Getting Your Little Fashionista Organized For School
Back-to-School can be one of the craziest times of the year. Getting into a routine can be difficult after a long summer, and the desire for your daughter to be independent can pose a particular challenge, especially when it comes to her wardrobe. If your little princess is particularly fond of the tutu and blue-jeans with rain boots look or the three-sizes-too-small t-shirt with leggings look, the thought of allowing her to choose her own outfits for school can be downright scary. So, how do you strike the right balance of allowing her to remain independent while still making sure that she looks presentable at school? Here are some tips for getting your little fashionista organized for school.
1. Use the school dress-code as a starting point. If your little one is particularly attached to certain outfits that are simply too small, showing her what the school dress-code says about bare midriffs, short skirts, and tight fitting clothes may help. It takes the pressure off of you, and allows her to see that what she is wearing would be inappropriate for school. Rather than "mom and dad just aren't cool", the focus becomes "I might get sent home from school if I wear this".
2. Let her help with the shopping and accessorizing. Your daughter's personal style is an important part of what makes her special. Rather than investing in a new wardrobe for her without her input, allow her to help make decisions about items that she likes. While it may not look right to wear jeans with a tutu, allowing her to pick out a cute pair of tights to match her favorite tutu can help to add some spunk and personality into her wardrobe. You can find some great options from lines like Ooh La La Couture.
3. Put school clothes in a separate place. Once you have established which outfits in your daughter's wardrobe are appropriate for school, separate them from her other clothes. Place the entire outfits on hangers in her closet, or folded together in a separate drawer. Make sure to include the bottoms and tops that she will need for each outfit, such as a tutu dress with tights or a pair of jeans with a shirt. This will allow your daughter to choose an outfit, rather than trying to piecemeal random bottoms and tops.
4. Get ready the night before. Rather than waiting until the morning to get ready for school, have your daughter lay out all of the things that she will need for her outfit each day before she goes to bed. Have her make sure that her top, bottoms, underwear, socks, shoes, and accessories are all right together so that she will only need to put them on the following morning. This will help to cut down on the morning stress, and it also eliminates the "Mom, I can't find my shoes!" conversations that always seem to happen when everyone else is on their way out the door.
By doing a bit of planning and organizing, you can help your little fashionista to not only keep her independence and unique style, but shine at school, as well.