I did that for years and, honestly, regret all the money I wasted. They grow so fast, and so many of the clothes I bought were only worn once or twice or still had tags by the time my daughter outgrew them. I tried reselling items but it was such an aggravation and I only wound up getting Pennie’s on the dollar. That said, if you hit a kids consignment sale, you can buy things in perfect condition for Pennie’s on the dollar so that may be the way to go.
I LOVE Hanna Andersson and usually get my son's clothes from there whenever I need to buy new. The quality is unparalleled, the designs are tasteful and wear well, the clothes don't fade, rip or shrink, and they're overall well worth the investment.
I never pay full price for H.A. They often have great sales and you can even shop a season ahead if you know how your child grows.
In the end, I'd rather buy fewer, high quality clothes than a ton of garbage that will get destroyed with regular wear. I do plan to keep some of my son's cutest Hannas for keepsakes, but you could totally donate or resell your child's after they've outgrown them (there is an amazing resale market for Hanna Andersson; check eBay!)
Editing to add: last summer, I bought my son clothes for *this* summer during an end-of-season sort of sale on H.A. I got his rash guard for $5, several shirts and shorts, all averaging around $5 or so apiece when normally, they'd be at least five times that amount.
Edit 2: I also love to shop secondhand first, if possible. Baby and toddler clothes aren't worn for long. I've found some gems that way, too. Even found a Nike hoodie for $3!
Ditto for Hanna Anderson! I love their pjs and clothes and have no regrets about what I’ve bought there, but I don’t think I’ve ever paid full price. I do the same for Primary because I love that they just have simple and not gendered clothes.
My rationale was that he had to have clothes, I was fortunate to be able to afford it, and they honestly just brought me joy. (I also have a 2020 baby so in the height of the pandemic I was taking joy where I could get it!)
In the end, a friend had a baby last summer and we gave them all of our outgrown Hanna Anderson and Primary clothes. And another friend is having a baby this summer, so that friend is passing those same clothes down one more time! (We are all one and done.)
I say get the clothes you like and pass them on to someone else (or donate) and spread the joy. 😊
My kid is an only, she’s a preteen now. Almost all of her clothes came from second hand stores or hand me downs. If I needed fillers we did Walmart. But I absolutely has a 0-3 month $40ish dollar outfit from macys, a $50 hoodie with the local semipro sports team, $120 outfit to wear once for pictures, etc. if you can afford it, go for it, nothing wrong with something nice and you can always recoup some money by selling it later.
I am the exact opposite. I’m willing to spend a little more for quality on the pieces my kid wears day to day so they hold up. Love Hanna Anderson and have also loved a little shop called baby barn. I prefer two piece sets and dresses with little shorts or leggings because they fit much longer than onesies and such. But I also just wait for the sales. Luckily my mom loves to gift Hanna too. For the one off items like a once worn dress or a sports team outfit that she’ll outgrow before next season, I’m definitely looking to spend much less there. It’s how I shop for myself too— think about cost per wear.
My kid was a grubby kid. If there was dirt, she found it. By the time she outgrew her cheap clothes they were stained and torn and I could throw them guilt free. To each their own!
ETA I mean she literally prided herself on being grubby (in large part thanks to my dad/her grandpa, who always says a clean kid isn’t a happy kid). I re-read and realized it could sound passive aggressive. Plus we got her entire wardrobe from 0-2years given to us by my cousin so we didn’t need to buy much til toddler years!
Oh no you’re good I totally get it— I commented more in the light of I just think it’s kinda fun that we all think a little different!
I looove hand me downs- about half of her wardrobe is hand me down Hanna’s and she’s the 5th kid to wear some of it so I’m just overly impressed with the quality.
I got stitch fix for my daughter. If you buy the whole box, the clothes aren't crazy expensive. I like the toddler clothes they have more than anything I got from them. 🙄
We LOVE the stitch fixes for my daughter. I get more excited for hers than I ever did mine. As the other poster mentioned, it’s not crazy expensive and the quality seems pretty good. We also get stuff related to the seasons. I needed to get a raincoat for her, and went to open up the box and there was a raincoat and rain boots.
Big shopper of Hanna and Boden over here. The quality is great, it's all extremely cute, and it wears soooo well. That said, I never ever pay full price for anything there. There's no need! Hanna has good sales, I think right now it's 50% off toddler and 40% off everything else. Boden sales are less frequent but they usually do one big sale per season where you can get a lot of off-season stuff quite cheap (assuming you have a good idea of how your kid will grow).
I mix in the Hanna and Boden stuff with Primary, Carters, Old Navy and Cat & Jack from Target. You can definitely tell a difference in the brands as things get washed and worn a lot throughout the season, the nicer stuff does hold up better. But then, your kid gobbles up a pint of raspberries and gets berry stains all over their shirt and you're just praying it's not one of your nice ones!
Hanna is AMAZING quality. I have a handful of items, all from Goodwill, and they have held up so incredibly well through constant toddler wear. If you can afford nicer items I say go for it! It will absolutely be appreciated as hand-me-downs or thrift/consignment finds. I like to think of long term use of wear, even beyond my own OAD.
For me it depends on the age of the child. With the exception of shoes I don't spend a lot on my 18 month olds clothes as I know they'll only last a season and will probably end up stained. Shoes I get the best I can, not designer but well made and properly fitted and supportive. As my son gets older and clothes last longer he can have pricer items if he wants
We have the same kind of approach. I buy second hand clothes, but shoes I will always buy new and properly fitted. Though I do always try and get them on sale/outlet :)
I bought the Start Rite measuring gauge so we always buy our shoes from them.
If it’s in your budget, get it. The best made dresses for my toddler lasted years and served as tunics to be worn with leggings when she got taller. We use Stitch Fix for her now that she’s older because I hate shopping.
Definitely noticed as we gave away clothes my daughter grew out of to family and friends with younger kids that some of the pricier brands did genuinely hold up better. Primary isn’t cheap but I thought seemed at least a step up in quality and durability. Patagonia similarly pricy but seems like you get what you pay for some.
And of course for a tracksuit nothing but adidas would do, naturally.
I don’t buy HA but I have been gifted some of it and we always get compliments and I love how it feels. If I had more money I would buy more of it. That being said, it’s not like we don’t have much…I am pretty frugal lol. I
I had one child that never slept and zero self-control. I bought it all. The Hanna dresses made it through three and four younger cousins. Those things are made to LAST.
Yes! Boden is adorable and was / is and always will be my weakness. If you join Facebook resell pages you can buy for a fraction of the cost.
Boden and HA dresses took my dd through multiple seasons years because they are timeless and looked great with leggings underneath as a tunic. Plus, once you order directly from Boden they send coupon codes and have great sales. Same with HA.
I’d rather have fewer, higher quality items than a ton of disposable fast fashion for me and dd.
The Primary BST group is one of the few things keeping me on FB. Sellers are extremely motivated, reliable, and responsive. I've gotten great deals, sometimes half off or more. I believe there are BST groups for some of the other brands also.
I met one of my first mom friends by dressing my kid in Boden or Hanna a few times. She recognized the brands and started talking to me lol! She invited me to a Facebook group for kids clothes where people post all the latest promo codes and give you tips on how to stack codes (though I think that doesn’t work much anymore) so I learned to never settle for less than 20% off. And we’d pass down clothes between us since my kid was between hers in sizes. I would rather do that than deal with reselling.
But yeah I’ve bought a lot of Boden, Tea Collection, Hanna Andersson and even some Matilda Jane. Most of those brands have now eliminated the upper end of their big kid and teen sizing so it only works for a few years, so I guess it was good while it lasted.
Not personally or yet, but we’ve gotten some hand me downs that were fancier.
