designer baby clothes give me a break!!!!

[Tortington]

as a follow on from the debacle that james caused and then won sympathy for. ( u are just like my husband young man.... have u muscles?.....oops thats my dirty mind..am being sexist again!)
bargain clothes from charity shops am not knocking that.... but the delight at them being designer concerns me. i think it gives creedence to the argument that the parents are somewhat to blame for five year old kids going into strops becuase they will have nothing less than " said named designer" and kids generally demanding more(this is not to say and i wish this bit to be underlines in light of recent events that i am making a personal attack.)
its like designer buggies... give me strength! i do think that designer clothes and how much they cost are 2 arguments, i think designer clothes for babies are obscene - like i think mobile phones for 9 year olds are too.. i also think the cost attached to them makes it more obscene, thats to say there are two issues here each can be considered sepreatley to the other.

ooooooh more debate!! btw has brian got muscles too?!!

Bobbins - I would love my son to have looked feral in hand knit jumpers...likewise, Slug, I would have loved him to wear hand-made trousers. That is what I'd visualised before he was born. But when he emerged, tall, thin, classy looking with a built in French crop haircut I had to change my ideas. I do buy him second hand designer stuff (no-one's mentioned Ebay yet, my main source!) and although his style is not as extreme as Brooklyn Beckham for example, I always like him to have one stylish garment on every day. Also, he's a lot taller and thinner than Brooklyn, although 2 weeks younger...

When he was about 6 months old I dressed him in red joggers and a yellow and green T-shirt. His dad looked a bit aghast and I said "well, when else in his life is he going to be able to dress like that?" His dad said "When he grows up and becomes a Rastafarian!"

It's all a matter of perspective, isn't it??

My kids wear second hand clothes or new ones from Tesco sales, etc. Which is what you'd expect as I live in a rented house (can't afford to buy), drive a 12 year old car, have mostly second hand furniture and have not been abroad for 15 years. (And I'm happy that way, thanks.)

However, if I lived in a select neighbourhood in my own home, drove a brand new Merc, got my furniture from (erm, don't know any furniture shops, please insert name of one here), etc, I'm sure I'd spend more money on children's clothes.

Does this make any sense, I'm tired and my Brian hurts.

Each to his own is what I'm trying to say.

PS, what about designer nappies? Didn't Benetton bring some out once? LOL!

Cha - totally agreee - I love H&M clothes - and they are ridiculously cheap - ditto Matalan though they come in and go out like wild fire so you have to keep popping in.( Their socks are brill at £2 for 5 pairs!)
JoAnne427 - good luck in the new job - and are you feeling OK these days?

Angharad - don't want you to think I was having a pop at people who shell out on designer clothes for their kids (although I have to say i think you'd have to be really daft or rolling in it to spend £160 on a cashmere cardi for a tiny baby. Point I was trying to make was I think there's very little difference between a Ralph Lauren polo shirt and a Tesco one - apart from the logo and the cost - so it makes me giggle when I can buy the former for less than the cost of the latter. If I didn't have any money worries I'd definitely spend more money on clothes for ds - but on more unique/funky items than a shirt.
So speaketh the woman who still has her osh kosh from twenty six years ago... complete with added dove of peace badge on one knee and Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band badge on t'other. (Just in case she can ever be arsed to have another child and it turns out to be a girl).

Veering off the point a bit, but wondering if anyone else thinks that kids can just have too many clothes? I'm incredibly lucky in having a lovely neighbour who has basically clothed my child (her dd is older) for the summer, but the amount of clothes she's given me would clothe about six children imo!

What I tend to do, re buying clothes, is simply go for what I, and dd like, and I'll spend more money if something is good quality and will last well but will probably only get a couple of really 'nice' outfits like that (growing room essential, too). I don't care, particularly, who makes them, although to be honest, I don't like things with slogans or labels, and dd likes anything so long as it's stripey. What I do for 'play clothes' is get some basic dungarees/pinnies or something, and applique thingies on them myself, or tack some nice braid on, fabric paint with stripes, etc. I find it fun, and then at least she's wearing something original, if often a little peculiar (specially if she's helped).

