My kids looked so cute in their "new" fall clothes I couldn't help but snap some pictures!
[Curls at the nape of the neck. The. Cutest.]
[Who's that coming down the sidewalk? It's Grandpa!!]
shirt: Old Navy via garage sale
corduroy pants: BabyGap via Goodwill
shoes: kohls.com (last year, purchased with my mom's Kohl's Cash)
Lavinia:
sweater: Circo via Once Upon a Child (resale shop)
cupcake T-shirt (under sweater): Sonoma via Salvation Army
jeans: Old Navy via garage sale
shoes: Wal-Mart
Here are my tips for shopping for kids' clothes on a budget. If you have any more, please share them in the comments!
- Try garage sales, thrift stores, and resale shops. Garage sales often have the best prices. I always scope out the newspaper ads beforehand and only hit up the sales that advertise clothing in my kids' sizes. This sounds horrible but I make an effort to show up right when the sale starts if the garage sale is in a "rich" part of town -- sometimes means nicer brands and newer clothes! Visit a variety of thrift stores every so often to browse their offerings. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to visit a resale shop in a larger city recently and find that their prices were nearly as good as (and in some cases, better than) a thrift store. The fact that everything was organized by size and color was also a huge bonus (less time wasted browsing). I will go back when I can!
- Know what you like. I stay away from silly slogans and pop characters on T-shirts. Just not my thing. Neither is sportswear (for wearing when not actually playing sports), so I don't waste my time sorting through a pile of track pants when there are corduroys and jeans nearby.
- Only buy clothes you like and that are in good condition. I don't just buy whatever is in my kids' sizes. I only buy it if I actually like it and will enjoy seeing them wear it. I examine each item carefully for wear, fading, stains, holes, etc. Only buy an item that needs mending if you know you can and will mend it (like a missing button). I don't gamble on stains coming out.
- Buy a few sizes ahead. If you see something you like that is a size or two larger than what your child is wearing, snap it up! A lot of Edmund's 4T fall clothes this year were purchased last year when I was looking for 3T sizes at the thrift stores. I usually only buy ahead two sizes, just because I don't want to store things for too long and lose track of what I have.
- Know what you can spend on. I have had a hit-and-miss experience finding second-hand shoes for my kids. If I can't find what they need secondhand, I just buy them new shoes. I have a hard time finding jeans for Edmund, so several times I've bought him a new pair (looking for a good deal at the same time).
- Hit clearance racks and end-of-season sales. I can often find new clothing in stores that's on clearance for thrift store prices at the end of the season. Buy a size up for next year and your kids will grow into it.
- Modify your expectations. I'm not a fan of the Pepto-Bismol shade of pink that is all over just about every item of girls' clothing. But, since I'm buying a lot secondhand I just can't be that choosy about completely excluding it from Lavinia's wardrobe. I do try to buy items in a variety of colors for her, but I don't sweat it if her coat is pink. At least it's BabyGap and in good condition!
- Have fun. You know what, if you see some item of clothing in a store that you absolutely love and think your child would look adorable in it, BUY IT! It's OK to splurge once in a while. I've looked forward to having children for a long time and it's fun to dress them. I enjoy seeing them in cute clothes. God has been good to me and I want to celebrate that! So I'm not going to spend $30 on a dress for Lavinia every time, but once a year? I can make it work.
I'm a 31-year-old Christian. My hope is to live a quiet life filled with home and hearth, family and friends, loveliness and simplicity. I'm wife to Douglas (married October 2008) and mother to Edmund (born November 2009), Lavinia (born May 2012), and Rosamund (born February 2014).
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These are so cute! I especially love the second picture of Edmund and Lavinia together. :) I love my nephew and niece! ... so proud. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lu! :)
DeleteI loved this post, Laura! You should check out my blog on this EXACT TOPIC. ;-) It's lilpeoplefashion.blogspot.com, and the basic theme is "Dressing your kids Cute for Less." :-) Your kids' outfits were adorable, by the way!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, I hopped on over and "liked" you on FB! :)
DeleteWonderful advice! I have had luck buying my daughter's shoes on eBay (in brands whose sizing I'm familiar with), but you definitely have to wade through a lot of glitter, Disney princesses, and Pepto-Bismol in order to find what I call dignified footwear. However, it's better than an afternoon of exhausting store-hopping, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love your tree-lined street!! Lovely.
Great idea -- I've thought of eBay for shoes but the sizing issues held me back. I guess I should go to an upscale store and have my kids try on various brands while I take notes!
DeleteWhat adorable photos of your children! I loved reading this post as I too often shop garage sales or thrift stores or clearance racks for my kids clothes - it is truly amazing how much one can find for so little, especially if ones does go to the "rich" sections of town during garage sales. ;) (I am so very guilty of that as well!)
ReplyDeleteIt seems the older my boys get the more difficult it is to find trousers for them second hand, but thankfully it seems there is always an abundance of little girl clothes in like new condition.