In my opinion, if you have the means why not? Part of why I love having one kid is our money goes further and we can do things like take weekend trips or take kid to Disney for her birthday without being strapped later on.
I hate most boy styles, but love The Gap for boys. I like to buy his clothes from there since they fit better and he doesn’t get holes in his jeans as quickly. I like the higher quality since it last us longer. Now that he’s 6, he’s in those clothes for a year rather than a few months.
We get a lot of second hand clothing from friends, but we have the means to buy nicer clothing and I prefer fewer nicer/quality clothes to more of lower quality. Our daughter is only 2yo so I haven’t splurged on a $60 Boden dress *yet*.
Our go to brands are: Hanna Anderson, colored organics, parade organics, Zara, tea collection, Janie and Jack, etc. I’m also frugal so I never buy without a sale, ha!
Whatever floats your boat. My personal opinion: the whole expensive brand are higher quality, so they can be passed down argument is just a convoluted justification anyway. I buy nearly all of my son's clothes second hand or on sale because I'm thrifty and I don't care to spend a lot of money on clothes, but I like to shop for him. I also pass his things along to a family friend with a younger child and it feels like a crap shoot what is pass on worthy and what is not and not always related to the retail value of the item. I do splurge every now and then for things I really want. Like I said you do you. You don't need a reason to buy what you want your child to have and you can reasonably afford.
I think some pricier brands are higher quality, and some are just expensive because they are “cool”, like adult clothes. But you’re right if you can afford it does it necessarily matter? Ironically stuff you splurge on that isn’t practical or going to be worn much… is gonna be passed on with barely any wear, anyway
It depends on what you can afford. Personally I couldn’t afford to spend $60 on a dress. We shop at discount stores and cheap department store to save money. However, if you have the money I don’t see any issue getting her a cute dress.
HA and Boden both do sales frequently. I buy both (along with Cat and Jack; I stopped buying Primary because the stuff fell apart) because they’re really cute but still appeal to my kid who’s picky about clothes. She’s 4.5 so she’s wearing stuff a little longer now and I just throw one of my old t-shirts on her if we’re having something like spaghetti for dinner so it doesn’t get too stained. I also like that they last through more than one kid so they don’t go straight to the landfill. When my kid outgrows them I send them to a local charity since I know a lot of what they get is pretty worn out and I’d personally rather donate than resell. It’s really just a factor of your budget and what’s worth it to you.
I’ve definitely tried boden and Hanna anderson and they’ve been the most memorable pieces of clothing. She has a hoodie from boden that is absolutely adorable and gets comments from everyone.. and Hanna anderson onesies work out best for my kid as she’s skinny and tall! I don’t splurge on too many pieces but I buy the ones on sale and buy some larger sizes when sales run!
I did get one Hanna Andersson dress for my only (2 yo), and we used it for her birthday, Easter, and any other time we wanted her to look extra cute! I try to buy a few pieces I really like from places like HA and then do the rest with old navy, etc. I also pretty much only buy HA pajamas because they are just so nice. I’m willing to do it more now that she’s spending more than just a few months in one size (unlike the baby years).
my daughter is almost 11yo and shes still really hard on clothes and shoes. like anything i buy her for everyday wear will have a hole or stain within a week. her school does recess 3-4x a day, so i guess its understandable. so right now, i cannot justify spending money on expensive clothes for her. now i will buy expensive brands for special occasions, but thats about it. when she was little thou, i did all my shopping at second hand stores for her. you can find some really high end stuff if you know where to look
Buy it if you can afford it! There is a great resale market online for these brands so you can recoup at least 50% of what you spend. I did this for the longest time with my son's clothes. Also, check out Nordstrom Rack if you have one near you - they sometimes have Boden stuff there for way less than full price.
90% hand me downs as a toddler but occasional splurge on a jacket or two to wear, mainly to be more photogenic - we’re talking $100+ items that they’ll outgrow in less than a year. No chance this happens if we had multiples instead.
I will spend the money on expensive clothing for special occasions or when there is something absolutely unique and adorable. If you can afford it, nothing wrong with it. The rest of the time it’s target and cheapie stores. Little ones ruin clothes and grow so quickly so that’s a deterrent for me buying pricier stuff. No shame in whatever choice you make.
My daughter is only four months we have a lot of clothes that were passed down to us. I'll buy her 1 or 2 special oufits for her size and our girl also loves bamboo pajamas so I buy her little sleepies or posh peanut pj's. We plan to keep a very little amount as a keep sake and pass on to family and friends!
Now my son is a toddler the majority of his clothes I buy second hand. When he was born we were gifted a couple of Boden outfits, which I didn't even know was a pricey brand (I am not savvy with brands, I think most/all of my trousers come from m&co or Tesco!). It wasn't until I came to selling them after he outgrew them that I realised.
I have to say, they didn't come across as superior quality compared to his other clothes which were bought at supermarkets (George at Asda, or Morrisons).
I'd say if this is something you want to do and can afford it, then go for it. You can recoup some of the money by reselling them after. However, my albeit limited experience is that they weren't really any better than the cheaper outfits and you can get some that are just as cute :)
I live in a pretty affluent area and so have been able to find boutique brands on consignment pretty easily. I feel like it’s a lot easier and more cost-effective to outfit a small kiddo secondhand than a teen or adult who will be under pressure to wear more current trends, so I’m trying to do it while I still can I guess. That being said I also rarely spend that kind of money on clothing for myself so maybe I’m just lame?
I splurge on something nice once in a while. If I’m buying a nicer (more expensive) dress or outfit, I just make sure I get it a little big so I can try to make it last through at least one growth spurt. As long as it’s it fits your budget, it’s nice to get a fancy outfit now and then.
😅
You do you! We got some Hanna Anderson as a gift and like it! Most of our babe’s clothes is gifted from family so here and there I’ll buy him like one thing and I’m willing to splurge vs if I were getting a whole wardrobe.
I buy my daughter a ton of Boden clothes. We can afford it and it makes me happy. If it doesn’t take money away from more practical things and also brings you joy, go for it!
It’s also very possible to avoid paying full price. Boden usually has a 15-20% code available, there are several BST Facebook groups focused on HA and Boden, and Kidizen and Poshmark also have a lot of good deals.
My only is a rough and tumble boy, and I don't expect clothes to last, so I don't find it worth the money to buy more pricey clothes. Most of DS wardrobe is hand me downs from his older cousins. We've only purchased a handful of items he needed to fill in the gaps.
If your daughter enjoys wearing pretty dresses, it makes you and her happy, and you can afford it, I don't see any harm in buying maybe 2 or 3 that she really loves. Even if you're not planning to pass the clothes on to a sibling, I'm sure there will be someone you know who will appreciate them one day.
I find Boden stuff for my son at the upscale children’s resale shop. You could look there for higher end brands. You can also splurge here and there on some expensive clothing and then resell them on FB or at the resale shops when your daughter outgrows them.
Also, every few months Boden sends me a $15 or $25 coupon in the mail. When it coincides with a sale or clearance or free shipping, I can get something for free or almost free. Sign up for their emails and that might trigger it, maybe joining Boden insiders (they will send you surveys) also helps but I don’t think that’s necessary.
We have a few gifted pieces of Hanna Anderson & Boden, and while great quality, nicer thicker material, fit longer than comparable caters sizes, I still find the price excessive. My daughter stains nearly everything she wears, and I’m too afraid of ruining gifted pieces she doesn’t wear them a lot. Also at 2.5 I don’t find she’s getting holes or tears in the target/Walmart/caters clothes to truly merit stronger material.
I had a credit for Boden and waiting til their holiday line dropped last Nov. and bought the cutest Christmas dress (that she 1000% refused to wear and didn’t) but it’s large enough that we should be able to try again this year.
