Inexpensive NEW clothing for kids & mamas - Page 2

[IngaAnne]

I love Once Upon a Child for my son's clothing. It is used clothing, but the ones near us are name brand, like new stuff. I often find items with the tags still on it. It benefits local families, by allowing people to sell their kid's stuff back for cash or store credit. It's so packed with clothing, there's no way you are "stealing" anything from anyone else. The more you buy, the more they can buy from others to re-stock.

For never been owned clothing, I like Old Navy and Gap for both my son and I. They have decent sales, but not typically what I'd consider cheap. I tend to buy a couple of pairs of cotton pants and cotton shirts at Baby Gap at around 2 for $20, every season. The quality and style is always great and I use the new stuff to supplement the second hand majority of his wardrobe. We also do Kohls brand Jumping Beans. Its cheap on sale, lower quality than Baby Gap, but still reasonable.

[swede]

Originally Posted by AnkaJones 

My husband actually initially had the same impression as the OP -- that the service performed by thrift stores was providing clothes to poor people.  Actually, they're the fundraiser.  So, it's like going to a benefit dinner, only more useful for us.  And I agree with Philomom about avoiding the negative social impact of the clothing industry, especially at the lower-cost end of the spectrum.  All of that said, if you want to avoid new clothes for social/environmental reasons and you don't want to go to a thrift store, consignment shops are a nice middle of the road option.

Anka

Also, around here, it's not as if there isn't enough thrifted clothing to go around.  Places like Goodwill and savers are overflowing where I live.
 

[swede]

but to answer the ops original question.  I have found good stuff at crazy8.com - they are gymboree's old navy, if that makes sense.  Also, places like LL Bean's online clearance.  ANd gap.com clearance.  But ll bean has a lifetime guarantee and ships free all the time.  I also like Lands end for new stuff.  It really does last.

[Poddi]

If  you don't mind online shopping, check out Land's End clearance section.  Lots of very reasonably priced new items, and their quality is very good.  Oh I just noticed you said quality doesn't matter.  Well you have 3 kids and surely clothes that are good enough for hand-me-downs are worth considering? :) Plus when you donate them they'd still be in good conditions.  Without generous people donating good quality used clothes, where can those low income people shopping at thrift stores get good stuff?

[sewaneecook]

Children's Place has sales about once per year where I find tops and pants for $1.50 each!  Both boys got a fall jacket at that sale last year.  I can also find great deals at Gymboree when I combine their sale racks with 20% and 30% off coupons.  I often spend under $5 per item there and I'm able to hand down DS1's clothes to DS2 because their quality is better than average.  I justify spending a bit more on myself than that and I often shop the sale racks at Loft and Banana Republic.  I've gotten $90 pants/dress jackets/skirts/etc. for under $10 at each store!  Most of my clothes cost about $15/item.  I know you said quality doesn't matter, but I have some things from each of these stores that have gotten regular use for 10 years now!  For me, it's worth a bit of an initial investment so that I don't need to replace an item every couple years.  For DH, he needs a dressier wardrobe for work and can get great deals on button-down dress shirts at Dillard's and Belk (regional department stores).  Most of his dress shirts cost $10-$15 and ties are usually under $12.  Dress pants are a bit more difficult for him to find a deal on, but he can often find some at both those stores for under $25. 

My view on thrift shopping when I can afford new is that it is sometimes a place where I am able to cut back so that I'm able to splurge more on other areas, like travel, and nice locally made furniture.  However, I often skip the thrift stores because I'm able to find great deals at the stores I mentioned above. 

[Dar]

I don't know about kids' clothes, but Urban Outfitters currently is running their huge fall sale and I've gotten a lot of great stuff for me for under $10 - most for $5 a piece. I also have good luck at Gap, because they run these random 40% or 50% off everything sales that include clearance stuff, so again it's under $10 a piece, and sometimes just a buck or two.

[Polliwog]

Originally Posted by organic-momma 

I shop the sales at Gymboree and always find tops and pants for under $10/each, and the quality is usually great.  Carters/Osh Kosh has some good deals as well.

I get most of the kids clothes at Gymboree, Crazy 8 (my new love,) and Baby GAP/GAP Kids.) Those stores have good sales which can often be combined with coupons, And if you are willing to shop off-season, you can get Gymboree really, really, cheap (at their Red Balloon Sale.

[texmati]

Honestly, I feel carters it the best bang for your buck (especially with babies that will outgrow more than once a season). And to save money; we buy very few outfits and do laundry often. (For my son) For my daughter, we buy absolutely nothing, and somehow are still up to our ears in clothes.

[ashleyhaugh]

my favorite place to hit the clearance rack is sears... they always have stuff, and it always seems to ring up for even less than it is priced, lol

[karne]

If you sign up to receive e-mails from your favorite stores you will often receive some sort of discount, say 15-20% off of an initial purchase, on line.  Gap is constantly having 30-40% off sales, on line only.  I can only imagine that other stores do this as well.  It beats going to the mall, using gas, time, etc.

FWIW, our local thrift stores have gotten pricey enough that it almost feels like mainstream shopping.  And, my dd and her teen friends shop a lot of consignment because it's the "in" thing to do if you are in to recyling, funky styles--all of that.  Kids can be very, very savvy about how far their dollar goes.  We always hit the consignment store before the mall in our trips.

[Aeress]

Consignment shops are a great option, I wish we had them closer to us.

When I do buy new I like Lands End for the kids and myself.

[mbm]

In our area, Macy's, Gap and Gymboree can all be very cheap with sale + coupons. I have gotten new clothing items for 99 cents.  I usually buy end of season clothes one or two sizes up.

Thrift stores in our area stink and most don't even carry children's clothing.