Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Original poster

To want to know if you kit your kids out with a whole new 'wardrobe' each season?

136 replies

Nonalphamum · 28/08/2013 16:09

I don't, but DD's friend's mum was most surprised when I told her earlier today that I don't. She then went on to tell me that at the end of every season she totally re-stocks both her DCs wardrobes with new clothes for the coming season and gets rid of things from the previous one. She also buys them 3 or 4 pairs of shoes per season.

She was genuinely shocked when I said that I don't do this, and things get given to the charity shop/Ebayed when my kids have grown out of them and not after just 3 or 4 months' wear. She was even more shocked when I said that DD will be going back to school in September wearing - shock horror - the shoes I got her in June, as they still fit perfectly and look new.

OP posts:

Silverfoxballs · 28/08/2013 17:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrspaddy · 28/08/2013 17:45

That is nuts.. I have a baby on the way and honestly think I will try and buy unisex stuff like good coats, snow suits etc and have only bought white babygro sets so they will one day do another baby.
Honestly.. She is being very wasteful. When people say things like that, I question how happy they are in themselves. Even wealthy people know aren't wasteful. I will gladly reuse stuff to try and overpay on my mortgage etc.

Also, there is the environmental factors to consider.

TheUglyFuckling · 28/08/2013 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kumiho · 28/08/2013 17:49

With what you say about "she's definitely not affluent. She's a single mum with a part time job", she might just be lying to make herself feel better. I had a work colleague once - same situation, single, two kids, struggling a bit - but she would loudly proclaim she bought all her clothes at Harrods and her weekly grocery shop at Selfridges. It was harmless enough if she'd just kept it to fibbing, but she used it to insult others and try to put them down - ie: if someone mentioned their child at school, she'd interrupt and sneer she'd be sending her children to private school because state was so bad, and when the team arranged to go to Pizza Express she turned her nose up and said that was too common for her. It was like she wasn't content just to lie and make herself sound like a minor Royal, it only satisfied her to put others down too.

I think your friend would have some sort of shopping addiction or mental compulsion if, 4 times a year, she tosses out a wardrobe of clothes to buy 'new season' items just because it's 'a new season'. Even Kate Middleton rewears dresses!

Timeforabiscuit · 28/08/2013 17:50

I do a large clothes shop twice a year, spring and autumn.

Believe me this is not out of choice, my eldest is five and just keeps having massive growth spurts and now 8 year old clothes fit her properly length wise, dd2 is similar and is 2 years above what she "should" be.

Their feet aren't following suit ( thank god it would bankrupt me).

I buy supermarket either asda or sainsburys with the added injustice that I hate clothes shopping

Ragwort · 28/08/2013 17:54

Absolutely not, I rarely buy new clothes for DS (or myself for that matter) & DH never buys new clothes - DS commented on DH's polo-shirt today, proudly bought in 1999 and still worn regularly.

Personally I am not at all interested in 'fashion' and buying new clothes, I browse charity shop regularly & if I find something suitable I buy it - we have more than enough clothes as it is.

My 'smart' shoes were purchased for my 40th birthday party I am now 55.

But each to their own, I used to work in the fashion business so wouldn't have such a comfortable lifestyle now if people didn't regularly update their wardrobes .

GrimmaTheNome · 28/08/2013 17:55

YANBU. Your friend is odd.

My DD would complain bitterly if I got rid of her old favourites! Some T-shirts which were bought large were in active service for about 4 years; shorts can last several years. Dresses and crops a couple - its really only full-length trousers which need replacing often (obv I'm not talking about pre-school years). Sandals with adjustable straps last at least two years.

This has reminded me I need to get her to go through her stuff again - she's always reluctant to part with clothes she's liked even when they're really too small.

The only thing I seem to have needed to get a new one of each season recently is wetsuits... I can see her asking for a winter weight one soon

Dobbiesmum · 28/08/2013 17:56

TheUglyFuckling I recently discovered that DS's trainers are a damn sight comfier than mine oh, and a size larger...
I don't but when they're small I think it feels like you do, mine seem to stay roughly the same size for ages and then shoot up like weeds, generally skipping a shoe size while they're at it.
Buying clothes for the hell of it isn't an option here, not with 3 of them.

Sirzy · 28/08/2013 17:57

its really only full-length trousers which need replacing often (obv I'm not talking about pre-school years)

Even then if you buy big (adjustable waists are great!) and fold up the bottoms you can get much longer out of things.

I am helped by the fact that DS grows slowly but even my rapidly growing nephew can get longer out of things by buying big!

sillyoldfool · 28/08/2013 17:59

well I love people like her if they donate the cast offs to a charity shop for me to buy!

