Today’s guest post comes from Kimberly of Fashion on a Shoestring, who’s just moved to Tokyo — how exciting!

Read on to learn all about bargain shopping for kids, including some great tips for Australian readers.

Children! Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. They’re not much fun when they’re all sick and squabbling, but how cute they are when we dress them up!

Here are some ideas for finding kids’ clothes to accommodate your budget, and their taste.

Kids clothes: where to buy

Online

Online shopping for kids is HUGE; as much choice as for mummies.

The big advantage is that it’s way less stressful than shopping in the store! The kids don’t give you any grief — at least not ’til the clothes arrive. In my house, it’s easier to dress boys than girls, so it’ll probably only work if your girls don’t start wanting labels at age 3!

Your budget dictates how well this works, as postage/shipping charges will hike up prices — as will the currency conversion from US dollars if you’re in Australia.

Getting kids’ clothes made

My mum used to sew our clothes and now my mother-in-law will make some lovely things for my kids, but the variety out there and the quality of even a $20 skirt does mean that dressmaking is more for love than a huge money saver… but if you are a whiz at the sewing machine then that’s another story.

Pre-loved baby clothing

Pre-loved clothing and baby exchange is great too — it just takes a bit of time browsing through. If your friends pass around clothes, which has been a huge help for us, then say a big “thank you” and reciprocate!

Where to buy baby clothes in Australia

Kids basics

Singlets, socks, knickers, pyjamas etc. can be successfully purchased at Target, Kmart, Best and Less, or even Coles/Woolworths. Unless its a gift, the cute packaging in more upmarket stores is just more costly. Look for sales and discounts in those weekly brochures, you really do notice a saving.

Clothes for pre-school, kindy and every day stuff

I find that some kids wear through their clothes more than others so in my opinion keep the skirts, tees, zip-front tops etc. at a reasonable price. This way if they tear, lose or stain clothing, its not the end of the world. Cotton On for Kids is a good option, chain stores, or SALE time at department stores.

Sales or outlet shopping?

I know many parents who will stock up at SALE time, but if you’re not sure the outfit will be worn (my 4 year old is fussier than Paris Hilton), don’t despair as outlet stores carry discounted items of mostly good quality, all year round.

Dressing up

Pumpkin Patch is only one of the gorgeous, more upmarket, kids stores around and try Mosman, Chatswood Chase or Double Bay for some really posh stuff. My kids are still young enough to not be dressing to compete with other littlies, which helps, but I do like a few bits for parties, Christmas Day, weddings, or just when we all need to be tricked out. I think its worth the extra dollars (can be over $60 for one item) as they do feel special — and look fantastic!

Designer kids wear, on a budget

Even if you can’t do the designer look very often, you can make the same choices we do for our own clothes — i.e. “investment” vs “trend”. For example, cute scarves, tights and bags are available at Pumpkin Patch, which can be teamed with the more generic jeans and skivvies.

Shoes

As they get older, be prepared for your kids to wear them out in no time, and look for more durable brands like Clarks! Payless or Target, Betts Kids or Pumpkin Patch are all great for one season, which is probably all you will get due to the growth factor.

Department stores often have 20% off sales, which is an excellent way to get some good brands. If you think those suede boots can be passed on to the next kid, by all means pay a bit more — but be realistic and remember the kids are not yet asking for Nine West!

Thanks Kimberly, for all the fabulous shopping tips for the Mums out there!

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