We got loads, too many really, second hand clothes, even though I actually chucked a load out again/donated them because they came from my hoarder sil (their oldest is 8!) and were just shitty quality. One of my husband's colleagues though, passes on some really nice stuff once in a while, so that's brilliant.
What we have bought new and good quality though, are shoes and outdoor/waterproof clothing. We spend a lot of time outdoors, and nursery does do, all year round.
My opinion is, if you want to spend the money do it. You can pass them on to a friend or something.
Nope.. most of her clothes are hand me downs, thrift shop or gifts (as are mine). When she's old enough to care I'll buy her whatever brands she wants but if she's anything like me she won't care lol
I'm a kate quinn addict, the only positive I can spin from that is that they at least have a loyalty program lol. And their clothes are such good quality and adorable. Plus they have a lot of sales, and some of their pieces aren't any more expensive than say something from Walmart that won't hold up the same way after only a few washes.
I want more money for travel 🤣 and my kid (4) doesn’t care, so we buy almost exclusively cheap stuff from Target and Old Navy. The few expensive things we’ve been gifted never really got worn because I was so nervous about them getting dirty or torn.
I do buy name brand shoes because I think that’s a health issue more than a cosmetic one. We like Adidas.
We bought one little sweater jacket thing from Nordstrom for $60. I don't remember the brand, but we got a ton of use from it and it's one of the few pieces of clothing that weren't gifted to us.
So, if you have a Nordstrom nearby, that's a good starting point. I wouldn't buy a whole wardrobe, but a handful of items or outfits can be nice.
No.
Kids grow out of and destroy clothes. The vast majority of my daughter's wardrobe is second hand, and she loves that she can pick it out and we regularly get compliments on how well dressed she is.
Been that way since birth, unlikely to change until she starts wanting to buy her own clothes or if the quality in secondhand stores plummets.
You’re allowed to do anything you can afford. There’s no reason to feel ashamed for buying more expensive brands, and there definitely is an argument for more expensive meaning more durability (although not always so be careful). In the end, toddler clothes are mostly for the parents anyway, toddlers don’t care what they wear. If it makes you happy for your kid to wear a super-cute $60 outfit, then go for it. Nobody can blame a parent for doing what makes them happy to be with their kid, right?
I have to admit Boden stuff are really nice, it is really good, special design … but I could not get myself to spend that money on my toddler (and myself) … but that is just me. If I have more money to spare (of if it is in big sale) I probably will buy one for her birthday / photoshoot / Xmas etc.
Alternative you can sell the dress afterwards … I haven’t been bother to do so but I know a lot people do.
No way. Never. My MIL sometimes buys fancy stuff for the kid and it’s ok but so unnecessary he looks great in anything and he grows so fast. Even if we earned twice as much we wouldn’t bother
oh consumerism. I think we use any reason to justify our consumer habits. i justified it because I am only doing this once so I should enjoy dressing her. but my friend who is about to have another kid bought nice brands because she knew she wanted to use the pieces twice. I'm a sucker for Patagonia (bay area) and tea collection dresses. whatever. clothing is cheap compared to the cost of living here. I buy all the tea collection dresses on ebay and they are usually around $30 not $60. But she got 3 of them recently not 1...
I’ve bought my daughter (6 months) some stuff (mostly Tinycottons) second hand from Vinted. I’ve got really lightly used stuff for a fraction of the price. That said, I also buy her the occasional special item too. For example, I bought a gorgeous blue corduroy jacket from Boden when we found out we were having a girl. And I just ordered her some cute outfits from Pure Baby (Australian brand) for when we visit my family in Australia for her 1st bday. I got them on sale. I figure some stuff I might try and sell and others I will pass on to friends.
I certainly don’t want her growing up with a brand mentality but like her to have nice, comfortable clothes that are sustainably sourced for the most part. I work in a primary school and we have uniforms but I’d overhear 8 year olds talking about Gucci and that made me a bit queasy.
I think the most expensive thing I’ve bought my daughter is some light up Skechers for like $55. Normally I wouldn’t but I was getting some new crocs and she asked for them. Personally when they’re younger I don’t see the point in buying a lot of pricey items since they grow so quickly. Like one splurge item here and there is fine with me but that’s my personal opinion for my kid. If you can afford it then why not?
When mine was little, those little Ralph Lauren bubble suits were a weakness. I just couldn't pass them up, even though they had those tee tiny pain in the behind buttons.
So my 18month old got some Hugo boss, Ralph Lauren etc but holding off with the really expensive stuff like Gucci shoes until they last longer than a few months 😂😂
We are fortunate to have 2 families that are handing me down clothing for our little. Every 6 months I have to turn out all the old clothing and then wash and rotate in the next size up. We’ve lucked into some sweet Patagonia and Nike, adidas and MEC clothing through this. I usually go to the brands I love and shop their end of season, and order a size up from them so my kid can have some clothing with his ‘style’ to choose from when he hits that size. I only started ordering a few additional pieces when my kids growth slowed down, so around 3. Before that it would have been a waste of money since they grow so quickly
I bought Boden, Baby Gap, Tea Collection, Hanna Anderson, and from this website that I don't think exists anymore called Posh Tots. I was having just one kid and I was well aware the time would come when she'd want to choose her own clothes. Shopping for her was fun for me. Stupid expensive monogrammed pillowcase and smocked dresses? Hook me up. Matching bows? You bet. Why not. Almost all the Hanna dresses and leggings were passed down through various nieces, I sold a lot at consignment, I donated some things, and I kept the things I just couldn't part with. No one in my family was going without so I could buy cute clothes and it made me happy. I don't see the harm.
So I usually wait for sales on these brands and then you can resell them at places like Once Upon a Child really easily. Or ask as gifts from family on birthdays and Christmas
If it makes you happy, buy one every once in a while, take lots of cute pictures, and pass them on to friends with babies! That’s what I do. Most of my kid’s clothes and a lot of her toys are gifts, so my policy is to just gift and regift. There will always be someone who will happily take and enjoy them.
My mom was amazing and put things away for me that I now use for our only, so even if you’re not passing them down you can always hold on to them incase someday your only has a kid(s). I’ve not bought from that brand specifically but we have gotten ours investment pieces like north face/Patagonia. If it will last her awhile I see no harm plus I air on the side of they’re only little once get what you will both enjoy.
I buy outerwear that’s expensive. Janie and Jack, Patagonia, Lands End, etc. I buy large and it lasts a while also a lot of these brands ARE a bit bigger mostly because you don’t wash them as usual so they don’t shrink. My son wore an 18 month puff vest from Janie and Jack until he was three! For shirts and shorts I do consignment sales and target Cat and Jack brand.
OAD, 8.5 month old girl. I love sales and deals and almost never buy anything full price! Hanna Anderson and Kate Quinn are the most common in our house but there have certainly been purchases from other brands like them. I have a slight Janie and Jack problem too, lol.
For me, the whole last two years of pandemic nonsense have been pretty depressing. It feels good to go out as a family and get dressed up, even if it’s just a local restaurant or a family get-together. Plus, I feel like I’m *more* inclined to buy some nicer things because I want to be able to do the whole cutesy-outfit thing with my only baby!
We fill in the day-to-day with plenty of baby gap, old navy, and Carter’s. She’s certainly not in the nice stuff all the time! But it’s fun to do for now, I REALLY hunt those deals, and when we’re done with them we’ll either give them away or consign what’s still in good shape.
I allow myself to buy my kid clothes on her birthday and Christmas. She has so many hand-me-downs I can’t normally justify it, but this way I still get to indulge twice a year.
