You can't keep a good woman down. Or away from charity shops it would seem. Or maybe that should be *this* woman... Anyways. I'd like to share with you a couple of recent hauls that I snaffled for Baby Girl (who is almost a toddler now, what?!). Everything here probably won't fit her for a long time, at least six months time I'm guessing, but it's good to have some nice bits in the 'bank'.
Above:
Mustard and navy striped t-shirt, £1.49
Grey hoodie, £1.49
Grey and neon trainers, £3
Pink and fawn Clarks trainers, £3
Below:
Clarks wellies, £3
I understand that buying children's' shoes second-hand would make many parent's eye twitch. Personally, if I see shoes that have no or next-to-no visible wear, particularly if they are from excellent brands, them I'm going to get them. If they are the type of shoes that has a width fitting as well a general size, I'll of course make sure it's the same as she wears and I'll get her feet measured again before putting her in them when it's time.
Good children's shoes are crazy-expensive, and having these lined up for when her feet inevitably get to that size is a relief because I'm not sure we could afford to bust out £30+ for something that she may only wear for a month or so. Even though these wellies are half a size too big for her currently, she loves to play dress-up with them around the lounge:
Below:
M&S coat, £2.99
Stripy wool cardigan, £1.99
These scores very nearly didn't happen at all. I saw the coat in my local Barnardo's just before closing one afternoon, and although it was well made and in excellent condition and water proof and fleece-lined, I put it back because it's sized 4-5 years. My little girl isn't even 18 months yet so I thought it might be a squirrelling/hoarding step too far to buy this coat. However, I thought about it and decided it was a bargain too good to pass up and luckily it was still there when I went back the following morning. I'm probably never going to make her a water proof coat, and if she's anything like her dad, as soon as she starts school she'll lose them at a rate of one per term!
Whilst I was there sheltering from the rain, I found this lovely little cardigan in the boys section. Normally I overlook the knitwear in charity shops (for Dolores) because Nanna-knits are always going to be cosier and made with more love, but for this I made an exception. I love it's vibrant-but-not-too-childish colours and it feels amazingly soft with some angora content, so that got snapped up too.
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11 comments:
She looks adorable in the too big coat! Like Stevie Smith's Lion Aunt!
The world is very small right now, Zoe - my husband's half bro lives in Hastings! AND, spookier, I have been helping one of the lecturers at our local Uni's Design school who used to work for Traid! She knows you. Amazing eh!
Wow, that last photo is seriously cute. I love how she had to try on her new coat!
I think you're a sensible girl to squirrel those too-big items away. I'm excited to hear that you shop in the charity shops in Hastings! I don't live too far away and I always have a gander when I visit - they always seem to be particularly fruitful for me :)
The great thing about baby & toddler clothes and shoes is they don't get much wear before they become 'second hand' so you can get amazing bargains on nearly new clothing. It's when they start jumping in puddles and rolling in mud and getting caught on barbed wire fences that the clothes start to suffer - or was that just my kids? Love Dolores in her raincoat and wellies.
I was all about second-hand shoes when the boys were young--not so much trainers, which get trashed, but dress shoes, which get worn maybe twice a year, and which kids always seem to need to fit the dress code for that one preschool graduation/Xmas concert/science fair presentation. Sadly they aren't young any more, and two-outing dress shoes are now a whole different level of expense.
Youre not the only one to hoard away bigger sizes when you find a bargain - I have a beautiful wool duffel coat in storage that I bought for my sons when the youngest was a toddler however it it still a little big now he is 7 ha ha
Love a good bargain. You have to snap them up when you see them. I had age 3 trousers when she was about 2 months old. ;)
Ha, ha! How cute is that coat! I've had stuff squirrelled away for Elodie for a few years that is age 8-9, it's sensible if its at a good price. My only worry is that I'll forget where I put it!
Ah, too gorgeous! I've never understood the eye twitch reaction to second hand kiddies clothes/shoes. The shoes are especially expensive and you're absolutely spot on...within a month they can be too small...so most second hand shoes at that age are near perfect. T'would be madness not too! All Elliott's stuff was second hand at that age. Alot of it still is. Just can't get away eith the shoes anymore. They're all battered at his age!
Px
ha ha - she is just delicious! xx
Lovely haul. I love getting clothes (and shoes too) for my kid second hand. Especially those garments that would be super expensice when bought new - like snow/winter gear or certain brands. I read an articel from an orthopedic saying that it was alrigth to buy shoes second hand in the early years (I think he mentioned up to 4yo) as long as the soles where not uneven from wear. Small kids will typically not wear out a pair of shoes because they wear them for such a short time. I usually look for certain good (and really expensive) brands like superfit, keen or primigi that I know will fit my daughter. (usually from ebay). And so far I have not had bad luck. Some of the the shoes I bought were almost as good as new because apparently many parents buy more than two pairs of shoes pair season for their kids to wear. I usually sell them after my kid has worn them on ebay too.
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