Confession time...I'm a brand snob. It's true. I don't see the point of buying Circo brand clothes at a thrift store when I can find them on clearance for the same price at Target. Now, I love me some Target. They can have some really cute things...but for the same price as those clothes I can find Gymboree, Jacadi, Gap, Land's End (a favorite of mine) and a boatload of boutique brands.
Quality Brands
Now its not the name that brings me to those brands. Its the quality. Think about how fast your kids have gone through target/wal mart clothes? They shred/fade and are done with in a matter of washes. I have found consistency with the top brands. I know I can buy Lands End at Sears...but I don't want to spend that money. Kids grow quickly, and sometimes not. My daughter doesn't grow quickly. She's a peanut. 5 and half and just outgrew 3T's. This is why I feel like I can judge quality. She has worn some of the same clothes for 2 years straight. She is not gentle on clothes...she can play in the mud with the best of them. And time and time again, certain brands have stayed with us. I adore Lands Ends dresses. These are a wardrobe staple. She wears these 3 out of 4 seasons, and they still look good. I remember when my son was an infant...he was a chunky one...wearing 24 months at 1 year...well as he aged, those clothes stayed with him...his chunk turned into length and the 2t's that fit him at 1 year, still fit him at 2. This is why I believe quality over quantity. But I am also a sucker for a floral print. I have some very simple and pretty floral dresses from Target and yes, I bought them second hand. What can I say, rules are made to be broken.
Brands that Retain Value
Resale value. This is how I justify splurges. I went to Gymboree and found the sweetest Thanksgiving dress. Even with coupon in hand it cost me more than I wanted to spend. But I had to have it. She wore this for Thanksgiving, school photos, and random days throughout the fall season, plus a good chance she can wear it next year too :). So to me it was worth the splurge. Plus it retains its resale value. So I get my two main uses out of this knockout dress, and can recoup some of my money.
Holiday Attire
I have found some of the nicest, shirts and suits for boys, and the grandest dresses for girls through thrifting.
I have an over abundance of beautiful Holiday attire. Most have come my way through resale. How often does your daughter wear the sparkling red velvet Christmas dress? Once? Maybe twice if your lucky. That's another reason resale is the way to go for holiday attire.
Since I can only play dress up with my son once a holiday, why should I go to Gap and buy a $30+ button down shirt? I don't. I go to my local thrift store and spend a fraction of the price for a Gap shirt he will wear once, and then I can resell. That makes sense to me. Especially in regards to my son.
School Clothes
Again, I went to Gymboree bought this super cute long sleeve polo with military embroidery...so handsome. Thinking he would wear it throughout the winter months. He wore it twice. Once for his school pics, and once 6 months later to the airport. He doesn't like it. He is warm blooded and refuses to wear long sleeves. I have a closet full of long sleeve shirts that I paid sale retail for thinking that he would wear them this past winter...he's worn maybe two of them. A waste. This is when the Gymboree resale value comes into play.
Destruction
How many times did you splurge on that outfit for your kid...and the entire time he/she was wearing it you cringed every time they ate something, or ran? Its a big spoiler when those expensive clothing get stains and rips. Kids are kids...they can't help it. I coached soccer...when a kid would complain about getting dirty hands I would say "wipe it on your shirt, that's what washers are for". Unfortunately, not every stain is so easy to clean. Another big reason to buy resale. When destruction happens...and it will, its easier to deal with when you paid so little for the outfit.
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