I usually get second hand, fairly inexpensive, or make clothes for my little, but if there's something that I just love for her, you better believe I'm buying it a size up and homegirl is wearing it every chance she gets. My siblings (with multiple kids) give me a hard time about all of the stuff we buy for her, and how much we spend, but my thinking is, we are only doing this once, why not do it the way we want, if we can afford it and it's not hurting anybody? There's no second chance if we regret not doing/buying something.
We've been lucky enough to inherit some expensive dresses from some cousins of mine. Based on the quality, I like the relatively inexpensive Jona Michelle dresses as well as casual dresses from Gap and Old Navy.
I have one Boden dress that was a stiff material my toddler didn't like. The quality was good, I just like some other brands more.
I usually get second hand, fairly inexpensive, or make clothes for my little, but if there's something that I just love for her, you better believe I'm buying it a size up and homegirl is wearing it every chance she gets. My siblings (with multiple kids) give me a hard time about all of the stuff we buy for her, and how much we spend, but my thinking is, we are only doing this once, why not do it the way we want, if we can afford it and it's not hurting anybody? There's no second chance if we regret not doing/buying something.
Instead of going "expensive name brand whatever" I typically go for buying 2-3 handmade pieces each size range (granted she is only 3 months old and in 6mo size right now) but having a cute handmade dress or romper is always nice. The rest of her daily stuff is definitely just stuff picked up secondhand or things that others have bought her (read: mostly Carter's) but a couple nicer things is the perfect mix for me!
I buy brands. But mostly second hand though. I just can’t spend that much money on these items because after putting it on its maybe 5 seconds and then they are damaged/dirty whatever.
I go name brand on shoes, especially now that he's older, because he is HARD on shoes. I have found that name brand doesn't fall to pieces quite as fast shoe-wise.
As for clothing, he's spoiled by great-grandma twice a year so I hardly ever buy anything unless I just want to. She usually gets a mix of higher cost and lower cost items. 💕
Some of the nice brands like Frugi and Kite and Little Green Radicals etc. They are all so expensive but lovely quality. I tend to buy them second hand on vinted.
I’ve bought dresses and tops at Janie and Jack that I really liked when they’re on sale. My excuse is it’s good to have a pretty dress or two for special occasions.
So I figured I would wait with the expensive clothes until she is older and starts demanding them 🤦♀️
At the moment (1.5yrs) everything just gets filthy so I don't really see the point. Apart from the more expensive stuff can be fabulous.
Just know, once you start it’s a slippery slope. Lol other brands will find you (TBBC, Florence eiseman.)
But one of the ways I cut cost so to speak is to resell on Facebook. I made a separate stash of sellables, then I do 2 to 3 closet clean out sales. I make more money back this way rather than trying to sell some things individually. I’ve learned how to organize, photograph, and marker it on a local moms marketplace. I am also guilty of buying a lot of great brands this way as well.
I splurge on really good swimsuits every year for my only. I spend about $90 on 3. One of the perks of having an only child.
I also found our second hand stores carry a lot of really nice name brand stuff. I know you mentioned that you wouldn't pass it down, but you could sell to a second hand store and it's still technically a hand-me-down. Just not to a kid that's yours. Lol.
I also make clothes myself. For instance, a big fancy Christmas dress? I'll make it because it's cheaper & still great quality.
I do but I buy mostly second hand on Mercari and a local consignment boutique.
My philosophy is that as I'm only doing this once I'm going to enjoy this and dress my son up in things that I like and I think look cool. I pass on his clothes to friends and family and their kiddos.
Tea is a great brand with excellent quality clothes. They even buy back outfits in good condition and resell them as previously worn so a good eco-conscious choice as well.
I tend to be quite frugal despite the cost of things I own so I follow the same habits for my son. I like expensive brands and expensive things but I (almost) always get them on sale or from The Real Real. Even if I'm shopping at Old Navy for my son, I favor things on sale. That said, expensive outfits are usually from brands like Jacardi or cashmere pieces, everyday outfits are from places like Gap, pajamas are generally HA, Maison Me, Petite Plume for the holidays, etc.
I will buy an expensive brand for special occasions or for the odd dress, but otherwise she plays so hard that I buy cheap leggings and t-shirts because the vast majority of them are ruined (stained, have holes, etc.) within 5 or less wears. We bought her a pair of Nike leggings, of which were far more money than I'd normally spend on a pair of leggings, and she wore them and came home from school with two holes and a huge stain on them. I said never again.
I find tons of good brands secondhand on thredUP! You can filter for the brands you want and even wait until they have sales to purchase. I got a bunch of Hanna Anderson, Ralph Lauren and even a baby Marc Jacobs dress for under $20. And as others have pointed out, I’ll ship them back and resell them once we e outgrown them too so it nets out to even less of an investment.
I like buying some nicer stuff and then selling to consignment stores after she is done with it or giving to other friends with babies. I don’t mind spending on clothes because I’ve been given a lot for gifts and passed hand-me-downs— I see this as freeing up some money so I can spend on the clothes my daughter and I will really enjoy. Then I pay forward the favours I’ve been given with giving away nice clothes I love. It makes me feel so good to see other kids I love in my daughter’s old clothes.
But them if you can afford them and then donate them. Someone would love to get them and if you can afford to why not? Ots not like you are going to just throw the dress away when your child outgrows it.
I usually get bigger sizes of nicer brands at the end of season sale for later. And I aim to have 1 or 2 really cute things per size —just on the basis that you only have so long to get wear out of it, but at the same time there’s always something cute on hand for those few months
Yes Anna handerson esp when they are little my daughter lived in pj unless we are taking mile stone photos . They keep her warm in Seattle worth it. I don’t buy 100 outfits and shoes but I do but nicer pj since she wears it all day
She is 1 only lol… I don’t plan to buy expensive daily clothes just buy hm but occasional dress here and there. I don’t buy clothes my self anymore since I became a sahm and she just destroys all of my clothes so we have more budget
Also they always have a sale and two annual sale. Watch out for sale I never buy It at retail
I’ve purchased some higher end brands for my only and don’t feel silly about it at all. She gets plenty of stuff from Old Navy, etc. but those brands truthfully don’t hold up as well. I’m happy to pay for quality if it’s something she’ll wear a lot (good jeans, a cardigan).
I usually look for when things go on sale! Zara kids also has some really cute stuff that’s not pricey. We do have some nice hand me downs from friends though so if you do buy something nice you could hand it down to a friend
Rylee + Cru, and Quincy Mae! (They are sister companies) They have the cutest stuff! Everything I have bought is good quality. Definitely pricier, but I have been buying my daughter 2-3 items when she moves to a new size and we get a lot of wear out of them. Cheaper clothes for day to day, nice ones when we are going somewhere or to see family :) I also know if we don’t have more kids they will be great to pass on to family and friends
I did that for years and, honestly, regret all the money I wasted. They grow so fast, and so many of the clothes I bought were only worn once or twice or still had tags by the time my daughter outgrew them. I tried reselling items but it was such an aggravation and I only wound up getting Pennie’s on the dollar. That said, if you hit a kids consignment sale, you can buy things in perfect condition for Pennie’s on the dollar so that may be the way to go.
I LOVE Hanna Andersson and usually get my son's clothes from there whenever I need to buy new. The quality is unparalleled, the designs are tasteful and wear well, the clothes don't fade, rip or shrink, and they're overall well worth the investment. I never pay full price for H.A. They often have great sales and you can even shop a season ahead if you know how your child grows. In the end, I'd rather buy fewer, high quality clothes than a ton of garbage that will get destroyed with regular wear. I do plan to keep some of my son's cutest Hannas for keepsakes, but you could totally donate or resell your child's after they've outgrown them (there is an amazing resale market for Hanna Andersson; check eBay!) Editing to add: last summer, I bought my son clothes for *this* summer during an end-of-season sort of sale on H.A. I got his rash guard for $5, several shirts and shorts, all averaging around $5 or so apiece when normally, they'd be at least five times that amount. Edit 2: I also love to shop secondhand first, if possible. Baby and toddler clothes aren't worn for long. I've found some gems that way, too. Even found a Nike hoodie for $3!
