One of the most common questions on instagram/Facebook/Twitter when we share a photo isn’t “what paint color is that?” or “who makes that lamp?” – it’s “where did you get that shirt/dress/skirt?” – and they’re not talking about me (or John)… they’re talking about Clara. Yes, there have been a bunch of requests for a post about how we score deals/save money in the kid clothing department along with where we get her clothes. So whoop, here it is. And thanks to all of those aforementioned instagram photos that we’ve shared, we have a whole bunch of shots to use throughout this rundown.
Admittedly it’s kinda weird to analyze your kid’s clothing in so much detail (she’s two! we just buy things we think are cute and try to save money when we can) but I realized when I was writing this up that we’ve actually learned a decent amount over the last two years of dressing a tiny person. And there are definitely things we wish we had known in the beginning, which would have saved us money and time – so maybe they’ll help someone else out there. So without further ado, the story of Clara’s clothes, as told by our instagram feed…
Most of Clara’s clothing comes from these four places:
- Hand me downs from her sweet cousin Elsa (or the three year old who lives next door)
- Old Navy (usually on the clearance rack or purchased with a coupon)
- Target (always on the clearance rack)
- H&M (they have the cutest stuff, especially summery dresses)
Of course she also occasionally gets things as gifts or we get gift cards to a place like The Gap for our birthdays (and spend the money in their kids department instead of on ourselves). And we’ve also ducked into other stores from time to time, like the Carter’s Outlet near John’s parents’ beach house. But I’d definitely say the majority of her stuff comes from the four sources above. Like the dress in the picture above (from the clearance rack at Target) for example.
It was actually a birthday gift for her from John’s sister Emily, but we love that she knows one of our favorite Clara-clothing spots (I think it was around $6). It’s a size 2T, which should last Clara at least a year (we can add jeggings underneath to carry it into colder temps or to cover things up if it gets shorter as she grows). And it might seem obvious, but we’ve finally realized that dresses are often the most bang for our buck in the clothing department since they’re just one piece (so instead of finding a cheap t-shirt for $4 with cheap shorts for $4, that dress is an entire outfit for $6).
Here is a dress from H&M, which was $12. Initially I thought that was expensive (I’m cheap, so I like things in the single digits – anything over ten makes me flinch, haha) but Clara has worn the heck out of it. Probably at least once a week for the entire summer so far. So by the end of its life I’d guess the cost per wear will probably be around fifty cents. And if we hand it down to a future kiddo it could be even less.
Unlike a Beverly Hills housewife, Clara wears her outfits a whole bunch of times. You might see her petting goats in something one week…
… and playing with Barbies in the same outfit a week or two later.
This is a clearance skirt from The Gap and a white top from Old Navy. I think this outfit total was around $7 ($4 for the skirt and $3 for the top). Basically the top + bottom equation with her is usually: colorful blousey top + basic jeggings/dark jeans OR colorful skirt or pink/yellow jeans + basic top (like this white ruffled tank top). Something sort of classic with something else that’s bright and fun. That way it’s not too boring or too crazy, it’s a little bit of each. And when it comes to trying to “make” outfits from random items that she has in her drawers like a pair of jeggings or a cute t-shirt, I can now make pairings pretty much on autopilot with that general equation. So as weird as it is to have a “Clara clothing formula” it saves us time (and money spent on things that wouldn’t fit in as easily). And she seems to really like her clothes (last night while going to visit her grandparents she said she couldn’t wait to show them her “pretty pretty dress”).
Another great example of that equation would be one of my favorite Clara outfits ever. See how the basic printed t-shirt (featuring a Burger lookalike from the J Crew Outlet) + a girly ruffled soft pink skirt (a hand-me-down from the girl next door) can add up to something playful and sweet at the same time? Especially when paired with a RAD tattoo. Haha.
Another example of this would be one of my favorite shirts (from Old Navy for around $8), which you can see in this picture. It’s blousy and flowy and Clara LOVES it. Everything from the big sleeves with the scalloped trim on the bottom to the colorful flowers float her boat. So we pair it with basic jeggings or jeans most of the time. Just because it’s an easy foolproof outfit. And it keeps me from having to buy more specific bottoms that “match” it (ex: purple pants, orange capris) since we have enough classic items like jeans/jeggings in our drawers that already work with it.
