While holding the line on nail polish at school, pierced ears, bikinis and training bras, (A bra?! Seriously?! "But mom, everyone else has one!") I have to give way a little on the stuff that is only a matter of taste. Maybe the other stuff is just a matter of taste too. What looks like premature sexualisation and growing up too soon to me, probably looks very different to her. Parenthood looked so darned easy before I had the kids.
But back to the sewing!
She needed a new dance bag. She wanted something fashionable; no sweet motifs; no folky quilting cotton.
I think I have come up with something that will be just the ticket.
I downloaded this embroidery motif from Urban Threads. Then, I decorated it with hotfix Swarovski Crystals. Ideally, she would have liked it to say, "Dancing Queen." However, I don't have any embroidery software, so we have to settle what I can find for sale. On the plus side, this is a more general sentiment that I may have a chance of using again.
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| Plenty of bling. I have a LOT of Swarovski Crystals left over from her Irish Dancing days. Might as well use 'em up! |
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| Hopefully large enough for all her gear plus lunch, but not so large it overwhelms her frame. |
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| As long as we are going Essex-fantastic here, why not a leopard lining? |
Perfect for Miss Tween! Love the leopard lining.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cool bag. I'm sure she'll love it. Goodness, I can't believe that I'll be having some of those conversations in only 2 years. Already, some conversations in school have been about fake tan and diets! At 6 yrs. I am so not prepared :-)
ReplyDeleteIf she doesn't want it, I do! I'm sure she'll love it, it's a great bag, and very practical. Ugh! I remember the training bra days too, this sort of thing terrifies me, that's why I want all boys.
ReplyDeleteIt's BEAUTIFUL!! and very tasteful, I can see a girl carrying this well into her teens and beyond! I love the lining!
ReplyDeleteMy niece, who turned 9 last fall, also seemed to suddenly grow up around the time she turned 8. This Christmas my sister took her (first time)to Pier 1 Imports and she stopped frozen inside the door! My sister said her daughter could have fallen to her knees and wept at all the beautiful things around her!!
Hello, Karin. This post is very interesting... Not just the bag, that I'm sure your daughter loved at first sight. My own daughter will turn 8 next Februrary, and I'm still unaware of what's in store with this pre- teens world. (I never heard the word tween-ager, very descriptive) training-bras? Seriusly? OMG!
ReplyDeleteWow. That looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteMine is eight now too, but she's a tomboy so our issues are more like, "Don't dress like a burglar", "Stop tying bandanas around your head", "You can't take that spear made out of cardboard to the store with us". : )
It looks fantastic! And yes, I can vouch for the "growing up" around fourth grade. I teach every grade in elementary school (see all classes once a week) and there is a definite shift around then. The training bra issue is a big deal to all the fifth graders. I am much better about relating to the younger set so I struggle when they start turning more social- that age where they want to impress their friends more than their teachers. I could never teach middle school!
ReplyDeletePerfect bag for a tween! And I bet she won't outgrow it too quickly.
ReplyDeleteHaving a niece who developed at a young age, I don't actually find your daughter wanting a training bra at 9 to be all that odd or early. Maybe there are a few girls in your daughter's class that are early bloomers and that is sure to have an effect on the rest. That said, I'm not a parent; that's just my outside observation.
OMG, I'm a bit frightened now ;-) DD is rather easily influenced by her friends. In the last months she started refusing "cute" and liking "edgy". Good-bye Hello Kitty, hello Monster High (I had no idea what that was half a year sgo!). Sigh. The bag is very cute and appropriate though!
ReplyDeleteIf it comforts you, I was about that age when I wanted a training bra, it was purely because I felt exposed. I did develop early and would always feel self conscious about my body; until I got a training bra then it felt ok. Also by the time I was in the second grade I had said heck no to all the cutesy stuff and was rocking some strange attire. Throughout the second grade I was adamant that wearing chiffon beaded evening coats with white button down shirts and jeans, oh and my mom’s gigantic costume jewelry was the height of fashion. But I have found that my younger cousins seem older to me than I was at that age. I think she will love the bag, it’s the right mix of adult sophisticated with a touch of cool.
ReplyDeleteNo 1 - put the bag on Pryynpnk Jungle January site for items made with animal prints
ReplyDeleteNo 2 - It makes me glad I have a boy......
Well Ruth, you introduced me to a great sewing blog that I was missing out on, but I have no idea how to put this bag on the site. Frankly, I think my bag hardly rates when I see some of the amazing stuff that people have sewn out of animal prints!
DeleteThe bag is perfect! As to the training bra issue, don't wait too long. A friend of mine finally took her daughter bra shopping at about 14 years old, she had developed past the flat bra stage. The girl was angry and uncooperative and fought the whole way. Bras are hard to get used to, I think it is better to ease into it before you are 12 years old, when it is exciting rather than embarassing. Eight is pretty young, but don't put it off forever. They do grow up, faster than we want!
ReplyDeleteThe bag is perfect, I'm sure she'll love it! Is that her name on the inside? Great Idea! If by some chance she doesn't like it you could send it my way but then I'd have to change my name :)
ReplyDeleteI have two girls, both now college age. I held the line on pierced ears until 16, when they'd be old enough to take care of them. I lost on nail polish really early, and decided that wasn't the fight I wanted to fight. On bras, we went with "athletic" bras as soon as she asked. I didn't want her self-conscious about her breasts, or worried about anything showing through. This kept her comfortable, and avoided comments from others, so I thought it was fine. Again, every Mom has to decide for herself, just sharing my approach. Good luck, just keep hugging.
ReplyDeleteCoolest Mom ever....can I have her slippers?
ReplyDeleteGreat bag!!! Kudos Mom!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure she is going to be thrilled with her funky new bag!! I love the embroidery; so cool :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift! The black and white will make it feel more grown up to her, I think. Love that lining!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great bag! I love the leopard lining. I agree, you should send it in for Jungle January.
ReplyDelete(What's "Essex-fantastic," by the way?)
Ah, as an immigrant, I'd better be careful what I say! Essex is one of the counties abutting London. It is Northeast of London. Essex is a geographically large county, and the bit directly beside London is on the tube line and very commutable into the financial districts in the city. This area of Essex has a tradition of poorer families from the east end moving to its leafy suburbs once they have made some money. It's also a place with a reputation for being where middling football players live; these are generally highly paid, poorly educated, very young men. So the general image is one of trashy cash being spent flamboyantly. Too many people with fake tans, over whitened teeth, extreme fashion, and too much makeup. Flashy jewellery, in a country where most folks prefer understated, though engagement rings around here are nothing compared to what gals in the Southern USA get! Bling rules in Essex. Pink Minis are no surprise along with black range rovers.
DeleteSo basically Essex-fantastic is a bit too blinded-out, trying to hard, and not very subtle.
Of course, being from South Florida, I'm quite at home with all of this,lol!
Ha ha. I kind of thought that was what it meant. But I'm from Texas and we're not known for subtlety either.
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ReplyDeleteSorry, I doubled posted that.
ReplyDeleteI think you're absolutely right... once you're a parent you realise and have to hope everyone else also appreciates that there is a huge gap between what kids look like (eg makeup) and what they are. Your daughter's bag looks really special, and looks like it would absolutely tick the boxes for her - I hope she enjoys it for a long time.
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