Just stay little.

YES SIX IS LITTLE (I'm shouting for my own benefit :). I have to keep reminding myself that these days too because it does feel SO much bigger than 3 or 4 or 5. Waaaahhhhhh!!

And don't get me started on leaving the "T" section ... for boys it's this weird pre-teen rocker/skater/skinny jean weirdness that I'm SO not ready for on my six year old LITTLE guy.

I think Old Navy still has good basics, I like The Children's Place, Crazy 8 and a good sale at Gymboree. Oh and I think Osh Kosh has great stuff for kids that are six (and not clubbing or skating) :D.

Happy Weekend!

Oh sad. I've got three little girls (twin two year olds and a 5 month old) and am already dreading that day... (and I think the fighting over clothes, as there is a good chance they will all be the same size for several years of their life, makes me excited about the idea of uniforms as well!)

As a mom with 3 girls 7, 5, 3, I know how hard it is finding little girl clothes. Don't have any ideas for you though I'm having the same problem. Thankfully I've finally got a sewing machine and now when they need something I can't find in stores I can just make it. Good luck with the clothes hunting! (time is a big meanie! It's making my kids grow way too fast also.)

I get the majority of my DD's clothing at Target, Childrens Place or Old Navy. She's 6 as well.

I have had a similar problem. My girls are very tall (their daddy is 6'5") which means we made it to the big girls section when they were 4-5 year old. I hate it. My suggestion is simply IF you can find something that still looks like a little girl in the big girl sizes, BUY IT! Buy two in different colors! It is really hard to keep them looking sweet in a section of clothes that are the same for girl in Jr. High.

~ My heart broke a little when we had to retire the Target baby section and move to move on to the big girls for my now 7 year old. My biggest issue with children's clothing designers is the lack of modesty. Just because a skirt has shorts made into it does not mean it should barely cover her hiney!

We also love a good Gymboree sale and Crazy 8 (which belongs to Gymboree) has great prices. Not to babyish, but still for a little girl.

My daughter tells me about the girls in her class who get their clothes at Justice... oh I cringe at that!

The Childrens Place!!
I work there part-time (1 day a month) just for the awesome discount and already reasonably priced clothes.

oh, I hear you on that one, and I don't even have a girl (yet...Kiddo is praying hard for a sister). I agree with Andrea - with the boys it's the skulls and skater stuff. Like Andrea, we are still able to find lots of good basics at Old Navy, Osh Kosh and Carters (this is our last year of Carters - they only go up to size 7. There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth). Lands End is also good, if you sign up for their emails and wait for the sales/coupons or browse through their clearance section.

I'm 21... but honestly, the worst clothes shopping experience was when I was entering high school, but still wearing a size 12 kids. It's even harder to find "high school" clothes when you're small. I had to wear little kid's clothes forever :(

We've been lucky to get a lot of hand me downs that are very sweet. I've found a lot of basics at resale shops, but find that JC Penny has some good things if you look. It's a bummer that you have to filter even clothes though.

I'm thrilled my six year old still thinks people should be covered, would rather wear jeans & a t shirt than something "trendy" and gives ratings based on how much material the people on dancing with the stars are wearing, more material=better score in her mind!

My vote is-
Gap, Gymboree, and Osh Kosh Outlet.
Also, keep an eye on boutique online stores. They often have CRazy good sales at the end of the season.

Oh I agree about target. bleck.
I found 2 cute dresses, and they weren't oh im in love with these cute...just cute. And just 2 of them, seriously! In the past I've bought up the entire toddler section at target.

I have no suggestions for you really...
Carters maybe? I don't remember how high up in clothing sizes they go. But in the past I've seen stuff in the bigger girls that was really cute.

