Childrens Clothes and their individuality.
By dreamertink
@dfollin (25381)
United States
July 29, 2007 9:41am CST
When my kids were little and I still have a growing 10 year old and a growing 8 month old grandaughter I would buy them new clothes from a store that has lower prices as Wal Mart,K mart and such.And also use hand me downs,clothes from yard sale's,flea markets and so on.Because I knew that in 3 months or so they would have out grown it and there was no point in putting alot of money into their wardrobe.But,I had a friend that would not use hand me downs or cheaper style clothes.She only would buy clothes for her kids at Hechts or Macy's and pay higher price for them every few months.And the girl was not rich,far from it.Then I had other friends that thought it was stupid for me to buy them new clothes at all.But,I feel that everyone deserves something new,their own.I know people and hear people all the time that they had nothing of their own.That they only had their older siblings stuff all their lives and felt that they were not good enough for their parents to spend even a little bit of money on.They understand the concept of saving money.But,they felt unwanted because they were not worth their parents to see them as an individual.I think a child should feel that they are good enough to deserve some things they can call their own.What do you think?
5 people like this
13 responses
@maehan (1439)
• United States
1 Aug 07
Good topic! My sons used to have hand-down from their cousin when they are younger. Now, they are 5 & 6 yrs respectively, and we are in US, I do not have hand-down from anybody.
Thus, I will buy clothes whenever they is a sales at Walmart, Kohls, target or Meryvn. Macy's is too costly.
I am pretty lucky that my sons prefer hand-down as they said it is more comfortable. Till today, at times they will ask why their cousin did not give them his old clothing. And, I told them it is much more costly to send them via air to here than purchase.
I felt that it is fine whether to hand down or their own.... as long as they are ok.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
30 Jul 07
Our boys were hard to fit, so we could not buy anything from the thrift stores, so we had to run the gamut of every department store such as K-Mart, Sears, Woolco, and Woolworth (that was before Walmart here in Canada=). When the boys were older and they grew out, we donated their clothes or handed them down. There were no older brothers. We might have gotten some things from friends, but we were not exactly poor. We never shopped in the high-end shops. If you can get things that fit and look good from the thrift stores that is the way to go, but just because you get some things, you should not be denied giving them new clothes. Every child deserves something new.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25381)
• United States
30 Jul 07
There were no Woolco's around here.But until about 6 years ago or so there were a few Woolworths.I loved to go there and buy some stuff.But,they did not have many clothes.Once and a while they would have a small amount of clothing items.
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
29 Jul 07
Well I have only 1 child- so no hand me downs-- would I accept them sure when she was younger- but at 10- probably not for school clothes- I take alot of my daughters clothes and send them to my niece in Kansas- My brother has 3 kids- and 1 niece is smaller than my daughter- so she gets alot of the clothes- and loves it- she still gets new ones too- I buy most of the clothes for my daughter where she chooses- She doesn't outgrow them as quickly anymore like when she was alot younger- Plus I find great sales at the stores she likes- Limited Too, Aero, Old Navy-
@dfollin (25381)
• United States
29 Jul 07
How old is your daughter? Mine daughter is 10 and got hand me downs from my niece when she as younger.As they get older they do not out grow their clothes as fast as when they were younger.My grandaughter does tho.But because of age differences and because my grandaughter's mother throwing out(in the trash,duh!) her other daughter's clothes she has no hand me downs. My son tried to convince her to keep them because her other daughter is only 3,but a small size for her age.But,my grandaughter is growing in leaps and bounds.My daughter loves Limited Too,but I never can afford to buy there and they do not have layaway.
@aj2006 (1534)
• Philippines
30 Jul 07
I have a One year old daughter now, I love to see her in good quality clothes of course, I am thankful because buring her baptism and her first birthday, the gifts are mostly clothes that would fit till two years old... What is important I think is the kind of clothes we choose for our kids.. wether cheap or expensive, the most important thing is for our child to be comfortable( as for babies,the skin is sensitive.)
@lisagayle (393)
• United States
30 Jul 07
I agree with you that everyone deserves something new. But we do however get most of our clothes at Wal-Mart, yard sales, and even the nearest thrift shop. My daughter surprised the heck out of me a week ago, her daddy told her we would go get her some school clothes at Wal-Mart this coming weekend, and she told him NO, and told him we are going to go to the Friendship House, That is the name of our most favorite thrift shop in our area. She plainly told him, I will get a lot more for a lot less. And, I want to go there and not Wal-Mart. This came from a 12 year old girl. I was shocked.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25381)
• United States
30 Jul 07
Wow,that is shocking.But,Walmart are new clothes.Alot of times my daughter ask for some piece of clothes she saw at Wal Mart.They have some pretty nice stuff that does not cost alot.
