I have to say that as I sort through the boys' clothes, I really think everything has been a great investment, and I also see patterns of which clothes keep up quality wise. I always (almost only) buy on clearance, so I have probably paid $1-2 per item, and since we have three boys, and a lot of it have been usable for all three of them, I have really been able to stretch the money.
It seems that most of what I have gotten at a thrift store or through Freecycle is going in the Freecycle bin, and it really makes me think that buying new is a much better investment, especially since I can get the clothes on clearance at almost the same price. The clothes that hold up the best is the clothes from H & M (I sure miss H&M, as there are no stores in Florida). When my oldest son was little, I went to the H&M in Manhattan with a huge kids department, and I got a bunch of really nice sweaters for a dollar or two each.
Well, to this days these sweaters still look like new, and so do most of the other clothes that I have bought there for the older boys. Clothes from JCP, The Gap. Old Navy and Target are holding up well too, but any clothes from Gymboree, The Children's Place, Sears, Walmart, or Kmart seems to be failing the three boys grade. These might last through two boys, but after that they really do look worn.
The clothes that seem to be the worst of all quality wise seems to be the school uniform polo shirts, and it does not seem to matter which brand it is or how much they cost. The colors just wash off very fast. I guess buying white shirts might be the best solution, except for the fact that my son's white shirts don't stay white throughout the school day.
Here is a little peak at my progression. I'm all done sorting through the stuff, and I just need the boys to clean out their closet for toys, so that I can clean it properly and get the bins back in.The magazines are sorted as well, and the posts are awaiting Freecycle moderator approval.
Next project: Toys!
All the clothes that are in need of a new home:
Sorted and divided up in age groups to be given away at Freecycle.
Which clothes brands do you think hold up the best?
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Comments: 22
I do look through the clearance clothing at Walmart and Target. I hardly ever go to JCP's or I would go look there too.
Half an hour ago, I was nursing the baby, when I had to go pee. The baby finally finished, I rushed to the bathroom, my toddler came to ask for a snack, the baby started crying. I picked up the baby, hit my toe on the leg of the bed (ouch). My nose started running because of the cold floor, and I already had the chills because of the way I had hit my toe. I finally got to the kitchen, found the snack for my toddler, reached for a plate in the drying rack....and another plate fell down...on our tile floor. The plate broke, the baby started crying, and oh boy I realized that my toe was bleeding from the hit earlier.....
Aww...did I tell you I feel like a scatter brain today? Do you still envy me?
Elliott isn't really rough on clothes, and to be honest, during the winter he wears pajamas more than anything else anyway (it's too cold to go outside a lot of days, so he changes into clean pajamas if we are staying inside), so it's hard for me to judge. Even with pajamas his problem is usually sticking his toes through on sleepers. :) He has huge feet, though, and already wears a size 12, even though he only wears size 3T and 4T for clothes.
If I buy clothes from WalMart, I tend to buy a play shirts a size larger, because they shrink.
I haven't had a problem with Sears clothes, but I am hoping to take advantage of the KidVantage program for the first time. Elliott is rough on shoes, and he has a pair of name brand shoes (bought last year a few days after Christmas) that I think will qualify for an exchange. I will have to get the same size, and even though he's about to outgrow that size, I can put them up for Emory.
I like Old Navy, Children's Place and Gap.