Is this dress inappropriate for an 11-year old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very pretty.

An she wear it to Christmas Mass or service? It would be perfect for that. Or, are you going to a theatrical performance or the Nutcracker? It woild be nice for those occasions too.

Dress it up with "older" shoes and hair like PP suggested.

This. I wish more preteens wore classy, buttoned up looks like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not appropriate and she will look silly at her age in it.

My DD is 13. I love smock dresses. Love them. Every single dress I bought for her was smocked. In fact, we had a few almost exactly like this one. That being said, the last time she wore a smocked dress was 3rd grade. Even in the south were smocked dresses are more of a thing, 3rd grade tends to be the limit. There is a reason that smocked dresses are often not made in sizes past 8.

You are wrong, on two counts. This dress is absolutely appropriate for an 11 year old, and smocked dresses are ridiculous hideous on any child.

[Anonymous]

^^ Wait, sorry, that didn't make sense. Meant I love this particular dress for an 11 year old but I don't consider this a classic "smocked" dress -- e.g. the ones complete with monogramming -- that look so silly on toddlers.

[Anonymous]

Okay, thanks. I guess I'm being too sensitive. She has some social issues and often misses appropriate social cues, especially about clothing, and she's been teased in the past. (Also she really doesn't care about clothes at all, so when she says she "likes it" that often just means "it's not itchy.")

I love the Kieran Shipka dress. Her clothes are always perfect.

Of course, the bigger issue is that, now that I think about, I cannot think of anyplace she really can wear something that formal. We already went to the Nutcracker. She's wearing a costume for Christmas mass (in the play). And we're not going anywhere for Christmas -- no family around and so we'll probably just open presents and go to the movies. Oh well. It's yet another thing from this particular relative that will sit in the closet with the tags on and never get worn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, thanks. I guess I'm being too sensitive. She has some social issues and often misses appropriate social cues, especially about clothing, and she's been teased in the past. (Also she really doesn't care about clothes at all, so when she says she "likes it" that often just means "it's not itchy.")

I love the Kieran Shipka dress. Her clothes are always perfect.

Of course, the bigger issue is that, now that I think about, I cannot think of anyplace she really can wear something that formal. We already went to the Nutcracker. She's wearing a costume for Christmas mass (in the play). And we're not going anywhere for Christmas -- no family around and so we'll probably just open presents and go to the movies. Oh well. It's yet another thing from this particular relative that will sit in the closet with the tags on and never get worn.

OMG it's $125! And to just accept it never being worn. Ugh. I'd return it on price alone, if that's the case.

I have an 11 year old and I don't think it reads as too young. it is very dressy, though, so without a place to wear it (if the price doesn't give you pause) that's the reason I'd return it. I don't think it's wearable in the spring or another time, so it would truly go to waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, thanks. I guess I'm being too sensitive. She has some social issues and often misses appropriate social cues, especially about clothing, and she's been teased in the past. (Also she really doesn't care about clothes at all, so when she says she "likes it" that often just means "it's not itchy.")

I love the Kieran Shipka dress. Her clothes are always perfect.

Of course, the bigger issue is that, now that I think about, I cannot think of anyplace she really can wear something that formal. We already went to the Nutcracker. She's wearing a costume for Christmas mass (in the play). And we're not going anywhere for Christmas -- no family around and so we'll probably just open presents and go to the movies. Oh well. It's yet another thing from this particular relative that will sit in the closet with the tags on and never get worn.

Let her wear it out to dinner. Take some family pictures or let her play model & take pictures. Clothes should be fun & if you don't have any plans for the dress, let her wear it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, thanks. I guess I'm being too sensitive. She has some social issues and often misses appropriate social cues, especially about clothing, and she's been teased in the past. (Also she really doesn't care about clothes at all, so when she says she "likes it" that often just means "it's not itchy.")

I love the Kieran Shipka dress. Her clothes are always perfect.

