When do you start buying warm weather clothes for your kids?

[100AcreWood]

I was thinking I should start looking now since the weather should start warming up next month but is there a better time to buy in terms of sales?

 

[disny_luvr]

I start buying when I can live with the price. I was at our local Children's Place and Gap stores recently and they are starting to get in some spring/summer clothing. I'll wait a few weeks until some of it goes on sale; I won't pay full price. This summer my boys are going to need almost all new clothing. Last summer they wore a size 4 and currently they are wearing a size 6. There is no way they'll be able to fit into anything from last summer. The one thing I am thinking about buying now even though I'll be paying full price is swimming trunks/rash guards. I always have a hard time finding either the sizes I need or the print/colors the boys like so I'd rather buy now when the selection is plentiful rather than waiting for a sale.

 

[NYEmomma]

I buy at the end of summer the year before. So far DD has been super regular with her growth... she was 2T and 2 and now 3T at 3. So I've got a whole storage tote full of 3T clothes for this spring & summer. I'll should actually start shopping for her fall/winter clothes pretty soon. Kohl's & Children's Place have some really great end of season bargains.

ETA: Like PP, I do buy swimsuits full price when swimming season hits... I can never find any real consistency in swimsuit sizing so when it's swim time, I'll just bring DD with me to make sure the sizing is right.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Best deals are always end of season. My wife just picked up a $30 (originally) sweater for $2 yesterday. Ditto for Summer stuff. Best price will be just before it gets cold. But, it takes a lot of planning with growing kids as you always have to buy a size or two UP to make sure you have what fits when it comes time to wear it

 

[mom2t]

I buy at the end of the season. My son has gone up 1 size each year. I bought at Gymboree yesterday - got 2 long sleeve dress polos, long sleeve tshirt, and 1 short sleeve t - spent 26 including tax.

 

[100AcreWood]

I buy some at the end of the season but I can't find everything I need. I think I'll wait another two or three weeks and then start looking. Thanks!

 

[Tiger926]

Stopped buying at end of season as we have no idea if those sizes are going to fit.

I buy all year long, when stuff is on sale. Places like Old Navy, Gap and Gymboree carry t-shirts all year round, and they get bathing suits and shorts in January, sometimes even the end of Dec.

I am lucky as my kids will fit into last summer's clothes, but we also just went to Disney at Christmas for almost 2 weeks, and I bought new stuff, so we have that as well.

I always wait for shoes until right before the season starts, as we buy expensive shoes like Keen, New Balance, Merrill, etc., and we have to make sure they fit properly. But by doing this, they are never on sale.

Happy shopping, Tiger

 

[jacksmomma]

I buy at the end of the season, generally 1 size up and I am good. I also am an avid Goodwiller. I am fortunate to live in an area with great Goodwill finds. The majority of DS's current clothing stash came from Goodwill with pieces being around $1 each; most had the tags still attached.

One acception to this is Christmas and Easter dress clothes. I generally buy those in the middle of the season when the price is right.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

I buy most of my girls clothes at consignment sales. The sale closest to me is in about 2 weeks. Swimsuits I buy early in the season, since the selection is picked over by midsummer.

I haven't had much luck with shopping at the end of the season for the next year, either its too picked over or I guessed wrong on size. My oldest grows a ton every spring.

 

[100AcreWood]

I buy at the end of the season, generally 1 size up and I am good. I also am an avid Goodwiller. I am fortunate to live in an area with great Goodwill finds. The majority of DS's current clothing stash came from Goodwill with pieces being around $1 each; most had the tags still attached.

One acception to this is Christmas and Easter dress clothes. I generally buy those in the middle of the season when the price is right.

I need to go to a Goodwill in a nicer area of town . I've never found anything good there.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I also am an avid Goodwiller. I am fortunate to live in an area with great Goodwill finds. The majority of DS's current clothing stash came from Goodwill with pieces being around $1 each; most had the tags still attached.

