Kids’ clothes add up fast, but a few habits can cut the bill. This guide covers what to buy, where to shop for less, and how to make every piece last through more than one child.
Start with what is already in your closets, then shop with a list, and finish with simple laundry and repair habits.
Start With A Clothing Inventory
Before you spend anything, go through your child’s drawers and closet. Sort everything into piles:
- Keep: clothes that fit and are in good repair. These go back into rotation for the new school year.
- Pass on: clothes in good shape that no longer fit. Save them for a younger sibling, a hand-me-down, a swap, or resale.
- Play clothes: worn or stained items. These become at-home clothes.
Next, write a list of what your child actually needs, with sizes. Keep it in your phone or your purse so you can check it in the store.
Smart Buying Rules For Kids’ Clothes
Buy A Little Room To Grow
Buy one to two sizes larger so your child can grow into the clothes. Sizes vary between brands, so try things on whenever you can. If you order online, do it early so you have time to exchange anything that doesn’t fit before school starts.
Spend More On Staples
Jeans, jackets and coats get worn constantly, so they are worth better quality. Quality doesn’t always mean a brand name, because brands vary a lot. Penn State Extension has a guide to judging clothing quality that is worth a look before you shop. Check seams, fabric weight and stitching, not the label.
Stick To Neutrals
Build the main pieces around neutral colors like denim, black, brown, navy, gray and beige. Pick a couple that blend with each other and you get more outfit combinations from fewer clothes. Add one signature accent color that goes with all of them.
Neutrals also make clothes unisex, which helps if you have both girls and boys.
Skip The Trends
A child can tire of leopard print or lime green long before the clothes wear out. Classic cuts last longer. Think polo shirts, simple t-shirts, sweaters, A-line dresses and empire-waist dresses, which are vintage without the fuss.
More Rules Worth Following
- Look for adjustable waistbands. They fit longer as kids grow.
- Buy for layering. A long-sleeve tee works in fall and spring with a jacket or vest. In winter it goes under a sweatshirt and coat. Choose thin, non-bulky layers, since several thin layers keep a child warmer than one heavy one.
- Have play clothes. Worn-out items or used finds let kids get dirty at home without you worrying.
- Don’t buy what they won’t wear. You may love jean jackets, but if your child won’t put one on, the money is wasted.
Where To Shop For Less
- Thrift stores: Quality and prices vary. Some stock mostly play clothes and some overcharge. Know what clothes usually cost new and aim for items at least 60% off. Many have regular sales.
- Consignment stores: These carry gently used clothing and share part of the sale with the person who dropped it off.
- Garage sales: Good for bulk lots, if you stick to your list.
- eBay: It sells new and used clothing. Look for NWT (new with tags) or NWOT (new without tags), and skip anything listed as “play condition.”
- Swaps: Search Facebook for a swap group near you, or start one with friends. On thredUP, you mail in a bundle of gently used clothes and get cash or credit toward a box of used clothing in the size you choose.
- Off-price retailers: T.J. Maxx, Burlington and Marshalls typically run about 20% to 60% below comparable department-store prices.
- Department and retail stores: Sign up for emails to get sale alerts and coupons, and check coupon sites. Your best discounts come when you shop off-season.
Tell friends and family you gladly take hand-me-downs.
Be Choosy With Used Clothes
Used clothing is only a deal if you would wear it. Don’t buy something because it might work or because it isn’t on your list. You wouldn’t buy new clothes that way, so use the same standard for secondhand.
How To Make Clothes Last Longer
Taking care of what you have is one of the easiest ways to save. These habits help:
- Check for stains and pre-treat them before clothes go in the dryer, since heat sets stains.
- Read the care labels and follow them.
- Wash in cold water with a cold-water detergent when clothes aren’t heavily soiled.
- Use the hottest water the label allows for baby clothes, toddler clothes and anything worn by a sick child.
- Wash dark clothes with a detergent made for darks to reduce fading.
- Line dry when you can, since it is gentler on fabric. Or pull clothes from the dryer slightly damp and hang them to finish.
- Cover young children with bibs, or an old adult t-shirt, at mealtime.
Easy Fixes For Worn And Too-Short Clothes
Mend small problems before they become big ones. Sew on loose or missing buttons and fix small tears by hand right away.
- Holes in jeans: Patches work well, and there are plenty of ideas online. Search “jean patch ideas” for options.
- Stubborn stains: Cover them with fabric paint, an iron-on decal or a sewn-on appliqué.
- Too-short pants: Add a facing to lengthen the hem, or sew a cuff onto the jeans.
Tip you may not have thought of: Iron a patch on the inside of the knees of new jeans before your child wears them. Knees go first, and a hidden patch means the hole never gets the chance to appear.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Sizes Up Should I Buy?
One to two sizes larger is a good rule, so there is room to grow. Try clothes on first, because sizing differs between brands.
When Is The Best Time To Buy Kids’ Clothes?
Off-season, when stores mark down what didn’t sell. Shop early for the school year, too, so you can exchange online orders that don’t fit.
Is Secondhand Clothing Really Cheaper?
It can be, but only if you look for items at least 60% off what you’d pay new and buy only what’s on your list. Pass on anything in “play condition” unless you need play clothes.
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