Am currently trying to knit a jumper, but it looks awfully strange. Any tips, Bobbins?

Message withdrawn

lmao Enid!!!! erm...... i come on here and slag off people who are baking cakes AND typing on mumsnet ofcourse!
ps if anyone wants to send me some ginger cake i would appreciate it as my MIL hasnt made me any since she found out i liked it!!

both my ds's have had hand me downs and I am a charity shop queen, but I must speak in praise of the football shirt! Ridiculously expensive yes, but when mine do get the latest ones, Christmas and birthdays only, they wear them constantly. They are only taken off to be washed and pound for pound are incredibly good value, think i once worked it out at about 10p per wear. This is how I tend to work out the value of things, if i will wear it day in and day out it is worth paying a bit more for, ie for a smart black wool skirt for work which can be worn every day and will last a few years, I amy be tempted to pay m and s or even principles prices, but a posh frock, which will be worn once or twice must be found at a car boot or in a charity shop! And at least then you never have the embarrasment of wearing the same thing as someone else at a posh do!!

Good point about too many clothes - my DS already has two wardrobes full - I very, very rarely buy him anything at all (and then only from Asda or similar!!) - being lucky enough to have lots of friends with older boys - he has got stuff waiting for him for up to about 8 years old at the moment!! I could afford better labels but agree they are an absolute rip-off (and I used to work in the fashion industry!!) - my hobby is trawling charity shops for my own stuff.

My one 'obsession' though is ironing his clothes and always making sure he starts the day looking smart & 'co-ordinated' - I often get comments on how beautifully turned out he is & am sure people think I am an over-indulgent, older mum!

FrancesJ> fraid i haven't done any knitting for a whilr. It literally was something to keep my hands busy whilst pregnant. I also heard an old wives tale that the position you sit in whilst knitting is conducive to easier childbirth. I was willing to try anything on my long lonely nights whilst everyone else was out getting mullered. I really got into it. Loads of dropped stitches and holes, but then darning skills were called upon. Then when I had finished doing the basic piece of work I just used to harangue it into a general jumper resemblance. God help anyone who criticised! The person who made the feral comment was an organic veg grower for farmers markets (how very twee), so he probably thought it was a compliment.

The making your own clothes thing is very satisfying, makes you feel horribly smug!!!!

eugh, hate myself...NAAAAAHT!!!

Hi bayleaf, how are you? thanks for the well wishes - I am excited about getting back into the work force! Having a steady income and health benefits is a plus as well...and on the health front, I have been feeling great, so things are definitely looking up!

Reading this thread has me thinking I should brouse second hand for myself as well - I'll just call my wardrobe "vintage"...

I feel bad buying just about anything nowadays. We've just come to live in Indonesia and when we see the abject poverty some people live in we can't help but feel we are throwing money about. When spending just $10 on a pair of batik trousers, I'm aware that that $10 could be another family's entire income for a week. M&S and Next are represented out here but there is about a 50% mark-up on prices.

The shopping malls here are fantastic, some of them so exclusive that about the only thing we could afford was a coffee in Starbucks. And then we drank it, knowing that that coffee cost what one street vendor might earn in a day.

No I wouldn't buy a cashmere baby jumper, hand washing isn't for me! But yes, I bought those Benetton nappies and still do when I'm abroad. For the record, they're the same price as pampers but have fantastic multi-coloured patterns which I liked, esp for DD as it meant there was no need for pants to cover up the nappies.

Also, while I can't avoid the middle-class tag we are not hugely wealthy with 3 mercs or anything.

Oh Bobbins I can relate. I spent my whole regnancy knitting and unravelling a jumper in an attempt to keep my mind off vile morning sickness. It's currently lurking under the couch, half the back completed only. Meanwhile....a week after we announced my pregnancy, my MIL had knitted two pairs of bootees and a beautiful cardigan. She's such a frustrated granny, having thought she would never have a grandchild she just got a bit overexcited. She's the one who buys the sluglet little dresses - so impractical for crawling. Having said that, I did buy her a pair of frilly shorts from baby gap simply because it makes me laugh every time her fat little arse zooms past, frills waving in the breeze.

