Is buying secondhand / brand new baby stuff a class thing?

[Throwawayname123]

NC in case I get flamed for this! But I am genuinely wondering... although I won't say which side I come down on.

I'm wondering if class affects whether people buy brand new expensive baby stuff or go for second hand?
In my experience, the upper middle class types, seem to prefer second hand stuff, although they could easily afford new, whereas the more working class want their baby to have "the best" and spend £££ on things like travel systems (even though they can't afford it as easily).

I dressed mine almost exclusively in designer labels - from NCT NNS (tip: volunteer to help so you can shop first). Then sold at a profit on eBay afterwards. I can't think of any clothes I bought new other than 1 pack of baby grows which I swapped a few times for a bigger size, and a boys (too large) Scooby Do tshirt (because she'd puked down the front of the one she had on), until we got to school uniform.

@Ariela the only clothes I've bought new are a pair of babygrows from h&m - they were my first baby purchase and were too expensive but very cute! And some socks from the supermarket!

@Faynite

I think you’re right. I buy new but often sell DS’ old things on eBay and lots of the addresses are The Old Rectory or Soandso Manor.

My DM dressed me in DBro’s hand me downs and in 2nd hand growing up (despite having plenty of money). Always the old school uniform so it was noticeable and I was teased. I hated it and swore I’d never do that to my DC.

Interesting, the school I went to all the parents bought 2nd hand uniform at the school sale as the uniform was expensive and exclusive and I never felt like that

I would agree. A lot of my DD's stuff is second hand even though we could afford new. I just thought some things would be a waste of money. Clothes for instance, she only fits in them for about 3 months before moving up into the next size. Even shopping in primark, to buy a new wardrobe every 3 months is just wasting money. Instead I have bought good quality second hand clothing for a fraction of the price instead. She does have the odd new item of clothing but I would say most of it is second hand. The same goes for toys. She's had a few bought new but most are second hand.

All our baby crib/cots highchairs prams were second hand, or more accurately third or fourth hand. When I had two babies 11 months apart both in full time cloth nappies, half the nappies were second hand passed on by my sister. Our kids often wore hand me down clothes, and all their childhood trikes and bikes came from jumble sales. I'm typing this on a charity shop table. All our pets were secondhand (rescues) Even our car and house are secondhand...

It is about confidence.

When I had no money, I was weirdly too embarrassed to go to places like Aldi and Lidl or buy things from charity shops.

While I'm not exactly rich now, I'm certainly no longer choosing between hot water or food, and I'm quite happy shopping in all of those places. It was wierd how my outlook on it changed.

Middle class but skint. And don't care much what people think. I buy a mixture of new and second hand. I love a bargain (new) but would rather buy quality items second hand than cheap items new, for kids stuff, my own clothes and furniture.

I thought it was just a "people" thing...some people like to spend £££ on Prams...some don't. Some love hand me down clothes...some don't

Why does "class"have to come into it! Why are the English so hung up on class?

I think you're right. I have a decent job, and could have afforded a brand new pram, cot, etc. I got second hand though, because it seemed insane to spend so much money on things we would use for such a short time. We did get a brand new car seat though as that was about safety.

My step-sil is very, very working class, and she bought/buys everything brand new and top of the range for her kids. She got into quite a bit of debt when her kids were younger because she was spending so much on prams/buggies/toys.

Because people have observed it often is linked to class.

I guess its still kind of related to class but I have noticed people I know who have had their kids in their early 20s bought all new, while those of us who had our kids in early 30s have passed stuff between us and bought most second hand.

@kittykat35 I don't really know, they/we just are for some reason! It's ingrained...

@MsAwesomeDragon

I think you're right. I have a decent job, and could have afforded a brand new pram, cot, etc. I got second hand though, because it seemed insane to spend so much money on things we would use for such a short time. We did get a brand new car seat though as that was about safety.

My step-sil is very, very working class, and she bought/buys everything brand new and top of the range for her kids. She got into quite a bit of debt when her kids were younger because she was spending so much on prams/buggies/toys.

This is what I never understand

It is about confidence

This...with money (or with the past experience of having money) comes the ability to not give a shit what others think.

