[mrsc1345]

My nearly 4 year old has been on a skirts/dresses kick for the better part of the year and it is driving my husband crazy! He always wants her to wear leggings or something under her dresses for modesty (esp. for school, she goes to a very active preschool with tumbling every day) but she just hates pants right now! She loves to wear tights, but it is getting past wool tights season so I am scrambling for ideas. I know the new pattern has bloomers up to size 4, should I just make a million pairs of matching bloomers to match her dresses and hope I can convince her to wear them? I love bloomers on little toddler bottoms, but I do think this might be the last summer she could wear them without seeming too young. I think I would literally have to make a matching pair for every outfit for her to go along with it.

How do you guys deal with finicky toddlers? I am so lucky she loves everything I make her as long as it is not pants! Also, what is your opinion on toddler bums in bloomers?

[Nicole]

I made them for my daughter who is seven,but she said they felt funny,it wasn’t the elastic,I think it was just the second layer!

Now I have made lots of pairs of ‘bike pants’ in navy and white,she is happy and the botty is covered.

[lattemama]

We use bike shorts as well on my soon 7 yo. Or “cropped” leggings or capris. My soon 4 yo will be wearing them this summer too – I’m making sure of it 😉

[TriMama]

I make my 4yo wear leggings. I’ve given up on tights since she always manages to put holes in the toes within 5 minutes of putting them on. If it ever warms up enough here, I’ll make her some capri or shorts length ones.

I think toddlers look adorable in bloomers, although 4 is just past bloomer age, IMO.

If you do make leggings or bike shorts don’t make the same mistake I did this weekend. I usually use a 4-way knit to make them, but had some adorable striped 2-way stretch jersey. The leggings I made slip down too low in the back when she moves since there’s no vertical stretch over her bum. Oops. If you use a 2-way stretch, make sure to add on to the rise.

[Violaisabelle]

One thing I have found over the years is everyone has a slightly different take on what bloomers are and what the length of bloomers are. So, because I have hung out in the historical side of sewing for the past 10 years, I find it necessary to define terms. 🙂 I’m not sure if you are meaning long, wide width of fabric style after Amelia Bloomer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Bloomer, is that what you mean? I have seen people referring to shorts with fullness into them as bloomers, is that possibly what you mean?

I will share what we have done for my 9 year old daughter. We have used this pantloons pattern since she was 1 year’s old http://sensibility.com/patterns/girls-pinafore-pantaloons-pattern/ and I still make some for her. I have made these out of batiste, muslin, wool, and knit. I have made them long, capri length and shorts length. I find we like the capri length best except for winter time when I make them out of wool, then I like them full length. When I have made them out of knit, I make a legging type garment. The pattern is full length, I just shorten it to where I need it. I have put tucks in for length and I have used lace to decorate up the bottoms of the legs. Pantoloons are narrow legged garments, that were originally separate legs attached with a tie….this pattern is a modern day version of a pantaloons, with an elastic casing and narrow legs, looking like a narrow pair of pants. I do not make these to coordinate with her outfits, I make them in neutral colours to coordinate with all her dresses and skirts. However, making them out of the same fabric could be very cute. I only did that one time and it was when I was using a knit fabric.

We tried the bike shorts last summer, I didn’t like them. The cotton pantaloons in the shorter version or capri length is much nicer and cooler. Bike shorts naturally are more form fitting and sweaty, even if they are made out of cotton/lycra.

How old is too old? Well, I still use a type of cotton, knit, narrow bloomer, a bit above the knee for my summer dresses and skirts, but I don’t climb trees any more. 🙂

Carol

[G + G]

We, too, use knit bike shorts under dresses and skirts in the summer. I usually buy them a size small, so they are not too long or baggy under the dress. With RTW, I won’t buy any skirts that don’t have built in shorts underneath…would love O + S to come out with a skirt pattern that includes this feature!

[Lizabeth]

I, too, prefer narrow leg pantaloons/bloomers for our daughter. I don’t like to have her in close fitting leggings or bike shorts as they can cause irritation–nothing more dis-elegant than to have a little girl in a pretty dress inappropriately tugging at her undergarments because they have ridden up. pantaloons/bloomers stay looser and can either be made to peek out under the hem or shorter to stay hidden.

[Lizabeth]

oh, and that pattern from sensibility is wonderful! I, too, have it!

[sewkellysews]

i so can relate to this! my 3 year old is SOOOO not modest when she wears skirts and dresses. i’m currently working on the birthday party dress, but i’ll be making the tea party bloomers to go with it!

when i was about 7 or so, i went to a school where we had to wear dress uniforms, and the “cool” thing to do was wear bike shorts underneath. although, that was back in the 80s, so i don’t know what kids do these days. 🙂

[homefire]

Every spring I make a stack of boxer-brief style undies for my girls so they don’t have to wear two layers.

[Loralee]

My 8 y.o. and 11 y.o. both wear bike shorts under their dresses and skirts. I wouldn’t have it any other way. In the past, I bought multiple pairs of gymboree bike shorts but am going to try the nature walk pants shortened this year. I haven’t tested it but want to make sure the lower waist seams don’t show.

I think the hopscotch dress with matching cropped/shortened nature walks would be adorable! I have fabric on my cutting table to make up a pair right now. 🙂

[Anonymous]

My 5 yr old always wears tights, leggings, or bike shorts under dresses. I haven’t tried the pantaloons/bloomers, but I may give it a try this year and see how she likes them. She plays hard and loves to climb. When she starts kindergarten this Fall, she’ll be required to wear bike shorts under her uniform. I’m hoping to work out a pattern so I can just make them myself.

[violetvata]

I don’t have girls but ottobre just put out the summer issue which includes bloomers for under a dress up to size 110 cm, which fits my five 1/2 year old….Katja