My 8 year old daughter has long legs, and we have a really hard time finding modest shorts and skirts for her. I've tried really hard to dress my girls as little girls and completely understand your struggle! I too have had great luck with Gymboree (when they're on sale--I have 4 kids to clothe after all!) and nobody mentioned Kohl's, who also has great sales. With Target, Old Navy, Children's Place, and Penney's they've usually got a either a mix of things that are good and not good or they rotate. Right now at Children's Place (in Texas, at least) I don't like their back-to-school stuff, but by Christmas I bet they'll have some really cute stuff again. Also, if you have eighty bazillion dollars ; ) Hanna Andersson has A.DOR.A.BLE clothes. I love looking through the catalog and wishing for their clothes. LOLOL Oh you know where else we find clothes? Costco!
Have fun shopping!

When I see little girl clothes, I am just glad I have boys :) My nieces that are about your girls ages wear lots of Roxy, Gap or Old Navy. Your girls look so cute in their uniforms!

"Not a six year old ready to go clubbing with her first grade friends" Oh Julie, you always make me laugh! :)

My girlies are still toddlers so I'm not venturing into the "big, but still little" girls' department just yet,so I can't help you out there, but cheers to you for helping your daughters stay little! :) I went to a playgroup recently and there was a 2 year old wearing heels!Seriously, itty bitty toddler size dress shoes with heels...ek!

oh, i KNOW what you mean! my oldest daughter is very tall for her age (she was 5T at age 3). so yea, shopping for clothes for her? very hard.

here is what i do...i buy high end clothes for her used on ebay. i buy a lot of "southern" boutique styles (even though i live in california at the beach!)

i buy a lot of matilda jane clothes used for her...a lot of janie and jack, some gymboree (but you have to be careful in the larger sizes)- and then other brands like kelly's kids, amanda remembered, etc.

so far i've been doing pretty well. my daughter is 4 now and wearing size 6...she is skinny as a beanpole, but very tall.

the good news is that once you find stuff you like- you can hand them down! :-)

All Old Navy. All the time. And I agree about Target. But ours has fresh produce now. So I forgave them.

Oh my gosh, I know. Kloe just turned 5 and really the 5T at target is too small... but the tween stuff is just down right ugly. I have been going to H&M for her stuff. They have really cute stuff at amazing prices. The only one I found that carries kids clothes is at south coast/crystal court side. ( for you locals). Also I love love love crew cuts but it is a bit pricey. But it holds up.

I love GAP. Janie & Jack is super expensive but has PRECIOUS stuff that goes up to size 8. Gymboree has always been a favorite, especially with a good sale!

I couldn't agree more about Target's big girl section this year. What's with that?!? I still have one in the toddler section and my heart hurts thinking of not shopping there anymore! Cute stuff!

We do NOT do teeny bopper wanna be clothes for our almost 6 year old. No way. We shop Carters online, Gymboree, Mini Boden, GAP outlet. My favorite is Carters online, it doesn't hold up for more than a season but that's ok. It's still very little girlish. :)

I WAS JUST SAYING THAT! We were at the mall last weekend buying the uniforms for my daughter (hallelujah!) and a girl probably no older than 7 had an outfit on and I said, "You know, that's a situation when she's wearing something I would consider wearing. Lace? Pearls? Holes in the pants so big that show the inside of the POCKETS?" Yeah, that's a little old for a 7 year old. Hate it.
Where's the t-shirts and stretchy pants? I'm all for comfort and easiness.. What's more sad is that grown adults are making and designing these clothes for the children. That's a bigger problem than the kids wearing them.

I hear you. My daughter is 5 and wears a size 13--stride ride had only shoes with a heel (!) and Jessica Simpson shoes...not so much for kindergarten. I love Lands End and feel like their clothes are age-appropriate. and great quality!

oh my target is my one true love,but this year they made me fume with all their ridiculous,my 8 year old isnt ready for clubbing and the saddest part,most of it is made by disney:( i almost wrote a letter until i realized i didnt know who to write it to:).This year i would have to say old navy and the gap and gymboree has the best little girl stuff,and sears jcpennys and kohls has some good stuff too;)good luck momma.

I've had good luck with Lands End and the Gap and Old Navy "playtime favorites". Don't get me started on some of the OTHER stuff at the Gap and Old Navy! Simple tees, pants, no slogans, etc. I feel for you!!