Here’s yet another example of girly/bold/patterned bottoms with something basic on top. This is an outfit I found at the Carter Outlets in Delaware when we stopped there over Memorial Day. I think it was under $10 total for both pieces (total) and Clara has easily worn this at least eight times since then.
When it comes down to numbers, Clara usually has 10-12 “good outfits” in rotation, which is just a number that seems to work well for us since we do laundry once a week and she has some other “messy outfits” that we’ll put her in before doing anything crazy like painting or running around in the mud. So it’s not like she changes clothes three times a day and needs 30 good dresses and pants and tops. I’d say 95% of the time, she wears one outfit all day long. So since 10-12 outfits isn’t really that many, we try not to go for quantity, but for quality. Not by spending a ton of money on the item itself (goodness knows kids get things dirty and grow out of things all the time) but by trying to stay “focused” on things that work well for us (especially Clara) – so she doesn’t end up with dresser stuffed full of mismatched deals with no real pairings or purpose.
We didn’t always follow this technique. When she was smaller we used to go for quantity, so if Old Navy was having a t-shirt sale I’d get three for eight bucks instead of one dress for eight bucks on the sale rack. But as Clara grew we realized that a bunch of clothes that you don’t love (and that you didn’t necessarily buy as an “outfit”) aren’t as easy to use or love as trying to keep your focus and only buying things that you’ll end up reaching for them again and again. One easy question I ask myself before I buy something for her is “will this be something I put in our ‘favorite outfits’ drawer, or will it end up in the middle drawer with a bunch of on-sale mismatched items that she never wears?”
This is a tee we got on clearance from Old Navy with a red skirt from The Gap that Clara got as a gift… wait for it… over a year ago.
So another one of our learned-along-the-way tips would be to ignore the size on the labels when it comes to retiring items of clothing and just go by how they fit. This skirt actually says 12 months in the label, but it still fits her comfortably (and although it’s a little short it has built-in bloomers for toddler modesty, haha). So instead of just stashing it in the tupperware bins in our attic (where we store all of the clothes she has outgrown – more on that here) I’m cool with her wearing it as long as it comfortably fits. We’ve gotten at least one “bonus year” of wear from it already, so I’m psyched. Saves us from buying another one until she truly outgrows it.
Here’s the opposite application of that last tip. If something is too big, you’ll get more wear out of it by figuring out how to get your kiddo into it sooner if at all possible (two summers of use from a dress instead of one = added value). So when I slipped this $8 Target dress onto Clara and it was way too big (the straps were so stretchy the neckline slipped down below her chest), I tried turning it so one of the arm straps went around her neck like a halter. The other strap got tucked into the elastic back of the dress, which doesn’t seem to bother Clara at all, and now she can wear this dress now, and hopefully next year too with her arms where they’re meant to go.
This is another dress from H&M (it was $11). It’s hard to tell from this photo, but it has a pretty eyelet detail on the bottom and it’s a soft blue seersucker material. One thing to notice from the picture is that Clara has a favorite pair of shoes, and it’s her pink Crocs. So those are what she wears 95% of the time.
It has saved us a ton of money to recognize that the girl has a favorite pair of shoes (we used to buy her a bunch of different kinds and she always requested the same ones, to the point that she’d outgrow perfectly pristine shoes without ever wearing them since she favors her Crocs so much). But now we’ve realized that they’re her shoe of choice and we’re ok with pairing them with almost any outfit. Sure, navy shoes might be cuter with this blue dress, but pink crocs send out that “these are the shoes I like” vibe, which we’re cool with.
This dress is from Old Navy. It was $6 on clearance and after stacking additional coupons on top it was $4 at the register. Woot. I always keep Old Navy coupons in a little file folder in my purse (more on that here) so I basically never buy anything there without using a coupon since they pop up in the mail all the time.
In general our theory on dressing Clara is that we want her to be comfortable and cute. We could always spend more, and definitely could spend less, but after two years we think the $6-12 per outfit range is the sweet spot for us. We’ve also finally figured out the stores we like and how things fit her (ex: 3T jeans and PJs at Old Navy fit her like a dream, 2T dresses are better for her from almost everywhere, etc). This is helpful because it saves us money and time (had we invested in three more pairs of 2T pjs without knowing that 3T fits her better, she would have outgrown them faster and we’d be back at the store buying more).
