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Fitting Room Friday: How to Dress a Tweenager

Today’s Fitting Room Candidate is clever, outdoor oriented, an animal advocate, and ten years old.


Meet Marli
Her doting parents adopted her at 18 months, and suddenly she’s a stunning, sweet tweenager, with a sharply independent sense of style.

Her eyes narrow at the sight of skirts, dresses, leggings, and tights.  Stripes, dots, and even buttons irritate her fancies.  In short she’s a juvenile minimalist.  An ensemble has been prepared precisely per her predilection.  

But first a petite canon of tween trousseau trusims.

Peace of Cake, Western Chief, Boden, Gap
Girls’ Shoes by Western Chief
Girls’ Tees by Gap

ShopStyle


Girls’ Tees by Crazy 8
ShopStyle
Don’t baby their fashion.
As their squishies begin to straighten, they’re graphics should follow suit.  Instead of ridiculously round, chubby conceptions, opt for something leaning a few more inches toward realistic.  Don’t throw whimsy out the window, but perhaps favor graphic over fussy.  Cute isn’t off the menu, just apply it in small doses, like vanilla extract.  Rather than a whole dress of sparkly hearts, perhaps just an headband. Color is also important.  Also, soft, cuddley pastels need to fade in favor of a brighter, more saturated self-sufficiency.


And this is pure, unsubstantiated Reachel Bagley doctrine, but allow them to design their princess/rock star/future fabulista ensemble rather than shrouding them in a mass-marketed screen print.  Let them be the star of the outfit rather than the billboard.

Gap
Girls’ Dresses by Gap
Infant Girls’ Dresses at Nordstrom


Children's Place, Pumpkin Patch, Crazy 8, J.Crew
Girls’ Dresses by J.Crew
Kids’ Watches & Jewelry by Children’s Place


ShopStyle


Don’t Pimp a Prostitot*
They may have turned their shy lashes on a few lucky boys, but they’re still just little girls.  Let them enjoy sweet rather sexy for a few more simple years of youth.  And I’d say more, but this guy already said it better. (*I admittedly pinched this headline from him.)
Boden, Hurley
Girls’ Skirts & Skorts by Boden
Girls’ Skirts & Skorts by Hurley

Erego Miss Marli, this outfit is dedicated to you.  It includes no stripes or overly bright colors.  It admits only a tiny touch of animal whimsy and a discrete pattern on the socks. You are beautiful, wonderful, and special, and I hope I have a tween just like you someday.

Hello Kitty, Gymboree, Converse, Old Navy

Girls’ Outerwear by The North Face
ShopStyle

In the meantime, book a Virtual shopping session for you, for your progeny, for your next family frolic.  I was born to fashion childhood and the supporters of it.

Feed me fashionably fresh

posted Filed Under: Age Appropriate, Children's Fashion

Comments

  1. Emily says

    at

    I completely agree with your tips and picks. 🙂

  2. Erin says

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    My 10-yr-old gave your picks a thumbs up!

  3. Kira says

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    Well timed. I am on the brink. My oldest is nearly 10 and I have been seeing change in her opinion over the years. She’s not 3 anymore.

  4. Lauren says

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    Great picks. My 10 year old sister would love some of these. But lately she wants nothing cute. Only boring henleys and skinny jeans from hollister and abercrombie. I am NOT a fan of her growing up!

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