Smart clothes for 17yr old DD

[ChoccyJules]

I did a search and the best thread about this stuff is from 2007 so hopefully I’m not repeating the wheel too frequently here!

My DD 17 has never been into clothes but has started to take more of an interest in what she wears in the last couple of years. She adores charity shops and creating her own style, which tends to be jeans/combats with t shirts and overshirts, with the occasional net/lace/milkmaid-style top. She’s probably a bit ‘grunge’ (showing my age).

She has one long summer dress which really suits her (Italian floral maxi from a market) and she wears it for family events etc. but really needs some smarter tops and bottoms which she can mix and match for other formal occasions.

She’s very slim and about 5’7. In the past we have had some luck with basics from New Look and M&S (this is me helping as she hated shopping at all until recently). She has a nice shirt from Hollister but they seem to have mostly informal stuff there. I am wondering if wandering round John Lewis’ different concessions would help or be too old fogey? As I said, she wants to look cool but has never been fashion-led so is always concerned about bullying (she’s very aware that she’s not in the in-crowd at school).

She can probably find all the basics she needs at:

https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/

The best will be from the collabs. But there’s really no need to spend more in other High Street shops when everything at Uniqlo will mix and match with her charity shop finds, whilst always looking completely up to date.

H & M have a workwear type section with size 6 and 8 so might suit.

Thanks both @Eucatastrophilia@Jamesblonde2We will start with your suggestions!

Hollisters!

What kind of formal occasion? Work? Interviews? School?

@ChoccyJules what do you mean by formal? As in family parties, occasional wear?
I love her vibe though.

Recent events where she hasn’t felt smart enough: various events where she represents youth at a theatre, family parties and church events.

For most of those occasions I would make sure her jeans are vaguely respectable (clean and not ripped) and get her slightly nicer tops but in a similar cut or style to the ones she usually wears.