“How old is too old for a smocked dress?"

What a great question!  And one we’d love to answer.

Of course, you know our answer will be “as long as it fits, they’re not too old”. But we’re happy to expand on a few reasons why. 

Children grow in a predictable manner. From infancy, the growth pattern is head to toe and from the center of their body to their outer extremities. This is just one reason why a bishop style dress is perfect for their young bodies. A bishop dress is the style with the smocking around their necks. It is intended to last for two years since the only thing that changes between sizes is length; not width. During these toddler and early childhood years, little girls do not yet have a waist. Therefore, the way a bishop dress hangs off their bodies, it offers a generous and comfortable style for years. 

As young children age and begin to get their height (around kinder/1st grade) a smocked bodice sash back dress fits their body perfectly. It allows for their growing torso, offers a sash back to reflect their beginnings-of-a-waist and has a longer skirt to accommodate their growing legs. 

So, how old is too old for smocking?  Honestly, as long as it fits, they’re not too old. Nothing will capture the beauty and innocence of childhood like hand smocking on exquisite fabrics made by crafts men and women who understand how children grow.