This outfit is all Old Navy. The top was $4 and the jeggings were 2/$7 (so it was $3.50 for this pair). I’d say Clara’s “summer uniform” has been sundresses and the occasional skirt and top, but for the spring, fall, and winter, jeggings and dark denim jeans (along with a few pairs of colorful jeans – in pink & yellow) have been awesome.
And in case you’re wondering, Clara totally goes shopping with us. Her favorite spot ever = the fake family at the front of our Old Navy. She literally runs towards them and says “I see the children and the dog!” and even lifts up the girl’s shirt to look for her belly button.
This is one of my favorite instagram photos ever, and Clara’s wearing a hand-me-down shirt from the girl who lives next door. I thought the checkers on her shirt looked so cute with John’s checked shirt while they were lying in bed, and I’m so glad I grabbed this shot. Makes me melt. And even though you can’t see the rest of this outfit, since Clara’s hair has yet to grow in and she sometimes gets mistaken for a boy, her pink crocs help to add some girl power. Not because we’re weird about gender stuff and covering her in pink, just because we like to throw strangers a bone so they don’t blush profusely after calling her a boy. And Clara actually says “pink and yellow” when you ask her what her favorite colors are. So those definitely get worked in a fair amount when it comes to her clothes.
So that ends our little Clara clothing rundown. I hope our weird analysis of why/what we buy and how many we get/how much we spend somehow helped folks out there who were wondering! What are your favorite kid clothing stores? Do you have any money-saving tips? Or do you have a magic number of “good outfits” that carry you through the week without making you feel overwhelmed (or making your drawers feel overstuffed)?
Psst – I’m obsessed with this beach house. How pretty is it?! Thanks to the sweet reader who suggested the link. I’ve had the page open for days.
laura says
This post came at the perfect time for me. I am trying to save up and pay off debt to eventually/hopefully buy a house in a year. SO, I have had to use massive amounts of willpower when shopping for fall/winter clothes for my 3 year old son! I am obsessed with shopping for cute things for him and usually end up with more than he needs and he never wears things enough! So, so far I have gotten him 4 pairs of pants and 7 tshirts for a total of $44! Which comes down to $4 per item. Pretty thrifty shopping I’d say! I am a work in progress on this subject…. :)
Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says
I liked shopping at TJMaxx, and I’ll have to start looking again now that the hand-me-down gravy train has stalled. Thankfully, my daughters, despite their two year age difference (4 and 2), wear the same size for now. Mainly dresses–with leggings in cooler weather. Pants are poison to those girls! As for shoes, we don’t overbuy anymore either. Just buy one sturdy pair per child. My son and eldest daughter wear sandals, while my redhead wears Wellies. Yes, Wellies year round.
laura says
*shirts not tshirts :P
Stephanie says
I don’t have any children but I just love this post because Clara is adorable. And kid clothes are quite possibly the cutest things ever.
I have a cousin who will be 5 in November and she has more clothes than I do but this child is a fashionista. It is hysterical and adorable. She makes her own outfits and will even pick yours for you!
Lynn @ Our Useful Hands says
What is up with that Old Navy family and kids? I LOL’d because my kids do the. exact. same. thing. My daughter even lifted up the girls shirt once to look for her bellybutton too. What’s the deal!?! Our H&M is an hour away but so worth the day trips we take. Can’t beat the style for the price there. No way no how. I’m at the stage where all the baby shower clothes have been used up so we just buy in bulk when the sales hit and then buy the next years size and stash away for school and the next inevitable growth spurt.
My best, Lynn
Tami says
I would sell my soul to be able to dress a child of my own.
JustAng says
I swear kids have a magnetic attraction to that Old Navy family. My daughter screams if I forget to let her hold the girl’s hand on the way in. She couldn’t care less about other stores’ mannequins, but there’s something about those ones that get her every time. Kids are weird. And lovable. But still weird. :)
Robin says
I felt like we had much better choices in cute clothes when my daughter was younger. Now that she is 6, she has only wants to wear what her friends wear and never has “anything to wear” in her closet (it starts so early)….she hasn’t worn a pair of pants in 2 years!!!!
I miss being able to pick out outfits….luckily, I have a one year old who I will be able to dress up for a while!!!!
