What do you spend on your kids clothes? Oilily OTT?

[Rhiannon]

I usually shop at Next, M & S and Gap for kids clothes. I've recently spotted a dress I like in an Oilily ad. Now this is definitely going to be expensive for me.

Just wondering where everyone else shops and what you all spend? R

Oh, bit of an Ethel Austin girl myself! For basics anyway - underwear, tights etc. Have to buy about 3 years older but...

Gap only at sale time (still not quite sure I should be buying from there on ethical grounds but we'll leave that for the minute). Same with Monsoon. Or better still, leave the nice stuff for someone else to buy.

REFUSE to buy anything from Next on the grounds that it has Next written all over it - why should I pay to advertise them?

But most stuff is from Woolies, Adams and Tesco.

I get 99% of my boy's clothes in 2nd hand NCT sales. I totally rely on people like Rhiannon and Tinker to buy them first hand! Many of the brands are things like Adams and Gap. I really just can't afford to buy new clothes and the good brands are so well made that they last perfectly well for another child. And I've kept the clothes for the next baby. I usually spend about £30-£40 every 3 months on a complete wardrobe which includes shoes.

I get alot of things from Adams (because it's in Sainsburys) and Asda (great for cheap, but trendy things - adults too!). Also Mothercare World because it's easy to park there. I do get them things from Next occasionally if I want to dress them to impress (sad eh?). My life is alot easier now 2 of them wear uniform for 5 days a week, but still have loads of washing to do!

90% of my son's clothes are second hand, either from Ebay or charity shop, kids clothes websites etc. About once a year I'll buy perhaps £60 worth of co-ordinating outfits from La Redoute, to mix and match with other things too. I'll buy maybe 1 garment per season from Mothercare and always get pyjamas from there because they don't shrink and will last 2 years. Shoes, I prefer Clarks, but luckily my son's feet aren't growing very fast at the moment!

I very rarely spend the full price on clothes. I wait until sales (Gap is really good and they put stuff on sale every few weeks - easy to forget about the ethics when their stuff is sooo cute!) or luckily we have a few factory outlets near us (Gap, Bon Bleu). We also have a TK Maxx but it is a bit of a 'pig in a poke'. I can go one month and see loads but the next and there's nothing. I also have family in the States so my Mum does an Osh Kosh & Carters run once a year. Agree with the Next comment (Tinker) but you can find the odd thing without their logo. M&S good too but again I wait until sale time.

Don't get me wrong girlies, I love an NCT nearly new sale, ours is on Saturday and I'll be first in the rails. Boot sales too are brilliant places for lovely new gear. There is a second hand designer shop near us called Kids Connection in Buckhurst Hill I've bought and sold there before but some of the stuff is still expensive. R

Nothing wrong with second-hand - definitely doesn't mean second best, they only last about 6 months before they've been outgrown after all, but my definite no-no is s/hand shoes, tiny feet and bones need special care IMHO.

I spend practically nothing as I am lucky to get hand me downs from a variety of sources as my two are younger than any other kids in my family. I wonder at what age my children will voice objections to this??

I splash out on shoes - £35 at the weekend in Clarks on trainers and wellies! But then went to Matalan and spent just £13.00 on two pairs of trousers and a pair of jog bottoms. Just recently most of ds clothes have come from Matalan. I think £4.50 for a pair of jog bottoms is great and I picked up a lovely fleecy jumper for his for just £3. It tends to be godparents that buy him the Next and Gap stuff.

I was cross with Clarks though. We said we wanted some wellies, so the young girl helping us said to ds 'do you want some with Bob the Builder on?'. Of course, that's all he wanted then, and wouldn't be entertained with a cheaper, plain pair, so we ended up paying extra for Bob. Clever marketing ploy - I wonder if they train them to say that, or whether it was just a helpful, but sadly mistaken, conversation piece.

I must say I hate to see a toddler kitted out head to foot in labels, or sports gear like Adidas. It just looks naff. Also, toddlers with obviously gelled, spikey hair. Do they have to look like mini teenagers?

I buy a lot in France : Sergent Major and Tout compte fait (VERY CHEAP/VERY CUTE)... H&M is great for babies (not so much for above 2 IMO).
I use to joke that GAP was the official baby gift supplier of our household as 75% of all clothing we received was from GAP ! I have been to Osh Kosh factory outlet in the US on occasion
MIL and my mum do like to splash out on expensive clothes. I have to say that most of the time (not always) there is visible quality difference(holds much better after several wash). So I am lucky I guess.

P.S. MIL buys Oilily.

Petit Bateau is heavenly and much cheaper in France. They did gorgeous blue stripy vests for a fiver for 2 last year. Have a lovely friend who regularly buys ds yummy jumpers from the shop in Notting Hill. They are way out of my price range. Loathe Next for the same reasons as below. Quite like M&S for basics and Tesco's can be good. I used to go to the Gap when he was younger, but found it heartbreaking when something you'd paid too much for was outgrown in a few months.Also JoJo maman bebe catalogue, their sales are great too.

We buy all over, our son has quite an extensive wardrobe I have to confess. For basics, Gap, Gymboree, Pumpkin Patch, all in the sales only. Have bought vests from M & S and Ladybird but mostly get other stuff from catalogues (JoJo for toddlers, Vertbaudet and especially the children's bit of La Redoute) - or France (like Jessi and Pupuce). Petit Bateau, Absorba, Du Pareil au Meme, all well made and much cheaper over there. Shoes are Startrite or Naturino and like others here I don't feel I can make economies in this area. By the way, having just treated ourselves to some real RUBBER wellies (in the sale!) has anyone else noticed how much more flexible and comfy these are for children than the plastic ones? we can hardly coax our son out of these now.
I am also a regular at our local charity shops and often get good bargains there. My NCT sales locally are not so good for clothes in my experience.