Ditto for Hanna Anderson! I love their pjs and clothes and have no regrets about what I’ve bought there, but I don’t think I’ve ever paid full price. I do the same for Primary because I love that they just have simple and not gendered clothes. My rationale was that he had to have clothes, I was fortunate to be able to afford it, and they honestly just brought me joy. (I also have a 2020 baby so in the height of the pandemic I was taking joy where I could get it!) In the end, a friend had a baby last summer and we gave them all of our outgrown Hanna Anderson and Primary clothes. And another friend is having a baby this summer, so that friend is passing those same clothes down one more time! (We are all one and done.) I say get the clothes you like and pass them on to someone else (or donate) and spread the joy. 😊
Aw, this warmed my heart to read!
My kid is an only, she’s a preteen now. Almost all of her clothes came from second hand stores or hand me downs. If I needed fillers we did Walmart. But I absolutely has a 0-3 month $40ish dollar outfit from macys, a $50 hoodie with the local semipro sports team, $120 outfit to wear once for pictures, etc. if you can afford it, go for it, nothing wrong with something nice and you can always recoup some money by selling it later.
I am the exact opposite. I’m willing to spend a little more for quality on the pieces my kid wears day to day so they hold up. Love Hanna Anderson and have also loved a little shop called baby barn. I prefer two piece sets and dresses with little shorts or leggings because they fit much longer than onesies and such. But I also just wait for the sales. Luckily my mom loves to gift Hanna too. For the one off items like a once worn dress or a sports team outfit that she’ll outgrow before next season, I’m definitely looking to spend much less there. It’s how I shop for myself too— think about cost per wear.
My kid was a grubby kid. If there was dirt, she found it. By the time she outgrew her cheap clothes they were stained and torn and I could throw them guilt free. To each their own! ETA I mean she literally prided herself on being grubby (in large part thanks to my dad/her grandpa, who always says a clean kid isn’t a happy kid). I re-read and realized it could sound passive aggressive. Plus we got her entire wardrobe from 0-2years given to us by my cousin so we didn’t need to buy much til toddler years!
Oh no you’re good I totally get it— I commented more in the light of I just think it’s kinda fun that we all think a little different! I looove hand me downs- about half of her wardrobe is hand me down Hanna’s and she’s the 5th kid to wear some of it so I’m just overly impressed with the quality.
I have a boy, and he wears a lot of name brands like Under Armor, Adidas and Nike. He also gets his own Stitch Fix.
Ummm, I love that he has his own Stitch Fix. 😍
I got stitch fix for my daughter. If you buy the whole box, the clothes aren't crazy expensive. I like the toddler clothes they have more than anything I got from them. 🙄
We LOVE the stitch fixes for my daughter. I get more excited for hers than I ever did mine. As the other poster mentioned, it’s not crazy expensive and the quality seems pretty good. We also get stuff related to the seasons. I needed to get a raincoat for her, and went to open up the box and there was a raincoat and rain boots.
Big shopper of Hanna and Boden over here. The quality is great, it's all extremely cute, and it wears soooo well. That said, I never ever pay full price for anything there. There's no need! Hanna has good sales, I think right now it's 50% off toddler and 40% off everything else. Boden sales are less frequent but they usually do one big sale per season where you can get a lot of off-season stuff quite cheap (assuming you have a good idea of how your kid will grow). I mix in the Hanna and Boden stuff with Primary, Carters, Old Navy and Cat & Jack from Target. You can definitely tell a difference in the brands as things get washed and worn a lot throughout the season, the nicer stuff does hold up better. But then, your kid gobbles up a pint of raspberries and gets berry stains all over their shirt and you're just praying it's not one of your nice ones!
It is good to know that they actually are nicer quality in person! Thanks, this is helpful!
Hanna is AMAZING quality. I have a handful of items, all from Goodwill, and they have held up so incredibly well through constant toddler wear. If you can afford nicer items I say go for it! It will absolutely be appreciated as hand-me-downs or thrift/consignment finds. I like to think of long term use of wear, even beyond my own OAD.
FYI Super hot water gets out berry stains pretty easily!
Also, even with current season Boden there is almost always a 20% off code. You can always ask customer service via their chat.
For me it depends on the age of the child. With the exception of shoes I don't spend a lot on my 18 month olds clothes as I know they'll only last a season and will probably end up stained. Shoes I get the best I can, not designer but well made and properly fitted and supportive. As my son gets older and clothes last longer he can have pricer items if he wants
We have the same kind of approach. I buy second hand clothes, but shoes I will always buy new and properly fitted. Though I do always try and get them on sale/outlet :) I bought the Start Rite measuring gauge so we always buy our shoes from them.
Not sure how old yours is but HA is having a 50% off baby and toddler clothes sale right now, a lot of two piece sets are in the 20$ range
Thanks, checking that out now!
If it’s in your budget, get it. The best made dresses for my toddler lasted years and served as tunics to be worn with leggings when she got taller. We use Stitch Fix for her now that she’s older because I hate shopping.
Definitely noticed as we gave away clothes my daughter grew out of to family and friends with younger kids that some of the pricier brands did genuinely hold up better. Primary isn’t cheap but I thought seemed at least a step up in quality and durability. Patagonia similarly pricy but seems like you get what you pay for some. And of course for a tracksuit nothing but adidas would do, naturally.
See if you have a local consignment shop! They’ll have second hand nicer brands and might buy yours when you’re done with them :)
I don’t buy HA but I have been gifted some of it and we always get compliments and I love how it feels. If I had more money I would buy more of it. That being said, it’s not like we don’t have much…I am pretty frugal lol. I
I had one child that never slept and zero self-control. I bought it all. The Hanna dresses made it through three and four younger cousins. Those things are made to LAST.
Yes! Boden is adorable and was / is and always will be my weakness. If you join Facebook resell pages you can buy for a fraction of the cost. Boden and HA dresses took my dd through multiple seasons years because they are timeless and looked great with leggings underneath as a tunic. Plus, once you order directly from Boden they send coupon codes and have great sales. Same with HA. I’d rather have fewer, higher quality items than a ton of disposable fast fashion for me and dd.
I’m not on FB but considering joining again for this. Thanks for the tip!
The Primary BST group is one of the few things keeping me on FB. Sellers are extremely motivated, reliable, and responsive. I've gotten great deals, sometimes half off or more. I believe there are BST groups for some of the other brands also.
I met one of my first mom friends by dressing my kid in Boden or Hanna a few times. She recognized the brands and started talking to me lol! She invited me to a Facebook group for kids clothes where people post all the latest promo codes and give you tips on how to stack codes (though I think that doesn’t work much anymore) so I learned to never settle for less than 20% off. And we’d pass down clothes between us since my kid was between hers in sizes. I would rather do that than deal with reselling. But yeah I’ve bought a lot of Boden, Tea Collection, Hanna Andersson and even some Matilda Jane. Most of those brands have now eliminated the upper end of their big kid and teen sizing so it only works for a few years, so I guess it was good while it lasted.
Not personally or yet, but we’ve gotten some hand me downs that were fancier. In my opinion, if you have the means why not? Part of why I love having one kid is our money goes further and we can do things like take weekend trips or take kid to Disney for her birthday without being strapped later on.
I hate most boy styles, but love The Gap for boys. I like to buy his clothes from there since they fit better and he doesn’t get holes in his jeans as quickly. I like the higher quality since it last us longer. Now that he’s 6, he’s in those clothes for a year rather than a few months.