And this is why I make most of my kids' clothes. I used to buy a lot at The Childrens Place but I think their stuff is getting tackier every day. So now when I go out and shop I go to Osh Kosh. Really good quality, not-so-trendy style (which I like), good prices. Good luck!

just so you know the same thing happens with little boy clothes. a six year old should not be sporting a shirt that has a melted face on it. but that's just my opinionated opinion. i think target needs to get a memo about this.

and because i don't have a money tree i like old navy, and strangely enough, sometimes wal-mart.

You are the funniest!!! "A six year who is going clubbing with her 1st grade friends" Priceless. I too am in the same boat as you my twin 6 year old girls have made the jump into the big girl section, I find that the childrens place, old navy, and Nordstroms has some great options also sometimes Kohls. Target is horrible this season which sucks seeing as I spend most of my shopping time there. Hope this helps!!

Yes. Totally with you on this.
I am thankful for yard sales, resale shops, my ability to sew and my 5 year old's "un-pickiness" about what she wears. IMHO kids should wear gym shoes every day they go to school so they can run and play at recess. The same logic dictates that they should wear clothes that they can play in...not low-rise pants that fall down, tops that ride up, or skirts without bike shorts underneath.

I feel your pain, and my daughter is only 5 months old but the last 5 months have flown by. I don't want her to get bigger!! :(

I so agree! I was going to blog about that very thing!
I don't want my 6 year old, sweet daughter wearing hoochie clothes!!!
I went to Children's place and was disappointed. Not hoochie, just not little girl either.
As far as I'm concerned I'm buying a bunch of plain shirts and some appliques on etsy and voila! little girl stuff that doesn't have Hannah Montana or highschool musical on it!

I hear you! (and I vote for uniforms in all schools) I have a 5 year old that is tall and shopping in the 6x-7 girls department. If she had her way she'd shop at Justice all the time and dress like a teenager. It is a serious challenge to find clothes that are cute and stylish so she'll wear them and appropriate enough that I will buy them. The word no get uttered a lot on both sides. If the skirts get any shorter, or the necklines any lower I'll go completely crazy. I've even considered doing some sewing myself. I just keep shopping all over and finding little things here and there to add to her wardrobe slowly. I think some of the small boutique stores have stuff, but you'll pay a bit more. Maybe try consignment?

And yes, it applies to boy wardrobes too and don't even get me started on trying to find slims for either.

Can't help you here :( I have my own clothing woes with my little man. The clothing sections are always tiny. The clothes are not too cute. It stinks.

(and I'm sure I could find adorable clothes out there somewhere... but not so much in my price range)

i totally feel your pain! my daughter is turning 7 this weekend and i've stretched out the time she could wear her 5/6 clothes...but her pants and shirts are now too short and i refuse to dress her like her teenage cousins! i may have to get a side job just to pay for gymboree...and i agree about target this season. =)

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This is one of the main reasons it makes having all boys easier! But Target has sort of weird boy stuff this year too! Have you tried Crazy 8? They are owned by Gymboree, but there stuff is a lot less expensive. They always have great sales, and $5 shipping!

My daughter is 5, and I totally feel you. I had fantastic luck this fall at Osh Kosh and LL Bean. Kohl's was great too, for basic leggings to wear under dresses and cute little-girly basic shirts (my girl won't wear anything with sequins, embroidery, ribbons, or buttons...eek!).
I also love the Children's Place, and Carter's. My next mission is to find my picky child pink cowboy boots...

The Children's Place on line - Love it! $5 shipping - can't beat that.

do you have an H & M out there? some of the stores sell kids clothes and they are TOO cute. maggie has some low-rise jeans that makes me want to pinch her butt.
also, this sounds skanky but forever 21 just came out with a kids line (i think only found online) and i think it is super super cute. and cheap.

I am right there with you! And I completely agree about Target this season. It's usually my go to, but not so much this fall. Gap and Old Navy are the other places that I can sometimes find stuff. Mini-Boden, if you want to fork over a wad. Wish I had something other than the obvious suggestions for you. When you find something, let us know!

