How much do you spend on kids clothes?

Many new parents get a shock when they go shopping for children’s clothing – they seem so expensive and the list of ‘must haves’ seems so long! There are so many different brands of children’s clothing on the market that the choice is dazzling and of course the big question is whether it is better to buy expensive designer clothes or affordable ones?

The main fact you will discover, especially as first time parents is that babies/children grow at an alarming speed! You will be given so many beautiful clothes for your new arrival as people love buying cute baby outfits – and not just Grandmas! Savvy parents keep half a dozen outfits for their baby in the 0- 3 months size and then swap the rest for the same designs in larger sizes. You can explain what you have done to those who have given you the gift and they will fully understand when you say that you wanted to really enjoy seeing your child in their chosen outfit for the maximum length of time.

Children definitely whizz through the different sizes. The feet of a child aged 3-5 years will increase by half a shoe size every four months.

The biggest height spurt is around 11 years for girls (8cm) and 13 years for boys (on average they grow up to 10 cm in height).

Why are children’s clothes so expensive?

It is hard to understand why children’s clothes are comparatively expensive to adults’ clothes– after all they are much smaller and are made with much less material. In reality, there are a number of reasons that add to the cost of a child’s outfit – whether it is a designer one or a more affordable brand -

> Many children’s clothes are made with top quality material that is softer and more durable

> Because a piece of children’s clothing like a dress or pair of jeans are made in many different sizes, this makes them more complex to manufacture.

> Colour prints and embroidery are made to be safe for children’s

> Children’s clothing has to meet stringent safety regulations before it can be sold.

Are designer clothes a better buy?

Designer clothes are appealing because they have a certain name or logo. In reality, the higher price tag means that you are paying for the ‘name’ and not extra quality. A designer pair of children’s denims will cost about 5% of the price tag to produce- all the rest of the money goes on advertising and marketing the brand.

Talk with other mums to find out which brands they find wash and wear well. In the UK good quality, keenly priced clothes can be found in supermarkets such as Asda and Sainsburys.

I want my child to look fashionable

This can be a challenge as many designers are now introducing two new trends per season to encourage people to buy more clothes for their child. Remember that fashion trends pass almost as quickly as your child grows! Buy items of trendy clothes but reasonably priced ones, knowing that most trends go out of fashion in just a few months

Savvy ideas for buying children’s clothes

Many parents have found that it is a good idea to spend more money on good quality basic classic items for their children’s wardrobe such as trousers, jackets and trainers and to buy some cheaper fun and fashionable tops and sweatshirts. This works well as peer pressure can be strong and your child will be seen as being fashionable and ‘in the swim’.

> Be careful about which shoes you buy your child. Soft leather ones are best, but can be very expensive. Man made shoes can last well but often prevent your child’s feet from breathing so always ensure that their socks contain a high percentage of cotton. It is best not to pass on well-worn shoes to siblings but wellington boots and slippers etc are fine.

> Most quality clothes are outgrown before they are worn out so can be passed onto siblings, cousins or friends and you will benefit from getting some of their unwanted clothes too.

> Always check clothes carefully before you buy them – whatever their price! Does the material feel good quality? Can it be machine washed? Are the seams straight and are the stitches close together or loose and broken? These simple checks take a few moments but will ensure the clothes look good and last longer.

> If your child has their heart set on a designer item, check online market places such as ebay – you might well find the item there because its owner has outgrown it and may even not have worn it!

> It is well worth spending a few moments when you wash your children’s clothes to check you are putting them on the correct wash cycle and you have separated light from dark items. White clothes should always be washed separately to keep them really white.

> You can give a new ‘lease of life’ to some hand-me-downs by dying them. There are a number of machine dyes on the market that are easy to use and really effective – your child will definitely feel that they have something new to wear and your bank account will not have been dented!

> Great places to find lovely clothes for babies and children at great prices include charity shops and children's secondhand shops. If you hunt carefully, you may well spot a designer item at a bargain price and you will definitely feel that you have struck gold!