"Dress to impress" dress code for 9 year old girl

[HornungTheHelpful]

My niece has to go to a "dress to impress" party for her posh 9 year old cohort. She is struggling a little at school at the moment and I would like to send her an outfit. Any ideas? She is very blonde and pale.

I would just think it’s another way of saying party clothes or wear whatever you want, I definitely wouldn’t read into it as needing to be instagram ready 🤪. OP I would have a look at party wear on next, river island or M&S or similar and get an outfit that goes together. My youngest is 8 and in y4 and none of her friends are into fashion yet, they still mostly have soft play parties and wear leggings or shorts depending on the time of year. So leggings and a longline jumper or dress would be nice.

I really appreciate the helpful comments and suggestions - thank you.

To everyone who is being snotty:

• no, I don't think she wants to be friends with these people, I just think she doesn't want to be targeted
• I agree, a "dress to impress" theme is ridiculous (assuming not Roblox), but it is not my theme; it is not my niece's theme. It's just a party she got an invitation to and I think she would like not to stand out
• Being yourself is absolutely wonderful. If, however, you are acutely aware that "yourself" is considered somehow lacking, then a bit of war paint or camouflage (dependent on your preference) can be a really good thing for confidence.

I wanted to do something nice for her. Maybe help her explore her personal style, because it is not something that I think would occur to her Mum, and might be something she likes. It also might not. And if it isn't, that's OK. I like clothes, her Mum doesn't. We're both functional humans (just about).

I never knew S&B was so judgmental 🤣 (don't come on the board much)

I don't think people are being snotty TBH, you yourself said you didn't think the theme was great - and it's not IMO - and also that they were having a go at your niece 🤷🏼‍♀️

😂.
Marie Curie?

But also yes S&B is very judgemental, or as I see it opinionated, you think this thread is bad you should see the ones where people lay into others' clothing preferences 😂 but that's kind of the point. You aren't going to post here just for people to say "that's nice dear".

In the nicest possible way do FO. There is so much judgement here - not necessarily of me or my niece - but just judgement that is completely unnecessary and uninvited. How is that helpful? I've had some great help, but I don't need the bull, thanks.

I think some people are reading too much into the phrase.

I think it's a perfectly normal phrase I've seen on lots of invites - child and adult. It just means the dress code is party wear. It doesn't mean 'instagrammable' or glitz & glam, unless that's what you find impressive.

I actually think it's good wording because it encompasses pretty much everything - doesn't have to be a dress or sequins or pink glitter if that's not what she's into. It could be jeans and a bomber jacket if that's what she likes.

I think it would be worse to turn up to a party feeling nervous and then find out you are massively over or under dressed.

Well, we live and learn. I don't mind really, I just wanted some help on outfits that might fit a theme 🤣

I don't mind the opinions - but don't know why they feel like they are directed at me. Maybe I'm just too sensitive for S&B🤣

Dress to impress is a Roblox game that my DD9 and ALL of her friends are obsessed with! The characters have to choose different outfits, based on a theme. It’s all they talk about!

Surely just a party dress and tights, no?

Could you take her into Next or H&M and see what she's drawn to? They always have a good range of casual / trendy / party clothes.

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su280460/b54507

I would say, veer towards older/preteen style as that’s probably what the mean girls will be doing.

I agree with the bomber jacket that @User478 linked to.

Then you can get her some jeans and a more practical top that she can get some use out of in her ordinary life.

That's really cute too.

Rocco kids clothing have a nice selection.

I think it’s great that you are looking out for your niece. I wish someone had done the same for me! I never had the ‘right’ clothes. I was a sensitive kid and all the teasing and comments were really hard.

If your niece’s mum is keen on preloved, Vinted is absolutely the answer. There are loads of sequinny dresses on there. I got my daughter a sparkly pink frock for a party recently which was £5 and just perfect for the occasion. I wouldn’t have been comfortable buying something like that new, as it will only be worn once or twice.

Well maybe I'm one of the odd ones out here, but at 9 years old I would have been so excited about a theme like this, and I was an absolute tomboy! My "style" was baggy jeans and dungarees but I remember going to primary school discos and being so excited to put my hair in a high ponytail and wear a dress 😅 "dress to impress" really doesn't have to be anything untoward and it can absolutely be age appropriate, fancy headwear, glitter, sparkles, sequins... they're kind of "tweeny" at this age aren't they so I think this is an absolutely fine balance between a peppy pig theme and black tie lol

OP what about this kind of outfit? It's half price on Very, only £14 and there are other outfits similar as well x

Or this? £12 in Asda lol

Or this one is a bit more glam if that's what she'd like, £17 on Amazon. Sorry for the spam just thought I'd use my coffee break while my LO is napping to help lol

Any sparkly party dress, based on the 8th and 9th birthday parties I’ve been to recently.

I actually think black and sparkly does look more dressy and adult, compared to some of the baby pink tulle things I’ve just seen on googling. Look on the Monsoon and John Lewis websites, there are tonnes of dresses on there.

Go on vinted and ask her to choose a new outfit.

Dress to impress is just a quick phrase to say wear something you feel good in. For me, that's sequins or ruffles or a tiara! For my 10 year old son it would be a chavtastic tracksuit, blinding white trainers, chain plus masses of hair powder!

River Island is your friend here. was in there yesterday and had loads of stuff that was amazing! I’ll see if I can find some of the stuff I liked and would dress my 10 year old in.

It’s all about the sequins.

Approx 2 years ago I gifted a 7 year old female relative light pink sequin dress plus bag both from Monsoon and she was overjoyed by this apparently.

There’s a local sewer/crafter who makes sequin bomber jackets so you can often find one offs of these.

Sorry I can't help with the question but just wanted to say that I think you sound like a lovely Aunt Op