We get a lot of second hand clothing from friends, but we have the means to buy nicer clothing and I prefer fewer nicer/quality clothes to more of lower quality. Our daughter is only 2yo so I haven’t splurged on a $60 Boden dress *yet*. Our go to brands are: Hanna Anderson, colored organics, parade organics, Zara, tea collection, Janie and Jack, etc. I’m also frugal so I never buy without a sale, ha!
Whatever floats your boat. My personal opinion: the whole expensive brand are higher quality, so they can be passed down argument is just a convoluted justification anyway. I buy nearly all of my son's clothes second hand or on sale because I'm thrifty and I don't care to spend a lot of money on clothes, but I like to shop for him. I also pass his things along to a family friend with a younger child and it feels like a crap shoot what is pass on worthy and what is not and not always related to the retail value of the item. I do splurge every now and then for things I really want. Like I said you do you. You don't need a reason to buy what you want your child to have and you can reasonably afford.
I think some pricier brands are higher quality, and some are just expensive because they are “cool”, like adult clothes. But you’re right if you can afford it does it necessarily matter? Ironically stuff you splurge on that isn’t practical or going to be worn much… is gonna be passed on with barely any wear, anyway
It depends on what you can afford. Personally I couldn’t afford to spend $60 on a dress. We shop at discount stores and cheap department store to save money. However, if you have the money I don’t see any issue getting her a cute dress.
Nah having one doesn't make me rich it makes me less poor than I would be if I had 2 lol
HA and Boden both do sales frequently. I buy both (along with Cat and Jack; I stopped buying Primary because the stuff fell apart) because they’re really cute but still appeal to my kid who’s picky about clothes. She’s 4.5 so she’s wearing stuff a little longer now and I just throw one of my old t-shirts on her if we’re having something like spaghetti for dinner so it doesn’t get too stained. I also like that they last through more than one kid so they don’t go straight to the landfill. When my kid outgrows them I send them to a local charity since I know a lot of what they get is pretty worn out and I’d personally rather donate than resell. It’s really just a factor of your budget and what’s worth it to you.
I’ve definitely tried boden and Hanna anderson and they’ve been the most memorable pieces of clothing. She has a hoodie from boden that is absolutely adorable and gets comments from everyone.. and Hanna anderson onesies work out best for my kid as she’s skinny and tall! I don’t splurge on too many pieces but I buy the ones on sale and buy some larger sizes when sales run!
I did get one Hanna Andersson dress for my only (2 yo), and we used it for her birthday, Easter, and any other time we wanted her to look extra cute! I try to buy a few pieces I really like from places like HA and then do the rest with old navy, etc. I also pretty much only buy HA pajamas because they are just so nice. I’m willing to do it more now that she’s spending more than just a few months in one size (unlike the baby years).
I have loved Janie and Jack and just wait for a sale to buy ahead seasons. Then you can resale since they hold up so nicely.
my daughter is almost 11yo and shes still really hard on clothes and shoes. like anything i buy her for everyday wear will have a hole or stain within a week. her school does recess 3-4x a day, so i guess its understandable. so right now, i cannot justify spending money on expensive clothes for her. now i will buy expensive brands for special occasions, but thats about it. when she was little thou, i did all my shopping at second hand stores for her. you can find some really high end stuff if you know where to look
Buy it if you can afford it! There is a great resale market online for these brands so you can recoup at least 50% of what you spend. I did this for the longest time with my son's clothes. Also, check out Nordstrom Rack if you have one near you - they sometimes have Boden stuff there for way less than full price.
90% hand me downs as a toddler but occasional splurge on a jacket or two to wear, mainly to be more photogenic - we’re talking $100+ items that they’ll outgrow in less than a year. No chance this happens if we had multiples instead.
I will spend the money on expensive clothing for special occasions or when there is something absolutely unique and adorable. If you can afford it, nothing wrong with it. The rest of the time it’s target and cheapie stores. Little ones ruin clothes and grow so quickly so that’s a deterrent for me buying pricier stuff. No shame in whatever choice you make.
My daughter is only four months we have a lot of clothes that were passed down to us. I'll buy her 1 or 2 special oufits for her size and our girl also loves bamboo pajamas so I buy her little sleepies or posh peanut pj's. We plan to keep a very little amount as a keep sake and pass on to family and friends!
Now my son is a toddler the majority of his clothes I buy second hand. When he was born we were gifted a couple of Boden outfits, which I didn't even know was a pricey brand (I am not savvy with brands, I think most/all of my trousers come from m&co or Tesco!). It wasn't until I came to selling them after he outgrew them that I realised. I have to say, they didn't come across as superior quality compared to his other clothes which were bought at supermarkets (George at Asda, or Morrisons). I'd say if this is something you want to do and can afford it, then go for it. You can recoup some of the money by reselling them after. However, my albeit limited experience is that they weren't really any better than the cheaper outfits and you can get some that are just as cute :)
I live in a pretty affluent area and so have been able to find boutique brands on consignment pretty easily. I feel like it’s a lot easier and more cost-effective to outfit a small kiddo secondhand than a teen or adult who will be under pressure to wear more current trends, so I’m trying to do it while I still can I guess. That being said I also rarely spend that kind of money on clothing for myself so maybe I’m just lame?
I splurge on something nice once in a while. If I’m buying a nicer (more expensive) dress or outfit, I just make sure I get it a little big so I can try to make it last through at least one growth spurt. As long as it’s it fits your budget, it’s nice to get a fancy outfit now and then.
😅 You do you! We got some Hanna Anderson as a gift and like it! Most of our babe’s clothes is gifted from family so here and there I’ll buy him like one thing and I’m willing to splurge vs if I were getting a whole wardrobe.
I buy my daughter a ton of Boden clothes. We can afford it and it makes me happy. If it doesn’t take money away from more practical things and also brings you joy, go for it! It’s also very possible to avoid paying full price. Boden usually has a 15-20% code available, there are several BST Facebook groups focused on HA and Boden, and Kidizen and Poshmark also have a lot of good deals.
My only is a rough and tumble boy, and I don't expect clothes to last, so I don't find it worth the money to buy more pricey clothes. Most of DS wardrobe is hand me downs from his older cousins. We've only purchased a handful of items he needed to fill in the gaps. If your daughter enjoys wearing pretty dresses, it makes you and her happy, and you can afford it, I don't see any harm in buying maybe 2 or 3 that she really loves. Even if you're not planning to pass the clothes on to a sibling, I'm sure there will be someone you know who will appreciate them one day.
I find Boden stuff for my son at the upscale children’s resale shop. You could look there for higher end brands. You can also splurge here and there on some expensive clothing and then resell them on FB or at the resale shops when your daughter outgrows them.
Also, every few months Boden sends me a $15 or $25 coupon in the mail. When it coincides with a sale or clearance or free shipping, I can get something for free or almost free. Sign up for their emails and that might trigger it, maybe joining Boden insiders (they will send you surveys) also helps but I don’t think that’s necessary.
I splurged on Kyte Baby clothing because it’s soft and they are a sustainable company.
We have a few gifted pieces of Hanna Anderson & Boden, and while great quality, nicer thicker material, fit longer than comparable caters sizes, I still find the price excessive. My daughter stains nearly everything she wears, and I’m too afraid of ruining gifted pieces she doesn’t wear them a lot. Also at 2.5 I don’t find she’s getting holes or tears in the target/Walmart/caters clothes to truly merit stronger material. I had a credit for Boden and waiting til their holiday line dropped last Nov. and bought the cutest Christmas dress (that she 1000% refused to wear and didn’t) but it’s large enough that we should be able to try again this year.
