Child's fall wardrobe

[richmond282]

With all of the back to school sales going on, I have already begun to look through my DD's fall/winter clothes. I usually go totally overboard when I find stuff on the cheap and buy a zillion times more clothes than she can wear in a season. Can anyone give me an idea of what a reasonable amount of clothing items are? Anybody have a formula they typically use? I'm thinking dresses, shirts, sweaters, pants, pjs mostly.

 

[mom2val]

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[MomToOne]

Once the weather turns a bit cooler, my daughter (11) pretty much refuses to wear anything but jeans, and I am a once-a-week-laundrer, so that means she needs 7 pairs of jeans. Any more than 7 just means the least favorite pairs never, ever get worn, so I've learned there's absolutely no point buying more. 7 it is.

Shirts are harder. I always make sure my daughter approves and says she "really likes" any shirt I buy for her. But it never fails that once we get home a few favorites develop, and everything else goes into the black hole in her closet, never to be seen again. I still haven't figured out the right number to buy here, I buy more than she wears, I know that's for sure. But if I didn't then she would not have enough "favorites" and would constantly be trying to wear dirty shirts to school.

I also buy 1 winter coat, and usually 2-3 lighter jackets or sweaters (for wearing in cold classrooms, etc). And 1 "nice" outfit for special occassions.

Pajamas are a bit hit-or-miss. I think 2-3 pairs is more than enough. I think it is fine to wear the same pajamas for several days in a row - it's not like my daughter is out getting dirty/smelly when she is in those. My daughter tends to like to just wear old Tshirts with sleep pants, so I usually only pick up bottoms these days.

 

[hambirg]

I make sure dd has :

• a weeks worth of pants
• 2 weeks of shirts
• 2 or 3 sweatshirts
• 2 or 3 sweaters
• 2 zip up hoodies
• 1 lined windbreaker/rain coat
• 1 winter coat
• 6 prs pajamas ( 1 fleece, 1 flannel, 4 knit

This looks about right to me, except the PJ part. Really 6 pairs? My kids usually only have 2 good pairs. . .plus other various things they sleep in. Where we live they rarely where "winter" coats, so they are way over on the hoodies. . .more like 4-6 each.

 

[mom2val]

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[hambirg]

DD refuses to ever wear anything 2 days in a row so thats why so many pajamas - Otherwise I am washing constantly! Also we live in Texas so the fleece and flannel only get worn in January and February. DD has always worn pajamas to bed. She's never been a sleep in a t-shirt kid. Funny thing is I sleep in a t-shirt every night and have 2 old prs of pajama bottoms that I throw on for walking around the house!

Yeah, I'm the same way with pj's . . .and apparently my kids have taken after me. I have to force them to actually wear the pj's they have. They would rather sleep in t-shirts and undies. Now if I could just get them to only wear one pair of socks a day! I don't know why or how they need so many socks! But they do. .. I'm constantly washing them and yet it seems they never have any no matter how many pairs they actually own! So I do understand. If somebody asked me how many pairs of socks kids need, some people might say 2 weeks worth. . .but I'd have to say. . .idk. . a bazillion!

 

[poohfriend77]

Yeah, I'm the same way with pj's . . .and apparently my kids have taken after me. I have to force them to actually wear the pj's they have. They would rather sleep in t-shirts and undies. Now if I could just get them to only wear one pair of socks a day! I don't know why or how they need so many socks! But they do. .. I'm constantly washing them and yet it seems they never have any no matter how many pairs they actually own! So I do understand. If somebody asked me how many pairs of socks kids need, some people might say 2 weeks worth. . .but I'd have to say. . .idk. . a bazillion!

I'm right there with you on the sock issue! I can empty their hampers and do all the laundry, and DD will inform me she has no clean socks. So I have to send them on a scavenger hunt. They'll find socks under the couch, stuffed inside shoes, by the front door, in the bathroom, etc. Makes me crazy!

My DDs wear uniforms to school, so I make sure they have 5 jumpers/shirts/leggings, plus 1 cardigan. I usually do some laundry every day, but that way I know they could get through a whole week if we're extra busy.

Because of the uniforms, I usually only buy 1 pair of jeans (oldest DD HATES them, but they have "jeans day" at school 3-4 times throughout the year) and maybe 3 pairs of fleece pants and a few shirts and hoodies.

That is usually fine, until Christmas break, when she wears "regular" clothes every day and I can't keep up with the laundry. So we usually buy a few more things then, and my mom picks up even more things as she finds sales, so by spring she has a lot. My younger DD's closet is overflowing, because she gets all the hand-me-downs, plus several new things of her own.

 

[richmond282]

I make sure dd has :

• a weeks worth of pants
• 2 weeks of shirts
• 2 or 3 sweatshirts
• 2 or 3 sweaters
• 2 zip up hoodies
• 1 lined windbreaker/rain coat
• 1 winter coat
• 6 prs pajamas ( 1 fleece, 1 flannel, 4 knit

Thanks! This is exactly what I needed. It's the shirts that seem to get me! We've got the pjs and winter coat covered for sure.

 

[MinnieForMe]

What about dresses, skirts and leggings? It's probably because my daughter is still little (6) but she prefers these to pants or jeans. She usually has 5-7 skorts/skirts and maybe 7+ dresses. Of course, I'm being conservative here because I've been known to buy 30+ dresses for summer. I have a hard time resisting little girl sundresses after two boys! ROFL!

