Help! Someone Gave This Dress/Sweater/Outfit to My Kid - Do I *Have* to Like It?

I remember, on one of my late-teen birthdays, a friend of the family, who obviously didn't know me at all, gave me a present.  And oh, what a present it was!  Picture this:  a sweater, backhoe goldenrod yellow with large black polkadots and leg-of-mutton sleeves.  I was gracious in my thanks for the clueless thoughtful gift, but I'm sure the look on my face had to have betrayed my true feelings.  I don't actually think I even ever tried it on, concerned about looking like a drunk bumblebee, and I honestly don't remember what ever happened to it.  While I suspect that there was absolutely no hope for that particular sweater, so many of those suspect, seemingly unwanted gifts can actually be re-purposed into something useful. 

Enter the magic of denim.  And boots.  :-)  At first glance, this dress reminded me so much of the sweater of my youth, but it was sent by someone very well-meaning.  Up to the challenge, I was determined to get wear out of it.  And never, in my wildest imagination, did I think I'd come to love it.  Which I did. 

Remember to think outside the box when it comes to gifts.  Your first impression doesn't have to be your last, and you can breathe new life into clothes with a little thought, creativity, and a good dig through drawers and closets for pieces to complement.