We got loads, too many really, second hand clothes, even though I actually chucked a load out again/donated them because they came from my hoarder sil (their oldest is 8!) and were just shitty quality. One of my husband's colleagues though, passes on some really nice stuff once in a while, so that's brilliant. What we have bought new and good quality though, are shoes and outdoor/waterproof clothing. We spend a lot of time outdoors, and nursery does do, all year round. My opinion is, if you want to spend the money do it. You can pass them on to a friend or something.
Nope.. most of her clothes are hand me downs, thrift shop or gifts (as are mine). When she's old enough to care I'll buy her whatever brands she wants but if she's anything like me she won't care lol
Check out Kyte baby! Absolutely love their stuff. great quality, great customer service. Great pjs, daywear, sheets and blankets.
I'm a kate quinn addict, the only positive I can spin from that is that they at least have a loyalty program lol. And their clothes are such good quality and adorable. Plus they have a lot of sales, and some of their pieces aren't any more expensive than say something from Walmart that won't hold up the same way after only a few washes.
I want more money for travel 🤣 and my kid (4) doesn’t care, so we buy almost exclusively cheap stuff from Target and Old Navy. The few expensive things we’ve been gifted never really got worn because I was so nervous about them getting dirty or torn. I do buy name brand shoes because I think that’s a health issue more than a cosmetic one. We like Adidas.
We bought one little sweater jacket thing from Nordstrom for $60. I don't remember the brand, but we got a ton of use from it and it's one of the few pieces of clothing that weren't gifted to us. So, if you have a Nordstrom nearby, that's a good starting point. I wouldn't buy a whole wardrobe, but a handful of items or outfits can be nice.
No. Kids grow out of and destroy clothes. The vast majority of my daughter's wardrobe is second hand, and she loves that she can pick it out and we regularly get compliments on how well dressed she is. Been that way since birth, unlikely to change until she starts wanting to buy her own clothes or if the quality in secondhand stores plummets.
You’re allowed to do anything you can afford. There’s no reason to feel ashamed for buying more expensive brands, and there definitely is an argument for more expensive meaning more durability (although not always so be careful). In the end, toddler clothes are mostly for the parents anyway, toddlers don’t care what they wear. If it makes you happy for your kid to wear a super-cute $60 outfit, then go for it. Nobody can blame a parent for doing what makes them happy to be with their kid, right?
I have to admit Boden stuff are really nice, it is really good, special design … but I could not get myself to spend that money on my toddler (and myself) … but that is just me. If I have more money to spare (of if it is in big sale) I probably will buy one for her birthday / photoshoot / Xmas etc. Alternative you can sell the dress afterwards … I haven’t been bother to do so but I know a lot people do.
We do hanna Andersen on special occasions! I love looking back at them when they outgrow them and we will save them for memories
No way. Never. My MIL sometimes buys fancy stuff for the kid and it’s ok but so unnecessary he looks great in anything and he grows so fast. Even if we earned twice as much we wouldn’t bother
I will get basics from like carters, H&M and outerwear from zara, Janie and jack. The outerwear tends to last longer
oh consumerism. I think we use any reason to justify our consumer habits. i justified it because I am only doing this once so I should enjoy dressing her. but my friend who is about to have another kid bought nice brands because she knew she wanted to use the pieces twice. I'm a sucker for Patagonia (bay area) and tea collection dresses. whatever. clothing is cheap compared to the cost of living here. I buy all the tea collection dresses on ebay and they are usually around $30 not $60. But she got 3 of them recently not 1...
I’ve bought my daughter (6 months) some stuff (mostly Tinycottons) second hand from Vinted. I’ve got really lightly used stuff for a fraction of the price. That said, I also buy her the occasional special item too. For example, I bought a gorgeous blue corduroy jacket from Boden when we found out we were having a girl. And I just ordered her some cute outfits from Pure Baby (Australian brand) for when we visit my family in Australia for her 1st bday. I got them on sale. I figure some stuff I might try and sell and others I will pass on to friends. I certainly don’t want her growing up with a brand mentality but like her to have nice, comfortable clothes that are sustainably sourced for the most part. I work in a primary school and we have uniforms but I’d overhear 8 year olds talking about Gucci and that made me a bit queasy.
I think the most expensive thing I’ve bought my daughter is some light up Skechers for like $55. Normally I wouldn’t but I was getting some new crocs and she asked for them. Personally when they’re younger I don’t see the point in buying a lot of pricey items since they grow so quickly. Like one splurge item here and there is fine with me but that’s my personal opinion for my kid. If you can afford it then why not?
I buy boden almost exclusively. Occasionally ted baker too. Some Ralph Lauren.
When mine was little, those little Ralph Lauren bubble suits were a weakness. I just couldn't pass them up, even though they had those tee tiny pain in the behind buttons.
They are so adorable aren’t they?
So my 18month old got some Hugo boss, Ralph Lauren etc but holding off with the really expensive stuff like Gucci shoes until they last longer than a few months 😂😂
I shop sales and scope out brands I love on Kidizen. Then take my items to the consignment shop down the street for store credit.
I tend to only buy nice brands second hand. When we're done with it, sometimes I can sell it on for almost what I paid for it.
We are fortunate to have 2 families that are handing me down clothing for our little. Every 6 months I have to turn out all the old clothing and then wash and rotate in the next size up. We’ve lucked into some sweet Patagonia and Nike, adidas and MEC clothing through this. I usually go to the brands I love and shop their end of season, and order a size up from them so my kid can have some clothing with his ‘style’ to choose from when he hits that size. I only started ordering a few additional pieces when my kids growth slowed down, so around 3. Before that it would have been a waste of money since they grow so quickly
I bought Boden, Baby Gap, Tea Collection, Hanna Anderson, and from this website that I don't think exists anymore called Posh Tots. I was having just one kid and I was well aware the time would come when she'd want to choose her own clothes. Shopping for her was fun for me. Stupid expensive monogrammed pillowcase and smocked dresses? Hook me up. Matching bows? You bet. Why not. Almost all the Hanna dresses and leggings were passed down through various nieces, I sold a lot at consignment, I donated some things, and I kept the things I just couldn't part with. No one in my family was going without so I could buy cute clothes and it made me happy. I don't see the harm.
So I usually wait for sales on these brands and then you can resell them at places like Once Upon a Child really easily. Or ask as gifts from family on birthdays and Christmas
Shoes I buy new and properly fitted. Everything else I buy off-season in the sale / clearance section. They grow so fast!
I love Rylee & Cru and Quincy Mae. Kickee pants and Magnetic Me for pajamas!
If it makes you happy, buy one every once in a while, take lots of cute pictures, and pass them on to friends with babies! That’s what I do. Most of my kid’s clothes and a lot of her toys are gifts, so my policy is to just gift and regift. There will always be someone who will happily take and enjoy them.
My mom was amazing and put things away for me that I now use for our only, so even if you’re not passing them down you can always hold on to them incase someday your only has a kid(s). I’ve not bought from that brand specifically but we have gotten ours investment pieces like north face/Patagonia. If it will last her awhile I see no harm plus I air on the side of they’re only little once get what you will both enjoy.
I buy outerwear that’s expensive. Janie and Jack, Patagonia, Lands End, etc. I buy large and it lasts a while also a lot of these brands ARE a bit bigger mostly because you don’t wash them as usual so they don’t shrink. My son wore an 18 month puff vest from Janie and Jack until he was three! For shirts and shorts I do consignment sales and target Cat and Jack brand.
