Anonymous wrote:This is a helpful thread. My 9 year old is in between sizes too (8 is too small, 10/12 too big) so this is also complicating things. She’s still ok with athleisure, so that’s our default. But she’s starting to eye things that look “cool” not just accepting whatever shows up in her drawers and is comfortable.

H&M is a good tip. We do Old Navy and Target now. I do think Justice used to fill this hole (when my 20 year old niece was a tween) but alas, not anymore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rising 4th-grade mom: Target (Art Class with a few Cat/Jack things), Dillards (although it was slim pickings this year), Nordstroms Rack (very hit/miss but generally good for quality leggings), and TJMaxx/Marshalls.

My daughter loves rompers and the high/low dresses that are open in the front with built-in show shorts, as well as skirts with built-in shorts. We had great luck at Target and Marshalls this year.

Not super helpful on a DC-based forum.

Anonymous wrote:Rising 4th-grade mom: Target (Art Class with a few Cat/Jack things), Dillards (although it was slim pickings this year), Nordstroms Rack (very hit/miss but generally good for quality leggings), and TJMaxx/Marshalls.

My daughter loves rompers and the high/low dresses that are open in the front with built-in show shorts, as well as skirts with built-in shorts. We had great luck at Target and Marshalls this year.

Anonymous wrote:Agree it's hard to find age appropriate styles, which is why I think a lot of girls (and their parents) default to athleisure type clothing. And honestly, it works pretty well. There are quite a few options in terms of athletic style skorts, shorts, and both leggings and pants. And then paired with tanks and tees often from the same brands.

Athleta Girl is popular, but Target actually has a line called In Motion that a lot of the girls at DD's school wear as well -- it's well priced (a lot more affordable than Athleta) and has a good mix of colors.

I also recommend J.Crew and J.Crew Factory for dressier things. It runs to the preppy side, but it hits that sweet spot of not looking childish but also not being just super short shorts and cut off tees and backless dresses. Zara can also work for this age group, but you have to hunt a little bit. Some of their kids stuff is a bit twee, but they often carry cute wide leg pants and tops and tees that look more mature but not teen.

And while a lot of the classic kid's brands just read as too young for this age (I'd stay away from Hanna, Tea, Boden, etc., though many of them do still make clothes that will fit this age group), I think Primary can still work for basics -- striped tees, simple dresses, leggings, and shorts. Their solids don't read as too young a long as you get the right colors (no more baby pinks and purples) and their stripes work too. Their other prints will read as too young.

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Anonymous wrote:I have a rising 5th grader and it’s been rough this summer. Neither of us much like what is in stores. I feel like there is more babyish younger stuff and too old junior stuff and nothing in between for a kid who is looking to move beyond the tshirts/hoodies/sweat pants she wore last year.