Lindy, am in awe of your ironing obsession. Could you find time to come round here and get a bit of extra practice in? Have to confess that I only iron if I absolutely have to, so there would be plenty for you to do!

It's the season for NCT nearly new sales, they're great way of buying clothes and equipment for your children. Go to www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com click on NEWS. There are forthcoming sales listed all over the UK.

Yes I'm guilyty of shopping at Next and Gap and buying designer stuff but at outlets only. I also buy at boot sales and nearly new sales. My best ever buy was a pair of brand new unworn Clarks's shoes in DD's size for £1.50.

Had a shock today - my DS had been given a Gap outfit for his birthday in March - fairly nice but not what I would have chosen - anyway, today I decided to re-use the bag it had come in & found the receipt - over £50 !!!!!!!! I was horrified, the person who gave the gift is not particularly well off - I would have taken it back & got myself something !!!!!!!!

Shopped for a few things for DS in John Lewis yesterday. Much more colourful range than M and S or horrible logoed Next. Really good quality (I know as I bought his summer gear here). I wonder what the David Beckham boyswear range at M and S will be like? I despair at the enormous range of wonderful clothes for little girls and the dull old rubbish that most department stores churn out for the boys. In our M and S there's probably twice the amount of floorspace devoted to girls' stuff as there is to boys.' Don't go mad on shopping for DS but it would be nice to have a more interesting choice!

Lindy - has it been worn yet? If not take it back and they'll give you a credit note.

I rarely buy anything at full price and shop in advance. I always get comments on my childrens clothes and do not spend a fortune. I used to rate Vertbaudet too, until on holiday once about half a dozen little girls looked the same!! Same goes for Nxt I think some of their clothes are overpriced. Even Primark had some good bits you just have to mix them with the odd quality item. I don't think it's the label that gives the satisfaction it's how much you pay. I once picked up a Balu (the handpainted south african label) dress for £2 and I know they are around £50!! It also grew with dd and lasted for over 2 years. I also know someone who picked up a Christian Dior babygrow for £1.99 at a chariy shop. I think a lot of people buy Next from the directory because it's easier than trugging of to the shops with children in tow. Did I mention TK Maxx ....?

Pluto, agree about boys clothes versus girls. There seems to be so much choice for girls. Am secretly longing for one so I can buy girly pink and glittery things

Willow2 - unfortunately the outfit has been worn!!

Primark has excellent denim jackets at £5 each - I have a friend who does machine embroidery & she 'personalised' one for my DS with his name & a teddy on the back - looks cute.

XAusted - I do live in what might be described as "select neighbourhood in my own home" (don't drive a brand new Merc though - 2nd hand Citroen!) but I still buy most of DS's clothes from car boot sales/NCT sales/Ebay.

I'll confess to actually having a lot of brand name (Oshkosh, Timberland, etc) stuff for him - but that's largely down to it tending to last well and still be in as new condition when I come to buy it - and at 50p to £1 per item it's hardly extravagent. Anything new he does have mostly comes from cut-price outlets (I think it's already been said that T K Maxx is good for cut price Oshkosh stuff), sales or outlet stores - and even at those prices it feels a lot to me for things which will be outgrown in 6 months.

It really makes me laugh though when I get comments from my rich neighbour (who does drive a new BMW convertible and whose 2 year old seems to wear nothing but new designer gear) about how well dressed DS always is, when he's often wearing an outfit that cost me £1 or less!

The one exception I do make for buying new and full price is to have one outfit from one of the uk craft makers like Lads and Lasses or Seesaw (www.seesaw.uk.com/) - but I'd call these craft rather than designer. They're always much more colourful and fun than the high street brands, and fully reversible too (so you can make several variations on the same outfit) and because they're finished on both sides the trousers/sleeves can be turned up so that they fit for a year rather than the standard six months. So a little more expensive, but you get much more use out of them.

Just been sent information on a range of American clothing called Cherokee that's being launched in Tesco this month - looks lovely. From newborn to 12 years old. V reasonable prices.