Dressing up Girls for School.

Take her shopping for a for a first day of school outfit and let her pick that. You can pick the rest : ).

Same as others are saying, bike shorts or leggings under dresses, and she usually wore fancy shoes or skechers twinkle toes. She had pe only on Mondays or Fridays so on those days she wore tennis shoes and leggings and a Tshirt. She prefers to be girly too so all her tshirts are cutesy or bright colors with solid leggings in a ton of colors.

I have a boy....but just wanted to mention that if they have sandals or other "non athletic shoes" they are not allowed on the gym floor for indoor recess OR on the playground (mulched part) for outdoor recess! So......it's pretty much sneakers every day! LOL

If you already know what you want to buy her, why did you give her a choice? And why did you present it as comfortable OR girly? As if we adult women don't already agonize over that choice enough - why would you start it in first grade?

When my daughter is old enough to go to school, I will put her in practical clothes, like jeans or leggings. Young children - even girls! - should run around and play. They're not dolls that just sit there. There are plenty of cute girls play clothes. Save the frilly dresses for church or other special occasions. Or just let her go ahead and get them dirty. They grow so fast at this age, you're going to have to replace them pretty quickly anyway.

In response to your response: Well, I do expect my daughter to have an opinion, but as her mother and the person who will be paying the money for her clothes, my opinions will hold a little more sway than a six-year-old's. Of course, there will be balance, and I will do my best to take her desires into consideration, although I personally hope she is not that concerned about appearance at such a young age. But if her opinions differ with mine, again, I am the mother and the adult. So I expect it will work out fine for me. Thanks.

Our daughter loved dresses, but she always wore shorts under them..The elementary PE coach was a man.. I volunteered a few times and was shocked at the little girls doing stretches in dresses and NO shorts! Little panties that sometimes did not fit well!!!Good grief.. The school had sent out a clothing policy at the beginning of the year, but there were girls in wedges, boys in crocs or kids in sandals.. Not sure what the parents were thinking.. The playgrounds had pebbles so guess which kids were having to shake their shoes out?

There is no changing clothes for PE or playground time in elementary school. You play and exercise in your school clothes.. there just is not time for the class of 20+ to change clothing..

Your daughter can be girly, but she can wear cute jeans with some fancy belts to choose from. and super cute tops.. Maybe some super cute girly vests or sweaters.. Her hair accessories.. A cute jacket..

The secret to wearing dresses or skirts in school is leggings. Not tights -- leggings, which are tougher and thicker and still let a skirt or dress look like a dress. If a dress is really frilly and fancy, ruffly and sparkly, it has no business being a school dress anyway, but she can still wear less frilly skirts/dresses even on PE days with leggings. I'm talking ones that come to the ankle here, not "bike shorts" types though I see girls wearing those under dresses too and that's fine if she thinks leggings are too hot at the start of the school year. A girl can turn upside down on the monkey bars in a skirt if she's got leggings on!

Shoes can be a tougher hurdle with a very girly girl who likes color and sparkle, but you can get sneakers now with plenty of designs, colors etc. that may satisfy your daughter enough for her to wear them with her girly clothes every day, including PE days. I don't ever recommend sending PE sneakers and having a kid change shoes on those days; it's just a recipe for losing shoes. So stick to your guns about not changiing shoes -- just look for shoes that she finds fun to wear that are also OK for gym class. I know there are loads of sneakers out there crusted with enough sparkle to blind you -- because my daughter wants absolutely plain sneakers and they are very hard to find for kids!!

It's funny that you mentioned this. My DD is starting Kinder this year & I am trying to refrain to buying her anything that's not school/play friendly. I mean, it's school & they are getting dirty, playing, sweating, and it's not worth it to go broke so your child can look like a doll, right?! Luckily, DD is not overly girly girl, but she is becoming more interested in helping to choose her clothes. I am trying to stick to basics like bermuda shorts, shorts & scooters (it's hot here for the first couple months of school, then we'll go to jeans/cords/comfy pants in winter) & cute tops. I realized a while ago, that even though "I' wanted my DD to look a certain way (and I think many parents get caught up in this, as it's a reflection on them), what I want doesn't matter. She should be comfy and able to play without worrying about how her clothes look.

