Tips for dressing children according to their age for ceremonies

Putting yourself in the shoes of children invited to weddings and communions

We know that it is not easy to choose clothes for children invited to a communion, wedding or any similar event. The child’s look for these events needs more attention than the everyday look, it requires time and pampering. Also, since you probably don’t go to these events, you may not know exactly how your little one should be dressed. It is normal to be unfamiliar with this type of clothing, so there are often great doubts and uncertainty when deciding how to dress your child to go as a guest at the ceremony. Keep in mind that they don’t usually go to these events either.  Children often feel uncomfortable and unsafe with so many people they don’t know (or don’t recognize) greeting them. This is why it is so important that children dress appropriately for ceremonies.  You will have to take into account factors such as the child’s age, build, personality, and tastes.

At Quémono we follow a fundamental rule: the most important thing is that children are comfortable, like what they wear and enjoy it. This will allow them to take advantage of every moment of the event, having fun without any hassle or worry. To do this, it is essential to choose a shirt in which they can move freely, a dress that is not too tight, shoes that do not hurt them in the middle of the ceremony, or a hair ornament that does not move when they run and play.

Keep in mind that dressing children is not rigorous. Although in this article we have based on the age of the little one to help you dress the kids, the look can change depending on whether you want to give the child a more childish or more grown-up look.  Actually, the correct thing to do would be to dress the child according to the age you want them to project, rather than their actual age.  For this reason, we have created age ranges that sometimes overlap. For example, for a 7-year-old child, you can choose to give him or her a more childish look (4 to 8 years old range) or older (6 to 12 years old range).

If you have any doubts about dressing your child, ask us and we will help you choose a suitable look for your child depending on his age, his constitution, the ceremony he is going to, the time of the year he is going to celebrate….

How to dress a baby for a ceremony

Dressing a baby for special occasions is usually a fairly simple task.  Children up to 18 months retain that charm that makes them the protagonists in any situation.  Even so, you have to be especially careful with the fabrics as babies have very sensitive skin. We recommend choosing soft fabrics that do not irritate the skin and allow the skin to perspire properly. Se recomienda elegir tejidos suaves que no irriten la piel y permitan una correcta transpiración de la misma.

Pastel jumpsuits and froggies can be an ideal option if you are looking for something simple, light and very cute! For boys, if you’re looking for something a little more dressed up, a great option is a pair of zip-up shorts. With these bermuda shorts you can wear, for example, a white shirt with a baby collar or a shirt with a sailor collar. For your little girl, if you want something more dressed up you can opt for baby cut dresses. These dresses have an empire cut, i.e. the waistband is higher, leaving room for the characteristic baby belly. With these dresses you will create a cute look, especially at these funny ages when the little ones are crawling or starting to walk. Since most of the time they are on all fours, to prevent the diaper from showing, they usually wear a diaper cover, which gives an elegant touch to their bottom. If you also put the diaper cover to match the sash or the hood, it will look especially adorable.

At these ages, baptism is especially present. If you are looking for how to dress your child for his or her baptism, take a look at this other article in which we show you different ideas for christening skirts and christening gowns.

The perfect set for children from 2 to 4 years old.

When your child is between 2 and 4 years old, you can choose whether you prefer to dress him/her as a baby or as an older child.

 For girls’ dresses, you will have two options: baby cut or children’s cut.  The baby cut is perfect in case you want to dress your little girl as a baby boy, it gives girls a more tender look and lowers their age. Baby cut dresses are ideal for girls from 2 to 3 years old who are a little older than their age (with sizes from 3 to 4 years old). With this cut it is essential to order a matching diaper cover, since at this age the girls are all the time lifting their skirts or lying on the floor. To enhance the look even more, you can order a hood to match the sash.

If, on the other hand, you want to give the look more of a girl’s look than a baby’s, you can choose the infant cut. Dresses with this cut are longer and have a lower waist, so they add age to the girl. It is a very good idea to complete these dresses with a matching sash and hair accessory. On the other hand, and weather permitting, we recommend you to choose vaporous, light fabrics with a little bit of flight.

In the following images, we show you the differences between a baby cut and a girl’s or boy’s cut.

If you are going to a more informal ceremony or you think it is too soon to dress your little girl in a dress, you have very original solutions that also look very cute. For example, an outfit that we love are the bloomers with a shirt in plumeti batiste. Original, cute, and comfortable, what more could you ask for?

For boys in this age group, the Tyrolean shorts are one of the most commonly used garments. It is a very comfortable garment that you can combine with a shirt inside. If you prefer something more formal for the occasion, you can get a set of shorts and shirt. This ensemble gives a slightly older look than the Tyrolean bermuda.

Children’s clothing for ceremonies from 4 to 8 years of age

Children in this age group are already well aware of their likes and dislikes. Therefore, it is advisable to involve them in the choice of the ceremony clothes, so that the outfit fits both you and your child and both of you are satisfied with the choice. In this way, you will increase your child’s excitement about the event, as he/she will feel part of it.

Keep in mind that they are not accustomed to seeing themselves in ceremonial dress, so they will  If they feel comfortable in the clothes they wear, they will feel more confident and supported.  As we have already mentioned, many times at these events the girls feel especially insecure because there are many people they do not know. It is therefore especially important to increase their safety as much as we can, so that they can relax and enjoy the event.

At this age girls are especially easy to dress, as they are at that age where they are clearly children (no longer babies, but not teenagers either). There are many options of outfits to choose from to attend a communion or any other event at this age. And not only in designs, but also in the choice of fabric. For example, tulle or plumeti are two of the materials that bring freshness and fun to the look of a girl for a ceremony.

