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Bookswithtea
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I read Dressing with Dignity a few weeks ago. My 9 yo dd asked me, "Whatcha reading?" and was intrigued by my response.  I have always encouraged my dd's to dress modestly and to dress as girls, and I wear dresses and skirts often.
Now my oldest is getting into the sizes where finding dresses is becoming hard!  Dresses for Mass are not so difficult, but everyday dresses that she can play in is something else altogether. We have a couple of Hannah's playdresses and a couple of Land's End's knit dresses, but they look kind of "little girlish" on my *very* tall dd. She is a size 12, and I think we are close to having to shop in the jr's department. 
She won't even be 10 until January. I want her to look her age. I'm afraid that if I start buying her long tiered peasant skirts or gored skirts in cottons or denim she is going to look older than she is. Its fairly easy to find denim straight skirts that are cute and modest, but they are the pits for running and playing in.
Modesty is taking on a whole new meaning for me now, with 3 girls watching me. I don't want to mess this up.
What are your "tweens" wearing? Where are you shopping for them? And how are you helping them to stay warm in the winter in dresses and skirts?
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~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Helen
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I've been looking in the petite (women's) section for skirts and shirts. Usually a size 2 or 4 petite works - it might need a little stitch here and there.
I have found the patterns need to be on the small size. Sometimes a skirt might fit - but the pattern is obviously too large.
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Ave Maria!
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Maddie
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We have also switched to dresses /skirts only, except for barn chores where we will wear overalls. I found that wearing knit capris under our skirts worked very well for warmth and made us feel more free to move without the worry of a creeping skirt. They are sure to be going on clearance now with summer coming to an end.
We also wear shorts under our dresses when playing outside for modesty's sake. Climbing trees is tricky so I have no problem if they wish to wear capris for this. I try not to be too strict about ONLY dresses because there are situations where it wouldn't be prudent, ie. mowing the lawn. Overall though, my dd's love to dress modestly in dresses and skirts.
I have found some great house dresses / skirts at consignment shops and rummage sales in wealthier neighborhoods. You can buy bags full of dresses and skirts and only pay a fraction of the cost of one brand new dress!
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Bookswithtea
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Oh dear...that would require me to dust off my sewing machine! 
I used to sew dresses and skirts for myself all the time. Then I had a baby swallow an open tiny gold safety pin that had to be removed surgically. I still haven't recovered from it. She is now the child I am trying to help to dress like a lady! Anyway, I swore I would not sew again until all my children were old enough not to put pins in their mouths (honestly, I was careful with the pins but it happened anyway).
I figure I should be able to sew again sometime in my mid to late forties, perhaps?? 
I am so frustrated with fashions these days! I visited Gymboree's and The Children's Place's web sites because they used to make cute clothes that weren't "teenagerish" but I didn't see anything appropriate.
Why won't people let girls be girls anymore?
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Elizabeth
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Books,
My dd is almost the same age as yours, but she's still a size 10. She's wearing mostly Lands End and LLBean knit play dresses, with some Hannas thrown in for Sunday. For the fall, I ordered some tiered Hanna skirts when they were on sale yesterday. And I think we'll try to turn some shorts into skirts a la Kim.
She does look more like a little girl than some other girls, but she doesn't look younger than ten. I think the other girls look older than their ages.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Becky Parker
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Just wanted to second LLBean and Lands End knit play dresses. My dd wears them all the time. They look great, they are easy to play in (with shorts or leggings underneath) and they really stay nice for a long time. We pass ours on to friends with daughters smaller than mine. (Wish we had another dd to pass them to though! - I actually have some of them in storage...just in case )
The first time I bought them I had a hard time with the expense, but when they lasted longer than my ds's jeans that were purchased at Walmart I decided it was okay. She has about 5 of them that she cycles through. She even wears them to church without a problem (just add a frilly hair bow and some nice shoes!).
Also, just wanted to say that I LOVE your ideas Kim! We might try making a skirt like the pink and denim one. Seems like something I can handle!
Becky
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MicheleQ
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If you're interested in sewing, this is a fairly simple skirt pattern that offers lots of options (though I would lengthen it but that's not difficult to do). It would also be a nice pattern for a young girl to start sewing herself. Think of it, if you could teach them to make their own skirts. . . 
