Buying clothes for kids...

[nknapp5]

If you have multiple kids do you buy clothes planning to pass them down? If so do you spend extra to get better quality? Tired of buying clothes with the intention of passing them down only to have little holes show up, stains, etc. Not to mention the amount of totes we are collecting by trying to pass them down. Don't want to waste anymore money!! But want my kids to look nice to go to church! Also where do you get the best buys with good quality? Anyone have any great ideas? Thanks

[magnificent_baby]

I buy 90% of the kids clothes from garage sales and Goodwill. I spend anywhere from 90 cents to $3 per item. Occasionally I will spend $5 if it's really cute or still has tags, or a nice coat. Most of their clothes are brand name (Gap, Justice, Children's Place, etc.) and I am very picky when buying used, it must be in really good condition and look nearly new. I have a Goodwill discount card which takes 10% off my bill. You can get one if you are an educator or student, in my area anyway.

 

Yes, I keep them in totes to pass down to the next. If it becomes stained or has holes, I toss it and don't feel bad.

 

I will also buy up to a size ahead, and keep in totes for future use. Shopping this way makes it really hard for me to pay buy brand new for them, but I will for special occasions if needed.

 

Totally understand how the amount can get out of control. We have way more clothes than we need, but I spend so little on them. For me, the problem is more getting rid of their baby and toddler clothes. For some reason, I just cannot part.

 

ETA: Since you are concerned with quality and hand me downs, Children's Place clothing has been our best bet. They hold up really well for us. I do catch a clearance sale there on occasion (and I always ask for a coupon if I don't walk in with one!) and I like the polos and carpenter pants for the boys for church.

Edited August 19, 2012 by magnificent_baby

[happypamama]

It would depend on the child. For DD, I wouldn't buy with the intention of handing down; the ones following her are all boys. She also tends to be hard on clothes. My oldest son is not hard on clothes, and he's got two little brothers, so it might be worth buying clothes to hand down for him. My middle son tends to get much dirtier than his big brother, so if I buy new for him, I probably wouldn't spend a lot. I rarely buy new clothing for my children; I usually buy from the thrift store, and we have some good ones around, where we've gotten nice-looking clothing. My MIL often buys clothes for the children on big sales (her Peebles often has great sales); she has liked Lands' End stuff, especially shirts and pants for the boys, in the past, and they usually hold up pretty well to multiple washings and boys. Almost everything that DS1 has passed on to DS2 still looks good enough; some things don't survive DS2.

 

I would have no problem with taking a few outfits out of their closets/drawers to set aside for church and other times when I wanted them to look nice. In fact, I'll often tell them if I'd prefer them not to wear something that has a small hole or stain on it, if we're going or something. I do hang on to things with small stains or holes sometimes, for wearing around the house/getting dirty.

 

If I buy new, it's usually Target or WalMart, so if something happens to it, it's not a huge loss.

Edited August 19, 2012 by happypamama

[bettyandbob]

the things I bought knowing they would be passed down where winter items: coats, snow pants, boots, etc. Also backpacks. My dd is 14. I recently bought her her first new rain coat. It will likely be the last new raincoat I buy her. We lucked out on a hand me down bag from a neighbor a couple of years ago and dd got a ski jacket that was pale blue/lavender--she's had years of black and red chosen by her older brother.

 

Regular clothing I purchased on discount or at consignment shops. If the clothing was in good enough shape to pass down when it was grown out of, that was great, but I didn't count on it. I have found nice Sunday/holiday clothing at consignment shops.

[jenangelcat]

I avoid buying clothes as much as possible. We manage to get by on high quality hand me downs from friends and stuff from the thrift shop. I generally don't see much point in buying new for kids.

[stripe]

I pass down all my kids' clothes. I buy them almost entirely on sale. I buy almost nothing used. I think I got a pair of boots passed down, otherwise no hand me downs unless they are to later kids. I have only had a few things not get passed down. I am pretty fastidious about stains. I like Zout, by the way. I think you have to stay on top of this if you want to pass things down.

 

I've sold some things to a used kids' stuff store a few times. Otherwise I pass on to my nieces and nephews. Trust me when I tell you that the quality of clothes and shoes made for the American market are almost always so vastly better than what people in many other countries buy. I have a whole bunch I would love to pass on to my kids' cousins...unfortunately right now they are just sitting, waiting...