@surveygrrl (1270)
• United States
30 Jul 07
My daughter actually wears some of my sons hand me downs. She isn't 2 so she doesn't know the difference yet. I have let her wear most of his old shorts and gotten her some new girlie tops to go with them.
She also wears some of his old sleepers since no one sees her then anyway.
I do buy her new clothes for holidays and things like that or if I see a really good sale.
I think if you can get by buying used clothes or getting hand me downs (which I love) then do it but if they seem upset by it then I would let them know that hand me downs let me buy them other things they need like shoes (even a couple pairs of ours have been hand me downs) and toys, and doing special things.
I would never want my child to think just because they are not the oldest they aren't as special.
My son gets hand me downs from my friends kids though.
I am sorry I rambled. This was a really good post!
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25381)
• United States
30 Jul 07
Hey,I have written longer posts then this.Feel free to ramble and say what you want.Anymore it is hard to tell what's the difference between girls and boys,when it comes to teenage clothes.But,t-shirts,some shorts and pants all look alike.So,whatever!
Iam glad that you liked this discussion.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 07
I aways used to buy in the Cheap Shop but I never got them hand me downs lol But that was just me because I always had hand me downs I would not get them for my Children, but I would not buy expensive Things either as you say they always out grew them to fast
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
30 Jul 07
That's really what we do too. We have two boys, a 3 year old and a 11 month old.. so the 11 month old has a lot of built in hand me downs.. we use alot of the stained clothes from his big brother for play clothes for my 11 month old, and we of course buy him things usually at walmart, target or old navy, all three of those stores have GREAT clearance Sales.. and we buy him things that aren't on sale too if we see something we like alot. I agree that kids need new things too though. and we will prob. always do a combination of consignment shops, hand me downs and new outfits. I think we try to get them at least 3 new outfits a season. Since they are growing so fast right now, it's what makes sense.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
29 Jul 07
I only have the one son (5 years) and my sister use to send me her sons clothes, which were great if my son could fit into them. I still buy him his own clothes when there are sales at various places and only ever pay full price if its for a special occasion like a wedding or page boy or something like that. Hand me downs are just as good but only for short while because of the growth spurts but i would welcome them without no problem.
1 person likes this
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
30 Jul 07
For the moment i only have 1 child but she always gets new clothing, she has had a few 2nd hand items but usually only for playing in, i never spend a lot of money on her clothes though.
I have spent more on some things, every so often i'll go in to Pumpkin Patch or something & get her a top or jacket in a size bigger than she's in now but usually i just buy her whatever i see that is cute.
I also agree, hand me down's are GREAT except if that's all you ever get. I only used a few things like that for my daughter & only so she was ok to go out & get messy in them, i'd rather she didn't kill all her good clothes.
I think a mix of new & used is fine, then you know they get brand new things & can feel good about themselves but if they're only outside playing, then 2nd hand things are perfect for that since they aren't in perfect condition anyway!
@mindyja25 (180)
• United States
30 Jul 07
When I was a child my parents would get me hand me down clothes and clothes from Kmart places like that. The only time I would get new clothes was at school time. The only problem with that was my parent had no style for fashion so I was never in style in school, but as I got older I was able to pick my own clothes out so it wasn't so bad.
Now that I have a son of my own, I agree with you that clothes he will grow out of in just a few months can be walmart, kmart and hand me downs. I don't mind him wearing things like that, but I do like him to have some new things that are really nice. I get him a few things from old navy and places like that and I'm happy with them clothes. I think everyone needs something new of their own. I allways make he sure he has special clothes for special days, like holidays and such.
@sugarcrystalz (60)
• United States
30 Jul 07
I try to get a sort of "happy medium" with my kids. They're 2 1/2 and 8 weeks so they obviously don't care yet, but I'm hoping to continue what I'm doing as they get older. Both of them get plenty of new clothes from Wal-mart and places like that, and then hand-me-downs. I'll occasionally splurge on something pricier, but that's pretty rare- especially since we only live by a WM and Pamida.
1 person likes this
