Kids' Birthday Party Outfits

A birthday party outfit has to pass two tests that pull in opposite directions: it needs to photograph well, and it needs to survive two hours of soft play, cake and running. Most party clothing fails the second test badly. Stiff fabrics and fussy fastenings look fine for the first ten minutes and then make a child visibly miserable for the rest of the afternoon, which is exactly what ends up in the photos. Comfortable cotton in a special colour or cut gives you both, and it has the considerable advantage of being wearable again the following week rather than hanging unused until it is outgrown. If your child is the guest rather than the host, check whether there is a theme, and dress for the venue: indoor play centres in the UAE are heavily air conditioned, while garden parties are not.