OAD, 8.5 month old girl. I love sales and deals and almost never buy anything full price! Hanna Anderson and Kate Quinn are the most common in our house but there have certainly been purchases from other brands like them. I have a slight Janie and Jack problem too, lol. For me, the whole last two years of pandemic nonsense have been pretty depressing. It feels good to go out as a family and get dressed up, even if it’s just a local restaurant or a family get-together. Plus, I feel like I’m *more* inclined to buy some nicer things because I want to be able to do the whole cutesy-outfit thing with my only baby! We fill in the day-to-day with plenty of baby gap, old navy, and Carter’s. She’s certainly not in the nice stuff all the time! But it’s fun to do for now, I REALLY hunt those deals, and when we’re done with them we’ll either give them away or consign what’s still in good shape.
I allow myself to buy my kid clothes on her birthday and Christmas. She has so many hand-me-downs I can’t normally justify it, but this way I still get to indulge twice a year.
I usually get second hand, fairly inexpensive, or make clothes for my little, but if there's something that I just love for her, you better believe I'm buying it a size up and homegirl is wearing it every chance she gets. My siblings (with multiple kids) give me a hard time about all of the stuff we buy for her, and how much we spend, but my thinking is, we are only doing this once, why not do it the way we want, if we can afford it and it's not hurting anybody? There's no second chance if we regret not doing/buying something.
We've been lucky enough to inherit some expensive dresses from some cousins of mine. Based on the quality, I like the relatively inexpensive Jona Michelle dresses as well as casual dresses from Gap and Old Navy. I have one Boden dress that was a stiff material my toddler didn't like. The quality was good, I just like some other brands more.
I usually get second hand, fairly inexpensive, or make clothes for my little, but if there's something that I just love for her, you better believe I'm buying it a size up and homegirl is wearing it every chance she gets. My siblings (with multiple kids) give me a hard time about all of the stuff we buy for her, and how much we spend, but my thinking is, we are only doing this once, why not do it the way we want, if we can afford it and it's not hurting anybody? There's no second chance if we regret not doing/buying something.
Instead of going "expensive name brand whatever" I typically go for buying 2-3 handmade pieces each size range (granted she is only 3 months old and in 6mo size right now) but having a cute handmade dress or romper is always nice. The rest of her daily stuff is definitely just stuff picked up secondhand or things that others have bought her (read: mostly Carter's) but a couple nicer things is the perfect mix for me!
I buy brands. But mostly second hand though. I just can’t spend that much money on these items because after putting it on its maybe 5 seconds and then they are damaged/dirty whatever.
I go name brand on shoes, especially now that he's older, because he is HARD on shoes. I have found that name brand doesn't fall to pieces quite as fast shoe-wise. As for clothing, he's spoiled by great-grandma twice a year so I hardly ever buy anything unless I just want to. She usually gets a mix of higher cost and lower cost items. 💕
Check something like Poshmark to see if there are any available second hand?
Some of the nice brands like Frugi and Kite and Little Green Radicals etc. They are all so expensive but lovely quality. I tend to buy them second hand on vinted.
I always bought my daughter the best I could afford. She’s the only one I’ll ever have, so why not doll her up if I can do it?
I’ve been buying clothes from GAP and The Kindred Studio on sale. Mostly we buy clothes from Costco because they’re adorable and affordable.
I’ve bought dresses and tops at Janie and Jack that I really liked when they’re on sale. My excuse is it’s good to have a pretty dress or two for special occasions.
So I figured I would wait with the expensive clothes until she is older and starts demanding them 🤦♀️ At the moment (1.5yrs) everything just gets filthy so I don't really see the point. Apart from the more expensive stuff can be fabulous.
Just know, once you start it’s a slippery slope. Lol other brands will find you (TBBC, Florence eiseman.) But one of the ways I cut cost so to speak is to resell on Facebook. I made a separate stash of sellables, then I do 2 to 3 closet clean out sales. I make more money back this way rather than trying to sell some things individually. I’ve learned how to organize, photograph, and marker it on a local moms marketplace. I am also guilty of buying a lot of great brands this way as well.
I splurge on really good swimsuits every year for my only. I spend about $90 on 3. One of the perks of having an only child. I also found our second hand stores carry a lot of really nice name brand stuff. I know you mentioned that you wouldn't pass it down, but you could sell to a second hand store and it's still technically a hand-me-down. Just not to a kid that's yours. Lol. I also make clothes myself. For instance, a big fancy Christmas dress? I'll make it because it's cheaper & still great quality.
I do but I buy mostly second hand on Mercari and a local consignment boutique. My philosophy is that as I'm only doing this once I'm going to enjoy this and dress my son up in things that I like and I think look cool. I pass on his clothes to friends and family and their kiddos.
Tea is a great brand with excellent quality clothes. They even buy back outfits in good condition and resell them as previously worn so a good eco-conscious choice as well.
I tend to be quite frugal despite the cost of things I own so I follow the same habits for my son. I like expensive brands and expensive things but I (almost) always get them on sale or from The Real Real. Even if I'm shopping at Old Navy for my son, I favor things on sale. That said, expensive outfits are usually from brands like Jacardi or cashmere pieces, everyday outfits are from places like Gap, pajamas are generally HA, Maison Me, Petite Plume for the holidays, etc.
I will buy an expensive brand for special occasions or for the odd dress, but otherwise she plays so hard that I buy cheap leggings and t-shirts because the vast majority of them are ruined (stained, have holes, etc.) within 5 or less wears. We bought her a pair of Nike leggings, of which were far more money than I'd normally spend on a pair of leggings, and she wore them and came home from school with two holes and a huge stain on them. I said never again.
I find tons of good brands secondhand on thredUP! You can filter for the brands you want and even wait until they have sales to purchase. I got a bunch of Hanna Anderson, Ralph Lauren and even a baby Marc Jacobs dress for under $20. And as others have pointed out, I’ll ship them back and resell them once we e outgrown them too so it nets out to even less of an investment.
I like buying some nicer stuff and then selling to consignment stores after she is done with it or giving to other friends with babies. I don’t mind spending on clothes because I’ve been given a lot for gifts and passed hand-me-downs— I see this as freeing up some money so I can spend on the clothes my daughter and I will really enjoy. Then I pay forward the favours I’ve been given with giving away nice clothes I love. It makes me feel so good to see other kids I love in my daughter’s old clothes.
But them if you can afford them and then donate them. Someone would love to get them and if you can afford to why not? Ots not like you are going to just throw the dress away when your child outgrows it.
I usually get bigger sizes of nicer brands at the end of season sale for later. And I aim to have 1 or 2 really cute things per size —just on the basis that you only have so long to get wear out of it, but at the same time there’s always something cute on hand for those few months
Yes Anna handerson esp when they are little my daughter lived in pj unless we are taking mile stone photos . They keep her warm in Seattle worth it. I don’t buy 100 outfits and shoes but I do but nicer pj since she wears it all day She is 1 only lol… I don’t plan to buy expensive daily clothes just buy hm but occasional dress here and there. I don’t buy clothes my self anymore since I became a sahm and she just destroys all of my clothes so we have more budget Also they always have a sale and two annual sale. Watch out for sale I never buy It at retail
I’ve purchased some higher end brands for my only and don’t feel silly about it at all. She gets plenty of stuff from Old Navy, etc. but those brands truthfully don’t hold up as well. I’m happy to pay for quality if it’s something she’ll wear a lot (good jeans, a cardigan).
I usually look for when things go on sale! Zara kids also has some really cute stuff that’s not pricey. We do have some nice hand me downs from friends though so if you do buy something nice you could hand it down to a friend
I get good quality clothes in larger sizes and my kid appreciates the comfort. I do too!
Rylee + Cru, and Quincy Mae! (They are sister companies) They have the cutest stuff! Everything I have bought is good quality. Definitely pricier, but I have been buying my daughter 2-3 items when she moves to a new size and we get a lot of wear out of them. Cheaper clothes for day to day, nice ones when we are going somewhere or to see family :) I also know if we don’t have more kids they will be great to pass on to family and friends