Tips to Help Your Teen Daughter Make the Right Clothing Choices

We’ve all been teenagers and we know how challenging it can be. Teenagers are at a point in their life where they begin to see life differently and if you’re a parent of a teenage girl, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. She may not be interested in any chores around the house and workload in school, but she’s certainly into fashion and YouTube.

Every day I am trying to create a balance between setting limits and allowing her to forge her own path. No matter how much I wish to let her experience failure by herself, it’s hard for me to stand aside and watch her struggle. She is 14 and is deep into the phase of experimenting with clothes and style, which began with an ear piercing. That went well, but her wardrobe is the real challenge now.

She is smart and spirited, and I’m really proud of her and I want to do my best to empower her to make her own choices. Just a couple of days ago, as we were shopping, I saw a pair of pants for teenage girl, which I thought looks cool, but she didn’t like them. So, I decided it’s time to try to understand what teenage girls these days like to wear, but without embarrassing her and making her feel judged.

Let Her Make Her Own Choices and See What She Likes

Teenagers, especially girls, are all about finding clothes that will make them feel unique and let them express themselves in a way they feel comfortable in. So, I decided to let my daughter choose a pair of pants for teenage girl that she would like to have. I know she likes wearing pants, and I don’t blame her as I also preferred pants over skirts when I was her age as I was feeling more comfortable and confident, too.

I noticed that jeans are still in, and despite fashion changing with time, ripped jeans have remained popular for many years. Jeans are cosy and fancy and many interesting styles are popular for teen girls these days including wide-leg jeans, super high jeans and crop jeans, too. The latest used to be my favourite, but it turns out my daughter prefers the super-high style. That’s why I was not surprised when she chose a pair of cord pants with a waist tie and high waistline.

Talk to Her About Clothing Quality and Materials

Made of cotton blend, the pants she chose were a great solution for teenage girls as the material is breathable and allows air to easily circulate. We all know puberty is the time when sweat glands become more active and the body produces more hormones. Sweating is a natural part of puberty, but for teens, it can be very stressful as many of them find it embarrassing. That’s why I told her that it’s a normal thing and happens to everyone, but if she likes to feel more comfortable, wearing clothes of natural fibres might help.

Ask Her About the Clothing She Likes

When I asked her why she likes pants so much, her answer made me laugh. She said that when she is wearing pants, she doesn’t have to worry about sitting like a lady. While I agree that pants are easier to do most things in, I explained to her that a skirt or pair of pants doesn’t make her less or more of a lady, but a lady always looks great no matter what she’s wearing and she agreed.

Explain to Her What Clothing Waste Is

In the end, we both agreed that it’s important to make sure we all wear everything we have for its proper lifespan before buying something new. The growing concern regarding climate change and global warming has created a boost in the shopping culture around the world and Australia is not out of it.

Try to Understand Her World

Body image can impact female teens a lot. As their body develops, they focus more on their physical appearance rather than anything else. If your daughter is having any insecurities about her look, as a parent, it’s important to help her overcome those struggles.

Our daughters live in a world of social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, TikTok and more. We have no idea how it feels like to grow up with the risk of cyberbullying, which can consequently have a negative impact on the mental health of teenage girls.

Understanding their world even just a little bit can help you make her realise that while dressing to feel desirable is a legitimate expression, she should never be motivated by pressure to conform to narrow ideals. It’s important to show her that she can talk to you openly about different subjects and that she can trust you.

Clothing is more than just about looks. For teenage girls, it’s important because they navigate social trends and explore their identity. Keep in mind that teenagers like experimenting with their looks, so your daughter might be only trying out a new look and building an independent sense of self by trying out different outfits. It’s crucial to allow your teen girl some freedom as she makes her clothing choices and develops her style.