Help Me Decide If I'm The Worst Mother Ever By Making My Daughter Wear This Dress To School

I totally need advice from you guys on this one, and I know I am the one always dishing out my own version of advice but now it’s your turn. One of my joys in being a mom is being able to decide what my kids get to wear and buying them what I feel are super cute clothing. I let them have an opinion in what they wear but it’s fun for me to pick them out cute little outfits because they are always so cute and little and ugh, ok, it’s cute. Yesterday I was doing some online shopping for back to school and I found what I felt was a super adorable dress for my daughter, who is eight-years-old and who will be entering the fourth grade. I like picking out her first day outfit, it’s tradition and I love snapping pics to send to grandparents and all that. So I found her this dress:

(Image: MiniBoden)

And I purchased it. It’s so cute! It has a little peter pan collar and pencils on it! It’s cool enough where she won’t be sweltering and it was on sale, plus, I love sort of little retro looking dresses.

I showed her the dress and it was mess with less-than-enthusiastic reviews.

MOM I DO NOT LIKE SLEEVES LIKE THAT.

Sleeves like what? Short? And she said they were POOFY.

In addition to the dress I purchased her a pair of ballet flats (which were also on sale, go mom!) and I knew she would dig those because she loves anything that looks like a glitter sparkle unicorn puked all over it.

And she loved the shoes, but she just wasn’t super excited about the dress.

Now, I am her mom and I should be able to get all MOM on her and say this is what I want her to wear and considering she lived inside of me for over nine months and I let her live in my house and eat all my food plus use my stupid eight dollar a bottle Essie nail polish she should do what I say. And I know if I insisted she wear the dress she would, she is a pretty agreeable kid. And it isn’t like she is pitching a fit and saying she hates the dress.

BUT …

Am I super lame? Is this dress just way uncool or babyish or just so not what her little pals will be wearing and am I being terrible by not letting her pick her first day outfit? I did tell her she can choose all the rest of her clothes for the rest of her school career and she seemed fine with it but maybe I am missing something here.

The dress hasn’t arrived yet and I am sure we will discuss it more and I can question her to see if there is some big issue with why she was less than thrilled with it, but I wanted to ask you guys what you think because I trust you and zomg I am lame aren’t I?

Am I destroying her little identity and taking away her sense of self by wanting her to wear this and at what age do you let your kids just wear whatever they want and it’s basically over for me isn’t it? I should just get her a Justice credit card and be done with it. SAD FACE.

So my amazing Mommyish readers, what do I do?