When ds1 was a baby, dh hated with a passion the home-knitted baby clothes my nan bought for him because he thought they made him look 'poor'. Same with anything second hand. He seriously twisted himself in knots about it...but we were young and the memories of his deprived background were strong, plus we were pretty skint at the time!

9 years later when ds3 was born we were much more financially comfortable and lived in a solidly 'middle class house' in a naice mc area. Dh wouldnt have blinked if ds3 was kitted out from the local charity shop bargain bin because he no longer feels he has anything to prove.

A wealthy well connected mum gets given lovely second hand bits from friends.

That's very true, when I was pg with DS1 a lady in my office offered me her travel system for free as she wanted the space back (didn't take it as wouldn't have fitted in the boot of our tiny nissan micra), now I have two DC and no time to try and sell stuff I eye up the pg mums at the school gate and wonder if I can give them all my maternity clothes

I don't agree, op. I think it depends on the individual . I've never thought William and Kate were working class tbh. However, I do think this of those who buy the latest vehicles on Lease/HP , and their latest upmarket phones on contract though.

I don't think it's a class thing. I think it depends on the individual person.
Some people are happy to spend a fortune on baby things, some people prefer to buy things second hand.
We bought pretty much everything second hand. We bought the pram, car seat, bottles, clothes & sterliser brand new.
It's not that we couldn't afford new baby things but nursery, furniture, prams, car seats can be really expensive.

No, I don't think so. I'm pretty middle class and I don't buy anything secondhand really, especially not for dc. We have the money to buy nice new things and I'm a bit germophobic (like even in normal times) and it makes me feel a bit queasy. I have lots of very middle class friends and I definitely don't see them buying secondhand.

I think even those m/c who buy a few bits second hand/have some bits passed down will spend money on other things. Lots and lots of stokke high chairs and buggies in the wealthier area I lived. And frugli/boden clothes etc are bought by someone. And the extortionate wooden toys.... but they will see the bits they bought second hand and convince themselves that's what they do unlike those common people who buy new.... (but just different trends to theirs!)

I find this thread fascinating. I grew up solidly middle class, but have lived in the US for almost a decade, and had my baby here last year.

I buy some things second hand and some things new. I splurged on a brand new Bugaboo because I wanted the warranty in case anything happened to it and I've got a mix of new, hand me down, and second hand clothes. My cot was second hand, but it still cost $600 AND I had to pay for an uber XL to bring it back from Brooklyn.

A question though - why does Mumsnet hate character clothes and/or anything designed? I have a fuckton of baby Ralph Lauren and Baby Gap Star Wars stuff - it's not something that's looked down on here. Also, are brands like Jacardi, Petit Bateau, Bobo Choses, Mini Rodini etc. sniffed at too? Where's the line?!

allfur character clothes = supermarket on here, I think. Or just that it's somehow downmarket to dress your kid in Peppa, Disney etc stuff? I don't think the brands you mentioned are treated the same way, imo - though for me personally Mini Rodini equates to "more money than sense". My mum has a habit of buying DD stuff from the COS children's range and it's just bonkers.

I think it more depends on whether it's your first or subsequent child? Most people want all
New for their first but are much less precious next time round - probably because they are more aware of value abs how much something is actually going to be used

I think even those m/c who buy a few bits second hand/have some bits passed down will spend money on other things. Lots and lots of stokke high chairs and buggies in the wealthier area I lived. And frugli/boden clothes etc are bought by someone. And the extortionate wooden toys.... but they will see the bits they bought second hand and convince themselves that's what they do unlike those common people who buy new.... (but just different trends to theirs!)

This is very true.

I think for many people who buy second hand it's almost like a game (what bargains can I pick up next to talk about with my mum friends) rather than actually about saving money.

@EssentialHummus

I think it really depends on the character? Sainsbury for example have had some lovely Peter rabbit clothes in this season (and I admit to buying loads) and I wouldn't consider them "downmarket". Timeless classic characters tend to come across as being of greater "quality"

I refuse to buy/talk DD out of more garish/modern characters though - I'd cringe buying anything with peppa pig on for example 🙈

I don't think it's true. I just wanted clean, unbroken things for my dc and the best way to guarantee that was to buy them new.