I'm lucky that my daughter prefers comfortable, cotton, loose leggings and tops. In bright colors. No jeans, nothing fancy, nothing at all uncomfortable. I can find these at Target for about $5/$6 a piece. Then if something gets stained or torn, no big deal. And sneakers or athletic sandals, no fancy shoes.

When my budget was bigger, I would buy her some things from Hannah Andersson. Same style - cotton, bright colors, dresses with leggings, or tops with leggings. They are great quality and last forever. They've been handed down now to my granddaughter.

She's soon going to grow out of this size range, she's already a 14/16 at age 9, so then shopping might get a little complicated, but maybe her style preferences will change some, too.

... each year, or less, a child will change ideas about how they want to dress or what styles they like or don't like.
Nothing is engrained in stone.

My daughter in Kinder: wore Skorts. This is the better option and it is still as you call it 'girly.' And Gymboree bicycle shorts under dresses etc.

BY 1st grade, my Daughter changed in her clothing preferences and again by 2nd grade and again by 3rd grade.
Currently, and since 2nd grade, all she likes to wear is JEANS. And cute t-shirts. ALL and most all the girls, dress that way. AND some kind of covered shoes... Skechers with the sparkles on it.

Now, I LET my daughter have her own styles. She knows what she likes. I do not tell her, that dressing is either "Girly" or "comfort."
Dressing is not a bad or good. It is, the personality of the child and IF they are comfortable, or not.
What is wrong with jeans?

In my daughter's school, I personally... do NOT see girls, dressing "up" or looking like Fancy Nancy or looking like little princesses or "girly girls" or wearing shoes with heels or dressy shoes.
Kids are dressed, per the weather and per comfort and what they will, wear and per their day.

ALL kids, run around like monkeys, in school and at recess.
Girly or not.

My daughter, used to be in the girly-dresses phase, and now, she is not. At all.
Girls, do not have to be dressed up... constantly, nor have to look 'cute as buttons' just for school. It is school. They are there all day and are active and have PE and should be dressed, appropriately.
Girly or not.
BUT... a kid is not allowed to change clothes, per PE and anytime.
Your child should come to school, dressed and ready for her day. On PE day... ALL kids are told, to come to school with their PE clothes ON them already and their covered shoes/sneakers. OR you have your kid wear skorts or shorts under her dress... if she is wearing a dress on a PE day.

The best option all around, is to buy her 'Skorts."
Because it is 'girly' and a skirt and yet, it has a built in shorts in it.
This is what my daughter wore, when she was in her 'girly' phases.

I would not buy, a ton of dresses for her again this year. Because it will go to waste, like it did last year.

Girly AND comfy is my suggestion! I don't have time to read the responses, but a lot of girls I see at school wear cute little knit skirts with leggings. They look adorable, comfy and girly. It's totally appropriate for PE, recess, etc. They have lots of mix and match deals that can save you money too. Do you have a Fred Meyer up there? They have cute little sets with leggings, skirts and shirts that you can mix and match right now. Target has some options like that too. Target even has some knit dresses with leggings that you can buy as a set. Totally adorable and they don't look like "baby" clothes (sad! haha). Good luck!

Mine dresses girly too. She might want to wear a tutu dress from posh tots or might just want to throw on a skirt tutu from the Halloween section of Walmart. I always remind her to put on shorts under her dresses, in Winter she sometimes wears leggings or heavy tights. She plays regardless of what she has on.

As for the shoes. We tend to get her cute shoes like Sketchers that are good for playing and for looking cute with dresses. I always get the ones without shoes strings so she can wear them for BMX racing too, no strings to get caught in the bike spokes.