My daughter is now 11 years old - and I still have that problem! Everything looks so "hoochie"! When she was your daughter's age, I liked CWD Kids. They have a website and can send catalogues. Good luck!

yes. we are there. at target my 6 1/2 yr old 1st grader wanted the leggings that looked like leather. Super cute for me 10 yrs ago, not age appropriate for her. ugh indeed.

I had the same exact experience this year! Target is my total go to for almost all of my daughters back to school clothes (I am 100% Childrens Place when it comes to jeans). Last year she was in 5T and everything was perfectly cute and appropriate. Now she's in a six, and I was so sad that cute was out and "cool" was in. I want my daughters to stay little and innocent forever.

Osh Kosh outlet is where I get 75% of my 7 year olds wardrobe. It is adorable, colorful, well-made, and stylish while still being age-appropriate! Unfortunately their online selection is pathetic, and we don't have an outlet mall close to us, but its worth the 3 hour drive a couple times each year to load up for the season!

p.s. Lands End Kids is also a great place to look!

I was also GREATLY let down by Target this year.

Once my kids cross over to the big kids clothing sections at Target we no longer shop there. I have 2 in the big kids and 2 in little. I don't like the boys section either. For my 8 and 7 yr old I only buy underwear at T now. For my oldest daughter we mostly get Lands End skirts and jeans when on sale and then plain tees at Target or Walmart.

I feel your pain, why do we need sexy clothes for little girls? I mean, really...WHY?

Gymboree!!! If you hit a sale (or go to the outlet), it can be cheaper than Target/WalMart, and will last through all 3 of your girls. My 6yo is wearing Gymboree, both new and hand-me-downs (some from her 10yo sister, and some even older than that). I love that their shirts actually cover their little-girl bellies. Crazy 8 and Janie & Jack are also owned by Gymboree - Janie & Jack stuff is amazing but spendy, Crazy 8 is cute but doesn't last like the others. I also like Hanna Andersson but can't justify the $$$. We buy basics at Old Navy. Children's Place is so hit & miss but occasionally you'll find something perfect there.

Basically, come out to the outlets at Lake Elsinore - you have Carters, ON, Gap, Gymboree and TCP (and Pottery Barn outlet!) all in one spot. Worth the trip.

Sadly, my 10yo is over Gymboree and very much into Justice now =/

I'm so with you! Try cwdkids.com
Super cute stuff!
Thanks for making me laugh today!

Sadly it's just as hard for boys! I have three of them - 8, 5.5 and almost 3 - and it's even hard to find things without skulls and snakes on it for the youngest of my bunch! It's crazy! And don't get me started on the rude & disrespectful graphic tees! I agree with the above commentors who suggested Old Navy, Crazy 8, Carters, Osh Kosh & The Children's Place. It's reassuring to see so many moms who agree on this!

I love Crazy 8 and Gymboree - Gymboree is just a little pricey if you don't buy it on sale.

Look! A unicorn shirt!

http://www.crazy8.com/shop/dept_item.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524445987294&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374306247530&bmUID=1284149379263&productSizeSelected=0&fit_type=

Target is a MAJOR FAIL! My son is out of 5T and I don't want skulls and crossbones and freaky art deco tshirts.

I also think http://www.pumpkinpatchusa.com/ has cute un-tweenish clothes.

mini boden is good. not cheap but good.

i wish i had time to read all the comments ... but oh man, i'm dreading the day, too, when i have to leave the toddler section.

i suggest boden (mini boden) or maybe
gymboree?
please let us know what you find??

love your blog as always

I too wandered the girl's department at Target and wasn't too impressed with their fall selection.

This is a tough one. My oldest is in this same transition. When my sister-in-law kept insisting that there weren't any options, I was dreading it. Why do our kids have to grow up so fast now a days??? I hate it! I did my daughter's clothes shopping at JC Penny. You definitely have to dig to find age appropriate stuff anymore anywhere you go. 6 is WAY too young to turn into a teeny bopper!