Girls have just reached an age where the most common type of garment is the dresses for special events. To give a final touch to the look, we can complete the dress with a matching headband or sash. The headband is a hair accessory especially recommended at this age because it holds the hair very well, is comfortable and manages to remove the hair from the girl’s face firmly, avoiding all kinds of discomfort caused by the hair. In the world of children’s ceremonies, we can find very original headbands as it is a very popular hair accessory at this age. For example, this ceremonial headband as a handkerchief is a very nice option that does not look like a classic girl’s headband.

To take an 8 year old boy as a guest to a communion or a wedding, an outfit like the one Fernando is wearing in the image is a very good option. As you can see, she is wearing a pair of powder pink linen shorts with a white mao collar ceremonial shirt tucked inside. For footwear, we have opted for espadrilles, a light and comfortable shoe with which you can play without problems with the rest of the guests.

And for the siblings? Why not choose the color of the boy’s shorts to match some of the girl’s accessories? Adorable.

Children’s clothing for ceremonies from 6 to 10 years old

At this age it can become more complicated to choose the children’s attire. They have entered another stage of their life, and their constitution has changed considerably. That’s why dressing them to look like a small child is probably not the most appropriate thing to do. In these cases, the ideal is to tend to dress them more as adults than as children. At this age some children look very old and it may look strange to dress them as if they were still children. If this is the case for your little ones, it would be best to choose a teenage look.

Also, treating them like grown-ups and giving them some freedom can save you a lot of arguments because they are already starting to want to express themselves through their clothes. They probably prefer something more modern or more like adult clothing. At this age, a larger repertoire of clothing can be included in their wardrobe. Boys can start wearing ceremonial jackets and some accessories such as ties or bow ties. As for the girls, faced with the cliché of dresses, they begin to use outfits with neat shirts and skirts as an alternative to dresses.

Children from 12 to 16 years old: suits and ceremonial dresses for teenagers

Adolescence is undoubtedly a complicated stage both for those who experience it and for the parents who accompany their children in this process. It is a time full of doubts, decisions and conflicts. As it could not be otherwise, this makes it difficult to choose the perfect look for an event or ceremony.

You may have different points of view when you think about how a child should be dressed as a guest at a communion or any other ceremony. Sometimes, ceremonial clothing for teenagers does not correspond to their age, or to the age they feel they are. This is very important because, although we sometimes see and treat them as children, they are starting to feel older and want to be treated as such. It is crucial to understand and respect that fact, since that way it will be much easier to choose an outfit that both they and you will like. In short, dressing teenagers is no easy task. They are at an intermediate stage between children and adults in which both body and personality are evolving rapidly. It is also important to give the child some freedom of choice so that he can discover, and we with him, his tastes in fashion.

At Quémono we understand and empathize with this very special and sometimes complicated stage that adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16 go through. That is why we have created a line dedicated to teenagers.

Blouses are very timely options for girls of this age. These are garments that give the appearance of maturity with which teenagers feel more comfortable. In this case, the teenage outfit worn by Nuria is very appropriate. It carries a white blouse combined with a gray velvet skirt and a knot headband to match the skirt. You can pair it with a velvet jacket to match the skirt and headband. It is a beautiful winter set, with neutral colors. In addition, the Gala blouse has a gathered neckline that conceals the volume of the incipient breast very well. If you prefer, you can combine the skirt with a ceremony gray velvet cape instead of the jacket.

On the other hand, for boys, shorts are usually replaced by long pants, preferably skinny jeans, and often combined with a vest or a blazer. If you want to give it a more casual look, you can put on a ceremony linen shirt outside and shoes without socks, for example.

Common mistakes when dressing children for a ceremony

• Use uncomfortable clothing. Comfort is one of the most important aspects. A suit or a ceremony dress that oppresses them, makes them hot, or weighs them down, will enhance the bad mood and will be an impediment to their enjoyment of the event. In addition, if the clothes are uncomfortable, they are likely to be constantly repositioned and end up with a mess of clothes. Always pay attention to the fit, so that they have freedom of movement, and to the fabrics; make sure they are as soft as their skin.
• Wear clothes that make them feel like they are in costume. Children should not be forced to wear clothes they dislike. If your child has a very defined style, choose styles that suit his or her preferences. He may like more casual clothes or she may refuse to wear ruffles or bows. Or even that they think they are too old to wear certain clothes or colors. That’s okay, there are very good options that meet all these requirements. You are sure to find an option that satisfies both parties.
• Wrong matching of garments. Pay attention to fabrics and color palette. Too much of both or making them wear garish clothing is never a good option. It is also not appropriate for a girl to wear too many accessories, as it will give a feeling and an image that is too overloaded. It is better to opt for the simple, but taking care of the details.
• Ignoring the weather. It is essential to take into account the time of the year in which the ceremony will take place, the weather on that particular day and the temperature in the venue (be careful with the air conditioning!). If it’s cold, opt for velvets, darker colors and more structured outfits. The opposite is true for the warmer months. Not only will the little ones thank you for it, but you’ll also  the look will be impeccable. 
• Do not dress according to the type or reason for the ceremony. It is important to take into account how formal the ceremony is. Depending on the organizers of the ceremony and the reason for the ceremony, it can be more classic or more informal. It is not the same to dress a child for a wedding, a communion, a school graduation or a confirmation. Depending on this, we may be free to choose fresh and modern outfits.

If, after these tips and recommendations, you still have doubts about  how to dress children according to their age  to attend ceremonies or events, do not hesitate to contact us. We are always available in the chat that you will find on our website or you can make an appointment to come to the showroom in Madrid so that together we can choose the perfect outfit for your little one.

And remember, a child satisfied with the clothes he or she wears is a happy child.