I tend to buy more then I need but when the season is over I go back and sale on Craigslist or the local annual consignment sale. Because my clothes are higher quality I can usually sell that dress that I paid $3 for for $10.
I then take all the money I make and buy new clothes for the kids. My clothing budget for the kids therefore doesn’t come out of my budget but out of the money I have made on their clothes.

I also make sure that I stain treat all of my clothing. Clothes that are well taking care of sell better.

About designer clothes, I was raised on designer clothes until I was about 8 or 9. Then my parents lost everything. I was spoiled and had always gotten what I wanted and still expected it. Then they had to tell me “No”. It took me years to realize that I wasn’t any less of a person in lower end clothes. I believed that the clothes were what made me who I was. As a very sociable teenager in Wal-Mart clothes, I was very confident and knew how to use accessories. I turned out to be very involved in many activities and was never picked on. My mother taught me how to care for what was inside and people didn’t critize the outside . Train your child about finances from day one and teach them to have a good heart; then the clothes won’t matter. By the way, my teenagers have no problem wearing bargain clothes. They know if they find a rack with 75% off, they can probably get anything they want off of it. About the teasing, the teenager who teases will always find someone to tease about something. It is the same as a bully. The schools with uniforms, children are being teased about the brand of their underwear. When you ask your teenager if they’re afraid of being teased about their clothes, also ask them “Am I setting you up to tease someone else about their clothes?”

Robin – did you read Diane’s two comments? I am assuming that you don’t have children? Part of being a parent is compassion and empathy. Not acknowledging the reality of teenagers/fitting in w/clothing, etc is cruel. A teen is a different breed and it’s unfair to put your lofty adult ideals on them. Teach and guide – but all with an understanding of their perceptions and their “reality”

This does not and should NEVER mean propagating the society that we have created in schools which enforces that wearing the “right” clothes makes you a good or worthwhile person. Many people are seriously overestimating the amount of pressure kids put on labels. Yes, it exists. I didn’t graduate that long ago (4 years now, not a lifetime by any means). I remember well that wearing the wrong clothes was a social taboo. BUT so was playing the wrong sport, the wrong instrument, being too skinny, too fat, having hair that was too short or too long, having tube socks instead of ankle socks, not having a television in your room… the list can and will always go on and on. I know that everyone wants the best for their kids, but the best doesn’t mean dressing them to keep up with the Jones’. I means (in my opinion) treating them right, treating them to respect one another and themselves, and and treating them how to act like a well-put together member of society. I have no mercy in my mind for people who complain that their kids will get teased in the wrong clothes. Sure they will. They’ll get teased for everything, kids are stupid like that. Seriously, your kid will live. I did. I am no worse a person because I didn’t step foot into an Abercromie and whatever until I was well out on my own and able to laugh at how much their ratty old crap costs. And your kids will be all the better for it, because they’ll know there is more to life than clothes, looks, being popular, and making friends with the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

Just don’t stress over their clothes. Stress over something else, like their grades or the amount of TV they watch, or what they’re really going when they tell you they’re going to the library with their friends. There are far, far, far more important things to spend your time on with your kids.

Another strategy with my college student: he prepared a budget for his clothing allowance. I said fine, here’s the check; if you bring it in under budget you keep the difference. That was sufficient motivation for him to shop carefully … very carefully.

Teach quality first, value secondly and then getting a deal.

Shopping sales at stores like Gap will get you good quality for decent prices. 40-50 dollars for a pair of jeans that I will wear multiple times a week for at least a year (probably more) is definitely worth it to me.

What happens every once in a while is that we find certain items lacking. Toddler shirts never last and need to be replenished in the trading. We go the route many others here do- working up from least expensive (thrift store, garage sale) on up. We find that we’ll mostly end up getting basics to fill in the gaps- plain t shirts, underwear, socks.

There are some families in the group that don’t want to trade used shoes. We’ve never had problems with them. Kids grow out of them faster than anything- sometimes there is little detectable wear on the dress shoes especially.