Children's Clothes - How Many Do You Buy, How Much Do You Spend?

This year, I reckon I've really streamlined DD1's clothes. I don't seem to have bought nearly as much as in previous years and I reckon I've learnt my lesson and have avoided things that are too hard to coordinate.

This is what I've bought for winter:

• Two dresses (total $40)
• Five sweat tops (total $40) - three plain, two flowery.
• Seven (ish) skivvies/tops - all plain colours (total around $50)
• Three pants, one jean, two cord pants (total around $35)
• Red leather shoes ($60)

All the tops can go under the sweat tops and they all go with the pants.

Things I've avoided:

• Hoodies with zips. Then it's really obvious if the top underneath doesn't match the hoodie.
• Anything stripey. Too hard to match.
• Cheap shoes. They last five minutes and I end up spending far more buying a few pairs than I would just buying one decent pair. Though I do have to buy her a pair of winter boots.

Gee, it sounds like DD1 is going around looking like a plain Jane. I think she always looks nice :) but then I'm biased. Though she hasn't taken off one dress I bought her for about three weeks. Best $20 I've ever spent.

I'm about to do ours here too- where did you get 5 sweat tops for that price!?!? I usually get one hoody at Cotton on kids them a few zipped ones at Target/Kmart?

My DD doesn't like jeans or trackies so it's leggings and stockings all winter here!

I haven't brought DS any clothes since I was pg! My family send me them all the time from uk. We have way too much of everything. Even 6 pairs of Clark's shoes!!!! I wish they could streamline

Well done!


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The girls get new clothes twice a year summer/winter

1 good outfit (skirt and cute top this time)
5 xlong sleeved tshirts/tshirts
1x jeans
3x trackies or shorts
2x hoodies/summer dresses
1xrunners
1x good sandals/boots
1x gumboots/thongs
Undies and socks
2 pairs pjs

The girls also get clothes as gifts

I wait for targets sales then layby clothes. I think I spend $150 per child per season then shoes are About $60 dd gets a lot of hand me downs although she has had a recent growth spurt and is almost the same size as her big sister

Girls generally get clothes for their birthdays or x-mas from friend/family and I tend to buy as they move up a size in between.
Both have very full cupboards & at last count over 40 pairs of shoes (to share) :redface:

DD1 got new kinder pants & I will be looking to buy her a new raincoat soon but they both get 1 nice winter jacket as they move size.
I very rarely pay full price for their clothes, always wait for sales.


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I buy too much :redface: I mainly buy from the UK
Tan DD2 has refused jeans/pants for a few years now do its dresses/skirts with tights and leggings as well, works well for us because being a string bean pants just don't fit, DD2 is similar :rolleyes:

Funny you post this. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm actually better at it for DS.
I'm writiing down these ideas for my expedition today. We have very limited kids stuff available and Target have 20%off and triple flybys today so that's where we're headed.

Heh, I did DS's big winter shop during the big baby sales and put it on layby. Got a heap of long sleeved t-shirts, a couple of hoodie jumpers (one thick woollen one, one lighter fleecy one) and a few pairs of pants, both trackies and cargos/jeans. The problem I'm having at the moment is it's all size 0, and while some stuff fits with legs rolled up etc, most doesn't - so I've had to go out and supplement with some smaller warm clothes because it's gotten cold at night already.

Mind you, I did manage to raid the local op shops for some of it. Nice stuff at $1-2 per piece is awesome :)

Too many and too much basically! I almost never buy clothes for myself but have in the past struggled to resist cute/pretty things for the girls. It is definitely my biggest financial weakness. I don't ever buy second hand even though I know some of the stuff I donate to the op shops is practically brand new still, so other stuff must be too. I just can't bring myself to do it and justify it on the basis that DD2 will already have a lot of second hand stuff.

I've definitely turned a corner with both of them now that they're at school/kindy though. They wear uniforms, which saves a heap on clothing requirements. Like Tan and Olive's girls, they both refuse to wear anything but dresses most of the time too although in winter I can talk them into jeans or tracky dacks if we're going to the park or outside to play. So, dresses and skirts with tights here, and a couple of pairs of jeans and trackies for outside play. They will have two pairs of shoes each - sneakers and good shoes (hopefully the ones I bought a little too big for them in Hong Kong just before Christmas will fit them!). I try and end up with two colour schemes each, so that everything can mix and match.

Of course, #3 already has a wardrobe full of brand new outfits courtesy of me and my Mum, who also has absolutely no self control when it comes to the girls' clothes. I never thought we would plan a third, so this little one will have to be in size 2s and 3s before she can expect hand me downs from her big sisterw. At last count I think I had about 30 outfits in 0000s but mainly 000s. My justification is that as a busy mum of 3 I want to minimise my need for washing frequently by having more changes. DH isn't buying that one though :rolleyes:

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I haven't brought DS any clothes since I was pg! My family send me them all the time from uk. We have way too much of everything. Even 6 pairs of Clark's shoes!!!! I wish they could streamline

Well done!


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Same here - the only stuff I buy is secondhand or cheap stuff that I want to customise. My IL's live near Clark's village where Clarks is based in UK and there is a big outlet store there - unfortunately DD has funny feet and her size and style she requires seems difficult to come by over there - but as she grows older I expect they will send us most shoes.

I hate shopping my mum and MIL love it so works well. I also like the fact that the differing tastes between the two mean we get a variety of stuff.

I always start by doing an op-shop / second-hand baby store shop. Last run for DS I got 4 t-shirts, 2long-sleeved tops, 3 pairs of pants/trakkies and a winter coat all in great condition and spent $35 total. I also buy a couple of really old things (50c each) so he's got something to crawl around in the dirt and wreck without me having to worry. Having done this, I feel I can justify a few 'nicer' things to complete his wardrobe.

I do the baby and kids markets. Last time I got 25 items for $80 including 4 pairs of shoes (seed, Zara), 6 dresses (Wayne cooper jnr, country road, milkshake), 5 tops (gap) amongst others. I never pay full price and like to buy second hand where possible. Even so, my girls have way too many clothes!

I buy too much too, just can't seem to resist! :redface:

But I'm really trying to cut back lol! Your list sounds good. The things I'd need to add to that are winter PJ's (which easter bunny is bringing), gumboots, a winter coat and tights/leggings. I also have a DD who hates jeans but thankfully she'll wear cord pants and trackies although she'd much prefer to wear dresses/skirts every day. My DD seems to have had a growth spurt lately so I also need to get her new singlets and socks. Just need to find the time to go and do it!

Five sweat tops for $40 is great, I'd love to know where you got them from.

Thanks ladies - interesting to see what other people are spending/buying.

Nai - I should get on to babies/children's markets, sounds like you got yourself a fab deal there.

So, for those who asked, I just checked the tags and got three sweat tops (no hoods) for $7 each from Best & Less. They are plain but warm (nice soft, fleecy lining) in the usual pastel colours. I also got two flowery ones for $12 each. So $45 in total (bit more than the $40 I said but you could stick to the plain and get fice for $35). I was quite pleased with this as I usually spend $20 each for them from Target or Cotton On so to save $13 on each one I thought was fab.