God bless,
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Michele Quigley
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marihalojen
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Any ideas for a replacement for the LLBean style knit dresses? Dd wore those and loved those too, but we both feel they are not appropriate now. We miss them dreadfully, they were great to throw on over a swimsuit and hit the library, then the pool. Though she is only 11 she has 'filled out,' shall we say, and knit tops are not nice.
T-shirts are even hard to find that are modest, what is with the v-neck line??? I am constantly having to tell her not to bend over! 
She doesn't really like collared shirts (remember - tropics) but I was thinking Kim's cute skirt would look great with a light cotton buttondown. 
We are heading to Kansas City this weekend and I'm thinking the summer stuff will be on sale up north. Am eager to hear your ideas and hopefully be able to buy cool (as in, not hot ) tween dresses.
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marcie
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Last night on Life On the Rock, there was a lady talking about dressing virtuously. I only caught the tail end of the show but here is the web site they talked about. www.purefashion.org
From what I could see, it looks like it is geared more to teens. I didn't spend much time on the site though. I am planning on checking it out at a later time.
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Bookswithtea
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Elizabeth, I saw those skirts...could you let me know about length when you get them? Is your dd tall? I'm afraid they will look like mini skirts on mine.
I saw the EWTN special on Pure Fashion...I checked out the site. Their standards are a bit different than ours, and its definitely more teen-like. The thing that concerned me the most, actually, was their take on makeup.
Have you all noticed that Gauchos are back in? I was wondering, do you think they count more as pants, or more as a skirt? I was thinking they might look cute with printed tights underneath (a la Hanna or LE) on a cold day and yet still no chance of underwear being viewed. But they may still accentuate the private areas...Just wondering what y'all are thinking about that?
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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MicheleQ
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Bookswithtea wrote:
| Have you all noticed that Gauchos are back in? I was wondering, do you think they count more as pants, or more as a skirt? I was thinking they might look cute with printed tights underneath (a la Hanna or LE) on a cold day and yet still no chance of underwear being viewed. But they may still accentuate the private areas...Just wondering what y'all are thinking about that? |
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I think it depends on the cut. Some are tighter like pants while others are looser and really look like a skirt.
For my 6 yr. old dd who sometimes forgets to sit in a lady like way they are a good compromise.
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Donna Marie
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Hi Books! I feel your pain!
My 12yo twin dds are now shooting up past me...they are 5 4 1/2 and definitely out of the little girl sizes! We have done a lot of our shopping here atLittle Touch of Elegance The girls loooved their European jumper but now we are now into their selection of ladies' skirts. The trick for us now is finding MODEST shirts to go with those skirts.
I just got my sewing machine tuned up and I am ready to go out and purchase some material to get a jump on the winter. Any modest skirt ond or jumper patterns that are a bit on the long side for my tall twins? Any tips on choosing fabric?? I can sew, but it has been a long time since I sewed them their matching Christmas pinafore dresses when they were 4!
My other dd will be 6 in a few weeks and I am dreading what she will get for her birthday...the styles for the little ones are so ridiculous and certain family members think nothing of it...
God Love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc 
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God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
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Finding Elegant Simplicity
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MicheleQ
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Donna Marie wrote:
| I just got my sewing machine tuned up and I am ready to go out and purchase some material to get a jump on the winter. Any modest skirt ond or jumper patterns that are a bit on the long side for my tall twins? Any tips on choosing fabric?? I can sew, but it has been a long time since I sewed them their matching Christmas pinafore dresses when they were 4! |
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Jumper patterns are readily available from the big pattern companies. Since your girls are so tall you can go right into the misses sizes and since you'll be making them they will be a custom fit (join the Catholic Mother's Sewing Room we'll help you!)
Here's a few examples I found:
Simplicity 5917
Simplicity 9830
Butterick 4223
Butterick 4187
Butterick 6931
Choose fabric that's washable and won't need ironing (unless you don't mind ironing them) or can at least pass for OK just out of the dryer. Wash it in hot water and dry it in the dryer BEFORE you sew with it so that any shrinking will be done before you make the garment (I wash rayon several times because it tends to have progressive shrinkage.
Jumpers for the fall and winter are nice made out of twill, denim, and corduory.
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
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8kids4me
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I remember when the jeans skirts were popular the first time. When I was in high school, we used to put bandana fabric in the triangle part of the skirt. I LOVED mine. May be time to try out that project again for the girls. I also liked the one on the link where the extra fabric was just done in the back.