[lailasmum]

I tend to buy better quality coats in unisex colours to pass down. My son is pretty much entirely dressed in hand me downs from a friend who has triplet boys so i don't spend much on clothes for him. He basically only wears wellies or crocs on his feet. My dd I end up spending a fair bit of money on, I find it really hard to get clothes to fit her, she is lanky and at 8 is wearing an 10-11 in a lot of stuff but then it gets massive around the waist. Lands end seems to be about the only clothes range that fits her properly and she can wear closer to her age in their clothes.

[mrs.m]

I usually buy clothes at Kohl's and JcP, sometimes Garage Sales. I pass shirts and coats down but my boys have different builds so the jeans and some pants won't be passed on. But the only reason anything hasn't made it to be passed along is because my boys did something to it or I picked it up used somewhere.

[bkpan]

I buy 90% of the kids clothes from garage sales and Goodwill. I spend anywhere from 90 cents to $3 per item. Occasionally I will spend $5 if it's really cute or still has tags, or a nice coat. Most of their clothes are brand name (Gap, Justice, Children's Place, etc.) and I am very picky when buying used, it must be in really good condition and look nearly new. I have a Goodwill discount card which takes 10% off my bill. You can get one if you are an educator or student, in my area anyway.

 

Yes, I keep them in totes to pass down to the next. If it becomes stained or has holes, I toss it and don't feel bad.

 

I will also buy up to a size ahead, and keep in totes for future use. Shopping this way makes it really hard for me to pay buy brand new for them, but I will for special occasions if needed.

 

Totally understand how the amount can get out of control. We have way more clothes than we need, but I spend so little on them. For me, the problem is more getting rid of their baby and toddler clothes. For some reason, I just cannot part.

 

ETA: Since you are concerned with quality and hand me downs, Children's Place clothing has been our best bet. They hold up really well for us. I do catch a clearance sale there on occasion (and I always ask for a coupon if I don't walk in with one!) and I like the polos and carpenter pants for the boys for church.

 

:iagree: Thrift and consignment stores keep my all of my kids in high quality, brand name stuff very inexpensively.

[6wishes]

I have some clothes passed down from others, but I find nowadays, for a few extra dollars I can buy brand new clothes that can be passed down. A lot of companies send emails with their sales, and a lot of them right now, for example, are having $10 denim sales. I am on a lot of email lists, and will not buy anything full price. Most of the time, I will buy items on sale plus any additional discounts they are offering (most companies do a "Friends and Family" event that will get you an additional 25-30% off your total order (including sale items) )..the stores I usually shop at where I can get most things under $10 with these type of sales/coupons are Old Navy, Crazy8, Aeropostle, Children's Place, Gap, and Gymboree (which I know is more expensive, but again if it's already on sale, and it's during their friends and family sale, I can get a lot for cheaper then $10). I would subscribe to all of their email so you're notified when these sales happen. They all also usually run "special" items of the week or something where there are specific items on sale for a specific period of time. I find that the consignment stores in my area are just as expensive as me buying new. But, I do a lot of online shopping with free shipping because I just can't bring myself to take my 4 kids and sort through the racks in stores- whether it be the mall or Goodwill. I will occasionally shop garage sales if I know of a good one, and if I have time :)...for me, time is money too :).

[SKL]

I do hand down clothes, though I occasionally buy something new for the smaller kid so she doesn't feel left out.

 

My kids aren't terribly hard on clothes. They usually last through both kids without getting holey. Sometimes they do get a stain on the front (I'm not the most careful about removing stains).

 

If there is a nice outfit that I want to last, I will make my kid change out of it after church or whatever. They have other clothes for bumming around. I will let them wear the "nice" clothes a few times between washes, because they will last longer that way.

 

This year, I bought a lot of clothes on eBay, and I still think they will be good enough to last through both of my daughters.

 

ETA: After my kids, the clothes go to my sister's two daughters. So far, so good. Maybe it's something about girls.

Edited August 19, 2012 by SKL

[TranquilMind]

If you have multiple kids do you buy clothes planning to pass them down? If so do you spend extra to get better quality? Tired of buying clothes with the intention of passing them down only to have little holes show up, stains, etc. Not to mention the amount of totes we are collecting by trying to pass them down. Don't want to waste anymore money!! But want my kids to look nice to go to church! Also where do you get the best buys with good quality? Anyone have any great ideas? Thanks

Mine are older now, but I still shop the same way for all of us. I hit only clearance sales at really nice stores and buy a lot of clothes of current and larger sizes (if still growing...oldest is done, more or less).

 

They last longer if they are good quality. I shop rarely for myself, but just last night I wandered into some expensive store and found - lo and behold - a 75% off clearance sale! Now, we're talking!

I purchased 6 tops and a necklace for the grand total of $32. I "saved $90".

