I was never one to dress dolls as a child but I enjoyed picking out clothes for my daughter (now 23). I did avoid pink though. We have always enjoyed shopping together, although whenever she is with me I end up buying for her and not me! Funny, she lives out of state now, I was just talking to her last night and she was out shopping for jeans. She hasn't worn jeans in many years! But her current job, although very casual, won't allow leggings any more. We were laughing about the time she was about 13 and we were shopping at American Eagle and had to ask if they had any 0's in stock. It was a very novel experience for me, I have never been a 0 in my life and she was moaning about the fact that she is now looking at 6's. I don't feel too sorry for her

I hear you about the 0's. My older DD wore size 0 for years, until she got heavy into exercise and radically changed her diet. Now she's at a very healthy weight and is actually training to compete in the USA Triathlon. She will also be going through the diving certification course when we go to Cancun this November. Anyhoo, her body looks a lot better. I agree with you, though--no pity for someone that small, except for trying to find clothes. I may not be at my ideal weight, but at least I have no problems finding things that fit me. Even at my ideal weight, I would be a size 6. I'm a size 8 now, so I just have a little weight to lose. Hopefully I can stay disciplined enough during the upcoming holidays to keep eating right. I'm on a vegan diet to see if my overall health will improve. I'm hoping to lower my CRP levels, which were high earlier this year when the neurologist ordered blood work.

The journey of shopping with my DD25 was like a roller coaster ride with lots of twists and turns. At 8 it was fantastic,by 13 anything I liked she snubbed her nose at...so challenging I'd end up in tears at her nastiness. It was the only time that side of her came out , but it lasted for years... So glad she is 25 and now agreeable again, lol. This year for Xmas she wants "statement sweaters" and I'm having fun surprising her again. She is trusting me and I am over the moon. I of course have picked her brain to see what her style is first, but did great last year , so my confidence is building. Still can't get her out of heeled boots and into some flats...

About 15 years ago I shopped with a dear friend and her then about 13 year old daughter. It was so much fun. First time I felt I missed out by having boys.

I didn't dress them or me up back then. Their cutest outfits were color blocked sweat pants with matching sweatshirts. And one store had cute turtlenecks with trucks, etc. that I bought when they went on sale. Since they outgrew everything so fast, I didn't spend much.

My most memorable shopping trip was with my youngest son and my mother. My boys were almost exactly 3 years apart, but the youngest did not like the sweatpants my older son lived in. We went shopping in the middle of a weekday and no one else was in the department. The store had a tv. My son was still in diapers but did not want to wear anything that wasn't as flat and as tight fitting as bicycle shorts. He stood there in the middle of the department watching the tv and we put him in and out of shorts. He'd look down, say "No Bumpies!" and we'd peel them off and try another pair on. He was 90th or higher in height and weight and we had to put him in much smaller sizes.
I never would have changed my kid in the middle of the store - it was my mother's idea, but no one else was there, and the tv kept him distracted long enough for us to figure out his size.

Oh, shopping with your teen is dangerous to the wallet - way too much fun Teens care and pay attention and are so judgy; lots of good discussion there. Lol.

But your story about not being into it when your dd was little... so my mom who is not at all clothes horse, but who is into aesthetics, and is - I won't say conservative, let's call it 'strict'... anyways, this Missouri Synod mom of mine has a bizarre new age streak. She got herself a guru once called (of course) Ms 'Avalon'.., and Ms Avalon tasked her with getting a Barbie and dressing Barbie up. Get mum to try and balance out, get in touch with her inner frou. My mum told her that's what she had me for, lololol!

I think mum has more impact on her gurus than the other way round.

So funny about the TV! I was in a department store with my oldest DD when she was about that age. There was a TV with a music video playing. She started dancing right there in front of God and everybody. Little kids can be so cute.

Shevia, isn't it funny how twins can be so different sometimes? (I have a good friend with twin 12-year-old boys, and same situation. They are polar opposites. One is bookish, quiet, and musically inclined, the other, wildly extraverted and athletic). Mind you, it might be fun shopping for girls with totally different tastes -- you get to experience all kinds of fashion.

Anne, I can't believe that at 5'3", your daughter is finding dresses to be too short! That shows that there's something wrong with dress designs these days. (I know Angie complains about too-short hems). I mean, what are the tall girls wearing if a petite one can't get a long-enough dress??

lyn67, glad to hear you love shopping with your daughter, even now that she's 19! I hope we are still having fun with it when my girl's that age.

Bijou, what a sweet little dog! She looks like she belongs on a postcard.

RobinF, it's true that girls seems to wear leggings as much (or more) than jeans these days. It was one of Angie's blog topics not so long ago, if I remember correctly. My own daughter wears leggings and a tunic about 50% of the time.

BC, good luck with the vegan diet.

TraceyLiz, I'm sorry to hear that your daughter had you in tears. Teenagers can be bratty sometimes. I'm crossing my fingers that we won't go through that stage with our kids, or if we do, that I can "win" by being unreasonably reasonable, lol.

Barbara Diane, I think one could have fun shopping for boys too! Both my partner and his brother quite like clothes, and their mum (and stylish dad) still enjoy shopping for them -- and they're both in their 40s. Great story about the "no bumpies", by the way.

rachylou, that thought had crossed my mind too -- how shopping for teens could be dangerous to the wallet. When she's older, I'm going to make her get a part-time job, just so she sees how minimal minimum wage really is.

The shopping gene has totally skipped my kids' generation in the family! DD16 and DD14 are not at all interested in shopping, as witnessed by this dialogue the other day:
ME: "What are you doing home? I thought you were going out with your friends today?"
DD14: "Nah, they were going to the "
ME: "But don't you like hanging out with your friends?"
DD14: "I don't like shopping so I told them I'd rather stay home and read a book."
Right.

Basically, shopping with my daughters is like shopping with a man: brief, targetted and immediate decisions. Mostly it's me nagging them to buy some clothes when the empirical evidence (such as holes in their shoes) would indicate it's time to go shopping. Except for bikinis... which they can never get enough of and pay ridiculous prices for the tiniest triangles of fabric. "Browsing" is not a concept they understand. All the other mothers tell me I should be very grateful...

And yes... Vegan...both have gone vegan a year ago so our household is pretty much vegan these days. It's funny, since I just got pulled along into it, I'm not sure what the benefits were supposed to be or if I feel any worse or better. It just is.

I have always loved dressing DD. As a toddler and preschooler, I put her in patterned dresses with coordinating patterned leggings (the dress would have dots, say, while the leggings were striped in the same colour pattern). Now, when I am out shopping, I see things and think how cute they would look on her. She definitely has her own style, which is quite different from my own, but she always looks great. I've found that telling her what I learned here is most effective when something isn't working. I say, "You know, I just don't think that top 'gets' you. It isn't fab enough for you." She will usually consider it in the mirror and agree. Dressing a pre-teen is fun, and I am guessing that dressing a teenager will be just as much fun. I remember my mum telling me that I was so much fun to shop for because everything looked good on me, and now I know exactly how she felt. Everything looks awesome on DD just by virtue of her being young and cute. It is VERY difficult for me not to overspend on her!

My DD is at the stage where she wants to wear nicer clothes, and that's right up my ally. I don't do casual that well.