“But you dress her so girly!”
I have never been a girly-girl. I used to be a tomboy, and even now I’m drawn to plain shirts and comfortable jeans more than cute skirts and more feminine blouses.
With my daughter, however, it’s a totally different world. I dress her in pink - a lot of pink! - and at least half of her spring/summer wardrobe consists of dresses. She has as many skirts as she does shorts, and lace, ribbons, and frilly bows show up as often as I can make that happen.
My family doesn’t understand this at all. To tell the truth, sometimes I don’t understand it either. Why am I not drawn to dress her as I dress myself? It’s not some deep-seated need to live a girly life vicariously through her; my grandmother and mom would have been only too happy to dress me that way if it had ever been what I wanted! And it’s not that I think that dressing her the way I do is the only way to present her beautifully; she is beautiful no matter what she wears or whether there’s dirt on her face and yogurt in her hair.
I suppose it’s partly for practical reasons that my little girl wears so many dresses. In the summertime, it’s the coolest option other than letting her go naked, which might not go over so well at the mall or the grocery store.
I do dress her in pants or shorts and a shirt for playground trips and other places where she might do a lot of playing instead of just walking or riding, and I’ll respect her wishes if the time comes when she doesn’t want to dress like a pint-sized princess. For now, though, I’ll let her wear lacy dresses and big bows, and love every minute of it.
Let’s face it: There’s just something sweet about a happy little girl twirling around in a pretty dress.
Moms of girls, do you dress your young daughter(s) the same way you were dressed as a child? Do you dress her more/less girly based on her personality, or on other factors?
Posted by Sunshine.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I was a tomboy as a child and didn’t wear dresses unless they were forced on me. I guess I’m still that way. The last time I wore a dress was probably my brother’s wedding 8 years ago. My DD has worn dresses a handful of times. She has no preference right now so I dress her the way I want. I also dress her in what I think is the easiest for her to get around. She actually tore the lining on the last dress she had on. Not sure if her knee or foot go caught on it when she went to get up.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I’m not a tomboy, but I’m far too lazy to be a girly girl, lmao.
Hannah, however, omg. She is SO girly it’s ridiculous. Princess everything, dresses, bows, makeup - it looks like a bottle of pepto bismal exploded on almost everything she owns. I didn’t really get into dressing her super girly until after she was about 18 months old - It just seemed to completely go with her personality.
You can’t get near her with jeans without her yelling, “But I’m a PRINCESS!!! Princesses wear pretty dresses!!!!” which is SO completely the opposite of what I am like (I’d show up at the Oscars in yoga pants with little shame) but my gosh, I have so much fun with her. My sisters always pick on me that I will leave the house still in my PJs, but not without Hannah’s bows coordinating with her outfit.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I would love to dress her in more dresses, and I think she would like it, but they are just not practical for daycare. On weekends, she likes to wear “lounge pants” just like mommy! :bag
February 25th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
ditto! i dress em pretty girly in pinks and dresses and skirts, even though i was never caught dead in them myself!
February 26th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I should dress her in more dresses…I love them!
February 26th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Oh..I wanted to post that I love the way you dress Holly, Mel..she always looks so cute :heart