To think expensive baby / toddler clothes are overrated?

[Mammylamb]

Yesterday I was in a baby clothes shop of (a well known middle class baby clothes shop). Prices were about £18 for a romper suit. Now, the clothes were beautiful, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay high prices for clothes my son will only wear for a few months at most. Ended up in sainsburys buying 3 outfits for the same price...

Have you tried a jack and Jill market ? (Don't know if they are just in Scotland)

I try only buy organic and ethically made clothes, and do the same for my children. So yes, more expensive, but better for other people and the environment. I appreciate not everyone has that luxury, but frugi in particular lasts very very well (and once growth slows down fits for ages, 4.5 yo has just stopped wearing some 18-24 stuff!). There is also potential for resale or buying second hand. Some of the longest lasting things we've had were polarn o pyret legging things, also lasted and fitted years (!).

I prefer the expensive stuff for boys as there's far more colour and variety but I can't be affording those prices so it's insipid baby blue crap and bloody checked shirts everywhere.

Elle a Facebook group or eBay

I generally agree.
Although the more expensive clothes tend to wash better/last longer. I love Sainsburys clothes, but have found the leggings get holes in them after a month or two. Whereas spend a bit more and get leggings from P.O.P and they are indestructible. Worth paying double if the item lasts 3 times as long.

Elle, watch out for sales at Alex and Alexa online. I have had some brilliant things from there - Stella Macartney jumpsuit £30 (was originally about £100) and Sun San sandals £15 (usually at least double that). Both items have been worn and worn

Facebook selling groups are great, there are groups for most of the brands. I agree that there is much more choice for boys if you spend more. DS suits bright colours more than blue and I'm not a fan of slogan t shirts or clothes or clothes that look too much like mini adult clothes, whereas the higher end clothes are generally brighter colours and more child friendly IMO.

Most of the time higher end stuff lasts (if bought in the UK, European kids clothes are usually tat). The £18-100 stuff I got for my neice is still being handed down and used by other kids in the family and looks as good as you.

You often do get what you pay for.

Looks as good as new. Not that I'm doubting you look good OP :d

I don't spend a lot on clothes at all. Sainsburys all the way. This week DS has put holes through too pairs of trousers. I think they just wore out really. He has had them since new year I think. Maybe longer. I can afford more variety if I pay less.
I wince when I see baby clothes at £££. They just puke/shit/spill stuff on them anyway.

And Kensington yes those bows are awful!

i don't want my children to wear polyester (both have eczema) or wear clothes made by children barely older than them. as a consequence, we buy from ethical brands, and spend more money on fewer items. the resale value of frugi etc is also high

RunlogAn, unfortunately I don't look good an in fact I'm rather ugly! Lol! We have no one to hand kids clothes down to unfortunately!

Do none of your babies vomit or poonami?!

Or.. are you handwashing all the clothes?

Surely the most ethical/environmentally friendly, never mind cost effective, type of clothing is pre owned clothing.

My mind boggles.

Agree.

As are most clothes supposedly fashionable.
As are many prams.
As are many other things parents of young children may feel pressurised into buying.

A goodly proportion of our clothes are second hand. Why would handwashing be better? Yes, we've had poonamis, they wash out?

I've had supermarket clothes that have washed well and lasted brilliantly and branded stuff bought as gifts that I've been really disappointed by. Sainsburys in particular we've had some lovely clothes from, all cotton as well.

M&S and the various Debenhams brands seem a reasonable middle ground, especially as we get staff discount on the latter.

I adore frugi clothes. But their quality is alarming. I'm constantly worried about how to wash them etc.

Then yesterday I ordered a tonne of stuff from Tesco in their sale for less than a single frugi sleepsuit costs.

Made me realise how good supermarkets are. However they aren't convenient. Go to frugi, know I will find something I love but doebd a fortune or go to supermarket and save but run the risk everything will be slogans and sludge colours

Thanks so much for all the buying tips!

I've always been happy with the quality of Sainsbury's and Morrison's. DS2 is just wearing out a load of tracksuit bottoms that have been worn continuously for 3.5 years since I bought them for toilet training DS1. He's growing out of them anyway, and overlapped wearing them with DS1. DS1 only wears shorts these days and doesn't grow out of them. He can get a couple of years of year round wear from them before the fabric wears at the back. When they last their natural life like that, I can't see a need to buy more expensive brands.

I liked Jo Jo when they were younger for things like polar fleece onesies. I could get a couple of winters per child out of them. Corduroy trousers were also good as they could be tricky to get on the High Street.

I used to work in the kids shoe section of a designer department store. 190 quid for a pair of Burberry pram shoes was probably the most ridiculous (we did have more expensive).

Clothes there were so expensive that 18 quid really doesn't even seem that bad to me anymore!

I spent way too much on my daughter's clothes on mat leave. Not sure why. Boredom? I didn't have a lot of cash but I used to sell bits on as soon as she outgrew them so my 'habit' didn't cost too much. They all sold well.

I liked bright prints, organic if possible, ethical if possible, cotton etc, so often ended up buying the various good quality scandi brands. I like second-hand PoP for nursery as it washes and lasts so well. A friend sells Me&I so I buy a fair bit of that (but at least it's ethical/organic), and also like occasional pieces from the likes of Duns Sweden and Maxomorra in the sales. A scandi kids clothes facebook group I'm in is great for second-hand bargains. I rarely buy full price.

Hmmm used to like Molo but now I find the prints have gone a bit adult and it doesn't sell on as well as it used to. MR is out of my budget. I find all of the above wash better (generally speaking) than Tesco/Morrisons/Sainsbos, which I also have plenty of, because it's good to have a mix.

My kids are getting picky now and I'm learning to buy a lot less, ie a couple of 'nice' bits and mostly cheaper things. But I wouldn't say the more expensive things are 'overrated'. There's no need to buy them at all, but they have their place if you're after something specific from your kids clothes, whether it's the organic material or the prints. Now I have realised I'd rather spend the money on myself though!

I try and buy more expensive brands in the sale and find that some are well worth it. Kite, for example, are really good quality and I particularly like the stuff that is reversible; even more for your money!