Shop owners offer Bat Mitzvah wear tips

An example of a dress than can go from the bima to the party. When Diane Slakter went shopping for appropriate attire for her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, she found the experience frustrating, both in terms of clothing offered and the shopping experience.

Her friend Rande Weissman encountered similar frustrations whenever she shopped for clothing for her daughter.

From those bad shopping days the two women drew inspiration to open GirlTrends in Tampa this past February.

“There was a big void of tween/ teen clothing boutiques all up and down the west coast of Florida that offered Bat Mitzvah appropriate attire for girls,” Slakter said. She and co-owner Weissman sought to fill the “local void” of formal tween/teen attire, and did just that with the opening of their store.

GirlTrends boutique, located in Tampa, caters to girls ages 10 and up, with their core customers being middle school girls. The shop offers casual clothing and features a posh dress lounge filled with special occasion dresses and suit dresses. Dresses range in price from under $100 to $400.

GirlTrends also offers choices of various shrugs and sweaters to coordinate with dresses and tops. This makes their clothing specifically Bat and Bar Mitzvah appropriate when it is necessary to have one’s shoulders covered in temple or synagogue. “By adding the essential shrug to a dress, it enables girls to get maximum usage out of their dress and can make a dress more appropriate for a conservative setting,” Slakter said. Going straight to the party, the shrug can be taken off and the outfit is instantly transformed into a party dress, if that is what the Bat Mitzvah and her mom want.

How do Weissman and Slakter keep the shelves fashionably fresh? “Girls’ fashion does not change as fast as women’s. The styles and colors trickle down, and get adapted for the teen/tween market. We purchase girls clothing that is trendy enough to be fresh, but we don’t buy things that have a short shelf-life,” Slakter said.

In regards to the transformation and metamorphosis of Bat Mitzvah fashion, “today’s styles are getting away from the matched suit look, and going more toward the dress with a jacket look, especially for the Bat Mitzvah service. This look is easier, and more flattering for younger girls. It is also more versatile and can be re-worn.”

GirlTrends carries a lot of different brands that are cut differently and fit differently. When buying merchandise for their store, Weissman and Slakter keep in mind their cross-section of customers based on their body types, price points, and style. Their goal is to cater to everyone, even those who consider themselves “hard to fit.” GirlTrends carries girls’ sizes 10-14/16 and junior sizes XS to L.

“The most rewarding part about my boutique is when moms and daughters enjoy their experience, find what they need, and are comfortable,” Slakter said.

GirlTrends is located at 1732 S. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.