You gave her the option, so I think you should really follow through so your trusting relationship can continue, however... there are always ways to get the best of both worlds. If she is a big fan of Fancy Nancy and wants to dress up at all times, you can give her shorts or tights/leggings to wear under all of her skirts or dresses. Also, when you take her shopping, you can still get the jeans and tee shirts, but look for ones that are embellished. If you prefer her to not wear dresses, then find two pairs of pants, one plain and the other with jewels, embroidery, or glitter. Ask her which ones she likes better (or which ones she thinks are fancier!) and if you only give her the two to choose from, she will end up with pants that she likes. The same goes for tee-shirts. There are lots of graphic tees that are girly. Target, walmart, and kmart have really inexpensive shirts that I have found hold up pretty well. My niece loves these shirts with jewel rainbows, unicorns, and kittys with tiaras on. You just have to be careful to avoid the shirts that have the bratty sayings on them. Good luck back to school shopping!

My granddaughter, 9, absolutely hates dresses (except for the daddy/daughter dance in the spring) so we don't waste our money on them, but loves skirts with leggings or shorts underneath them, or jeans, tops and hoodies. She loves frilly tutu's and tops with glitz, glitter and glam. She loves sneakers for school, the more embellished the better, and flip-flops and dressy flats for the time she's not in school. She is into ice skating, gymnastics, soccer and dance, and no matter how plain the uniform or outfit she always manages to jazz it up with sparkly accessories. She's been this way since she was a toddler, too. She's always girly and comfortable and proud of her style.

She can be girly AND comfy.

There is a middle ground where you can get really cute tops and jeans that are cuter. Or skorts and a cute top. It doesn't have to be dresses. I love clothes shopping for her. They make the cutest kids clothes. They make really cute "tennis" shoes like pumas or the sketchers bling shoes, etc that are fashion sneakers but are still practical. I agree with Leigh that with dresses and skirts you should get leggings or capri leggings if it's hot (or the bike shorts). I know my daughter can be wearing a cutesy dress and just run around like a monkey still lol. If she gets it too dirty I wash it that same night and it comes out, the sooner it's washed the better. Maybe getting a couple dresses and then more practical cutesy clothes then when she chooses to wear a dress it won't stink when she barely wears them lol and she can wear shorts or jeans and a top and still feel girly girl. My sitter always comments on her looking extremely cute and so fashionable every day and trust me she wears shorts or jeans most of the time :) When she is older she will get to choose and honestly if she wants all dresses we may compromise and get a few dresses and then more practical things (cute jeans, shirt, and shoes) that she likes, not because I don't want her voice but because as parents we understand why they shouldn't be dressed up every day :)
I agree with your so what happened, you always have to listen and take your kids opinions seriously. Good for you for trying to incorporate practical and her opinions.

One of the first things I would do is check your school's dress code policy. In our school skirts and dresses must be a certain length and slip on shoes, like flip flops, are not allowed. Leggins need to be worn under a skirt and used like tights.

School can be very tough on clothing. I remember sending my daughter to school in a cut oshkosh outfit, only for her to come home covered in paint. So I do not recommend spending a lot of money on school clothing.

I would also suggest she has a variety. There may be days when she wants to wear a dress, and others when she wants to wear jeans.

If my daughter wants to wear a skirt or dress, I make her wear leggings with it (for modesty, and in winter to be warmer). I don't let her wear super nice frilly dresses at school. Most of her dresses are basic cotton ($5 H&M). So, I don't spend a lot of money on them. My daughter would live in dresses daily if she could. Funny thing is, she really isn't all that girly. She is tough and loves to play in dirt and be outside, but all in a dress, lol! But most of the time I have her in jeans or pants, a T shirt, pony tail and tennis shoes while at school.

my daughter doesn't really care. the only thing she won't wear is plaid shirts or collared shirts (she says they look like boys), my kids only get recess once a week at the new school they have to go to. the old school they got 30mins of sharing balls with 3 other classes in a small corner of the school 2x one week and 3x the next. i put her in what the weather calls for. mostly it was shorts (either jean or cotton) and a tank or t-shirt. she did wear skirts and boots and dresses, etc. but living in FL it's hot 9-10mos out of the year so comfort is way more practical. plus, you can get cute girly comfy clothes.

