Last week I talked about a few of my fall staples, and the importance of buying versatile pieces that can be worn many ways. When I’m shopping for Jona, I keep the same thing in mind; I want clothes for him that can easily be mixed and matched. One difference is that while I can make do with a lot of what’s already in my closet, I have to buy new clothes for Jona because he’s outgrown a lot of his clothes from last fall and winter. (Although he’s kind of a little squirt, so some of last year’s things still fit.)
Jona is in size 24 month clothes, which means that in some stores that’s still in the baby department, and in others it’s the toddler department. I’ve learned too that some stores don’t even have size 24 months anymore, only 2T, which is still pretty big on him. So confusing! Here are a few things that help me stay sane and save money when shopping for my little one.
Smart shopping tips:
{one} Know when to spend and when to save. While I rarely pay full price for kids clothes, there are some things I’m willing to spend more money on than others. I make a list of staples Jona will need at the beginning of each season, and try to keep in mind when to go for quality and when to go for quantity. Here’s my list for fall:
- Tee shirts: These are definitely a “quantity” item; Jona goes through tees like crazy. Toddlers are messy! Tee shirts are always cheap, so I buy a lot of different styles. Right now my favorites are baseball tees, striped tees, and graphic tees.
- Button-up shirts: I love seeing little guys in man-style button up shirts, and I love this adorable plaid version.
- Outerwear: For fall, all Jona will really need is a lightweight jacket and a sweatshirt or two. This cute field jacket will go with everything, and it will keep him warm on chilly days.
- Pants and jeans: I put Jona in jeans more than anything, so I buy a few good quality pairs (Gap is my go-to) that he can wear again and again. To those I’ll add cords or colored denim and a few pairs of comfy sweat pants, which I can usually find pretty cheaply.
- Shoes: This is one item that I tend to spend more on, and focus on quality over quantity. I usually buy him one “everyday” pair from a high-quality brand, like Stride Rite or See Kai Run. Then I’ll buy one to two others at a lower price. Right now I love the cute slip-on sneakers Old Navy has.
{two} Sign up for unroll.me. I rarely buy anything for Jona at full price, so I watch my emails for sales at Gap and Old Navy, two of my favorite places to shop for him. Since I don’t want my inbox full of store emails, I combine all my shopping emails (among others) into one using unroll.me, which I love.
{three} Follow money-saving blogs. I used to do a lot of couponing, and one blog that helped me keep up with the coupons was Penny Pinchin Mom, who is local to the Kansas City area. While I don’t have time to clip coupons anymore, I still follow her blog because she also writes about sales happening at various places, both online and in-store. For example, through her blog I learned when TOMS was having a sale through Zulily and I was able to get Jona a pair last year for a great deal.
{four} Find a few favorite brands. To me, baby and toddler clothes are a lot like women’s clothes in that every brand fits differently. For most of Jona’s clothes, I shop at Old Navy and Gap, because they have great sales and I like the fit and quality of their kids’ clothes. Because I know I can rely on those brands, I also know I can shop online without worrying about returns.
Do you have any tips for shopping for kids clothes?
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