Hi Julie. Thanks for posting this. Like we talked about in email, I am having a terrible dilemna too. To prep for this big back to school day, I wanted to get them each a back to school new outfit. Do you know what horrible clothes they sell for 5 and 6 year olds in the stores these days? Obviously you do. Leopard tutus with chains. Skinny jeans with pleather stripes and studs on the outside. Horrid.

Thank you for the new messy flower headbands. I needed them - bad. I cannot take one more day of fighting with my girls about glitter head scarfs (she wanted to use as a full head wrap like the
maniquin!) and hip-hop hats where you cannot even see their
eyes.

Some parents may not care, but I do. Thank you for caring about keeping our girls pretty and simple for a few more years :)

I COMPLETELY agree and sympathize. My cupcake turned 6 in May but is extremely tall, forcing her to wear size 7 or 8 clothes. She's a major girly girl, and it's even harder to find the little girl, fun, cute dresses she loves in those sizes.

That said, GYMBOREE is my bff. I super puffy heart LOVE it that their clothes go up to size 10 and are made for LITTLE girls, not tweens. While it can be pricier than Target, I have found that the quality and durability make their clothes worth every penny. I also wait for sales, which helps tremendously. :)

I hear you! I have three girls - 11, 9 and 5 and the choices out there are horrible. I love Hanna Andersson, and though the clothes are pricier - they last so long! My youngest is wearing dresses that started with her 13 year old cousin and have been through all of them. They still look great! You can't do that with the cheap clothes places. I also like Naartjie for funkier stuff.

Too many comments to read, but I echo the ones who mentioned Children's Place. As a bonus you can match all your girls, as their colors are the same through all sizes. Mini-Boden is cute but a little pricey for me. Zulily.com and Totsy.com will offer more boutique style clothes at a discount and I have seen things I like there. My girls are in the big girls section now too. Thank goodness leggings are fashionable! That has extended the life of many dresses that came from the younger girls section. Good luck!

I have found that Kids Talbots and Land's End can also be good. Just look for end of the season clearance if you are on a budget and purchase next size for following year.

I have also found Goodwill had been great. I have found things with tags on it from Land's End, Gym, Child Place. Also Child Place is at outlets with great deals

I am so glad my girl is 15 (did I say that?) When she was little kids clothes were still kids clothes, although they were starting to get rather raunchy even then. Praying you will get some good ideas, I would definately say that used clothes would be a good way to go, some of them might actually be from others who want their little girls to be little girls too. Happy hunting!

Oh, I completely agree on all points. I hate that time goes by so quickly and that my babies are growing up overnight. I wish I could rewind and back it up so that I can hold them snuggle them as babies whenever I want. And, I know exactly what you mean about the clothes! Oh my gosh, I cannot believe how manufacturers are forcing kids to dress way beyond their years!

I know what you mean, Target's girls section is a big FAIL this season. What I have been doing is putting all the knit dresses with jeans or leggings....Also, places like Kelly's Kids, Matilda Jane, etc seem to have the same stuff in bigger sizes. I still heart Old Navy and Gap. Especially with sales. I tend to just buy lots of knit dresses/tunics/etc. and put them with leggings and tights.

I agree. I'm in the same boat with my almost 6 year old.. my youngest girl. And I'm not impressed at all with Target or most fall lines for that matter- what's with all this rocker stuff with leggings. ?!

I am lovin' Gymborree more and more! You can keep them dressing their age all the way to 12-13 there!
Keep post- love the pic :)

Oh, I'm in the same boat with a 3 and 5 year old. I'm searching hard for sweet shirts, and all anyone has is Hannah Montana, glittered up, screen tees, Bratz, and the like. Even Penneys, Childrens Place, and Old Navy are big on the screen tees with messy graphics and bedazzled stuff.

I still shop all the places everyone has mentioned ... just have to look hard to find something not so tweenish.

I've also bought things at consignment stores, Ebay and Walmart has some Danskin shirts we like. We've purchased shorts from Dick's Sporting Goods. Dillard's Copper Key line is not too bad for shorts and jeans. Osh Kosh is nice but pricey.

