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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Second hand clothes

266 replies

parentpanic · 31/12/2021 18:17

Do you buy second hand clothes for your children and AIBU to ask why and how you feel about it?

OP posts:
Classicblunder · 31/12/2021 18:19

Yes. For environmental reasons. I feel good about it - I feel bad when I buy new clothes

TeenMinusTests · 31/12/2021 18:19

I used to:
a) cheaper
b) we didn't have any sensible priced children's clothes new in our small market town

Terminallysleepdeprived · 31/12/2021 18:19

Yes. She grows like a weed and things don't last long enough to warrant the price. But I am also a single mum on a very tight budget.

I do however always save for new coats and school shoes.

Redlorryyellowlorryblue · 31/12/2021 18:19

I buy some from ebay and charity shops but most clothes for my children come from my sister and friends. Good for the planet, good for my bank balance. They grow so fast, new clothes are rarely worth it!

nellly · 31/12/2021 18:20

Yes Mostly second hand and then I splurge when I see something adorable I really love.
We're not short on cash but it's better for environment and they grow so fast it's pointless spending loads

TwinkleToesStrikesAgain · 31/12/2021 18:21

Yes. There are some great bundles out there of better quality clothes than I would have felt happy buying only to have them grown out of a few months later.

Always bought brand new shoes though.

switswoo81 · 31/12/2021 18:21

No I don't have time to go to town to look in a Charity shop at the weekend.

ABCeasyasdohrayme · 31/12/2021 18:21

I buy second hand stuff a lot, mainly for environmental reasons, not so much for financial reasons as clothes from charity shops are in the same price range as primark etc. I don't really feel anything about it, it's just a normal thing to do.

EdithWeston · 31/12/2021 18:22

Yes

And had loads of hand-me-downs from family and friends. I've always thought it's totally normal.

I always get pants and shoes new though.

Tibtab · 31/12/2021 18:22

Yes, it’s cheaper and you can get decent brands, it’s much better for the environment, I have no real feelings. What sort of feelings should I have?

TeenMinusTests · 31/12/2021 18:23

@Terminallysleepdeprived

Yes. She grows like a weed and things don't last long enough to warrant the price. But I am also a single mum on a very tight budget.

I do however always save for new coats and school shoes.

I understand school shoes, but why coats? They are expensive and I found coats last quite well and are expensive so they are a great second hand purchase. (Though my DDs were quite 'gentle' on clothes unlike some other DC.)
qualitygirl · 31/12/2021 18:23

No but I hand them all down to others. I wouldn't know where to buy second hand to be honest. Whenever I'm in a charity shop there's never anything in a suitable age that is season appropriate. I don't hoard clothing either. I use them and them hand them on to younger cousins etc

Tibtab · 31/12/2021 18:28

@qualitygirl

No but I hand them all down to others. I wouldn't know where to buy second hand to be honest. Whenever I'm in a charity shop there's never anything in a suitable age that is season appropriate. I don't hoard clothing either. I use them and them hand them on to younger cousins etc
Suppose it depends on the area you live, we live in an area full of families so the charity shops and Facebook are full of second hand stuff. It gets harder as they get older to get decent second-hand stuff as toddlers and children wear clothes for much longer than babies and they are a lot messier!
qualitygirl · 31/12/2021 18:31

@Tibtab yeah. I don't really have time to scour Facebook for good deals on kids clothes, go and collect them, to then have to sift through them and have my kids decide they don't like the other half too. I just order from next with the dc and have it delivered. Sorted 👍

RedRobyn2021 · 31/12/2021 18:33

Yes! Like 90% are second hand and the other 10% were gifts. I think it's better for the environment and it saves us money. We also get her toys second hand too, this Christmas we did get her a couple of new things though but the vast majority are second hand

JoanWilderbeast · 31/12/2021 18:33

Apart from the fact that it would most likely bring the current economic structure crashing around our ears. I think many of us would get along fine with swapping, bartering and buying pre-owned for many things.

RedCandyApple · 31/12/2021 18:34

No as I find them cheap enough to buy new and I wouldn’t wear second hand clothes either personally

MarshmallowFondant · 31/12/2021 18:36

Yes - all the time. Especially things like party dresses, fancy dress costumes, winter jackets, waterproofs. So many lovely things for a fraction of the price they would have been new.

Also used to love a bag of handmedowns, there used to be a roaring trade at the school gates of parents passing on bags to those with younger children.

At least 50% of my own wardrobe is second hand too. Nothing to do with money or not being able to afford new.