Lisa says
We have a 3 month old. I love putting her in little dresses, but now that she’s going to daycare every day I’m reluctant because I think the seatbelt straps that go over her legs will bother her if she’s in a dress. I’ve been putting her in a onesie and pants instead. Do the carseat straps bother Clara when she’s wearing a dress?
YoungHouseLove says
They don’t seem to bother her.
-John
Lauren says
Nothing at all to do with kids clothes, but I was pretty surprised when I clicked on the beach house link and I recognized the house you’re obsessing over. It’s just a block away from my house on Tybee. Crazy!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow that’s awesome!!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I love how you also expect all children’s clothing items to be in the single digits, I am the exact same way!
Emily F. says
Great tips! I really like the Osh Kosh outlet and The Children’s Place outlets for great deals as well. I recently snatched up a bunch of basic shirts (short sleeve and long) for under a buck a piece at TCP! Although I have to remember with Osh Kosh that they run a bit smaller.
We’re also getting into dresses more now that our 15 month old is walking. This spring/early summer when she was crawling still we stuck with a lot of capri leggings. Now we’re seeing that she’s pretty skinny so she’s starting to need a smaller size in bottoms and heading into a larger size in tops, so the cute little outfit sets with a top and bottom together just don’t work as well for her.
Emily F. says
Oh, another thing I love is Babylegs leg warmers! I’ve gotten a great deal on them during some of their “Facebook Friday” deals and they are wonderful when it’s a little chilly in the mornings but warms up in the afternoon. I’ve also been told that they’re great when you start potty training if it happens to be a cooler time of year.
margaret says
In the DC area, I able to find tons of new clothes on craigslist for pennies. Once, I bought from the same lady a year apart and did not realize it until she gave me directions for pickup. My bug is growing like a weed so we can’t keep her in clothes or shoes, thankfully she demands to wear only dresses. She went from 2T to 4T in 8 months.
Gwenalyn says
I buy most of my kid’s clothes from Once Upon A Child. It’s a consignment shop, but it’s three hours away from me, so I make sure I know what I need before we go! I’ve gotten almost new shoes for a couple of dollars, and tons of cute outfits. I also got three pairs of jeans for $9 for my ten year old. Talk about a good score! I also shop in local thrift stores (hello $1 Stride Rite shoes), and the clearance rack in the fabric store to make clothes for my kiddos. Of course my kids also have grandparents who “can’t help themselves” and scoop up brand new cute things from random stores. Those are always fun. :)
Annie says
Hi-you wrote on #1.Clothes from Elsa… ‘Next Store’ do you mean ‘Next Door’….? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha yes, all fixed!
xo,
s
Leslie says
My favorite outfit of Clara’s is the Burger tee/pink ruffled skirt. Add it to the list of reasons to have a baby!
Suni says
Love it! My daugther is 2 as well (3 this coming January) and she still wears 12 months shorts & skirts since her waist is small, it’s been nice to not have to buy new this year!
As for the Beach House Link… DRRROOOOOOOOL!!! I want the teal table in the living room, and wish they said where it was from, as well as well EVERYTHING! Thanks for sharing. Pretty sure I will keep that page open all day here at work, just for an escape.
Carey says
Carters and Old Navy are our go to spots. I’ve never had luck at consignment/thrift stores – casual clothes always look too worn out, and dressy clothes are still more $ than I’d spend at Old Navy on sale! Tunic tops are the BEST – buy a size up and it’s a dress, then a tunic when it actually fits, then a regular shirt when it’s getting a bit short! :)
Crystal says
For my 2 kids, we usually hit the stores you mentioned above but I just recently added Crazy 8 into the mix (which is like a discount Gymboree). I just bought a bunch of clearance items for my kids to start school for like $2.99/$3.99 each. They also had super cute clearance “jewelry” for my daughter for $1.99 for cute necklaces, bracelets, and head bands. We also have a great kids consignment store here in Charlotte called Kid to Kid. I like to pop in there, especially if I’m looking for a specialty outfit (like Holiday themed) that I don’t want to spend a fortune on b/c they’ll only wear it a few times.
PS> that beach house is so totally your style. I love it!
Kimbercrafts says
A huge one for me is buying kids clothing secondhand (thrift stores, garage sales, consignment shops, etc). The savings can’t be beat. I was able to stock my daughter’s wardrobe for her first year for around $100 with primarily secondhand finds!
