Confirmation Outfits
Have you a son or daughter celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation this year? We have lots of resources on Schooldays.ie to help you prepare.
One of the issues you need to plan for, is your child's outfit on the day. Before spending money on purchasing an outfit for your child for their special day, it is important to check if the school/church has a policy on dresswear for the occasion.
What to Wear
Practices in schools can vary vary considerably . Some schools will require the children to wear their school uniforms during the school ceremony. Others require the children to wear Confirmation Robes during the ceremony over their own clothes. Confirmation robes are usually, cream and three quarters or full length with a cord belt. They can be bought or hired and sometimes schools will arrange the hiring of the robes. Many families would still buy new outfits for the celebrations which are worn under the robes.
Some schools have no guidelines around outfits. The most common outfits would be smart trousers and shirt for boys and a top or dress and cardigan for girls. Some girls will opt for 'cocktail' type dresses with tuille skirts
When to buy
As there is usually quite a lot of flexability about what to wear as Confirmation outfits, the savvy buyer will look out for outfits during the sales. However, you also have to be careful not to buy too far ahead as children of confirmation age tend to be going through growth spurts so you don't want them to outgrow the outfit before they get a chance to wear it! So perhaps don't buy any more than six weeks in advance. If buying online, take up-to-date measurements of your child before ordering and leave enough time to return items that you are unhappy with.
Where to buy
There are really very few limits on where you can purchase confirmation outfits. However, some shops will be promoting special 'confirmation suits or dresses' early in the new year like Arnotts or McElhinneys. Some of the dress shops who stock communion and debs dresses, will also have a range of 'cocktail' type dress for girls confirmation wear.
Cost Cutting Tip - Recycle!
The Confirmation suit or dress can sometimes be the most expensive part of the day. While there are many beautiful dresses and outfits you would love to buy your child, it is usually a good idea to set a price limit before you enter the shops. Don't rule out visiting charity shops when shopping. They are full of gorgeous clothes, some with the price tags still attached!
Alternatively, your child might still have a 'good' outfit in his/her wardrobe from a previous family celebration or wedding that is just waiting for another opportunity to be worn! Or your child's older siblings may have something suitable to hand down. So check the wardrobes before you go shopping!.
....... for more cost cutting tips
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