Dress my 11 year old dd please!

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

DD will be 11 in 6 weeks time. She mostly lives in shorts (wears shorts to school year round), or football kit, and vvvvvv occasionally jogging bottoms/track pants.

After a (very delayed) trip to the theatre and her birthday trip to Pizza Hut with her friends looming, she is beginning to realise that she needs occasionally needs "decently smart" (her words) clothes. However, she will not wear...

Skirts or dresses
Leggings, of any sort apart from sports skins
Trousers which are close fitting
Trousers which are too flappy
Jumpsuits, regardless of leg style. Like me she is long bodied, and we've never found one long enough in the body.
Anything denim
Frills, flowers, sequins etc
Anything too stiff - she much prefers preworn clothes. It's a sensory thing, I'm sure.

Literally, the only clothes she'll cover her legs with a cricket whites, or skins under her football kit.

Last winter you lovely lot found some culottes for her to wear for a music competition, now sadly too small.

She's tall, 5'4" and wears age 13-14 kids sizes, but has a couple of women's size 8 t shirts.

What on Earth can she wear?

Tailored shorts and a T-shirt?

She wears tailored shorts for school, but I have never come across any that are not school uniform.

She can wear shorts with tights? Next usually have this look.

but a she sounds like she wears a lot of sports wear . If this was my lad he would also wear that sportswear to the theatre or out for a meal. So can’t you just get her a slightly smarter sport look like she would usually wear? She’s 11 she doesn’t have to conform to any expectations.

Something like this - with dm type boots?

www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0797311015.html

Cargo pants? Good compromise between too tight and too flappy. Very on trend. DD likes them as she's fussy.

www.newlook.com/uk/girls/girls-clothing/girls-trousers/girls-khaki-denim-cargo-trousers/p/843067834

These - Not denim

www.newlook.com/uk/girls/girls-clothing/girls-trousers/girls-khaki-utility-cargo-trousers/p/843106134

I’d probably start with Uniqlo in an adult XS. Look at the trousers that are ankle length, or the tapered ones. With a plain T shirt and a jumper, also from Uniqlo.

How about high-end/stylish sportswear? Brands like Nike and Adidas do some beautiful collaborations and elegant clothes that are definitely still tracksuits but also stylish enough to be worn as daywear. If she's 5'4 and a size 8, she'll definitely fit into the smaller stuff. Stuff like:

www.adidas.co.uk/adicolor-neuclassics-tracksuit-bottoms/HM1742.html
www.adidas.co.uk/adicolor-neuclassics-t-shirt/HM1755.html
www.adidas.co.uk/adidas-by-stella-mccartney-floral-printed-woven-track-joggers---plus-size/HG2003.html
www.nike.com/de/t/serena-williams-design-crew-web-tennishose-fur-hPghrK/DJ1160-010
www.nike.com/de/t/sportswear-velours-hose-mit-weitem-bein-fur-CDL14K/DQ5921-430

Uniqlo is a really good call too.

@Fcuk38 she won't wear tights! She once wore leggings under shorts, but that lasted about 30 mins.

I'm more than happy for her to wear smarter sportswear! Sort of "ath leisure luxe" for preteens, but I don't know where to look. I'm not expecting her to conform to anything, it's her who'se said she'd like to be a bit smarter.

@Camdenish - Uniqlo is a great call, I always forget about them since they have overlooked the north of England!!

@Shannith - ooh yes. Cargo pants could be a winner.

@historyofthefuture - maybe branded stuff, she is growing so fast at the moment, the bank balance would rather keep it high street!

Although I’ve said Uniqlo, it’s got to be said, it’s a pain If you’ve not got an actual shop. I think you have to pay for returns? Pay via PayPal and you get 12 free returns a year.

Can she draw what she’d wear? If so could she do a sewing class? My DD will go to charity shops, is that an option?

We love a charity shop!! Or a trawl.... but with such a limited range of clothing type she'll wear, it's tricky to find anything, but when she does it has the advantage of being preworn.

She'd like some smarter joggers or some that look like denim (she had some a few years ago) and maybe harem pants that aren't too baggy, and plain colours but not black or grey.

I did try and go to a dress making class for myself, but the only one locally is when I'm at work.

I'm going to explore New Look more.

would she wear patterned sports leggings like the one ms from Tikiboo or Flanci?

Cross posted with “plain colours” 🤣

My one DD with ASD and sensory issues is the same way. For smarter looks we get the Lands End Starfish Stretch Jersey trousers. They are made from same material as sweats/trackies but are tailored and not flappy or tight.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads I have some denim-look joggers from Next which I love - elasticated waist and ankle, slight stretch, dark denim colour - maybe she'd fit a teeny size from the women's section?

My nearly 11 year old loves these from next Next. I know they say they're school uniform, but she doesn't have a school uniform so they're just trousers to her. The boys section also have some joggers that look like denim as my Ds wears them, I've never looked in the girls section.

also won't wear dresses but accepted a boxy, smart t-shirt (one of the demon brands, maybe Pepe) and some soft trousers from oshkosh.

Look in H&M for high waisted wide leg trousers.

This is what all the tweens and teens are wearing around here, with tiny tops, and a big shirt over.

The other fashionable look is high waisted joggers with baggy t-shirts.

Quiz have a lot of tailored shorts in various colours at the moment. Plus matching blazers if she’d be interested in the co-odd look.

A huge thank you to @Discovereads for suggesting Land's End - we have just ordered 5 pairs of non-grotty joggers!!

You've all given me ideas of shops to look at, and words to search. Thank you.

I'm old and mostly dress from Crew Clothing sales and sainsbury's. DH has recentjy discovered Stitchfix (after years dressing in the casual wear offering of mountain bike kit manufacturers) and DS is happy in any old jeans and a cool T shirt. Vans etc.

We looked. A bit too fashiony just yet.
DD is very much about bright colours and comfort still. Might change with high school.

Lol! She has a pair of those for when there is snow on the ground on a school day. They only time I ever slightly put my foot down about the appropriateness of shorts!

New look is my go to for tweens and young teens. They have nice trendy stuff that's not too grown up. Lots of cargos, joggers etc.

These joggers (in blue or green) are comfy but smart looking

www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0733253006.html

I think Zara have good sports wear that looks more fashiony than lots of brands. They also do Squorts which my DD loves….she has one she wears with a big hoody and hi top converse. First image is a squort, then the type of joggers / sweatshirts and the leopard print are also joggers. The quality is better than H&M