Hope a retailer is reading these posts!

Gap and Gymboree for sure. But especially Gymboree. Even Gap recently was a little more grown up than I would like to see. I am with you on the next level in departments, Taylor is 5 but she is TALL, so she has been in the 6 size for about 6 months now. Target lately has had a lot of grown up tight fitting tops, short dresses and glitzy tops. Weird.

I am with you on the Target scene...NOTHING but CRAP...ugh. I too am loathingly loving the uniforms...if that could make sense...but my other favorite places are oshkosh, which have sizes up to 14, and Childrens Place. GOOD LUCK...!!

I completely understand. I have a daughter who just turned 7. At the beginning of the summer we were swimsuit shopping and it was ridiculous! All of the size 6x & 7 swimsuits were more skimpy than I would wear as an adult! We finally were able to find her one at Costco of all places. It is so hard trying to keep our little girls looking like little girls.

Nine and eleven and still not flattered with my choices...ugh! we go local...as in thrift or homemade...err, edited with fabric haphazardly. the end.

YES!
and this is what makes me wish i lived in colonial times. or makes me wish i was amish. or makes me ponder having uniforms for our homeschool.
amen.
love your blog ms.julie!

definitely Matilda Jane! Girly and sweet!

children's place?
old navy.
that is where we end up.

AND WALMART!!!! :)

everyday - I wear a silver ring on my right hand that is stamped with the words "let them be little."
everytime some asks me "what does your ring say"? - I tell them and they are kinda shocked, that, I - someone with no kids of my own yet would have such a phrase around my finger at all times. (I don't blame them... I'm not very typical).

It is so hard for me to see kids "growing up too fast" -- some things I don't even think they should ever have to go through at all in their life.

I agree - school uniforms make life so much easier. I wore them from kindergarten - high school & I was actually a kid who liked them! ha!

(I'm even working in the kindergarten at the same school where I graduated high school) - and, I must say - the "kin-dees" {as I lovingly call them} look so cute in the uniforms, too!! aah! love it.

I could go on and on ... and on... and on... about how I feel about wholesomeness and childhood.

As for children's clothes -- I love J. Crew's CrewCuts kids line -- and in stores, they almost always have great sales on them too! (J. Crew outlet especially!)

I wore a ton of J. Crew's kids clothes when I was in middle school (I think that's when they came out with the line .. and, well, I was still small enough to wear kids clothes).

Old Navy is pretty good too, I think.

Hartstrings (hartstrings.com) is good too.

Gymboree is good for cutesy little girl clothes. And they have tons of good sales, so they stay affordable. They go up to size 10 (maybe higher). We still like them at age 9, but my little girl is growing up slowly in regard to fashion. She still like flowers and ladybugs and puppies on her clothes. I'm enjoying it while I can.

I'm thankful right now that both of my kids are still little, BUT having said that...realizing my little boy will turn FOUR on his next bday is making me want to be pregnant yesterday...{first time I've said that out loud!}.
I remember before I had kids I tagged along shopping with a friend who had a 2yr old and 5yr old girls. I watched her buy Harley Davidson bikinis for them and made a mental note to myself that I would never buy clothes like that if I ever had a girl. Now that I have a girl...I feel even stronger about it. Good post!

found this html code from the Shabby Blogs site :) ... (fitting)
-- 5th one down ...
http://www.shabbyblogs.com/button.html

Welcome to my world, too. My son is six and the kids around him at school are constantly acting older than they are. What happened to LITTLE kids? It seems like children cross over from toddler to "big kid" nowadays, and that is TOO sad. I remind my son every day that he is still little and to enjoy it. Childhood is being taken away slowly with all this "teenager" crap. UGH.