YoungHouseLove says
Thats awesome! Love all the tips everyone!
xo,
s
Katie says
Loved this post. My husband and I are pregnant with our first, and we’ll take all the helpful tips we can get when it comes to saving money. Thank you for always being the perfect blog for our young family (from remodels to cloth diapers, to baby clothes…and all the laughs inbetween).
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Katie! You’re so sweet.
xo,
s
Diane says
Another vote for nudist Barbie! She made my day.
Heather says
Andddd now I’m crying at work. LOL That last picture is so sweet. LOVE. Clara is so adorable and I’m sharing with my best friend who has a 6 month old and will love the tips!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw now you’re making me cry. Haha.
xo,
s
Erica says
My daughter is 15 and we still pretty much follow the rules you have set. The limit has gone up a bit but with places like Forever 21 and great sales at Old Navy, Gap and AE we find values. Everyone always wonders why she has a dress on. She just always has. It looks nice and it’s affordable easy dressing. Many people think dresses are uncomfortable, I find the opposite to be true. We buy jeans we know will last two years. She prefers skirts and dresses in the summer to shorts.
Clara always looks adorable. I love see her pictures because they remind me so much of those days. I am so glad you document in photos. I was not good at that and so regret it.
liz says
Just wait until Clara wants to pick our her own outfits and wants to change them 5 times a day!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha it’s true! I have no idea what I’m in for!
xo,
s
Brenda says
Those tips are great even for figuring out your own wardrobe. I have a few pairs of colored corduroys that I wear for work in the winter, but I quickly get tired of wearing all neutrals next to my face. For me the magic formula is neutral bottom, color/pattern on top, especially since I’m behind a desk all day and patients mostly just see my upper half.
Ellen says
We’ve got an awesome consignment shop in town where I buy most of my baby boy’s clothes. That and the twice a year kids’ consignment bonanza at the convention center (I got most of his newborn clothes there before he was born… things like 5 onesies for 2 bucks, etc.) and the sales rack at Target & Old Navy and the occasional zulily steal are where I get most of his clothes. I hate buying new. Buying used is greener!
Ellen says
Oh, I forgot – my favorite deal at the consignment store was a Hannah Anderson striped romper (I love my little boy in stripes most of all…) for $8!
Katy says
These are great tips! I especially agree with the “less is more” advice. My mother-in-law is a frequent clothes-buyer for our daughter, so she has SO much. I don’t know about you, but I get major “wasters guilt” when I have to pack away clothes Charlotte’s only worn once or twice (or never!). The littles grow too fast to wear as much as we’d like them to! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! I get do much satisfaction in her wearing things a ton before I pack them away!
xo,
s
Kaely says
My kids have three categories of clothes: School clothes, play clothes, “good” clothes.
My kids both wear uniforms to school which cuts down on the amount of clothes they need. We have enough uniforms to make it through the week. These mostly come from our school’s used uniform sale (Yay for $1 uniform shirts/pants and $5 jumpers).
Play clothes usually come from Target or Old Navy and are things that I don’t care if they spill red paint down the front of, or get carried away with the scissors. Usually not for wearing outside of the neighborhood or beyond a messy art playdate or something expected to be extremely messy.
And then we have good clothes which we wear when we’re out somewhere. Usually no more than 4 to 5 outfits per season are needed. My personal taste runs to the classic side, sailor dresses, smocking, peter pan collars, piping, and ric rac. Most of my daughter’s good clothes come from Once Upon a Child (yay for $7 Ralph Lauren dresses!) and zulily. I buy a size (or 3) ahead when things are on clearance.
Jeanna Walton says
Don’t worry about Claras hair!!! My second child had hair just the same, and honestly, for a while there, I was actually wondering if the poor kid would ever get any! He just turned 23, and he has amazing thick hair. It just took a while to get there, ha ha! Love your description of the process behind your daughters clothes. Be prepared, however, cause when she really gets some growth, the prices go up accordingly! One last thing; the beach house was to die for! Thank you for sharing :)
Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says
How often to you go through her clothes and what do you do with those she grows out of. Surprisingly enough, my little man is turning 4 and I am still having trouble getting rid of his clothes…everytime I look at them it is followed by “I remember when you wore this….”
ahhh the hardships of being a mama. ;-)
YoungHouseLove says
I save them for mystery future kiddo in tupperware by year in the attic. Haha.
xo,
s
Jillian@TheHumbleGourmet says
Your child makes my uterus ache.
