It’s not like choosing a wedding dress, but it’s close: choosing the dress for a First Holy Communion can be a challenge! Maybe it’s that dressing children is never easy, that you have to match the budget, the parent’s tastes and those of the child, then the weather, the season, the location… Then if it’s white and it gets dirty? Will coloured be OK? But do you know that it was almost, almost easier to choose the dress for the wedding? Almost.
Here at Fratinardi’s we have been selling First Communion dresses for almost fifty years, so we can say we have some experience. That is why we have decided to help all mums and dads who are looking for the perfect dress for this little, big event!
First of all, the child’s tastes
The best way to keep everyone happy, and especially the little birthday boy, is to try to respect the child’s tastes as much as possible. Obviously, with the right stakes.
Their choices might be eccentric or be projected towards clothes that are too expensive for our pockets… Or even disregard things like whether it is hot or cold.
It is normal for your child to consider nothing but his own personal taste (he is still a child!), so it is up to the adults to make the final choice. But it is also right for your child to have the dress of their dreams…. What to do?
The best choice to make in such cases? We reveal it to you now!
Ask your child some questions
The first thing to do as a parent is to understand what your child likes.
Ask him or her at dinner, while eating, or on the school-to-home journey. It will be a great conversation starter and will help you in your ‘mission’.
If your daughter tells you that she is a princess lover and is looking for a dress with a long, tulle skirt, that’s a starting point. If you talk to your son and discover that he wants a light-coloured dress (perhaps in pastel tones), you already know that imposing a dark blue dress on him will not make him happy.
Knowing your child’s tastes will make the search easier and more focused: you will have less stress to deal with and he will have the dress of his dreams!
Everyone wins, right?
Set a budget and keep season and location in mind
The second step is just as simple. It involves making a few important points clear and based on these, discarding the less suitable dresses. Always start from the budget, you will already have a skim of dresses that you know you cannot consider and based on those proceed considering the period and the location.
Having a communion in mid-May is different from having it at the end of June, this is obvious for the parent but not always for the child. If for boys it is simpler and the problem hardly arises (at the most, he will take off his jacket or wear it depending on the weather, also because the choice almost always falls on jacket and trouser suits), the discourse is more complex for girls.
For a communion in May you could suggest a dress with three-quarter sleeves or, if she does not like them, choose a cardigan or jacket to match in case it gets colder. Trousers can also be a good choice, not everyone likes skirts and so she will be freer to move around and play with her little friends.
If the communion is at the beginning of May, consider letting her wear socks and always buy an extra pair in case they break. In case it gets hot, she simply won’t wear them, but you know that otherwise there will be no problem.
Beware of the location: if you know there will be a lawn with rides for the children to play on, choosing a dress with a skirt down to the feet could trip her up. The same applies if your child chooses a dress that is too light-coloured: she would risk getting dirty before even getting to the starter.
You will have no problem choosing these models if, on the other hand, the celebrations are all indoors and the only games are those proposed by the entertainer at the restaurant.
Having established this, you can already start by picking out a few outfits on your own, and then propose the ones for your daughter or son to choose from. Explore our website Fratinardi.co.uk and our social pages(Fratinardi Junior on facebook, Fratinardi on instagram) and take a screen shot of the models you prefer, then look at them with him or her.
Time for shopping!
Now comes the easy part. You know what your son or daughter likes, you have a clear idea of the model and budget, you have consulted three meteorologists and four fortune tellers to know whether it will be hot or cold. You already know which dress they like best…. All that remains is to buy!
Buying a dress has never been easier, has it?
Conclusion
Choosing a dress is not easy, but neither is it impossible, and it can happen that between work, child and house management and all the problems of everyday life, it can become a stressful choice. Don’t worry, dear parents: don’t feel guilty. Breathe and follow our advice!
We remind you that for more information or questions, you can always ask our personal shopper for advice online or send us a message on our facebook and instagram pages. If you are from the Salerno area, on the other hand, you can always find us in our shop, in via Mazzini, 81 in Battipaglia (Salerno).
We are waiting for you!