Junior dresses – why choose age appropriate?
Shopping for dresses with your teenager can be a very tiring and frustrating experience. Have you ever faced discussions about whether a certain style or garment was appropriate for your youngster to wear? Most parents have. There are many questions that parents could take into consideration when shopping for age appropriate junior dresses. This article will discuss some them.
What are junior dresses?
Junior dresses are a special line of dresses offered in many stores especially designed for youngsters between 12 and 18 years of age. While your junior might feel that ‘adult’ dresses are much more interesting than junior dresses, there are several reasons why you should consider looking in the junior dresses section, whether it be for picking out a bridesmaid dress, a prom dress, a formal dress or a more casual dress.
Why choose junior dresses for your junior?
In short, junior dresses are age appropriate. What does this mean? Although a junior often likes to think of him- or herself as a small adult, there is still a huge gap – both physically and emotionally – between a junior and an adult. Some junior girls can be made to look very grown-up in dresses designed for adults. But is it necessarily good for your young daughter to be looked upon and treated as an adult? Is your daughter really prepared for the dangers and responsibilites involved in being a ‘big girl’?
Junior dresses are generally more modest than dresses for adults. Necklines are higher and hems are lower. The age of 12 to 18 years is of course a time of great physical and emotional changes, and a dress for a 12-year-old will be different from a dress for an 18-year-old. The preferences of your junior will probably also change radically during this period of his or her life. Depending on your daughter’s feelings about the physical changes that she is undergoing she might either wish to cover up or show off her new figure. Communicate with your growing daughter about the signals that different styles of clothing sends and the possible consequences of sending these signals. Learning these basic principles is all part of growing up.
Do you really need to buy the best?
When shopping for junior dresses, there might be a pressure on you to buy the best quality or most famous brands of clothes. Shop assistants might emphasize the need to buy clothes that will last. But does it really make sense to spend a fortune on junior dresses that will last a lifetime, when your junior will have grown out of it in less than a year? You might start to think of youngsters in your social circle who could ‘inherit’ the dress, when your junior cannot fit it anymore. However, juniors are generally becoming more picky when choosing styles for themselves and might not be willing to wear clothes handed down to them.
Of course, when picking out garments for your teenager also consider the influence it will have on his or her social life. While your junior might not need to be the most popular and fashionable kid in school, it would still be a pity, if your son or daughter’s style of clothing cause mocking or lack of self esteem.
There are many things to take into consideration when buying junior dresses. Since youngsters are all different individuals with different needs and viewpoints, it will be necessary with good communication and certain limits when it comes to choice of clothing.