We have not had a ton of success with Goodwill, but we do run into the occasional find there. We probably drop off 100X as many things as we buy

 

[kirstenb1]

Best deals are always end of season. My wife just picked up a $30 (originally) sweater for $2 yesterday. Ditto for Summer stuff. Best price will be just before it gets cold. But, it takes a lot of planning with growing kids as you always have to buy a size or two UP to make sure you have what fits when it comes time to wear it

This is what I do, but only with summer clothes. Our kids are pretty predictable as far as guessing there size next year. Plus summer clothes are easy to buy ahead, since you don't have to worry about length, like jeans.

I'm currently on the lookout for next year's winter coats!! I saw another post about clearance coats at Penney's, so I'll be heading there.

 

[Disneylush]

Right around St. Patricks day Gymboree runs a 30% off the whole store plus you can use a 20% coupon (found in parent mags) this is when I stock up for summer. I use to buy ahead but have got stuck too with too small of stuff. Plus I like that I can mix match everything at GYmboree

 

[dyna]

I bought almost all of my DD's clothes at garage sales I did not pay much for them an could buy ahead usually when warm weather came I already had enough clothes for them.

Yes I ended up with a few pieces that never fit but I had my own sales to get rid of outgrown clothing anyway an I put them in that.

 

[Ephany]

Targets around here already have swimsuits on the clearance rack. I wasn't able to buy ahead for DD the last year or two for anything but t-shirts as she was growing in odd spurts. Now that her school switched to uniforms it's become harder to buy ahead for school clothes, but easier for regular stuff because she only wears it 2 days a week so I can keep an eye for a few basic, simple pieces.

 

[100AcreWood]

I found a lot today at Kohl's for my 9 year old dd and a few things for my 3 year old ds. They had a lot of cute cheap t shirts on sale and I had a coupon. We still have a lot to buy but it's a start.

 

[HelenePA]

3 of the 4 kids are already done end of year is the way to go. Also start of season and coupons. Just picked up lots of clothes on crazy8 last night... 18 items for less than 100$ their shirts are super soft too...

 

[castanhope]

I try to buy at the end of the season for the next year, although it is getting more difficult as my kids get older. Oldest dd is starting to get into juniors/women's sizes, middle dd is skinny and tall, and youngest dd is average weight but tall for her age. So I have no idea what size anyone wears anymore! If I have to buy during the season, I generally wait until early May. We really don't get much use out of fancy summer stuff here. They wear it to school for about a month, then we're on summer break when they pretty much just wear t-s or tanks and whatever shorts or capris they feel like. So I don't really overdo it on summer clothes, a few nice outfits each and then basics and hand me downs.

On the other hand, I was mind-boggled by the lady ahead of me at Justice yesterday who was checking out with an 8 or 9 year old girl. Their total was over $400 and it looked like it was all summer stuff. It all fit into one shopping bag! Do people really spend that much on a summer wardrobe for an elementary age kid in a state where it is only warm June through September? And who pays full price for summer stuff at Justice in February? The kid could grow two sizes before she'll ever wear it all! Anyway, it was highly intriguing for me. My kids are always dressed very nicely and I would never consider spending that much on one season's outfits, not even including shoes and stuff. I probably spend that much on each kid for the whole year and I am picky about what they wear!

 

[pigletto]

I buy at the end of season on some things. A t-shirt or hoody is pretty easy to predict next years size on.
Shoes we buy as needed and look for a deal but will pay full price to get the ones we want.
I went through my 8 year old sons closet last weekend actually. Most shorts still fit. I hopped online and bought some shirts, 2 pairs of shorts and swimsuit and voila we are completely done. He'll need new Keens but that's about it.

DD is way trickier. At 15 she wants to see how things look and fit. I can get away with ordering most of her shirts/sweaters/skirts online. But shorts and pants she usually wants to go and try on, so we go as needed.

 

[monorailsilver]

I don't usually start to buy until May or June. My kids are still in pants most days at school & what they have from the year before still fits them.

But around May, there are usually sales.

The only thing I do buy early is bathing suits because they go quick.