What age for strapless sundress?

[Tinkermommy]

My daughter is turning 13 this summer and has been wanting to get a strapless dress. She is really developing so I am concerned this will make her look older than 13.

This would be a casual summer dress.

I am sure there will be a range of answers but just wondering what age you think is appropriate.

 

[MichelleVW]

My daughter is turning 13 this summer and has been wanting to get a strapless dress. She is really developing so I am concerned this will make her look older than 13.

This would be a casual summer dress.

I am sure there will be a range of answers but just wondering what age you think is appropriate.

I never put an age on things like that. My girls are freakishly modest so it was never much of an issue. But I don't see anything wrong with strapless dresses at 13.

 

[Laura66]

I don't understand why this is an issue or age related. As long as the dress covers everything to your modesty standards.
Is she allowed to wear a swimsuit?

 

[laughinplace199]

A lot of DD14's friends started wearing strapless dresses around 13, so I think it's pretty average. If you get her one at an age appropriate store like Delia's, she should be fine. And maybe get a little shrug or cardigan to go over it?

DD got her first strapless dress this winter for her school's semi. She wasn't even planning on looking for a strapless dress, but decided to try it on and loved it. I don't think it made her look older than she is. Here is a picture:

 

[SMD]

I would say, as long as the covers what you think is appropriate to have covered, and she wears it to places, events and activities that are appropriate for the dress, let her do it. Generally I think it's ok to let your kids make choices, especially fashion choices that you might not think will turn out well, because how else will they learn to make their own decisions? And just because you let her get the dress doesn't mean you have to let her wear it when and where she wants.

Now, when my sister was 13, there's no way a strapless dress would have been appropriate, due to the, development issue you mentioned. My mother would have been find with me wearing one, but I was modest, and the summer I was 13, and I'm not sure a strapless dress would have been appropriate for horseback riding lessons or tennis summer camp.

 

[Poohforyou]

A lot of DD14's friends started wearing strapless dresses around 13, so I think it's pretty average. If you get her one at an age appropriate store like Delia's, she should be fine. And maybe get a little shrug or cardigan to go over it?

DD got her first strapless dress this winter for her school's semi. She wasn't even planning on looking for a strapless dress, but decided to try it on and loved it. I don't think it made her look older than she is. Here is a picture:

Cute dress and daughter.

My dd14 started wearing strapless last year in 8th grade. I'd say 90% of the girls wore a strapless dress to their year of middle school dance. Honestly most dresses for young teens are spaghetti strap or strapless. I make sure dd has a black shrug in her closet to wear over the dress if more modesty is needed. My dd is tiny so they isn't concern over spilling out. If you have that concern you might wan to consider a corset style dress.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

This is my daughter at her bat mitzvah in 2003. The party was the day after her 13th birthday. There was never any question that she'd wear something strapless.

 

[SMD]

This is my daughter at her bat mitzvah in 2003. The party was the day after her 13th birthday. There was never any question that she'd wear something strapless.

Just curious, did she have to wear something to cover up on the bimah? The summer I was 13 I think I went to 20 bar/bat mitzvahs, but I figured most 13 year olds don't have a summer social season where they can wear strapless party dresses. But I do remember they were highly discouraged during the actual service.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

Just curious, did she have to wear something to cover up on the bimah? The summer I was 13 I think I went to 20 bar/bat mitzvahs, but I figured most 13 year olds don't have a summer social season where they can wear strapless party dresses. But I do remember they were highly discouraged during the actual service.

Of course she had to cover up on the bima. She wore a tallit.

 

[mjkacmom]

I would say at least half of the girls wore strapless dresses for the 6th grade dance and graduation. After watching three 6th grade graduations so far, I will not let dd11 wear one, only because girls that age seem to tug on them every 10 seconds! Maybe get a little fabric glue (my irish dancers always have roll on sock glue for competitions, and when a bunch of 6th graders met at my house before the dance, I couldn't stand all of their tugging, so I glued them).

Dd12 is weeks away from 13, but only wears a childrens size 7/8 in dresses, so it's not even an option, because they don't exist.

 

[Angelhalo]

I grew up in South Florida and wore tube tops throughout a lot of my childhood. I'm not sure I understand what the problem is with a strapless sundress. What do 2 straps of cloth over your shoulders have to do with age?

 

[pigletgirl]

I think they're cute! Go for it!

 

[tina.tina]

I never put an age on things like that. My girls are freakishly modest so it was never much of an issue. But I don't see anything wrong with strapless dresses at 13.

MY DD is really too modest, too. She cannot stand it unless her shirt is like a high crew neck. She had a polo shirt and buttoned it all the way up!

Whether a dress has straps or sleeves or whatever is not the issue in my opinion. You have to look at the overall fit of the dress. Ex: Is it too tight, too low, hangs down too far under her arms, etc.

 

[pixiewings71]

My DD14 wears strapless sundresses, she just wears a shrug over it.

 

[minkydog]

DD20 was pretty modest in her teen years. She was a slender, with an hourglass figure. She's got a lot up top and I think she was worried that she'd be pulling up the dress all day so she never went strapless. She finally did buy a lovely little strapless eyelet sundress before graduation and wore it to several events that summer. That was the first and last strapless dress she has owned, so I guess she didn't like it.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I bought my dd a strapless sundress last year when she was 13. She wears a sweater over it for school.

 

[wishesuponastar]

My middle daughter will be 13 in June and just picked out this http://www.loveculture.com/1000019620.html?dwvar_1000019620_color_code=821 strapless dress for the Valentine's dance. She is tiny on top so it is easier for her to wear this type of dress. Oh, and I got a cardigan for her to wear it to the dance. We got the dress at Love Culture.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the delay. Work and the weekend were busy!

Thanks everyone for your input. And for those that posted pictures of you daughters they both look beautiful and so cute in their dresses.

I am going to go ahead and order one for her to try. I will see how it fits her. And we always bring a sweater with us. The air conditioning in the South can freeze you!

 

[clh2]

The only thing I am going to add - I didn't care "when" my DD wanted to start wearing strapless dresses - it was most likely in middle school. I did care that she had an appropriate undergarment for the dress. I think at times we paid more for said undergarments than we did for the dresses (DD is a great bargain shopper!). But - DD didn't spend all night tugging up her dresses, and she also didn't feel like other boys were trying to look down dresses.

I have so many friends that merely "thought" that their daughters did not need something properly fitted underneath, but, really they did.

 

[scrapquitler]

I think that as long as the dress is properly fitted and everything is covered up, then there is no problem with a strapless dress. I do think that you have to be very careful to make sure it is fitted properly so that the wearer is not constantly tugging at it. A little adhesive in the right place and a properly fitted strapless bra are essential, IMO.