7 Great Fashion Design Starter Kits for Girls and Tweens

7 Great Fashion Design Starter Kits for Girls and Tweens

I wish these exciting fashion design sets were around when I was a girl!  I would have gotten quite a head start on my career. 😉  There was a few fun tools such as Barbie Fashion Plates but mostly, I was schlepping it with my no. 2 pencil, Crayola and a Big Chief sketch pad. I’d give up a pair of my Chloe ballet flats to have those childhood sketches now.

Although there is nothing like a good, old fashioned sketch pad and markers, I love the creative tools that are available to girls today, including software programs, but I thought I’d start with this small list of fun beginner tools that get the creative juices flowing.  Here are a few of my favorite picks:

Fashion Angels – Project Runway Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio & Artist Set

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Design like a pro and create your own portfolio! This one is my personal favorite, of course.  The Fashion Angels Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio lets you design your own fashion line! It comes with 100+ removable, plastic stencils of fashion and accessory shapes to help you create your designs on the pre-printed drawing sheets. (Yep, 9 year old me is totally envious)

Melissa & Doug – Fashion Design Activity Kit

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Now this set by Melissa & Doug is a lot like the Barbie Fashion Plates I used when I was about 7 yrs. old.  I do remember it being fun for quite a while, however, it wasn’t long before my Big Chief tablet came right back out and I was sketching again with my no. 2’s and crayons.  It’s a great starter set for the little fashionistas.

Fashion Design Studio Kit, 30-Pieces

What’s it like to be part of a fashion design team? Find out firsthand. Use this fun kits drawing paper pad for the sketching phase and its mannequin to see how well different fabrics express your design. Try embellishing the included white satin gown with different trims and accessories, then put together your own prom dress.

Klutz Fashion Forms Craft Kit

Create fully formed outfits that are amazing from any angle. Use simple mix-and-match patterns to trace and cut shapes that easily fold, wrap, and roll into tops, skirts, coats, and more. Embellish your fashions, accessorize, and display on our custom Klutz hangers and dress stands.

Essentials Fashion Sketchbook (366 Figure Templates to create your own designs!) Fashion Sketchpad

This one is for the older girls with big ambition and a knack for sketching! I have personally used these and they are fun! Create your own original designs with this sleek Essentials Fashion Sketchbook! Packed with lightly rendered figures in varied poses, this journal will help bring your inspirations to life. There are also foot templates for shoes and heads for hats or make-up design, plus helpful industry terms and descriptions, size equivalent information, illustrations of basic garments, and more!

20 Ways to Draw a Dress and 44 Other Fabulous Fashions and Accessories: A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers

This inspiring sketchbook is part of the new 20 Ways series from Quarry Books, designed to offer artists, designers, and doodlers a fun and sophisticated collection of illustrating fun. Each spread features 20 inspiring illustrated examples of 45 themes – black dresses, summery hats, stylish shoes, faux fur coats, and much, much more