As for clothes for girls, I don't know! For Andrew, I stick with Old Navy, OshKosh, and the occasional piece from Tagrget and Walmart. And when I want to splurge on some super cute stuff, Mini Boden. {And that reminds me- They have adorable girls stuff, too!}

Good luck keeping those girls little!!! You are doing an awesome job, though. :)

xoxox Holly

It looks like you've got lots of folks giving you tips on where to shop, but I'll go ahead and throw my two cents in too. We had the same issue last year when my oldest moved up to size 6. All of a sudden I couldn't find little girl clothes and one piece bathing suits. Sigh. Anyway, we have had a lot of luck at Gymboree but i have to take out a small loan when I shop there. And Gap. But their clothes vary by season on their "little girlability." At Christmas they seem to have WAY too mature little dresses. I mean, seriously...who needs a V neck spaghetti strap dress when you're six?! We also have shopped a bit at Kohls. They have a section that is 4-6x so it buys just a little extra time with the little girl clothes. Now we are on to size 7 so don't get me started. :)
I wish we had uniforms...

Hanna Andersson, Gymboree, Strasburg, Lands End, some Gap and Old Navy, J Crew Crewcuts, Oilily.

Lots of those can be found on eBay cheap(er), too. Lots of stay-at-home moms supplement their income selling there so it's nice to support that as well.

Oh and Mini Boden has super adorable dresses in gorgeous prints. Again - EBAY.

i have no words of wisdom on the shopping sources. only empathy. my nine year old has always been tall for her age, so we've been dealing with the ridiculous tween styles for years now. plain tees, skirts & leggings are her staples. maybe you need to start a store for all of us :)

Lands End (landsend.com) overstocks saved me on more than one occassion. The sale section at L.L. Bean is also the bomb. I am mom to five girls. I feel your pain, but it can definitely be done. You go girl!

I keep reading about Old Navy in your comments, but the one by me only seems to sell mini-hoochie-mama clothes. Dang.
Gymboree Outlet, Osh Kosh Outlet, Gap Outlet (sense a trend here?)
Oh- Here's a piece of nauseating information- Forever 21 has a kids section. Really. There needs to be a store called Forever 6.

Yep...I'm with ya. My solution for my little gal is to sew quite a few of her clothes. Get the basics from Target, Walmart or Old Navy (basics like leggings, jeans, plain ts) and then sew tops and dresses to go with them.

I've always thought from pictures on your blog that your sweet girls always look SO sweet and age appropriate :) Good job you :)

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I vote for Hanna Andersen and Janie and Jack. They're expensive but well-made. I buy at consignment shops and it's cheaper than buying new at Target.

I couldn't agree more! My daughter just started kindergarten (unfortunately no uniforms) and I'm at a loss with clothes. Target is so disappointing this year. The clothes are just plain hideous for a 5 or 6 year old (just my opinion.) I did find a lot of cute clothes at Old Navy...much more basic. And a few things at The Gap Outlet. Good luck and I'm totally with you..6 is still little!

patti - urban bundle

i love having girls. i shop ALL OVER!!!
carter's outlet has really cute dresses for fall. really cute! you can find them at kohls too. gap, most of the time, i think has age appropriate clothes. And if you can find them on sale, thats even better.
i still try and fit into the target genuine kids 5t. instead of it being a dress, we wear it as a tunic :O)

I'm not there yet, mine is still only 3, but I have to tell you I agree with Target being a major fail this season. I walked past their big girl clothes racks the other day and said how grateful I was that my little girl is still little - so I empathize with you a little.

Bravo to you for resisting the societal trend to make your little one look like a teenager!
Although it was pricey, I kept my girl in Hanna Anderson for as long as I could (usually from her clearance items). We usually bought one cute outfit from Jacadi each year, too.
I always picked and chose from what Target, Walmart, Gap, and Old Navy had to create cute, but classic and age-appropriate outfits. It's not that hard, but so worth the effort!

Hanna Andersson has wonderful kids clothes that are for kids! They are fun, practical, cute, wearable...I can't say enough. I've bought them for my grandchildren and they are really well made and the kids love them.
http://www.hannaandersson.com/home.asp

They have great sales and a catalog...also their sizing is based on weight and height which helps with ordering.

I also like Gymboree...and there's another one that I really love but can't find it right now. I thought I had it bookmarked. If I find it, I'll stop back by and leave another comment.

