Shopping for Kids Who Love New Clothes

Shopping for kids who just adore having new clothes on a regular basis can be difficult. Whether you’ve got a toddler or a teenager, having a clothes-loving child can be hard on the wallet if you don’t shop in the right way. Here are some shopping tips you can use, no matter how old your child is.

First off, make sure you set shopping limits. Let you child know exactly how much money you have allotted to spend on her clothes each month, and stick to it! Never over-spend ‘just this once’ if he or she makes a fuss and demands an item, or your child will learn that this is behavior that produces results!

If you’re going with an elementary school student, take her to a store you know you can afford. Tell her she can get two pairs of pants and two shirts and that they have to be under this price limit. You might be surprised at what she comes up with.

You may also want to go shopping alongside your young teenager. Whether you go shopping with her or let her go alone, though, you definitely need to give her a monetary budget. One good shopping policy is to give your teenager cash.  Let her know that it’s all the money she’ll get for back to school clothes or whatnot, and then let her spend it as she chooses. Eventually, your teenager will learn to get versatile clothes or to have a closet full of shopping bargains that don’t match!

If your child loves clothes and is interested in design, you might want to try going shopping for an affordable sewing machine. You can get a basic machine for under $100. Find someone to give your child sewing lessons, and let him or her have at it. You can take your child shopping for fabric instead of clothes, and he or she can learn to make their own clothes from scratch.

Some older and more fashionable teens really like looking for secondhand items that they can re-purpose, as well, so be sure to swing by your local Thrift store or secondhand clothing shop. If you’re short on time, most towns also have themed used clothing shops where the owner visits all the local thrift shops and buys (E.G.) all the goth clothes or all the school clothes he or she can find, so try wandering into a few of these. You’ll love the prices, and your child will love that they get a unique ensemble rather than an off-the-peg outfit to wear.