Of course, the bigger issue is that, now that I think about, I cannot think of anyplace she really can wear something that formal. We already went to the Nutcracker. She's wearing a costume for Christmas mass (in the play). And we're not going anywhere for Christmas -- no family around and so we'll probably just open presents and go to the movies. Oh well. It's yet another thing from this particular relative that will sit in the closet with the tags on and never get worn.

If you really have no where to wear it, put it one and take one nice picture. You can send it to the relative, if things like that are important to them (I have a friend who always looks for my kids to be wearing what she purchased). Then after that, return the dress and buy something that will get more use.

[Anonymous]

So if there's nowhere no wear it, and she's just fine with it, I'd let her pick:

1. she keeps it and wears it if/when she has the chance
2. you return it and give her some or all of the money

I'd personally frame it as being an "extra" dress that she may not have the chance to wear, rather than bringing up your concerns that it is too young for her.

I think it's fine to think about her wardrobe more broadly. I'd do it slowly and gradually, without any reference to this particular dress. At the beginning of middle school, my DD was on the slower side of developing an interest in clothes. But I'd ask her questions about what other kids were wearing, I'd pay attention to other girls at school events, and I began to take her shopping a little more. Bit by bit, her wardrobe began to look more like that of her middle school peers, though with her own personal aesthetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not appropriate and she will look silly at her age in it.

My DD is 13. I love smock dresses. Love them. Every single dress I bought for her was smocked. In fact, we had a few almost exactly like this one. That being said, the last time she wore a smocked dress was 3rd grade. Even in the south were smocked dresses are more of a thing, 3rd grade tends to be the limit. There is a reason that smocked dresses are often not made in sizes past 8.

I disagree. I am also in the South (born and raised). This is a more sophisticated style than the "little girl" smocked dresses -- shiny silk, real waist, geometric/Nordic pattern.

I think it is beautiful for a special occasion like formal church services, a wedding, a fancy family dinner out ... However, if your family never does very fancy, almost cocktail-type events, I am not sure where she would wear this.

[Anonymous]

Agree this is not the kind of smocked dress that you are thinking of--- which I agree, looks ridiculous past a certain age. This is much more sophisticated and not the same thing at all.

[Anonymous]

It looks like the dresses the girls in my son's 7th grade class (so 12 and 13) wear to fancy events, usually with a cute cardigan or shrug and low-to-medium height heels. They put their hair up in pretty clips and swipe on a little tinted lip gloss and they look beautiful and age appropriate. I think it's a gorgeous dress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not appropriate and she will look silly at her age in it.

My DD is 13. I love smock dresses. Love them. Every single dress I bought for her was smocked. In fact, we had a few almost exactly like this one. That being said, the last time she wore a smocked dress was 3rd grade. Even in the south were smocked dresses are more of a thing, 3rd grade tends to be the limit. There is a reason that smocked dresses are often not made in sizes past 8.

I disagree. I am also in the South (born and raised). This is a more sophisticated style than the "little girl" smocked dresses -- shiny silk, real waist, geometric/Nordic pattern.

I think it is beautiful for a special occasion like formal church services, a wedding, a fancy family dinner out ... However, if your family never does very fancy, almost cocktail-type events, I am not sure where she would wear this.

I am the PP you are addressing and nope, this smocking is no different.

I really think many of the posters on this thread have younger kids. When my dd was younger, I would have said that this dress would look beautiful on a 11 yr old and would be absolutely age appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful and not at all too young looking. Pair it with block tights and black patent boots and/or a dressy sweater if you like.

+1 accessories including hair and it will look beautiful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful and not at all too young looking. Pair it with block tights and black patent boots and/or a dressy sweater if you like.

Ok, I am pp and just asked my daughter who is 10. she said no, too babyish. I guess we want our kids smaller and more preppy than they want to be.

[Anonymous]

I think its traditional looking, rather than "young" looking. Its a style you get for women in dresses, after all.

If your daughter loves it, I don't see the problem.

PS. I know the blonde kid in the last promo shot of it - she was at school with my kids when we lived in LA. She also does Hanna Andersson. She is cleaning up as a model!