Love Lavinia's shoes by the way - I have a pair just like those for my little Anne. She hates shoes in general but surprisingly will wear these willingly!
Thanks Sarah -- yes, I think little boys must be so hard on their pants that they just plain ol' wear them out! Edmund's jeans usually have at least one hole in the knees by the end of the cold weather season.
DeleteI've gotten lots of compliments on Lavinia's moccasins, even though they are inexpensive Wal-Mart shoes... I kind of want a pair myself. ;-) They must be comfy!
Hi Laura! My name is Heather and I just have a quick question about your blog that I was hoping you could answer! If you could email me at Lifesabanquet1(at)gmail(dot)com that would be great :-)
ReplyDeleteLove this post! The only things I buy new for my kids are socks and undies - the rest is hand-me-down, thrift store, etc. If I am looking for a specific item, I will often go on ebay.
ReplyDeleteI try to buy gender-neutral coats and boots so that I can pass them down from my daughter to son. That usually means red or blue jackets and black or red boots. If it's combined with a cute hat that looks girly or boyish, it works well.
I scope out hand-me-downs. If the situation seems right, I drop a word in a friend's ear that I would be HAPPY to take her kids' old clothes off her hands. I always check to see what they want me to do with any items I can use.
Ah, hand-me-downs! I totally forgot to address that. We have gotten lots of clothes passed on to us over the years; it seems like people are often eager to get rid of their things in one handy stop. :) I generally go through the bags/boxes of hand-me-downs rather ruthlessly and only keep what I really like, then pass the rest on to the thrift store. One nice thing is that Lavinia has a slightly older girl cousin who has been lending us her outgrown clothes, and my sister-in-law and I have similar tastes in dressing our girls!
DeleteThanks for the encouragement to try garage sales. I basically never go, but the reminder of trying the nice neighborhoods, makes me want to try again. Any tips on getting a slightly particular 3 year old interested in wearing clothes that she may not *love*? (As in, not pink, purple, sparkly or anything that resembles a tu-tu?) :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! I haven't dealt with that yet, although Lavinia seems to be fashion-conscious even at the tender age of 17 months, so I won't be surprised if I see some strong fashion opinions in the not-too-distance future. I think when the time comes, my approach will be to try to find a middle ground -- keeping the child's preferences in mind, while gently trying to steer her toward more tasteful choices. (Like finding or making something that has elements you both like.) I have no idea if this will work, as it's purely theoretical right now! ;-)
DeleteGreat tips, Laura! I think I struggle most with modifying my expectations -- why is it so hard to find ready-to-wear girls' clothes and shoes that are NOT splattered with glitter, saucy slogans, or cartoon characters?
ReplyDeleteLavinia and Edmund look adorable, and are very tastefully attired -- you are clearly good at following your own advice. :-) I also like Ashley's suggestion about ebay; it's so difficult to find shoes in good condition at thrift stores!
One tip would be to take advantage of store credit at local consignment shops -- my local shop allows customers to bring in 15 items for store credit per visit; I shop there frequently, and haven't actually paid for anything in quite a while!
My other tip would be regarding sleepwear -- I use "sleep and plays" until my children are old enough to walk and have a blanket, but after that I don't buy actual sleepwear; for my son, I buy $1 tops and bottoms at the thrift store (or on clearance) -- it's a great use for shirts with cute designs (cowboys, polar bears, etc.) that I wouldn't use for daytime wear. Plus, the quality is usally better than "real" pajamas, and they're not treated with fire retardent chemicals.
Thank you for some excellent ideas! I really need to shop at yard sales more... do you take your children along? I've tried it before, but it seems such a hassle to get the in and out of the car at each stop -- so any recommendations would be much appreciated :-)
Blessings,
Shannon
Shannon, good thoughts! I haven't had too much experience with consignment stores as there aren't any very close to me right now. I haven't been getting rid of any of my kids' outgrown clothes, either, as I'm hanging on to them in storage tubs for future siblings to wear.
DeleteI have sometimes taken my kids with me to garage sales, but it is much easier and more preferable if I don't! Same with thrift stores! I just haven't found the knack of browsing (and usually a lot of browsing is required) while simultaneously trying to keep my kids happy and out of mischief. It leaves me feeling flustered and stressed. So if I can, I have my mom or husband watch them. If I do have to take my kids along, I try to be very focused on what I'm looking for (especially at thrift stores, where there are lots of different sections to check out).
It is interesting to see how Lavinia's baby looks like her in the first picture. All the photos are so sweet; you could be a pro! The last picture really captures their joy in seeing Grandpa. It is amazing how you caught them all running.
ReplyDeleteThrifting/garage-saling is sort of like going on a treasure hunt--lots of fun if one has the time!
Thank you! You're right, it's definitely more fun to hunt if you've got some time to be leisurely!
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