What to wear to a kid's party

...when you don't want to do a midi and trainers

I've been to five childrens’ birthday parties in the last three weeks. There's another four in the diary before the end of the month. I also need to organise my son's, which is in less than seven weeks (I haven't found or booked a venue yet… cross your fingers for me).

It comes to something when a three-year-old’s social schedule is busier (significantly so!) than yours… but, here we are. From now until January, my son is partying most weekends: soft play, park hangs, mini discos, purple-themed back garden bashes. Thank goodness swimming parties haven't started yet - I’m yet to conquer my horror of public pools.

As we’re not at the stage where drop-offs are a thing, I’m getting my fill of Spiderman cake and Zip-Zap entertainers, too. Which is actually ok as there's usually some Prosecco to wash it all down with. (The perks of living in an outrageously middle-class London neighbourhood.)

However, it does mean a new and niche dress code to navigate: kids party dressing. What to wear to feel a teensy bit fancy and cool (after all, a party is a party - and there's booze!) but isn’t OTT or try-hard and doesn’t matter if you have to sit on the floor in it (almost certainly), or get face-paints/party food all over it (again, almost certainly).

Of course a few years ago the answer was easy: a floral midi and trainers or ankle boots. I wore a printed Reformation dress to my son’s first birthday, which was in a local pub and had an adults-only guests list. Aside from spending £100 on a three-tiered safari cake which was dry and no- one ate (lesson learned: just buy a Colin) the party and my outfit were a delight. But with that look now feeling somewhat done, it's time for something else.

Here's what I’m thinking…

Park Party

Oh to have kids born when it’s warm and be able to throw a party in the local park FOR FREE. Naturally, park parties have been big over the summer, but if your nursery/school lot are anything like mine, they’ll be continuing well into October.

You’ll want something warm but not too bulky, just in case you have to get involved with bashing a piñata/playing tag, etc. I mentioned Whistles’ khaki quilted jacket last week and having tried it on since, I'm even more sold. Sézane’s checked Will jacket also nails that chic/practical balance. Add this or this in the event of rain.

1. Whistles quilted jacket, £135.20

2. Sézane checked jacket, £155

3. Adidas trainers, £80

4. Aligne jeans, £99

Church/School/Civic Centre Hall Party

From baby classes to birthday parties, who knew parenthood involved so many bleach-scented halls? Having not stepped inside one since my Sunday school days, I’m now familiar with all the church halls in the Stoke Newington area.

As you’ll know, they tend to be drafty, so this little floral jacket is the perfect practical layer that's also going to amp up your jeans.

Then because you're inside where it's dry, a velvet shoe! Everyone is wearing Flabelus Mary Janes at fashion week. Imagine them at Christmas, too.

1. Sézane floral jacket, £155

2. Astrid & Miyu twisted hoops, £70

3. Flabelus velvet Mary Janes, £106

4. Nobody's Child corduroy shirt, £59

Soft Play Party

What do you mean you don't want to spend your Saturday morning pulling your kids out of a ball pit while their friends sneeze on you?

A stretchy trouser is going to be useful for when you inevitably have to get inside the soft play yourself. Plus, it matches the sporty tone of whatever leisure centre/sports hall you’re inside (more halls!). These wide joggers from Hush look more elevated than the standard and are such a great grab-and-go bottom half.

It’s all about a chic gilet at the moment and a shearling one is going to add interesting texture to your outfit – which is a quick way of making everything look more luxe and styled. I saw the below at the recent Whistles press preview and it’s completely gorgeous. Wear it over a long-sleeved T-shirt now, your roll neck jumpers later, then your quilted jackets in the depths of winter. It doesn’t launch until the end of October, but I’m flagging it now as it’s such a great piece.

Don't forget socks! And anti-bac hand sanitiser.

1. Whistles shearling gilet, £165 (launching end of October)

2. Uniqlo socks, £7.90

3. Arket phone bag, £87

4. Hush wide-leg joggers, £70

Your Own Kid’s Party

Whatever the venue, I like the idea of dressing up a little bit more when it's your own child’s party. After all, you gave birth, it's your day. But you don’t want anything high maintenance as hosting is full-on, especially when the guests are three-foot and screamy.

So, a frock for one-step-dressing ease, but make it denim which is both low-key cool and can take mucky hands. The square neckline on French Connection’s Arywode dress makes the silhouette feel really chic. Button the slit as low - or high, toot toot! – as you want.

1. & Other Stories cardigan, £87

2. French Connection denim dress, £89

3. Flabelus velvet Mary Janes, £106

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One more thing…

I had lots of ideas about how virtuous and sustainable I was going to be when I had kids (re-usable wipes! No plastic! Or screens!). Then I actually had them and – hahahaha! However, I do get fidgety about the tat that comes in party bags, which more often than not ends up forgotten under the sofa. I saw these party bags from The Toy Project, which use pre-loved toys wrapped in biodegradable packaging, starting from £2 each. Add a balloon and a slice of cake and you’re done!

ALSO!

I'm signing off for a couple of weeks. We’re doing a house renovation and it's reached peak chaos (to put it mildly), so have decamped to my parents’ house. There's 14 solid days of rain forecast BUT at leased we can eat something other than microwave meals and I don't have to time brushing the kids’ teeth in the morning with when there isn't a builder having a poo in our bathroom. And no dust!

That's all for a fortnight. You're doing great, Frankie x