LazJaz · 31/12/2021 18:38

Yes, for environmental reasons and I don’t want to pay full price for something precious that will be covered in mud, ooblek, paint, food, etc.
So many lovely, great condition clothes out there!
I do also wear a fair amount of second hand clothes myself.

I also believe quite strongly that after a couple of washes the condition of new children’s clothes is almost identical to second hand.

Treesuphooray · 31/12/2021 18:39

Totally! I was given a huge bundle of baby clothes today from Facebook. Mostly unworn and brands from George to Polarn y pyat. I’ll pass them on when I’m done with them. Only cost me a box of chocolates as a thank you.

My pre school daughters clothes are usually second hand boden from eBay as they wash well and can be sold on when she out grows them. I supplement with multi packs of leggings etc from a supermarket if I don’t find decent quality basics second hand.

It’s environmentally and financially sensible!

I try to move on used clothes through eBay, Facebook or local baby bank as then I know they will be used as if I put them in the local recycling they may well end up just being shipped abroad and becoming waste there.

For the same reason I stick with natural fibres as much as possible.

8dpwoah · 31/12/2021 18:39

Yes, love an eBay bundle! You can tell by the wording and the photos if you're going to get a good buy, you just have to be a bit picky. Kids wear things for such a short time I've had some lovely things almost as good as new and it saves them going to waste. I will be selling on anything good enough after DD2 has finished with it as well, as well as carrying on donating the plainer/supermarket things to our local charities and support groups. Anything I wouldn't be happy to receive myself goes in the rag recycling bin things at the supermarkets. DD2 is wearing a lot of secondhand things by default because they were her sister's and that's not very different to buying the same from another family?
The only things each kid will absolutely have new is shoes, underwear and swimwear.

AnneLovesGilbert · 31/12/2021 18:39

Yes, for most it it. EBay mostly. Also lucky to have a neighbour whose DD is a year older than mine who sporadically leaves a massive bag of excellent quality stuff that’s probably 3rd or 4th hand. I’m very grateful and reciprocate with baked goods.

What do I feel about it? No feelings come to mind. It’s just stuff. I pass everything in decent condition on to friends with younger DCs.

Tibtab · 31/12/2021 18:39

@qualitygirl you don’t have to buy second-hand if you don’t want! I find it just as easy to get some stuff second hand, I like stuff from JoJo but hate buying it full price so just wait until someone is selling it on eBay or Facebook. I get new clothes from Tesco and Next as well.

Xogozil · 31/12/2021 18:40

No longer have to buy children’s clothes but the only new clothes I’d buy for myself are knickers, bras and pjs. Everything else is second hand. Far, far too much “stuff” in the world. I’d actually feel bad buying new.
Looking around my house only the white goods and mattresses were bought new.
When my phone, iPad etc.. bite the dust they’ll be replaced with reconditioned, too.

MollysDolly · 31/12/2021 18:42

I buy loads second hand. Because I absolutely love a bargain.

It honestly brings me so much happiness, DM will say "oh that's a lovely dress DD's wearing today" and I'm; "Guess what!!!?? £2!!!!! eBay!!!!!!!!!!" like the Cheshire Cat.

I also then sell on everything once DC have outgrown it, often for more than I bought it for, because I take good pictures and press everything carefully. I genuinely think that all 3DC have cost me nothing to clothe, as anything new or specific like uniform will have been covered by small profits made from selling all their old stuff.

I've just got the £6k TV unit I wanted, from eBay, two years old, for £800. My dining room suite, is about £7k, and I got it for £250 because the chair pads were ripped and the seller had taken awful pictures. It's now all newly upholstered to match the new dining room curtains, which cost me £360. The Andrew Martin fabric I bought again, off eBay, the whole roll for £20.

Friends are always commenting that they don't know where all my money comes from. Our house looks lovely, with high quality items. I spend a fraction of what they do, buying their stuff all new from Next etc.

Cots, bookcases, changers, wardrobes, all solid wood, all from East Coast matching in French grey, make DTwins nursery look fantastic. I paid £80 for one set, £120 for the other, £45 for the bookcase, and had them all sanded and resprayed, for £250. To buy it all new, would have been £3850. I'll sell it all for at least what I paid for it when they outgrow.

Cars, holidays, buying a new home, we spend a lot on. But this is facilitated by the fact that 95% of things I buy are secondhand. DH has large salary, and had never lived like this until he met me. He can not believe how much we save and the misconception he had that secondhand must mean shabby or worn. He loves a bargain too now.

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