J says
Cute post! I was wondering if you’ve ever thought about much how much Clara “costs” you per year? Probably a strange question but by roughly how much has your household budget increased to pay for her ongoing costs (e.g. clothes, food, entertainment)? How much was the initial upfront investment in baby goods when she was born? I’ve seen some figures quoted in the media and on mommy sites that kind of terrify me when it comes to family planning…
YoungHouseLove says
Such an interesting question. Hmm, maybe a hundred bucks a month? That covers everything from food to clothes and even diapers since we cloth diaper to save money. That’s a total guess though! I bet some months it’s less and some months it’s low.
xo,
s
Jessica says
I’m a working, deal seeking mother of one 3 year old little girl. We spend about $700-$750/month on our daughter directly. That includes childcare expenses (we have some help in that department by family members) but does not include specific increases in food or utilities or health insurance premium since they’re too hard to separate. That rough estimate includes disposable diapers and formula when she was a baby. Now that she’s getting older those expenses have been replaced by things like dance class, art supplies, theme park passes, etc. I think it really depends on a person’s lifestyle and parenting choices. We buy a lot of extras for our daughter but I also shopped sales/coupons for her diapers and formula and get great clearance deals on her clothes, shoes and holiday presents.
Kate says
Those mommy sites are really terrifying, aren’t they? I’m pregnant and worried about the same thing, especially once we get past the stage where our initial shower gifts will last us. I’ve yet to find a really good breakdown of what frugal, real life people spend, so I agree it would be great to see one from you guys!
Rachel says
Hi guys,
Love the post! We have an 18 month old boy and over the last year I tried to buy clothes at thrift stores, mainly Goodwill in Arlington VA, up to 5T. I bought all seasons in hopes that while we’re living overseas for the next two years in Amman, Jordan that we won’t have to buy anything. Evidently clothes here are very expensive and I really hate paying full price. Thrifting is so addictive! Enjoyed that post too. :-)
Ally says
It’s sooo nice to see all these adorable Clara Instagrams on my big computer monitor! (The smaller iPhone screen doesn’t do them justice :)
*LOVE* that shot of Clara and Daddy in their matching checkered shirts…Clara’s expression and BIG EYES just kills me :)
xox
Elaine K says
Check out Richmond Bargains.com for the consignment sales that are seasonal around town like Clothesline usually in Bon Air or the one at West End Assembly of God. Most have a half price day at the end of the sale. Also the Goodwill on Alverser has the best clothes of any thrift store in the area–last time they had brand new Gymboree clothes.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips everyone! Thanks again for sharing!
xo,
s
Michelle N says
Old Navy and Target are my go to stores for kids clothes! Such cute stuff even for my boys! Did you guys know Old Navy has an app and you can get coupons just for snapping a pic of the Old Navy logo?? You can snap a pic tens times a day but do not always get a coupon. When you do get a coupon it has to be used within 24 hours at the store only. Also… Target will send you mobile coupons via text. They are different than the ones on their site. Just text OFFERS to 837428 then BABY to get the baby deals. Pretty good deals!!
My daughter is 7 and always says Mom lets check the clearance rack!! Gets excited when she finds something that was on sale! Love it haha
YoungHouseLove says
Love those tips!
xo,
s
Rrachel says
I’m surprised more haven’t mentioned rummage/garage sales! Mabe its a regional thing. I always thought the rummage sales in our area were pretty disappointing, but now that I’m expecting, and we know the gender (girl!), they’re jackpots! Most everything is $1 or even less, and I’m buying brands like Gymboree, Carters, Baby Gap, Children’s Place. Sure, there are some sales where items are overpriced or just about everything seems to have a stain, but I always manage to find something quality. I love that even if I bought the wrong size/season, I’m only out $1.
On Thursday or Friday night, I’ll search the rummage section on craigslist for “baby” or “baby girl” and form my plan of attack from there.
Last week, in addition to tons of clothes, I got a pair pink crocheted booties by Amy Coe for Target (tags still attached) for $2. Even if she never wears them, they look so sweet in her nursery and will make a great Christmas ornament some day!
