Where do you shop for older-kid clothes?

[hermionesmum]

I'm starting to find it difficult to find clothes for dd. She's nearly eight and taller than average, so I'm trying to buy age 9 roughly. I'm looking for proper, warm winter clothes any my usual haunts seem to be more focused on fashion than practicality for that age group. Any tips?

[ann_of_loxley]

I don't have an older child, but we really like H&M.
I also think ill continue to buy jeans/trousers on ebay as they are redculous price for children in the shops!!! - and unlike adults, they can't really get away with wearing a pair of jeans more than once a week! lol

[knittinanny]

John Lewis and Gap Kids, unfortunately, are where we frequent. We don't have any littles yet, but my DP is really short (4'11") and wears a boys 8-9 year tops and 11-12 year bottoms, so we're all about the kids departments.

Stuff from H&M is mostly flimsy and uber-trendy and I suspect the girls stuff isn't made even as tough as the boys, which isn't saying much. I feel the same way about Boden and Mini Boden - cute stuff, but not made so well. Howies maybe?

If you've got a lot of cash, there's always the kids dept. at Harrods.

[MittensKittens]

Have you tried Next?

[NW6Londonmum]

I buy a lot of miniboden and find it stands up really well. My son has trousers that have kept going for 2 years without a problem.
I also like a Swedish shop called Polarn O Pyret . There's one in Brent Cross in London

[flapjack]

Actually, I really like mini boden. I can't afford it new often, but we've bought secondhand that's gone through two or three kids,and they do do proper kids clothes, iykwim?
I'm finding that Next's sizes are pretty small and my nearly-11yo is in their man's XS for tops now. M&S and Gap fit for trousers, (both my boys are very slim) but you might also find that you need the specialists for things like fleeces and waterproofs.

[knittinanny]

Does the Polarn O Pryet in Brent Cross have women's clothing, too? We went to the one in Stockholm last year and loved it for both small stuff and women's stuff. They have very nice baby things too...bought far too much for the 'hope' chest!

[Helen_A]

H&M and Zara here. DD2 and DS1 are both pretty tough on clothes and the H&M things stand up really well. Although we do buy in a very 'made in europe' centric way so that may well have a bearing on this.

M&S are OK as well - but the pretties from there definately don't stand up to heavy wear, but we tend to buy jumpers from the 'school' range as they seem to be indestructable.

[hermionesmum]

Thanks for all your responses!
I've given up on Next as there stuff now seems too short and flimsy. (I could rant for hours about my hatred of leggings/footless tights, I must be getting old.)
I will be giving mini boden and h and M a try.

[flapjack]

Oh, wait, she's a girl. Joules! (I think they have an outlet at the Clarks village down in Somerset as well.) I see them around at some of the country fairs and their clothes are gorgeous. It's also worth keeping an eye on TK Maxx for some of the northern europe brands.
Heh. Looking at Joules' website, they have boys as well. I didn't need to know that.

[hermionesmum]

Thank-you so much for the Joules recommendation. It does look fantastic!

[NW6Londonmum]

P.OP in Brent Cross has a few maternity pieces but not really women's clothing as such.