Stretching Your Easter Dress Dollar

I love little girls' dresses. There is nothing more fun that to see a little girl innocently celebrating her femininity in a beautiful garment. The day I found out I was having my first girl I asked a friend to teach me to smock. I enjoyed smocking dresses for our first girls, but found myself far too busy (and the supplies far too expensive!) to continue this hobby after our third child.  And besides, our youngest girl was able to wear her sisters' hand-me-downs!  Since that time I have turned to thrift stores for our girls' dresses.  Here are some techniques I use to stretch the usefulness of our dresses and keep expenses at a minimum:

* Buy used dresses that are classic in style and can be handed down later (inside or outside the family).  The Smocked Bishop style dresses (seen above) are my favorite, partly because I wore one in my first grade graduation ceremony in 1976!  They are still just as modest, beautiful, and in-style today as they were then! They also are very comfortable.

* Buy spring dresses. I purchase white cardigan "church sweaters" whenever I see them in a thrift store. A spring dress can be worn in the fall and winter ( at least in our climate!) with the addition of one of these white sweaters and a pair of warm tights. Spring dresses usually go nicely with black patten church shoes, which can also be worn for all seasons.

* Buy dresses one or two sizes too big.  Classic dresses usually have ties in the back or are loose in fit (as in the style above). The neck line area is the one place you need to check for appropriate fit. The photo of my daughter Spunky was taken three years ago when she was five years old. She was a size 4 is wearing a size 6 dress. She is now a size 8 and still wears the same dress. Another benefit of classic dresses is that they are long by design.  What a blessing when you have an active little girl!  They also usually come with a generous hem that can be let out if needed. ( We are on the short side and haven't had to let down many hems, but the addition of rick rack over the hem-line is very nice touch if you do need to add some length to a dress.)

* Pray with your children for God to lead you to dresses that honor Him and fit your budget.   We have always lived on a very modest single income. Our children have had to wait and make-do at times, but they have also been blessed to see God provide for our needs. With out fail God has provided beautiful dresses for my girls, either through hand-me-downs from like minded friends ( and in some cases stranger!) or through thrift stores. The dress pictured here was bought for under $4.00  from a charity thrift store. There have been times that I was almost embarrassed at the beautiful items God has sent our way.  Use these occasions to give God the glory and teach your children to do the same.

* Only buy what you need or anticipate needing in the future. We need to teach our girls the beauty of being content with a small wardrobe. If you see a lovely dress at a wonderful price, but you don't need it for your own family, consider buying the item for another family and blessing them.  It seems to get harder and harder to find modest, lovely, age appropriate clothing for girls...we should look out for one another in this area!  

One more note....

Although it is a topic for another day, we want our little girls to be pictures of beauty that honor God as he intended, not girls who are focused on what they look like. One practical consideration we have found helpful is to live without full length mirrors in our home.  A quick glance at the reflection in our china cabinet door, or an opinion from a sister or parent, gives us all the focus we need on our appearance. While instilling an appreciation for lovliness, we must be on guard against promoting and allowing vanity to take hold in our daughters' hearts. Pray for beautiful and affordable dresses for your young ones, and bless others with the dresses you no longer need, but don't let these outer garments draw your little ones into self-focused habits. Use God's provisions as an occasion for humble thankfulness and as a teaching tool that points their hearts toward their ever-loving Heavenly Father.

This post is linked at Raising Homemakers, Our Simple Country Life and Far Above Rubies. Check out these sites and enjoy seeing what other bloggers are writing about in the area of homemaking!