Dobbiesmum · 28/08/2013 18:01

School pants are actually our downfall. DS has put a hole in the knee of every sodding pair he has ever owned. He's now 13 and shows no sign of stopping... I sigh about it but in all honesty I'd rather he had a good time playing football on his lunch break than fanny around about his pants.

WipsGlitter · 28/08/2013 18:04

Sort of. But I buy them very little. But I do tend to do a clear out to a charity shop (because it doesn't fit) and get them new stuff.

chanie44 · 28/08/2013 18:07

I buy a size ahead for the children and buy clothes in the sales as I see them.

I keep a list of what I buy so I know what they need.

cantspel · 28/08/2013 18:09

I wish i could get away with just replacing everything twice a year. My son has been known to go up a full shoe size in a month and has grown 5 inches in 3 months and doesn't look like slowing down anytime soon. He is 15 so at an age when you expect boys to be sprouting up but a few years ago i could get away with just replacing when worn out. Now i send perfectly good clothes to the charity shop on a regular basis just because they are too short after 2 months worth of wear.

Inclusionist · 28/08/2013 18:09

Sirzy all my just 3yo DS's new clothes are Age 6. That has taken some keeping up with!! He has genuinely had to have 2 sets of clothes a year with only a few things crossing over.

I'm praying for him to slow down now he needs uniform too.

MortifiedAdams · 28/08/2013 18:09

I dont but DD turns 2 at Christmas so.most of her christmas/birthday gifts are clothes and pjs that she will need as she is.outgrowing her current clothes.

Ive been quite particular about what I buy, making sure it all co-ordinates so that there are more outfits than there are items if that makes sense.

When I was little i only got clothes for Birthday and Chrostmas.

Inclusionist · 28/08/2013 18:11

Oh god, cantspel that fills me with fear.

Crowler · 28/08/2013 18:12

Of course it's not a war crime. But buying your kids a lot of clothes they don't need (i.e. NOT replacements for outgrown clothes, but rather an ever-expanding wardrobe) is IMO underscoring the consumerist nonsense that is constantly assailing our kids. "Seasons"? Let them be kids.

I also hate the fact that shopping is considered a nice pastime for little girls.

By the way, I love clothes and am a reformed shopping addict.

Crowler · 28/08/2013 18:15

The growth spurts slow down. My kids are now going on 11/8 and I definitely just have to fill in gaps with each turn of the season.

Agreed that the school trousers are the obvious issues. They wear out at the knee & of course look terrible if they grow an inch.

ITCouldBeWorse · 28/08/2013 18:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VerySmallSqueak · 28/08/2013 18:20

No way.
Mine are have a new hand me down collection for the next size.

fuzzpig · 28/08/2013 18:25

No I don't, just get things as and when and occasionally do a big cull. DD has some clothes that have lasted a couple of years (she just turned 6), it would be daft to get rid of stuff that still looked lovely. Eg there was a shirt/dress thing I picked up in a charity shop a couple of years ago, age 7-8 so it was fairly long and she could use it as a proper dress, but now it still fits her but as she is quite tall she now wears it with leggings.

I do occasionally go on big shopping sprees to Asda to kit them out but only if they've had a growth spurt, and again, I wouldn't get rid of stuff just because it was 'last season'.

I also don't put things away off season, they can wear whatever they want in the house, DD still wears her summery little shorts in winter as she likes wearing them over leggings (to be like my DSD :o).

DD got all new uniform for reception but I basically didn't buy anything else for yr1 apart from a couple of summer dresses and new tights. She has had all new for yr2 as none of it fits her.

For myself I buy as and when, which is not much really as I don't like clothes shopping. Again I don't put anything away according to weather as I prefer layers.

cantspel · 28/08/2013 18:25

When they are younger you can buy big and get more than one seasons wear out of something but teens need clothes that fit now.

Add the fact if you have a skinny kid it is only the more expensive shops that stock 28 inch waists and skinny fit legs. Having take in waists just dont cut it anymore as you still have masses of extra material hanging around the bum.

kelda · 28/08/2013 18:28

I don't. My children do grow upwards but they never grow outwards and their clothes take years to get too small; just too short.

My ds's long trousers turn into shorts and when my girls' skirts and dresses get too short, they just wear leggings underneath them.

Their clothes last for years.

Obviously when they need new shoes they get them. THis winter I will make sure they all have boots, shoes and trainers that fit properly.

DTisMYdoctor · 28/08/2013 18:31

I usually do a bit of an audit at the end of summer and winter to see what's needed in the way of trousers and see how he's doing for tops/t-shirts. Short sleeved shirts and t-shirts get layered up with plain long sleeve t-s over the winter to get more wear out of them. I've just done a shop this week for him and apart from some lined jeans for winter and shoes as needed that will be him until Spring.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Swipe left for the next trending thread