The hot news from the first-communion fashion front is that ballet-length dresses (just skirting the ankles) continue to dominate the scene.
Short sleeves - either puff or cap - are de rigeuer and many dresses come complete with a silk sash. Meanwhile, tiaras have become the first communicant's must-have accessory - mostly worn with `upstyle' hairdoes. Veils, though, are suffering a downturn and are far less popular than they were a few years ago.
Not to be outdone, the boys are going for a more formal look than has been the case in recent years, and suits, we're told, are the order of the day. For many girls, dresses with pearl- or diamante-encrusted decorations are the ideal. This year, Frawley's in Thomas Street, Dublin, has opted for white rather than ivory dresses. Here, dresses range from £100 to £130.
The top seller - but, alas, now sold out - has been the `little princess' style dress at £135. This plain, simple little dress boasts a short bodice and no waistline - a la Jane Austen - and has proved a winner with both the girls and their mothers.
Until now, plainer styles have been the last to sell, Frawley's says. Does this mean that minimalist styling is at last hitting the communion market? At Marian Gale, Donnybrook, Dublin, snow-white cotton pique is all the rage.
Gale's hotest item is a ballet length, short-sleeved number in cotton, decorated with seed pearls, at £120. "It's very simple and unpretentious and can be worn later as a summer dress," she says.
The boutique's most expensive communion dress (£330) boasts a sequinned bodice and satin sash. It's pure silk, handmade, and comes with a matching handbag.
Many of Gale's young customers get more than one day's wear from their dresses, she says. "If they make their communion on a Saturday, they wear them to Mass on Sunday and then to school on the Monday." While they are lovely, headdresses made of fresh flowers have a short shelflife and are ready for the refuse pile by late afternoon.
Far better, says Gale, to opt for the fashionable tiara or headband or circlet, decorated with artificial flowers. More practical and long lasting, they'll cost you £45 at Marian Gale's.
Frawley's, meanwhile, is selling tiaras, in both silver and gold, for just £24.99.
At Arnotts, ivory is the most popular first-communion colour for girls. Mostly made in Ireland, the dresses cost between £130 and £200. This season's big hit is a pure silk dress in cream with a criss-cross design on the collar, waistband and sleeves, at £160. Another popular item is a silk-look dress with a lace overdress at £190.
Careful shoppers, though, can check out the swop and charity shops. Here, you will find dresses selling for a fraction of their original cost.
At Fred's Fashions in Dublin's Dundrum, there is a full-length communion dress in satin crepe, veil and white satin shoes (size 11), all for £10. Faced with first communion, most little boys apparently want to look like footballers - after the game. Televised scenes of football heroes attending weddings, fashion shows and other social events are inspirational.
That's according to Leonard Fagan of Jas Fagan, a tailor based in Thomas Street, Dublin. Fagan's can produce a made-to-measure suit for a communicant for between £150 and £250, including shirt and tie. Top of the range is the three-quarter length suit (it's the jacket that's three-quarter length) which comes complete with waistcoat and long trousers.
Mandarin collars remain popular, Fagan notes, while the most sought-after colours are cream and navy. If you're contemplating a hand-tailored ensemble for your youngster, you'd better hurry. It takes five weeks to measure for, fit and sew a suit.
"Communion for boys is almost totally dressy now," confirms Dan Melligan, buyer for children's wear at Arnotts, Dublin. Only 10 per cent of boys making their first communion are wearing casual clothes, he estimates.
At Arnotts, communion suits cost between £76 and £120. Suits in black, beige or navy, high buttoned or with mandarin collars, are the most popular. For confirmation, however, the fashion scene remains strictly casual. Designer labels have taken over. The story is the same for both boys and girls.
"It's not what they're wearing, it's who they're wearing that counts," Melligan says. DKNY, Kookai, Deisel and Pepe are big for girls. For boys, Tommy Hilfiger is a runaway success, while Timberland and Sonneti are also popular.
