

Dd's taste is eclectic - swing dresses at £8 from Boohoo, Converse, AEO bargain tops. Just avoid Next and the like and you'll do well.

Joni topshop jeans - addidas or jack wills sweatshirts - addidas or converse trainers mostly black or grey. Long hair in 'sporty' ponytail - not too high as that's cute - bb cream - light mascara and peachy lip gloss. She was voted most cool in her class at thier Christmas awards - actually has way less clothes than most of her friends