Found it...Boden...UK company...the best way to buy at Boden's is by clearance sale...their prices are slashed drastically - 60%. Buy now for next summer.
http://www.boden.co.uk/

Wait. Let me get this straight. You don't want your six year old looking as sexy as possible? For heaven's sake, woman!! She is SIX!!

But seriously ... my oldest girl is 12 and I still don't want her to look like Target's version of a skanky tweenager!! We do lots and lots of hunting every season. Penney's has been good. Sometimes Target or Walmart. I shop quite a bit at consignment stores, too.

Good luck!! I feel your pain!!

Oh. And don't even get me started on trying to find a NON-PADDED BRA at any major retailer for my TWELVE year old!!! These suckers aren't just 'lined,' they have fully-formed, thickly padded cups. Freakin ridiculous!!!

i am DREADING this... my brother , whose daughter is our main source of hand-me-downs to my girls, is starting to wear the said clothing we are talking about, i am just hoping that some of it can be used. my 3 year old who looks 5 will be in those clothes sooner than i think... maybe i'll start buying clothes now before it gets worse as the years go by... i'm paying close attention to what others will say...

I buy most of my kid's stuff from second hand stores. It's hard if you need a specific thing but still fun. There are a ton of kids consignment stores that have good options. Kid to Kid, Once Upon a Child, Sweet Pea. There is also the Just Between Friends Sale. I don't know if they do those where you live.

H&M! Their skinny jeans fit their little legs without the baggage. And they have all of the characters like My Little Pony etc. . . great prices especially the clearance items

gymboree is cute, but too "matchy-matchy" for my 10 year old. Lands' End is a good choice if you can find a sale/overstock price.
have you heard of H&M?
SOMETIMES they have modest clothes at reasonable prices. feast/famine over there.
Gap outlet is usually pretty good at carrying basics. if you can find a Crewcuts outlet, (we may seek one), judging from the crewcuts catalog ($$$) some of their pieces are modest.

oh, shoot! one more thing! MINIBODEN. lovely. pricey. modest.

The big girl department at target is THE WORST this year! What are they thinking?! It is trashy and super ugly. I suggest ebay! Or Lands end.

My daughter is 6 and wears a size 12 because she's tall. Then it is even harder to find cute clothes that are for a little girl but in big girl sizes. So frustrating but I suggest that when you find something buy it and there are always ways to make something modest.

I like Gymboree, Old Navy, Lands End, Children's Place and a couple of others, but just have to be super picky.

Oh Julie, my friend and I were just discussing this the other day and even mentioned how Target has let us down this year. I frequent The Childrens Place, though this year it's a little 'dicey' I've had luck at Carters and Osh Kosh BUT my biggest and best finds his year were from the high quality consignment sale we just had here in town, maybe because everything was last years and maybe the year before offerings, you know, when 5 & 6 were still classed as little girls.

I just had this conversation with my little girl this am. We dropped big sis(9) off at the bus, and I got a little overwhelmed with the growing up of it all. Avery said she will stay little. I told her that God made us to grow up. She said then she'll just stay my angel. Deal.

crazy8 and gymboree still have little girl stuff (watch for sales, watch for sales!).
JC Penney has little girl stuff through size 6x. Ditto Kohl's Jumping Beans brand.
The Children's Place is hit and miss.
Oh. And Costco. And Carter's online.

12 is TOO LITTLE for many of the clothes that are out there for "girls". What is this society thinking? Indeed - as you said, we are not sending them out clubbing - just out to play with their friends. What's a mom to do?

I'd suggest Children's Place, since they usually carry at least a few styles over into big kids clothes (think matchy with your 2 yr old sister?) I have a 10 yr old neice who still matches with her 4 yr old sis sometimes. It's incredibly hard to find clothes that aren't skanky for her.

I'd scope out some thrift stores too. You never know what you'll find there.

I just have to comment on this old post as I just had to take my sweet little 6 year old to buy shorts. She fit a size 10 COMFORTABLY! ACK! We tend to get her clothes at Carters or Osh Kosh They keep the kids "little" and the prices right.