A Modest Proposal

Where do you go these days to find simple, basic, non-skanky clothing for preteen and teen girls? Well, if you live in New York, look no further than the custom-made Courtney Vaughan line. Created by two Upper East Side mothers who were tired of constantly coming across whorish outfits while shopping with their daughters for clothes, they decided to take matters into their own hands and bring back the classic Upper East Side ladies look for young girls.

Instead of sending your girls to school looking like they should be attending some sort of pole dancing class, there is the option to send them looking like a modern version of the 1950s old-fashioned school girl. This comes, however, at a New York price.

VIDEO: A Modest Proposal

A dress for little Susie costs about $260 and a skirt and jacket combo costs $500 total — the jacket is $300 and the skirt is $200. But when you're paying $30,000 for Susie to attend the best private school in Manhattan, these clothes seem like a bargain.

You're not just paying for well-made, clean cut clothes that can be passed down for generations, but you're also paying for a concept — conservative wear.

Hooker-like clothes are cheap for a reason — they require less material, but also they are made cheaply. You always get what you pay for. It's what the market demands and bears. If you have the money, it's not only easier for you to be on a good track, but also look like you're on the right track.

So when your little girl is beginning her search for the perfect Bat Mitzvah or confirmation dress why not spend the money on one that will cover her up, never go out of style, and last a while? That's what the co-owner of Courtney Vaughan, Colleen Ambrose, did for her daughter, Courtney, 14 years ago. Courtney exhausted all the staple Upper East Side stores — Infinity, Magic Windows, even Betsy Johnson — and could not find a single dress to wear to her friend's Bar Mitzvah. Tired of trekking around their neighborhood, Courtney's mom took out the drawing board and asked Courtney what kind of dress she was searching for.

"We were amazed at what they wanted at this age," Ms. Ambrose said. "They didn't want all the bows and frills."

In no time Courtney had her perfect party dress made and when she wore it to the Bar Mitzvah, it was an instant hit. Realizing that many mothers were struggling with the same lack of decent attire for junior girls in retail stores, Ms. Ambrose and Brigid Merriman, the other co-owner of Courtney Vaughan, saw an unfulfilled niche in the market. "Where did the skinny girl go that didn't want darts in their dresses?" Ms. Ambrose asked. So Ms. Ambrose and Ms. Merriman soon launched a new line of wear, the dress Courtney designed being the first one.

It's not that all girls want to dress provocatively or that their mothers want them to. The problem is what they are being offered. Too often what's for sale at these stores is suggestive clothing.

And when one popular junior girl starts wearing a certain type of clothing, so then do most of the other girls.

"Girls want to blend in," Ms. Merriman said. "There's conformity at that age and they want to feel like they are part of a group. That's why they go for these trashy clothes."

Nor is the issue that girls don't want to wear Courtney Vaughan-like clothing. It's just that that kind of attire is harder to find in stores. And, perhaps, the other problem is that, in general, it is more expensive. But, quality is selective and therefore comes at a price.

"These girls just didn't see this kind of clothing in the stores, so they didn't know that this was even an option because it wasn't out there," Ms. Merriman said.

Courtney Vaughan's main customer is the 12-year-old girl — they serve girls between the ages of 10 and 15 — looking for dresses or skirts to wear to school and special occasions.

Ms. Ambrose and Ms. Merriman design the clothes and then have them manufactured in New York. The dresses, whether for school or parties, which are either sleeveless or have short sleeves, go down to the knee and the collar comes up to the neck for most of them.

There are about 14 different dress styles and several skirts to choose from. All the dresses and skirts are made with year round topical wool that doesn't wrinkle. Once the girl is fitted for size and she has chosen the color she wants — black, navy, blue, red, brown, and gray are the offerings — the clothes are ordered. There are jackets that go with the skirt and/or dresses that come in the topical wool or velvet. It's as personal a service as one gets nowadays.

Ms. Merriman describes the clothes they make as "well-crafted for the growing girl." "They don't wear out," Ms. Ambrose added. "They get passed around the family." The most popular dress is the Courtney A — it's a favorite to wear to Bar Mitzvahs.

The business has spread by word of mouth, through relationships at the schools their daughters attended, and by doing one or two trunk shows in Manhattan in October.

While the line is not sold in any store, Courtney Vaughan is planning to begin selling online. The company does not do any advertising. For the 14 years it's been in business the line has had pretty steady revenue. "We sit back and wait for people to come," Ms. Ambrose said. "And if they're coming, they're buying."

Samples of the clothes are stored in Ms. Merriman's Park Avenue apartment and can be seen by appointment only. Or, Courtney Vaughan can come to you — they will bring the line to your home.

The girls, or their mothers really, remain customers for between two and three years and then are at the mercy of mass-market retailers. Yet, there is hope. Courtney Vaughan launched a line for women — young and old — this fall that includes work and party dresses, skirts, tops, and jackets that come in a variety of fabrics including cashmere.

Dresses for women cost between $400 and $600, skirts are $300, jackets are $650, and tops are $250. Add $300 to each if you want them in cashmere. Between 30 and 40 pieces of that line already have been sold. The new line also makes it a more worthwhile and easier shopping experience for both daughter and mother now.

So for those who struggle to find classic, understated clothing in shops and department stores, you may just find your safe haven in Courtney Vaughan wear. Although Courtney Vaughan has been quite a success, Ms. Merriman believes that they are still "kind of a secret." Who wouldn't want to buy something original that they know everyone else won't be wearing?

kherrup@nysun.com