Anonymous wrote:This is adorable:

I'm a woman who wears trousers, blazers, and fun shoes most days of the week. I don't hate dresses or skirts, but those clothes are what I find most comfortable.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of options:

Black pants (a ponte knit would be comfortable but look nice) and a nicer top
Khakis and a nicer top
Leggings and a dressier tunic
A jumpsuit

Also--my daughter loves dresses but doesn't like pink, and I don't have a hard time finding girl's clothing in colors other than pink or purple. Check out Lands End and Primary, for example.

Anonymous wrote:Can she wear a dressy tunic over nice leggings? Or a dressy skort and nice top?

I sympathize OP as I was that kid too. Hated dresses, cut the lace off my socks, hated the patent leather dressy shoes (80s). My parents required that I wear a dress for synagogue and other dressy events but compromised by letting me have input into picking it -- and not complaining if I picked something plain, like red and black stripes instead of pink with frills and lace.

If you can, find out why she hates dresses so much. For me it was because I felt self-conscious in them. Even at 6 I thought I was fat (I wasn't, but I wasn't as skinny as my super-skinny sister, which in my mind translated to fat). Getting to pick the dress helped because I could choose colors I liked.

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying "look, there is a dress code; when it's a dressy event, girls wear a dress or a skirt and boys wear nice pants and a polo shirt. You have to wear a dress or skirt to be appropriately dressed, just like you don't wear shorts in the winter or a scarf in the summer. But you can help pick the dress or skirt."

Anonymous wrote:Can she wear a dressy tunic over nice leggings? Or a dressy skort and nice top?

I sympathize OP as I was that kid too. Hated dresses, cut the lace off my socks, hated the patent leather dressy shoes (80s). My parents required that I wear a dress for synagogue and other dressy events but compromised by letting me have input into picking it -- and not complaining if I picked something plain, like red and black stripes instead of pink with frills and lace.

If you can, find out why she hates dresses so much. For me it was because I felt self-conscious in them. Even at 6 I thought I was fat (I wasn't, but I wasn't as skinny as my super-skinny sister, which in my mind translated to fat). Getting to pick the dress helped because I could choose colors I liked.

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying "look, there is a dress code; when it's a dressy event, girls wear a dress or a skirt and boys wear nice pants and a polo shirt. You have to wear a dress or skirt to be appropriately dressed, just like you don't wear shorts in the winter or a scarf in the summer. But you can help pick the dress or skirt."

Anonymous wrote:How about a jumpsuit? You could use this for so many occasions.

https://www.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/aqua-girls-ruffled-shoulder-jumpsuit-big-kid-100-exclusive?ID=3286178&CategoryID=3866#fn=ppp%3Dundefined%26sp%3DNULL%26rId%3DNULL%26spc%3D19%26cm_kws%3Dgirls%20jumpsuit%26spp%3D5%26pn%3D1%7C1%7C5%7C4%26rsid%3Dundefined%26smp%3DallMultiMatchWithSpelling

Anonymous wrote:A suit?

I just got my dd one, she loved it!

You can pair a blazer with leggings or wear the whole deal.

Anonymous wrote:Check out primary.com. Most of their stuff is unisex and comes in a variety of colors -- no designs, no gender stereotyping. They have some dresses that are super comfortable (organic cotton, not fancy), and I can convince even my dress-hating DD to wear one when necessary.

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is now 12 and has never like dresses or skirts. But sometimes in life we have to wear things we don't necessarily like. It's not for all day.