School Clothes Shopping

[Tamerama]

Well, my 11 year old dd and I started school shopping this weekend. Yep, thats right..lol...I really enjoy doing it with her because she is at an age now where she enjoys getting cute! Now, what I did last year and this year is to give her a budget. In her budget she has to include underwear, socks, and backpack/bookbag. (I do this with my son too but he doesn't care about it really..he is 10) Funny how she goes for the clearance rack knowing she wants to get the most bag for her buck. I told her you can get 1 pair of jeans and 1 top at Abercrombie OR you can get 5 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, 2 shorts, and cute assecories doing smart shopping! And she has chosen to be smart about it.
How do you budget school clothes shopping? Do you include your kids in the process, do it for them, or what?

[luv-my-lexi]

My dd doesn't really like to go shopping with me. She does like brands such as Gap, Old Navy, Limited Too, and Justice so I keep an eye out for big clearance sales and stock up on tops, shorts & capris. This year I have a feeling we are going to have a major issue with jeans. Last year we looked and looked and the only jean we found she could wear was a Levis brand that was "barely" long enough. I had to wash and hang them all winter. She is now taller but her waist is tiny so even with the adjustable waist a lot of the jeans are still just too big. If the waist fits they are too short so I don't know.........

[MommyBliss]

What I usually do is make a list towards the middle of summer of what they need and have them try on clothes to see what can be saved and what needs to be gotten rid of. My children pretty much stay true to sizes for their age except for my oldest daughter who has hit puberty.

Once I know what they need I hit sales, check goodwill(for jeans mostly), and ebay. I do one shopping expedition for socks, underwear, and now training bras(sigh) usually at the beginning of August. I buy shoes towards the end of August.

Then I take the kids with me as I purchase the rest they need and get their input. I have 4, btw.

[Mom23boys]

It is funny that you posted this because we went school clothes shopping today too. Our Goody's is going out of business and has stuff marked 20% to 70% off. We picked up a couple of jeans and a pair of shorts for DS#3, a pair of shorts for DS#1, 3 pair of casual dress pants for DH for work, and 2 tops and 1 pair of dress pants for me for work. DH and I were intending on buying us anything, but for the prices and they were items we really did need so we bought them. DH has "outgrown" most of his dress pants and next month he will be going on a business trip and will need them. I haven't purchased work clothes for myself in 2-3 years. A lot of my clothes need replacing and thought I would before shcool started so today was a start.

You have a smart DD! She knows how to get more for the money. We usually don't set a $$$ amount. We usually go by how many of one item they have. An example, they may not need jeans this year because they are still in good condition. Last year I did not buy DS#2 new tennis shoes because he took such great care of the Nike shocks we bought the year before you could not tell they weren't new!! This year he will get a new pair because now they have seen better days. I do let them pick what they want, but it has to be in a certain price range.

[lisettelovebug]

Ds is 10 and really doesn't care what he wears - YET!! lol. I have been buying him jeans in size 12 since last fall - these should fit him this fall. And I buy shirts in medium and large when I find deals. I do not pay more than $15 for pants (this includes pacos, polos, etc), $5 a tshirt and $10 sweatshirt/sweater. I haven't looked in the bin to see what he has yet for this school year but I will be soon.

For the little ones I've just boughten on clearance and ebay for larger sizes for both kids. I have size 18 months for ds who will be a year in November. He is already in 12 months clothes so these should fit him. DD who will be 2 in August has A L OT of 24m and 2Ts. I'm not putting the 18 months pants in the rummage sale this summer because she still fits into 18 months clothes. She wears a bigger shirt and needs a smaller pants (she's got a small waist)

[Jskell911]

My DS is 11 and isn't too picky. He likes T shirts and Hoodies w/ funny sayings, skulls, dragons, etc. But he HATES shopping. SO, I do it w/o him. We actually do not buy him much as his birthday is in October and he always gets a lot of clothes then.

[eyrehead]

Well, we'll probably "shop" at home this year for supplies, as I stocked up very well last year, when Wal-Mart has their school supplies super cheap. I usually stock up on their socks and undies then too. As far as regular clothes shopping, I usually take them to Kohl's and/or Old Navy for their clothes. I had wanted to do it separately last year, but it didn't work out with Brian's work schedule, but I am detirmined to do it this year. Between the 2 of them, including new shoes & bookbags, we usually budget about $500 for both (NOT each). I always try to get their sneakers at least a 1/2 size bigger, hoping they won't out grow them very fast.

When I stock up on socks & undies, they always get a pack of each for school, and I save the others for Christmas. Same with the school supplies..they get some new for school, and then usually a new box of crayons, pencils, glue sticks, etc. in their stockings Christmas morning.

[cheriede]

Shopping for school clothes is a farily easy process for me because my children go to Catholic school and wear a uniform. I usually don't have to buy too many of those because so many people just pass them down to me. I usually let them pick out their backpack and lunch bag since they don't really have a choice on the clothing. The clothing that they wear outside of school, I usually do involve them in the process. They enjoy shopping.

[JessieMom]

My oldest could care less about clothes & hates shopping so I just pick his stuff up whenever I see something good on clearance. Luckily he's a jeans & button up shirt type kid & he hasn't grown in a year or two so very easy to buy for.
I have to take the middle one with me when I shop because he is hard to get correct sizes for (he's tall with broad shoulder, little waist & a butt) so he needs to try everything on or end up with something that fits funny. He's just now being particular about brands.
My daughter loves to shop, but I hate shopping with her as she feels she must try everything in the store on before making a decision! I now have to take her with me also because she is so tall she is on that verge between kids & junior size and I never know which one will fit.
Since the two younger ones are hard to buy for now I just take them with me. I will only take one at a time though because otherwise they wear me out & I say yes to more than is on my list, lol. What I usually do is go shopping with a list of what they need, they can choose where we go but they know my limit on what I will pay for each piece. If they can't get it in that range - tough noogies - they should have picked a different store! Actually both of them are great about looking for "the" deal and love to go bargain hunting at yard sales & second hand stores. It was alot less expensive when they were younger & I shopped throughout the year for them on clearance.

[Lady_V]

We're trying something new this year since I don't have to buy any clothes this year.

DD wears a uniform, so other than keeping up with her underthings, socks and shoes ... she's set.

She -does- have 'tag days' where the kids can wear street clothes for a $1 donation to the charity of the day. Now knowing what 'themes' are throughout the year.

DD has the job of looking through her clothes along with a rough list I made up for her with the themes/colors. She is to 'shop' from the clothes she already has and we will put them in a special place until that day comes.

I am giving her a 'checking account' this year too. The Old Man and I will 'deposit' $10 for replacements. We will give her 2 hat/gloves/scarf sets. That money is used to re-buy whatever she lost. If we don't have to replace anything, the money will roll over into her summer fun account.

(DD's 8, so $10 is quite an incentive for her)

[Tamerama]

lisette,
my 10 yr old ds could also care less about his clothes. Actually bugs my dh more than it does me. As long as he looks 1/2 way decent when he leaves the house..I'm ok with it. DH will look and send him back to his room to change if he isn't up to his standards. My Dh asked my DD11 the other day if she would please teach my ds how to dress..LOL...I'm sure that would go over well...