Few things are more irresistible to new parents, and well, this Nana, than the cute mini-Levi jeans, sundresses with bows, Robbie shoes, designer label clothes and adorable onesies for baby and toddler. For one thing you can play dress-up in whatever uber cute outfit you desire–until the toddler starts expressing his or her sense of self by preferring one thing over another (over and over, day after day … sigh, am I right?). The downside is, babies especially, wear these stylin’ clothes approximately two or three times before he or she outgrows it. And the cost of the one-off, one day micro tuxedo or photo-op dress?: might be better spent on groceries.
No one likes to overpay no matter how much money one has in the bank–everyone loves a bargain! What’s more, people are recognizing that recycling and upcycling is the way to go, a trend that’s gaining traction as concerns about sustainability extend beyond energy and buying local into a greater social awareness. Time for some respect for Mother Earth! In the past, hand me downs from family and friends were commonplace and a welcome help to stretch the clothing dollar. Mommies now are getting more creative by looking to online and consignment stores for pre-owned, quality children’s clothes and accessories. Baby and special occasion outfits often are a fraction of the price of new for style & fashion conscious mommies on a budget.
Some things to look for when purchasing pre-owned used children’s clothing:
- Inspect used clothing for loose buttons or snaps, unraveling threads, scratchy appliqués, and elastic
- Don’t buy anything that looks like it may be unsafe to you, particularly things like drawstrings on infant clothes
- Look for clothes that are machine washable; if it needs hand washing, dry cleaning, ironing (except the special occasion wear), you’re making work for yourself. Seriously, ironing baby clothes!?
Note: If you live in Ontario Canada, an established online store for quality, used children’s clothing is Thrifty Threads for Kids. Some of the brands include Juicy Couture, Hatley, Phil & Ted’s, Baby Gap, OshKosh, Old Navy, and more. So much cute stuff!
Have you tried online kids consignment retailer, ThredUP? Be sure to use code KPC35 to get 35% off + free Shipping if you are a new customer! You can score some really great bargains this way…pennies on the dollar for wonderful quality clothes for you & the kiddies.