 

That's how we do it here. When your kids get to adolescent years (not sure how old they are), I find aeropostale has great sales. Shirts for $3.99 and $5.99. I also like Marshall's and TJ Maxx, but you have to check often.

[Munchkins_mama]

I buy 90% of the kids clothes from garage sales and Goodwill.

 

Same here. But I don't buy them with the intention of passing them down. My girls are all the wrong sizes to pass down, and they all like different styles and comforts. The oldest is super thin and likes trendy things and jeans. The middle is only one size behind her ( She's normal sized, the oldest is tiny) and prefers all dresses, leggings, or anything comfortable without scratchy tags. The baby is tiny tiny and only likes sparkly dresses and ballet shoes.

 

For years I kept all the tubs full to pass down only to have the next child refuse to wear it. I now donate the stuff as soon as they outgrow it and buy them 'new' stuff that fits.

[PeacefulChaos]

If you have multiple kids do you buy clothes planning to pass them down? If so do you spend extra to get better quality? Tired of buying clothes with the intention of passing them down only to have little holes show up, stains, etc. Not to mention the amount of totes we are collecting by trying to pass them down. Don't want to waste anymore money!! But want my kids to look nice to go to church! Also where do you get the best buys with good quality? Anyone have any great ideas? Thanks

 

I passed them down when they were younger, but I was fully prepared for everything to not 'make it' to that point.

I don't spend a ton of money on kids' clothes. I don't think it's worth it while they are young - my kids are pretty good on clothes (with the exception of Astro and pants - he ends up with a hole in the knee every single time! :lol: ) but I would rather buy them 10 t-shirts than 4 for the same price, kwim? They're kids - they get dirty, and I don't want them coming to me every other day telling me they need more clothes because they're all dirty. :tongue_smilie: I do laundry enough as it is!

For the boys, I usually get their clothes at Children's Place and OshKosh. I haven't had any problems with the quality. I usually do those in particular for shirts. They have a few Izod and J.Khaki polo shirts, and we usually do jeans from TCP because they have good sales on them and they fit my kids well. I don't mind Crazy 8 but they run HUGE, and their jeans are awful (for boys, anyway - Pink had some 2T and they were fine). I like some of the Lands' End stuff but I think it's pricey for everyday wear - their coats are from there and they will wear them this year for the 3rd winter and they look amazing still. I don't like much from Gymboree for boys - I hated it when they were younger because it all looked so babyish :ack2: ... now I may get a tshirt or polo here and there, but not often. They've had a few random things from Carter's, but I don't like the style of their clothes for boys, especially over age 3-4.

Nowadays, I don't hand anything down anyway. Link won't be needing any new clothes this fall (just new shoes - he's been wearing this pair for over 2 years and they don't look awful, but they're definitely past their prime ;) ) as he still fits into his 7/8s and size 7 pants. Astro will be needing new stuff in that size. :D

With Pink, she's the only girl so obviously I don't worry about it. I buy a fair amount of her stuff from consignment and then sell a fair amount at consignment later on. I also give some to my (soon to be born) niece (who has clothes now up to 2T! ).

 

Anyway, I said all that to say that while I used to pass clothes down, now there really is no point to it for me. And as they get older there are many things that just end up getting used to the point of needing to go in the trash can, anyway. :)

Oh, and another thing about getting older/passing things down - I'm really into letting my kids pick their own clothes. Like, I took Link with me when he was 6 to pick out everything. I'm big on the individuality and creative expression of clothes, to the point that even though I hate skinny jeans on guys, when Astro tried on a pair last year (they were 'straight' but on him they were skinny!) I just said, 'Do you like them?' I would have let him get them if he did. He didn't. :lol: I shouldn't have been surprised - he'd live in track pants or sweat pants if he could. ;) So I also don't want having to wear hand me down clothes to interfere with each kid's personal style. Obviously if it was absolutely necessary, I would do it - but I've found that kids clothes just aren't that expensive.

Edited August 19, 2012 by PeacefulChaos

[WiseOwlKnits]

Goodwill and consignment sales are my best friends. I go to consignment sales on their last day when almost everything is 50% off the sticker price. I got Lily a bunch of winter shirts a couple of weeks ago for $2 each - all Justice, Gap, Aeropostale, etc. We do it partially from a money-saving strategy and a lot from an environmental standpoint. I'm big at teaching our kids to use and reuse, rather than use once and throw away. Lily's clothes also are getting saved for Mia if they're in good shape when she outgrows them, as well as a few of John's clothes (shorts, gender neutral shirts, etc).