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

[fionas]

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.

[Beach Mama]

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!

[Loula]

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!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Novella]

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

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

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)

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.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

[Olive]

I buy too much 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

[~Kim~]

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.

[Cranky Kitten]

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

[LuluHB]

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

[wysiwyg]

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!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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.

[Santosha]

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.

[Nai]

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!

[sangie]

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

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.

[fionas]

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.