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ladybugs
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Donna Marie wrote:
I feel your pain!
My 12yo twin dds are now shooting up past me...they are 5 4 1/2 and definitely out of the little girl sizes! |
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Donna Marie,
My 9 yo AND my 8 yo are at my nose and I am 5'4". They are wearing 12's and 14's just so that the T-shirts cover their bellies!
My daughters LOVE the tiered skirts. If you're not a seamstress, WalMart has material that is already sewn and tiered. You can fit the skirt to your dds! We did this last year and the skirt has held up well.
Just an idea.....
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Mrs.K
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Hello!
Okay, this is my first ever post so I hope I can figure this out. I just joined the forum, and with five daughters this is a topic near and dear to my heart. I will share what I have learned in this area. LL Bean only makes the knit dresses up to size 10 now, and they are styled short. Lands End has brought back their knit dresses in larger sizes, and they claim to be mid-calf length. (I just discovered that my Sears doesn't even stock them above size 6, however.)Going up to size 16, that can be very long. Dresses used to be longer, so I have been purchasing most of my dd's clothes second hand. There are always lots of Hanna's or LE on ebay, but you have to buy according to measurements. The lengths vary greatly depending on the vintage of the dress, so I always ask for the shoulder-to-hem length. I find prints are also better for keeping our 'blossoming' girls modest. My girls find the knit dresses most comfortable, especially for summer when they prefer not to need two layers as in a jumper and a shirt. Sleeveless sundresses can also work if they wear a short sleeved undershirt with them.
As Books said, long straight skirts are easy to find but are not great for playing in. My 11 yo dd does have one but we save it for rainy days.
As for sewing, I've found that it's hard to find fabrics that are as durable as store bought things like LE or Hannas. It is very frustrating to have spent a long time making something that rips when it is worn out to play. On the other hand, for the littles, it is very easy and inexpensive to make tee shirt dresses. Simply sew a gathered skirt onto a nice knit top and you have a very fast and comfortable dress.
Hope this helps!
Blessings,
Mrs.K
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MicheleQ
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Mrs.K wrote:
| As for sewing, I've found that it's hard to find fabrics that are as durable as store bought things like LE or Hannas. It is very frustrating to have spent a long time making something that rips when it is worn out to play. |
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I agree especially if you are buying in places like Wal-mart (which I won't shop at anyway but that's a different issue). But over the last few years places like JoAnn Fabrics and Hancocks have gotten a much better selection of quality knits and I would highly recommend fabric from fabric.com. They have very good quality (and some very good sales) and their shipping rates are reasonable. Overall I have found it's worth it to pay a little more for fabric that will last.
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
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Elizabeth
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MicheleQ wrote:
I agree especially if you are buying in places like Wal-mart (which I won't shop at anyway but that's a different issue). But over the last few years places like JoAnn Fabrics and Hancocks have gotten a much better selection of quality knits and I would highly recommend fabric from fabric.com. They have very good quality (and some very good sales) and their shipping rates are reasonable. Overall I have found it's worth it to pay a little more for fabric that will last.
God bless! |
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Oh thank you! Thank you! I have two sewing projects I've promised my dd before the baby comes but every time I get in the car, I ahve contractions. A trip to the fabirc store keeps getting pushed off.
Now, what do I search for to find that tiered fabric to turn shorts into a skirt? What's it called??
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Christine
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Michele, I second Elizabeth's thank you. Thank you for mentioning the Butterick pattern, too.
Target has some tiered girls' skirts, too. I have only seen them online, so I do not know what the quality is like. My 9-year-old currently wears the knit dresses from Lands End and a couple of dresses that I have made. My problem with sewing and pregnancy is that it tends to cause me back pain.
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Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
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CathinCoffeland
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For running and cartwheels and what not i noticed a lot more of the skirts came with built in knit undershorts this year in the lands end catalog. I dont remember how long they are though.
Im sooo glad dd is still little
Our neighbor girls (about 75% mormon on our street) all have been wearing capris or knit shorts under little sun dresses that dont quite come to their knees. (all the dresses for sale are so short!) The mom is over six foot and says its the only way to keep them modest and let them play. It is actually a quite popular style with the tween girls around here. And is a better example for dd than we frequently get! I tell you my swim suit covers more than some of the outfits on little girls around here!
Maggie
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Modesty and girls revisited