We buy from all over, who ever has nice stuff at good prices really. We buy alot of George clothes from Asda, cheap but last. Verberdaut is another favourite. My sister tends to buy the sports names for him, although dh buys him the Liverpool stuff and trainers. Grandparents buy from all over. His godfather buys the Timberland etc as he is heavly into named clothes. I like him to have a couple of nice outfits but most of the time we go for what looks good and resonably priced.

Marina - I know what you mean, DS has AIGLE rubber wellies I paid 8 GBP for them in France they're 12 GBP at Bluewater in the Aigle shop !
For wellies I go to La Halle aux Chaussures or other big discount shops in French industrial estates...

I'm a sucker for Gap - it is great that they have a 6 week stock turnover meaning you can always get things in the sale. The clothes do wash and wash.

I've gone off Next a bit recently though used to love it, some of the quality is a bit dodgy now-a-days, specially anything made of jersey.

M&S for vests deffo - the cotton's lovely and no itchy trim - will be stocking up on knickers for dd there too, when we finally make the bid for nappy freedom...

I think verbaudet are good value and I love the continental styling and the fact they rip off Kenzo styles a lot -but again have had some dodgy quality stuff I've had to send back...

For basic tops, baggy pants and stripy tights Hennes really rock, sooo cheap and you can easily avoid some of the high fashion tat they offer.

Oshkosh for denim everytime - find it cheap in TKmaxx stores around the country (you know where its at Rhubarb!!)

Debenhams pull off the occasional blinder - gorgeous Tigerlily dresses and some of the Jasper Conran stuff's nice but limited.

Generally I hate Elle clothes, or maybe the idea of them, but have to say dd has quite a few at the mo- how has this happened??

Shoes, I have to demand quality that comes at a price - just can't bare to put dd's feet in rubbish (expect for wellys and jellybeans). Because I am on a budget I often ask for shoes over toys (believe me, we have way plenty toys!) for Christmas or birthday from close relatives who are stuck what to buy. Its nice because they get to see her wear them constantly.

I have to say if I won the lottery I would be awful and spend loads on DKNY, Kenzo, Oilily et al. But just having the occasional posh thing hanging in dd's wardrobe for special occasions will do me for now (now where's that lottery ticket!)

Ooo, I have written a lot here, have you touched a subject close to my heart or what Rhiannon??!!

I'm an all over kids clothes shopper too. We have a fantastic kids clothes exchange near us, so I buy & sell there alot. Otherwise, GAP sales, H&M at anytime, Gymboree sales & Vertbaudet catalogue when they get desperate and offer you 20% off any purchase.
I have to confess to being a bit tight about children's clothes. I cannot bear to pay high prices for small garments that last for such a short period of time. I also think that alot of kids clothing is not very well made & that manufacturers get away with selling shoddy stuff because they put a TV character or trendy logo on it.

I'm worried that now Gap's had such a slump in profits the Sale rails will be hopeless and it seems to be the case here in Cardiff.

I'm a big fan of benetton kids' clothes, they have good end of season sales and Gymboree has a decent sale section but some of the stuff is very American.

I'm a sucker for nice kids' clothes (blame my Italian mum) but was really offended when a "friend" recently had a go at me for buying dd good clothes. I wouldn't dream of commenting on her dd's outfits. All dd's stuff is from sales, I like getting Kenzo dresses etc for less than something in Mothercare (which I think is rip-off central)

I'm worried that now Gap's had such a slump in profits the Sale rails will be hopeless and it seems to be the case here in Cardiff.

I'm a big fan of benetton kids' clothes, they have good end of season sales and Gymboree has a decent sale section but some of the stuff is very American.

I'm a sucker for nice kids' clothes (blame my Italian mum) but was really offended when a "friend" recently had a go at me for buying dd good clothes. I wouldn't dream of commenting on her dd's outfits. All dd's stuff is from sales, I like getting Kenzo dresses etc for less than something in Mothercare (which I think is rip-off central)

I HATE shopping so ds's clothes are usually from the Verbaudet catalogue and some stuff from LaRadoute too. The latest Verbaudet catalogue is a bit disappointing because therre are very few colourful (i.e.NOT black, navy, beige and/or grey) clothes for boys over the age of two.

When ds was younger, I used to spend two hours in Fenwicks childrenwear dept on the first day of their January and Summer sales and get loads of really great stuff.

All this talk of clothes got me in the mood for what I thought was a bit of window shopping at lunchtime instead of going to the gym - naughty me! But GAP have just put out their latest sale items. AAAGH. So, fifty pounds later, dd now has some very pretty additions to her Spring (and hopefully, Summer) wardrobe. But she DOES need them. Honest!

Can you all advise me on a small problem? Mil took ds to Tesco today and bought him an anorak and trousers which I really dislike!
She said to change them if I wanted.I usually see plenty of clothes in Tesco I like. Do you think that would be rude?The trousers are very pale grey with zips that detach the bits below the knees (!) and make him look like a small football hooligan.

Jasper - it depends how often your MIL sees your child & what your relationship with her is like. IMO is it often simpler to just keep the outfit & put it on when she is visiting (I had to do this with various hand kitted items!!) - unless it genuinely doesn't fit & then you have a decent excuse!

I am the meanest mum out (see 'toys' thread!) & hardly ever buy anything new for my DS (apart from shoes) - I have loads of friends with older boys who pass on wonderful stuff, I love trawling through charity shops & we have some excellent second hand shops locally, & he also gets given beautiful new outfits from family & friends.