My daughter likes dresses too..but she will wear leggings from target or gap on sale.. Or crop leggings.. Under the dresses. With sketchers twinkle toe slip on tennis shoes that I buy on sale.. They look cute because of the sparkles and rhinestones but they can still run around :)

Put her in a dress with leggings under it and make sure she has shoes she can run around in. We wear a lot of dresses, but my daughter is a skinny minnie and can't hold up pants, so we just throw leggings underneath.

My kids are not school age, but my daughter LOVES dresses!!! LOVES THEM, cries every day she can't wear them!!!! So I get her shorts or leggings to go under neath, that way she can play hard and not worry about modesty. And they're cute cotton knit dresses, so she is comfortable too. And casual so she can wear crocks or canvas shoes and not look silly.

I hated dresses as a kid, when I went to school I had two pant outfits (jeans were not allowed) and those were the only days I was really comfortable. So I'd be sure that she is aware of that when purchasing. Have her try them on, and practice running around the house, to see how she feels in them. If she doesn't want to play hard in them, then return them and get her some cute tops to go with pants.

Best wishes!

My daughter is not even 2 yet so I can't give you advice. But looking though catalogs like Lands End it looks like there are a lot of sturdy play dresses/skirts with leggings you can get. Wouldn't this work just fine for some days (can still run, go down the slide, etc)? I'd opt for sporty mary janes with good running soles on those days (not girly mary janes) And then the other days she could wear jeans or courderoy pants. I won't know till my daughter is that age though I do see what the other girls were wearing in my son's 1st grade class last year. It seemed more like sturdy play clothes most of the time.

I went through the same thing with my oldest. I couldn't figure out why she didn't wear all the cute stuff we bought for school until I went to school for a spelling B. ALL the kids were in jeans, shirts and tennis shoes. I found out she just wanted to "fit in" with the other kids. I think I would get one or two dresses and check out what the other kids are wearing. You are right..things are way too expensive to buy and not wear! My granddaughters like to wear leggings with tutus over them. Their other grandma made them tutus in every color. It was easy, not expensive and FUN!

Luckily my girls are relatively easy to buy for - they're perfectly happy with yoga pants and tshirts from Target, Children's Place, etc. As a substitute teacher in an elementary school, I often look at little girls trying to run around the playground in frilly dresses and mary janes. Sometimes I think "what is her mother thinking?" and other times I think "maybe that's what the kid *really* wants to wear!" In my opinion, get her some practical stuff for school, and then add 2 or 3 dresses to the closet that she can wear to church, special occasions, or to school once in awhile. Good luck!

Let her wear girly, just be prepared for the clothes to get trashed. My 7 yo dd has very STRONG opinions about clothes. Yes, I buy the clothes and have final say, but if I buy something she doesn't like it won't get worn. She has some skirts/dresses that are quite girly, she wears them on non-pe days occasionally. For the rest of her dresses/skirts I make sure to buy the ones with built in shorts or put bicycle shorts underneath (monkeybarbuddies is another great option). Go to second hand stores, see if you have any neighbors/friends/family who can give you some hand-me-downs, or just get the girly stuff on clearance for the next season.

I do draw the line with shoes. No flip flops at all. No dress shoes. Sandals, boots, or tennies are appropriate for school in our house. There are plenty of fashoinable shoe choices without having to wear dress shoes to school and it's just not safe for her to be running around school with slick soled shoes.

My daughter loves wearing dresses too. k-2nd she went to a school that wore uniforms. This year she can wear whatever she wants. She's in heaven and so am i. We love cute clothes. Buy her half and half. I have her wear shorts under her dresses or skirts and shes fine. My daughter lives in flipflops, but i do make her wear tennies from time to time. We love converse! So many cute colors. I just got her some capris and tanktops, dressyones for school. Super cute. My daughter finds dresses to be comfortable. I think its great that you let her pick out her clothes. my daughter deffinately has an opinion on what she wears.

Mine hates wearing a dress. She will NOT wear a dress for school. Even when in private school when her choices were long skorts, rompers/dress, or long khaki pants... she chose the pants almost every day. That or the skort. NEVER any kind of dress.

She typically wears denim. Either jeans or denim shorts or crops. With sneakers of some sort.