Jimmy says
Clara’s clothes are always stylin. We are lucky enough to have a great kid and maternity consignment shop near by, Wiggleroom in Bethesda, which is full of high end, really hip and different kids clothes for great prices. We love putting our kids in bright and unique threads.
Randa says
Wow, that arm-strap over the head idea is ingenious! I would have never guessed that the dress wasn’t designed as a halter.
I love that Clara already appreciates “pretty pretty dress(es)”.
Alice Fraggle says
I don’t have any kids, but I wanted to comment to say that Clara is adorable, and that I think the last picture is awesome! I don’t know how you haven’t eaten her up yet!
e says
once upon a child (at least the west broad one in rva) has occasional DOLLAR sales where i got 4 pairs of pants for this coming winter and a few otherwise pricey dresses. i also love h+m girls’ clothes. :) i need to apply your few fav outfits theory to my OWN closet…
YoungHouseLove says
Love the tip! Will have to check them out!
xo,
s
Allison says
I love that Clara wears jeggings! My little girl who is almost 1 1/2 has like 6 pairs of jeggings. They are my go-to pair of pants for her. I also cloth diaper my daughter and they work so well in being comfy over her giant bum!
I definitely give a vote for the yearly giant consignment sales. They have reasonable prices and all in one place! During the summer months I scour garage sales and pick up quality items for less than a dollar!
how2home says
Clara’s outfits are always so adorable! We love buying kids clothes from H & M as well for my nephews and now we’re starting to buy baby girl clothes for my niece that will be arriving in a couple of months! We are all so excited for her arrival!
The beach house is amazing, reminds me of your house a lot b/c of the bright cheery colors. Have a fantastic weekend Sherry, John, Clara & Burger!
Jess @ Crunchy Hot Mama says
Love the tips!
I am having the issue, with Emma(2), of her wearing the same clothes each week, and usually not a dress :( She has so many cute ones and we have to trick her into wearing them (sneak it on her) or I try to wear one to encourage her. Who knew they could be so opinionated this young! Oh well, I’ll keep trying…
Clara is so fashion forward and I love seeing what adorable outfits will pop up on here and Instagram :D
Callina says
Another great store for good deals on kids clothes (and anything else) is Marshalls. I’ve found quite a bit there for my newborn, and at consignment store/clearance prices for name brand clothing.
Rrachel says
Yes, I forgot to mention Marshall’s and TJ Maxx! Love their clearance racks too.
jamie says
Since baby/toddler clothes are my. whole. life. I just have to add my two cents! :)
For my kids my list is pretty much the same as yours, once in a while I pop into Marshall’s as well… and we do lots of hand me downs! Luckily both my kids (3 & 9) have to wear uniforms to school, which I love – they let them wear any navy shorts, and just buy a light blue polo or a school t-shirt… easy peasy in the morning & super cheap.
For my business, I actually spend all day (and night) making baby clothes quilts (people send me their kids’ baby clothes & I turn them into a quilt) so I see everything! It’s pretty easy to tell what’s been worn a lot & what hasn’t, and it’s so fun how you can see the personality of the kids through the clothes. Often there is a distinct difference in clothes based on what part of the country (or what other country) they live in! Just finished 3 quilts yesterday made out of amazing baby clothes that were all French & German… so fun! Very different from USA Old Navy baby clothes!
Leah says
Sherry! Doesn’t this make you want to wear more than long pants and black shirts every day?!? :)
I think little girls are the best– I have 2– and those are our favorite stores too. Beware, though, when she gets a little older– she may get a lot more picky when it comes to clothes! But little girl clothes are so much fun.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- yes! Clara’s the reason I toss on the occasional bright tank top. Living on the edge!
xo,
s
alg says
When Sonia was around 2, we literally couldn’t even walk past Old Navy, because she’d stand there hugging the dog until we dragged her away, kicking & screaming! She honestly would have stayed with him ALL. DAY. LONG.
Cute memory — wish we’d thought to take a video… :)
Allison says
What I want to know is….Does that Barbie ever have any clothes on?!
Haha! MY daughter’s Barbies are the same way! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- she’s always naked! We started buying the ones with the painted bathing suits under (like Ariel) so she’s not as nude. Haha.
xo,
s