Argh! Clothing battle!

[RedMamaBear]

Near five year old DD has become obsessed with dresses. It's all she wants to wear! It could be freezing cold outside and nothing I say will convince this child otherwise. And it's not like I can drop everything and go out and restock her closet either. I've tried the pants under the dress thing and she'd rather go back to bed, where she is now, than wear that combination.

Cripes! Does it really start this early? ARGH!!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Rieckah]

DD has days like that. I tell her either she compromises and wears pants under them or she will have to wear just the pants. Maybe let her freeze her little bottom off one day in a dress and see if she is more open to compromise.

[Tiffearni]

Will she wear those thick stockings underneath.

I wish I could get my DD to wear a dress.

[3girls2luv]

Yes it does start this early and sometimes earlier. I have a few freinds with dds who only wear dresses, I think its cute. You could try leggings or tights that are thick and would keep her warm. If my dds only wanted to wear dresses I would do what Reickah said but I would put tights or leggings anyway. If she gets cold enough she will change her mind about dresses on cold days. Have her watch the weather the day before and then let her decide what she will wear.

[ChristmasTree]

i only wear dresses as well and all i do in the winter is wear yoga pants underneath, or a tight knit skirt under my regular skirt or wear leggings or super thick tights and i stay warm enough..

also go look at goodwill, u can find skirts/dresses there really cheap.

[MrsKitty]

Thick stockings and turtlenecks. I have a few customers with DD's like this, they come in and stock up on the thick stockings and turtlenecks, leg warmers, and cardigans.

[JustMoi]

Come up with two outfits, and let her choose which one to wear. Make it non-negotiable. "do you want to wear the jeans and the pink sweater, or do you want to wear the black corduroys with the red top and vest" - that leaves no room for negotiation. Tell her that she is not going to wear a dress today and that she has a choice of either this outfit or that outfit. Give her 2 minutes to decide and if she doesn't then YOU choose - and then put it on her if necessary. Ignore the whining.

It will stop :)

[3girls2luv]

Come up with two outfits, and let her choose which one to wear. Make it non-negotiable. "do you want to wear the jeans and the pink sweater, or do you want to wear the black corduroys with the red top and vest" - that leaves no room for negotiation. Tell her that she is not going to wear a dress today and that she has a choice of either this outfit or that outfit. Give her 2 minutes to decide and if she doesn't then YOU choose - and then put it on her if necessary. Ignore the whining.

It will stop :)


Wow I tried that and it never worked for my girls as far as clothes. I just decided to choose my battles when it came to clothes. I just figure why come between and girl and her clothes. ;)

[RedMamaBear]

Thanks for your advice, everyone! This is a tough one for me; I don't wear dresses, I've never been a clothes horse of any breed and the whole princess thing is so beyond my field of comprehension. So of course DD is my polar opposite in this. :p

Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

Keep the suggestions coming! It helps me so very much!

[Earthmama]

I second the Legwarmers.
Bloomers?
Better yet - Dance Tights & Legwarmers!

I was like that at that age - Mom made me wear dresses on Gym days, but every other day was a dress day! I had to wear leotards, though - even in the summertime. That was mom's rule.

[lolabear]

my 2yo last year when it started to get cold went on this where she only wanted skirts or dresses. every once in awhile now but she is picky about what she wears some days. for some reason my dd thinks she is not a princess if she has pants on

[kohlby]

Agree that it starts this early. My 2.5 year old prefers dresses already! It's a rare day that she'll wear pants. She does a lot of leggins under dresses. They're softer and more comfortable than pants but not as restricting as tights. My DD knows that she has to wear the leggins or the pants. Giving her a choice between two pairs of pants would be a battle that I don't care to fight. But letting her choose a dress with leggins or pants is an easy decision for her. But she's only 2.5. By 5, I'd let her just go out with cold legs. My son went through a no-jacket phase and I decided it wasn't worth fighting. Of course, I heard other parents whispering about me. But DS was happy and he's a healthy kid so I figured a little cold wouldn't hurt him - and it didn't! (However, I'm in the south where it does get below freezing for short periods of time. So my kids can get cold but frostbite isn't an issue).

[lisanvenice]

Legging, tights and boots. I like dresses because it is only one piece that you have to find in the morning. No coordination, nothing to loose, over the head and out the door. A few pairs of tights (Target three pairs for $10) and you are good to go. Trust me it is easier then having to find just the "right" pair of pants for a particular tee shirt or sweater or the "right" sweater for the pair of pants they have to wear that day. Hell if my boys could have worn dresses I would have put them in them too! Did I mention they were only one piece?

[Babyhellfire]

Yeah Rory did that at 3 ,too.It had to be pink and a skirt even.-which was a huge leap from the boy clothes phase she had just left.
-she is still pink obsessed.
I would say.
"Sorry,it is too cold.You can wear this skirt you want,but you have to wear tights or leggings underneath,OR you will have to wear pants."
I HAVE done similar..but your DD is a bit older and I agree with pps who said at 5 maybe let her freeze(and pack her a pair of pants for underneath) when she realizes she wants them.

[KaraJ]

I love it when little girls wear dresses. It's so stinking cute. I put my two year old in dresses all the time. If it's chilly out, I'll either put pants under her dress, or cotton tights. They're girly but warm.