Sticker Shock

**frugal is fun** · 12-18-2008, 09:52 AM

I was at the mall yesterday with friends. One of my friends walked into Gymboree to get his daughter a new outfit for Christmas Pictures to be taken with the family.

I nearly died when I picked up a pair of girls jeans, looked at the price....$36.75. Are you kidding me?

I have not been to a "real" store in years. I have been lucky enough to find name brand clothes for my son at tag sales and Goodwill. I would never buy a pair of jeans for myself for that much, nevermind my 6 yr old daughter. Good golly!

As I was waiting for my friend to pay for this outfit I just stood there and thanked my lucky stars that I do not feel the need to shop the same way for my son.

**Dancing Lotus** · 12-18-2008, 10:00 AM

I go to the mall about once a year and every time I suffer sticker shock.
I bought my dd a pair of jeans with sparkles in them and they were still 20.00 on sale. I normally buy them used but she is so hard to fit I really wanted to get her one nice pair for Christmas. She isn't really getting much so it was important to me to get her something special so I paid the price even though it about made feel sick.

**kittykatstrong** · 12-18-2008, 10:07 AM

They grow out of it so fast I dont know why you would pay that much.

**treeluva** · 12-18-2008, 11:37 AM

Both of my daughters are a bit tall for their ages... but they are skinny binnys. It is hard to find jeans that fit them. In all honesty, the jeans that I have found that do fit them properly are $30-$35 a pair. I have been trying to buy them on sale, or for buy one get one free deals, and I have been lucky these year so far in doing that. For christmas they each got 4 pairs of jeans for the price of 2, but still, thats $120 altogether on jeans!

I have looked at thrift shops for them and usually do not find anything that fits them properly.

What's really sad is not that my children are skinny, because actually, they are the decent, healthy weight for their ages and heights. The doctors are always pleased to see my fit children. What is sad is that clothes makers now make their clothing for the overweight children. Instead of having a section where overweight children is bought, it is spilling over into the "regular" section.

Even if retailers and manufactors hadn't started doing that, I would still have some issues finding jeans that fit, but not as much as it is now.

They do the same thing with women's clothing. I weigh the exact same amount as I did 7 years ago when I wore a size 6. Now the tags tell me I wear a size 1.

OH- btw - my oldest daughter needs a size 7/8(girls) waist with a size 10(girls) length and my youngest needs a size 4(girls) waist with a size 6(girls) length. Anyone know where I can get those for mere pennies on the dollar?

Some people tell me to sew them some jeans, except 1) I dont own a sewing machine, 2) I dont know how to sew and 3) I barely have time to grocery shop so I dont know when I would sew. (I know, those all sound like valid excuses to me!

)

**frugalbabe** · 12-18-2008, 11:54 AM

I agree with you completely. However, I know some people do buy the spendier clothes and then are able to sell them on Ebay and they sell well because of their name brands so in the end they may be able to recoup a lot of their "investment". But I am of your mindset because 1. I would not be able to stomach laying that much down for little teeny tiny clothes. 2. I am way too unorganized to be regularly selling clothes. 3. My kids actually use their clothes between staining and wear I doubt mine would be able to sell at all!

**guest002** · 12-18-2008, 12:51 PM

I buy some Gymboree items on sale or at their outlets. I like some of their things because they are longer than usual.

**joyofsix** · 12-18-2008, 01:02 PM

I personally would never spend that but if you someone chooses to more power to them. I totally agree about not being able to find 'average' sizes that fit. My kids aren't that skinny but even the slims need elastic in the back. It's crazy.

**MommyBliss** · 12-18-2008, 01:05 PM

I buy my kids things like that on ebay or when there are really good sales. My daughters are pretty particular about clothes, but they are good about deals, so it evens out.

**stinkbug** · 12-18-2008, 01:18 PM

We have an OshKosh outlet that has great deals on kid clothes...usually 70% off and they send out coupons. Like everything else....if you shop the clearance racks at the upper end stores you can find outstanding deals.

**phoeny_moonstar** · 12-18-2008, 01:20 PM

I always get sticker shock going into the mall. The only place I visit in the mall (because they don't have a stand-a-lone store) is lane bryant. And I only go there when they are having a fantastic sale or I need a new bra/s.

A thing I have a hard time finding is for my DD who is 8 (turning 9 in feb) she is 112lbs and 4'9". She is about a foot shorter than me, so finding clothes that fit her length and width is EXTREMELY hard. She is starting to go into juniors sizes and prices are getting higher and higher. (And the doctor says she's in excellent health, that she could maybe lose 10lbs but he's not worried about it.)

**imagine** · 12-18-2008, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by treeluva

OH- btw - my oldest daughter needs a size 7/8(girls) waist with a size 10(girls) length and my youngest needs a size 4(girls) waist with a size 6(girls) length. Anyone know where I can get those for mere pennies on the dollar?

Some people tell me to sew them some jeans, except 1) I dont own a sewing machine, 2) I dont know how to sew and 3) I barely have time to grocery shop so I dont know when I would sew. (I know, those all sound like valid excuses to me!

)

Have you tried JC Penneys? We find that their Arizona jeans run skinny and long. We find the slims on clearance for cheap. Especially when there are coupons for % off already reduced clearance prices.

My SIL loves Bongo jeans for her tall thin daughter. I think she gets them on clearance at Dillard's or Macy's.

Also if you want used ones. We have found that the local children's consignment shops are good about having brands they know someone will buy. So let them know what brands you are looking for.

**treeluva** · 12-18-2008, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by imagine

Have you tried JC Penneys? We find that their Arizona jeans run skinny and long. We find the slims on clearance for cheap. Especially when there are coupons for % off already reduced clearance prices.

My SIL loves Bongo jeans for her tall thin daughter. I think she gets them on clearance at Dillard's or Macy's.

Also if you want used ones. We have found that the local children's consignment shops are good about having brands they know someone will buy. So let them know what brands you are looking for.

JC Penneys is usually where I find jeans that fit and I do my best to buy them either at buy one get one free or on a really good percent off sale with the use of my JC Penney coupons. My store here doesn't have a good clearance rank... hardly ever the sizes I need and not very much at all. Maybe one circle rack for sizes 6-14 and one for 3T-5. Actually, the section for the younger one is basically one column unit and 3 tables.