Given that K hasn't hit that age where she picks out her own clothes (not while shopping nor getting dressed), I love that I am the one to dress her. Since she was born, I've had specific likes/dislikes for her style and dos/don'ts for buying clothes. Here is the breakdown for my style/shopping for her:
1) Almost everything is second-hand. Years ago, I woman I know mentioned how she never buys anything second-hand for her children. This was before K came into my life and, at the time, I think I probably agreed with her. After K was born, I couldn't imagine wasting the money on buying everything brand new. Plus, I have found some amazing items for K at Value Village (her little red wool coat that makes her look like an actual princess...I spent a whopping $6 on it!), Once Upon A Child, garage sales, consignment sales and on Kijiji. K's first snow suit was brand new, but for this past winter, I scooped a jacket and ski pants for $9.00 from OUAC.
This being said, the only thing I buy brand new is her pajamas. PJs just seem more "intimate" (that's the wrong word to use when describing something for a toddler, but it's the best word I can think of)...and all of the used pjs I've seen just look horribly worn out.
2) Nothing with characters on it. I think this "rule" is part of the reason why I dislike department store clothes (aside from the Joe line at Superstore). I don't like dressing K in shirts that have Dora, Disney, Tinkerbell etc. on them. I also don't like a lot of the Children's Place shirts that look like a glitter factory exploded on them. Or shirts that have sayings on them. While K does own a few of these shirts (one that says something about being a sweet girl and another with some glitter owls on it), the majority of her shirts just have a generic pattern on them (stripes, plaid, hearts etc). I have nothing against other people buying these clothes (why would I?), but for K, it's just a matter of preference.
3) Go bright or go home. I love bold patterns on K. I like to mix something loud and crazy with something plain. I found an amazing orange/green/blue striped corduroy skirt at OUAC that I pair with a plain orange shirt for her. The older ladies go bonkers over K when we're out in public and she's wearing it. That seems to be another rule for me...one loud piece, one quiet piece.
4) Vintage is always a plus. I love K in clothes that have that vintage-y feel to them. Gingham prints, anything paisley, pea coats, houndstooth print etc.
5) Home is a different story. When we're at home, K can often be found in mismatched clothes and ALWAYS in leggings. On the flip side, when we're out and about, I never put K in leggings...always jeans, pants, shorts or a skirt. She has her "home" clothes and her "out" clothes and never the twain shall meet. Just like her mama, as soon as we get home, her "out" clothes come off and I put her in her relax clothes. Who wants to run around the house with uncomfy jeans on, anyways?
Rather than blather on, I'll leave this post with pics of K and her clothes from the last 28 months :)
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| One of my favourite outfits EVER on Miss K...she looks like a bathing beauty from the 20s :) |
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| Bright plaid overalls with knee high socks...love love love. |
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| Another one of my favourites! |
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| She looks like she's ready for the roller derby in this one :) |
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| Going a little more conservative for Thanksgiving 2010 |
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| A blue gingham dress and shorts...all that's missing here is Toto (aka Shandi) |
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| Bright plaids = love |
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| A zebra vest I found at Value Village...$2 |
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| Her Queen Elizabeth jacket and black beret...$6 from V.V. Her patent shoes were more expensive than the coat! |
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| Sporting one of her very few printed shirts, but I'm a sucker for owls :) |
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| Okay, so this is a horrible combo of patterns, but we're at home so I didn't care. This pic is just to show the types of patterns I love on Miss K |
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| One of my current favourites! |
I love shopping second hand for my girls!!! Almost Finley's entire summer wardrobe is second hand and the few exceptions are what I bought last summer on discount in the us. I don't mind the shirts with the cute little sayings although most of ours are gifts as well. I also refused to buy anything with characters on it but since Finley is OBSESSED with princesses and Minnie Mouse - I caved. She loves them and in the end that's what makes her happy!! But I refuse to buy those brand new and those are all second hand as well!!
ReplyDeleteK is a very stylish dresser and I love all the ensembles i see her in!
I had this post written a week or so ago and never published it. When K and I were in Walmart on the weekend, she was FREAKING out because she wanted pjs that had Dora on them. I know I'm going to hit that point where she wants the specific characters, but I'm happy for now that she doesn't (or hadn't) really asked for them :)
ReplyDeleteI should have mentioned that I do buy new things for K and not always on sale. But after knowing what I can get at Once Upon A Child, it just makes the new, full-priced purchases that much harder to stomach!!
Amen to this post! I try to find all the staples second-hand (or on a super good sale) and then when I can't I will pay full price. I dislike graphics/character shirts as well...except of course the retro-looking ones for boys. I try to avoid graphics mostly for because I don't want all their childhood photos full of them! Well, hopefully when the day comes and she wants a Dora shirt she will be content with one or two and it will be a "home" shirt!
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