As a young mother, I took great care in dressing my children.  I enjoyed picking out their outfits, fixing their hair, and presenting them to the world all starched and pressed.

And then they grew up.

My oldest was a boy.  I remember very clearly the day he decided to pick out his own clothes.  Traumatic-Mother-Moment would be an understatement.  I was not happy.  But, I learned to adjust.

Then came my little girl, all blonde haired and blue eyed.  I taught myself to sew and created the most darling outfits for her.  I took endless photos and smiled contentedly as people remarked how much my little girl looked like a Precious Moments figurine.

But, you guessed it…she grew up too.  She didn’t want to wear pinafores and gingham anymore.  *sigh*

Every week, I watch my not-so-little-anymore girl grow into her own person with her own likes and dislikes.  I see her try new things with everything from her hair to her penmanship and I realize it’s time for me to stop choosing and start guiding.

How do you let go of the style reigns and help your daughter create a sense of style all her own?  Here are a few tips:

1.  What makes her smile?  Watch her, study her, wait for those moments when her eyes sparkle and the corners of her mouth turn up as her eyes alight on something she considers beautiful.  What are her favorite colors?  Does she likes polka-dots or stripes?  Does she like things that sparkle or more subdued colors?  Are her tastes fancy or girl-next-doorish?

2.  Teach the basics of fashion sense, then help her implement them.  Teach your daughter how to match colors and prints and fabrics, give her examples from magazines, movies and websites of good and bad fashion sense.  Then let her start making choices based on what she’s learned.  Take her to stores and let her choose some outfits with your guidance.  But remember this is her first venture into creating her own style, don’t crush her.

3.  Teach modesty.  This is the perfect time to really have heart to heart discussions on modesty.  Prior to this, you have created modesty for her.  Now it is her turn!  Teach her how to choose tops and skirts that are modest.  Show her how to layer clothing to create less revealing clothing.  Give her the tools and let her use them creatively.

4.  Be encouraging!  Every daughter wants to know her mother approves of what she does.  Choosing clothing and styles is a new venture for young ladies and she needs a voice of encouragement as she steps foot into these uncharted waters.  Even if the outfits she chooses are not something you would personally wear, as long as she is within the bounds of God-honoring modesty, be her biggest fan!

Resources to help you:
She Wears Skirts series
Raising Maidens of Virtue
Frumps to Pumps ebook
The Modest Mom Blog