Clothes have really gone up in price!

[PinkPinkPinkBlue]

Sorted out kids spring/summer clothes and nothing from last year fits ds16 or dd14. They’ve picked some bits and I’ve started ordering and already I’m up to just over £1K with a few things still to order plus both dc need new trainers and crocs as feet have also grown. Dreading going through my own clothes as haven’t replaced summer things in several years and I know a few pairs of my linen trousers are threadbare. DH can sort and order his own!
Do you set a budget per dc and say for example you’ve got £400 this season send me some links? Or do you just suck up the cost? I think this has been the most expensive year to date but both kids have grown a lot in the last 12 months.

Oh come on. How many things from the boys section does your average 14 year old girl want to wear?

I have no idea I have boys, that’s why I said the boys section.

Hollister is £20 average a T-shirt, Ds swim shorts were £30 a pair!
We are traveling around Europe for 3 weeks this summer so they definitely need more than the 1-2 pairs of shorts recommended.

If you choose to buy brands then don’t complain about the price. I wouldn’t dream of spending £80 on a hoodie personally but if you are happy to, don’t moan 🤷🏻‍♀️

And do you think they’ll enjoy their holiday around Europe less of there’s no labels on their clothes?

@Sofiewoo I totally agree with you, pretty sure if I sent dd who is 14 to school in an H&M Hello Kitty dress in size 14+ girls she would need to move school due to bullying.
I guess now all 3 of my kids are in adult sizes versus kids I’ve noticed the price increase. Luckily dd 19 will only need a couple of new bits to replace worn out T-shirts etc as she hasn’t grown or changed size in several years.
Three pairs of Crocs were over £200 so really don’t see how I can do this any cheaper.

You're choosing to buy brands, which is fine but expect branded costs. You can get branded stuff cheaper too if you look around. Basic t-shirts and shorts don't need to be branded either, even my brand conscious son will happily wear non branded t-shirts/shorts

@Jinglejanglenamechanged25 my ds would point blank refuse to wear H&M kids clothes plus they don’t fit him as he is to tall.

Vinted for crocs, a lot are brand new in packaging. Girls have so much more scope for cheaper clothes without getting bullied. Most girls are happy with Primark and shein.

@Stressfordays yes they’ve picked the brands that are in within their friendship group. All the kids wear it around hear unfortunately.

Then I would be telling him to buy his own clothes then.

Three pairs of Crocs were over £200 so really don’t see how I can do this any cheaper.

Don't buy brands like Crocs and Nike, buy cheaper alternatives?

It's not rocket science. If you spend £80 on a single hoodie and £200 on three pairs of shoes, of course you're going to be spending a small fortune. They don't need this stuff.

I buy brand and decent quality when needed, ie decent shoes, jackets, wool or cotton v polyester.

But stuff like crocs I just buy the 4.99 knock offs from Aldi or similar. They are only worn in the garden or by the pool or at beach.

But regardless yes prices have gone up, ie something that used to cost £30, now costs £40 for same item and brand.

@PinkPinkPinkBlue Do you really think every child who doesn't spend £80 on a hoodie gets bullied?

Come off it.

You can get branded things cheaper on Vinted if you're desperate.

If you want to buy new clothes from expensive brands then, well, they are expensive. You can't complain. That's a choice you are making.

I'm with you. Clothing teens is expensive. People with younger children just don't understand this.

My 14yr ds is 6ft 2' so it's mens sizes. He wouldn't wear something like a basic Next hoodie as that's a 'dad brand' apparently.
His trainers alone are £175 (Nike 95s) and all his friends have the same ones. The same pair in children's size are £90, so it's almost double!
Yes brands are a choice but it's important to him and he wants to fit in. If I can I'll get him what he likes rather than what's cheap then I will.

I don't tend to buy everything at once, I couldn't afford to, I top up bits and pieces as they need things replaced. Some of the very expensive bits have to be part of birthday of Xmas presents. He won't get everything he wants either, but select pieces. Also vinted works for some things.

@charmanderflame would you honestly send your child to school without the branded shoes to be bullied? Dd does not have a uniform nor ds as he is starting college.
My question was as clothes have increased so much in the last year, how are people budgeting?

I would hope that my child would be resilient enough to tell a bully where to go if they commented on their clothes especially in college.

I think you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself here. Yes, buy a few branded bits but not everything. I took have 3 brand conscious kids but it doesn't mean everything has to be branded.

You've made it more difficult for yourself too by not buying throughout the whole year and having to replace entire wardrobes. I'll probably buy 1 hoodie one month, pair of trainers and some t-shirts the next etc.

I'm also going to let you in on a secret, most of their friends stuff is likely to be fakes. There's a couple of apps around which means you can buy really convincing fakes and everyone I know uses it. No one I know is paying out all that money on the real deal 🤣

@TartanMammy I agree, these posters must have toddlers! Absolutely no teen I know is in H&M kids clothes. just had a trip to Foot Locker Nike Tns for my son were £178!
I wish he could fit into kids sizes but he’s a size 9 so that’s not going to happen.

Same. I'm questioning how many people on this thread have an image conscious teen.
It's not so much about bullying but also self esteem, fitting in is important to lots of teens and if I can't help them with that I will.

It's a choice you're making.

If they want expensive branded stuff and you are struggling, you can save up for it as their Christmas/ birthday present, or get it on Vinted for less, or just get fakes (lots of people do this).

Your post wasn't about school shoes, it was about summer wardrobes, hoodies and sandals.

You certainly don't need to spend £200 on Crocs every summer, or £80 on a hoodie without it being part of a Chirstmas/ birthday present. If you do, that's your decision and frankly I don't see how you can complain.

Clothes are expensive. They should be, there's far too much fast fashion and people chucking things out after the 'season'.

Your ds won’t get bullied at college, he’s an adult. He can have much cheaper clothes.

@Stressfordays I have no idea if it’s fake or real, I certainly did know fakes were an option!

Blimey. My kids are tweens so I’m aware that I haven’t hit this stage yet. Having said that, lots of kids in my eldests years wear Nike Pro leggings, Ugg’s etc so are certainly not buying in H&M.

I just find our consumerist world so sad. I thought the younger generation were getting better at being green. Unless you have paid off your mortgage and have saved your kids Uni fees why on earth would you spend so much on clothes. £175 on trainers to be part of a crowd the “might’ be ‘part’ of a Christmas gift. Jeepers. That would have been a joint Xmas and birthday gift plus pocket money in my childhood.

Ask a couple of your daughters friends mum where they got their white fox tracksuits from, I'm sure one will let you in on the secret lol. I see the items that are available around everywhere. That's why brands are seeming to be so big now, because more people are buying knock offs.