5 Tips for Picking Children’s Clothing
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of OshKosh B’gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
We’re deep into the season of photo taking, whether that’s professional photos for family Christmas cards or candid snapshots at Thanksgiving dinner.
Of course I want the girls to look cute for these things, but I also want them to be comfortable because nothing looks less candid or sweet than your child tugging at itchy clothing or crying about a tags.
My taste in children’s clothing has definitely gotten better over the years (with each baby, I’ve weeded out more and more things from the early days of dressing little girls), and since we’re in hand-me-down heaven here with almost-four girls, I’ve learned some lessons about what works for all their little wardrobes.
how to shop for kids clothes
1. Pick a general color scheme. Because the girls all look fairly different and have different coloring, many things I bought for Ella don’t look that great on Ani. Over the years, I’ve discovered that I really like all three of them in blues, whites, and reds (and I like that those colors also tend to work well year-round and for many major holidays), so I choose the majority of their clothing in those colors so that things work well together and flatter the next little sister who gets the hand-me-downs, plus it’s easy to add a few things in other colors as those show up. Plus, when there are family photos, it’s pretty easy to coordinate everyone because the majority of their closets are in similar color schemes.
2. Choose fabrics that will hold up to years of washing and wearing. I know that all the clothing I get for Ella (and even Ani) is destined to get a long run with two or three more little sisters to wear it, so I need something that is going to keep looking good over scores of runs through the washing machine and necessary encounters with the bleach pen. I’ve found that t-shirt fabrics don’t hold up well and never look that good after a few washes (sometimes even after that first wash, which is so disappointing), so I almost always go for non-stretchy cottons, even if that means a quick visit with the iron, twills, soft denims and chambrays, and sweater fabrics. I love this little chambray blouse that Ella’s wearing because I know it’ll still look just as darling in 5 years when Sister #4 is wearing it.
3. Pick classic shapes and patterns with fun details. I try not to pick overly trendy items so that they don’t date quickly (I remember my mom advising us on this when we picked outfits for our senior photos back in high school), but I especially look for items with a fun little extra that makes it special. A basic navy and white sweater isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but the little red bow on the back and the eyelet trim on the bottom make this sweater so ridiculously darling. And ballet flats are as ordinary as it gets, but the little cat face on them is just too fun. I feel like this is where OshKosh B’gosh KILLS it – they sell so many basics but with really pretty details that elevate them a lot.
4. Be aware of what they like to wear. Ella is my skirt-lover. She’ll pick a skirt, especially a twirly one, almost every day of the week. Ani, on the other hand, lives for “comfy pants” so she has a lot of jeggings and leggings. Although I care about what my girls wear, I don’t care enough to make it a big battle, so I try to make sure they have enough clothing that they are happy to wear that still fits in the categories I like too.
5. Be realistic about what occasions and weather you’re shopping for. I love chunky little sweaters or fur-lined boots, but I know that I’m just setting up the girls to melt in Arizona weather in that. I really appreciate that OshKosh B’gosh has festive clothing in all sorts of seasonal weights – that little skirt Ella is wearing could be layered with tights and boots if we lived somewhere cold, but here, when it’s 85 degrees on Thanksgiving Day, bare legs and ballet flats look just as good with it. And Ani’s sweater is light-weight so it’s perfect for our warmer winter weather, but also thin enough to layer under a jacket and then not roast your child when they’re in an over-heated house while snow falls outside. And Star’s little plaid blouse is ideal for the whole fall and winter season because it’s not too heavy. Similarly, if your holiday celebrations are mostly very casual, pick festive items that aren’t overly fancy – it might be tempting to go with that super floofy Christmas dress, but if everyone else is wearing jeans to Christmas dinner, pick something holiday-ish that’s more laid-back.
What guidelines do you use for picking out clothing for your child (and do your kids have strong opinions about what they wear)?
And if you’re in the market for some new clothing for the holidays for your little ones, check out your local OshKosh B’gosh and use this coupon or use the coupon code OKBG3223 online for 25% off your purchase through the end of the year.
ELLA’S OUTFIT: Chambray Top • Skirt • Shoes
ANI’S OUTFIT: Sweater • Jeggings • Shoes
STAR’S OUTFIT: Top • Jeans • Shoes
Wait…Sister #4?! Is this an announcement that it's a girl? Or did I just miss another earlier one? In any case, congratulations! I love reading your blog and we think of you often in book group (evident by the fact that we still call Landen by your name occasionally).
Ugh. Clothes. A perennial issue. I have all boys, so obviously everything gets passed along, so that means no cheap junk. After some trial and error, I've identified the best brands to fit my sons and might possibly make it to the next boy in line (though no guarantees–they're shockingly hard on even good jeans, for instance), and that's what I always look for on sites like swap.com.
Best winter outerwear is from L.L. Bean. Pricey, and not often found second-hand, but worth it especially if it'll be worn by three kids.
Best shoes for little boys are Vans, the kind with the velcro straps. They have them at Kohl's for about $25, the black or grey ones look nice enough to be worn to church or whatever, they're easy to get on and off but don't fall off, and they hold up. That particular style is only made in the littlest sizes, though, so I'm still trying to find really good everyday shoes for my seven-year-old.
Yes to all of this! And what darling pictures, J. Dressing my girls is one of my favorite things.
I have three daughters so things get pass down. Never been a problem until my youngest turned four and now wants new clothing just like her sisters. lots of jealously and tears. My question is eventually when your girls are older and would compare how will you play the game of new clothing so that each child feels equal and no one feels that their sisters get everything new and they get all the old stuff?
How would you make it fair so that no child feels like they have lesser than the others?
I have three daughters so things get pass down. Never been a problem until my youngest turned four and now wants new clothing just like her sisters. lots of jealously and tears. My question is eventually when your girls are older and would compare how will you play the game of new clothing so that each child feels equal and no one feels that their sisters get everything new and they get all the old stuff?
How would you make it fair so that no child feels like they have lesser than the others?
I think my oldest daughter is probably always going to get the most new clothing (assuming she's the biggest), but I want to make sure all of them get new things periodically too, so they don't feel like their entire wardrobe is hand-me-downs. I'm sure it'll be tricky to make sure every feels equal!