 

[poohfriend77]

What about dresses, skirts and leggings? It's probably because my daughter is still little (6) but she prefers these to pants or jeans. She usually has 5-7 skorts/skirts and maybe 7+ dresses. Of course, I'm being conservative here because I've been known to buy 30+ dresses for summer. I have a hard time resisting little girl sundresses after two boys! ROFL!

When my oldest DD was that age, she preferred dresses and leggings too, and I was always finding deals at our local consignment shop. I probably bought 10-12 sundresses in the summer (also served as pool coverups) and 6-7 in the winter.

 

[dizney chick]

What about dresses, skirts and leggings? It's probably because my daughter is still little (6) but she prefers these to pants or jeans. She usually has 5-7 skorts/skirts and maybe 7+ dresses. Of course, I'm being conservative here because I've been known to buy 30+ dresses for summer. I have a hard time resisting little girl sundresses after two boys! ROFL!

Amen I have 2 boys who are 10 and 6 with reasonable wardrobes. My DD who is 2 has a large closet that is jammed full. I had to wait a long time for her to come along. So I am just making up for lost time.

 

[Celidh]

Yeah, I'm the same way with pj's . . .and apparently my kids have taken after me. I have to force them to actually wear the pj's they have. They would rather sleep in t-shirts and undies. Now if I could just get them to only wear one pair of socks a day! I don't know why or how they need so many socks! But they do. .. I'm constantly washing them and yet it seems they never have any no matter how many pairs they actually own! So I do understand. If somebody asked me how many pairs of socks kids need, some people might say 2 weeks worth. . .but I'd have to say. . .idk. . a bazillion!

What is it with kids and socks?!?! I seem to be pulling new socks out of the closet all the time. (I keep a new package of socks in the closet for all my kids). It seems every time I turn around they are out of socks. I know some of them are laying around the house since my kids have a bad habit of taking their socks off wherever they are but you would think they would turn up sooner or later.

Also, why do they even make kids socks white? It's not like they stay that colour.

We always have lots of pjs in the house for everyone. We are a lazy day sort of family. On the weekend, if we don't have to do out, we have been known to stay in our pjs and just put clean ones on to go to bed. My boys have gotten to the stage of sleeping in their boxers or sometimes in the winter will wear pj bottoms. No point buying the whole pair for them. My dd doesn't get that she can't just sleep in her boxers like her brothers anymore. I used to let her when she was younger but she is 7 now and I don't think it is appropriate anymore. That stopped when she was around 5.

I usually end up with too many clothes for my kids. They have one set out outer winter wear (jacket and snowpants) and a spring/fall all season jacket. I like them to have 3 or 4 hoodies or sweaters since they inevitably leave them at school or their dad's so we need back ups. About 4 or 5 pairs of jeans/pants and at least two pairs of "track pants" for gym days at school. Shirts I usually end up with lots of. I also usually stock up on hats and mittens for the following winter at the end of the season when they go on clearance since they get lost so easily.

I frequent the clearance racks at stores so put stuff away if it is a size too big to take out at a later date so I sometimes forget what I have and buy more.

My oldest son has started going through underwear like it is going out of style. If he sweats the least amount, he changes them. We always try to have lots of socks and underwear.

I don't like having too many clothes for the kids because it just means we end up stretching laundry day further and end up with way more work at one time. I hate folding laundry.

 

[drinkme]

When the kids get older, they get more picky with their clothes, so I don't go overboard on the back-to-school shopping any longer. Christmas will be here before I know it, and they'll get more outfits then.

DD12 has a hard time finding jeans that fit her. She's inbetween wearing girls' sizes and jr sizes. So, last school year, she ended up only finding 2 pairs of jeans she liked. We then bought some cute sweats and some skirts. DS10 ONLY likes to wear sweats, so that's all I get him now.

So, here's my list:

DD12:
jeans (at least 2 pairs)
sweats (at least 2)
skirts (1-2)
gym shoes & sweat socks for her gym locker
shoes (1-2)
winter coat
hoodies (1-2)
socks
underwear
bras

DS10:
sweats (at least 5 pair)
black pants (1 pair for band)
tshirts (at least 5)
hoodies (3-4)
winter coat
socks
underwear
shoes (3 pairs - 1 is for band)

I'm thinking I'll spend around $400-$500 for clothes and school supplies for the 2 kids.

 

[pigletto]

Living in the land of four unpredictable seasons I have to be prepared for just about everything.
I no longer shop for back to school clothes because of a few reasons.
A) They go back first week in September and it will likely be shorts weather for another 4 weeks or so.
B) I can avoid full price and hit sales if I wait
C) They usually have so much that still fits that I can buy a few things here and there.

Generally for my son I need

A raincoat or waterproof jacket with hood
Rainboots
Indoor running shoes
Outdoor running shoes
Snow Boots
Fall Jacket
Heavy Winter coat
Scarves, Hats, Mitts, Gloves (thin and thick depending on level of cold)
A weeks worth of jeans/cords/cargos
3 sweat pants
4 Zip up hoodies
3 or 4 nicer sweaters
10 or so t-shirts/rugby shirts (long and short sleeves)
One nice dress shirt
One pair dress shoes

Undershirts, Undies and Socks

It is so much when you add in shorts and the like. On your typical day in April though I can send him with a coat and a sweater in the morning, and he's in a t-shirt by afternoon because there's frost when he leaves and it's 75 by the time he comes home

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Sigh. My DD12 grew 1.5 inches since the end of June and probably will grow more this summer.

Good news is she is now taller than me (I'm a shortie).

Bad news is that even jeans that were long on her that I thought could last another season won't. I'm not even bothering to THINK about back to school clothes until much later when I HAVE to because anything I buy now probably won't fit in a few weeks anyway.