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Indiana Babies
Do you buy ahead?
With all the summer sales - it got me thinking - how many of you buy ahead for next summer (or fall, spring, etc). I did some of that last summer but most of the summer clothes I bought are just too big. I don't mind so much with J&J & Gymbo b/c you can always return with reciept but all the other stores are changing their policies ...
Just curious and trying to decide if I want to buy some stuff for next year now ...
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Re: Do you buy ahead?
I don't usually but I wish I did! Like you said, all the stuff I used to buy ahead of time were too big for Barrett. He is 20 months and still wears 12-18 month shirts.
Is B napping after swimming?! Barrett is out!
yep - B is out as well - gotta love swimming!! Now if he will just stay out and I stop bumping I might get some things done
I won't be at swimming next week but I will see you both the week after!
It's weird - in onesies I can go 18-24 but shorts/pants/ polos seem to be 12-18. Pjs are 18mths (carters) or 24 mths (children's place). sigh - I feel like he is all over the board on sizes.
Sometimes. It just depends.
I have a rule that I have to REALLY like it though. I refuse to buy something that I just thought was okay for the next year, because there will always be something I want the next year.
I would say, more often than not, I do not. But also, the good sales happen in June and I usually still have 2 months left of summer (probably more) to use something if I buy it for him for that summer.
I've bought a few things I love for Scarlett for next year, though. Not much, but a few outfits (all from J&J because their return policy is fantastic).
I have a *horrible* habit of buying ahead. Like, seriously, it's a problem.
I already have Paige's fall, winter, and most of next spring/summer clothes purchased. We have a huge dresser, and the top two drawers are always current clothes and the bottom drawer is all future.
I'm lucky in that (so far, knock on wood), she seems to grow right along with most clothing sizes, and she was born in April, so it makes it easy to buy clothes seasonally (i.e. April = 12 months = 12-18 months clothes for summer).
I will buy clothes on end-of-season sales, plus I hit yard sales, and go to Once Upon a Child every few weeks.
I'll usually buy a few items for super-cheap and then scour ebay for complimentary line pieces (Gymboree and J&J). Ebay is more expensive than yard sales or OUAC, but it's nice because it's easy to complete an outfit and find complimentary pieces, and you're still paying way less than new retail prices.
I even have a few 3T, 4T, and 5T pieces... if the price is right, they're in good shape and I have storage space, why not? :-)
I try to buy mostly Gymboree and J&J because if they end up not fitting, it'll be fairly easy to resell them (hi again, ebay!) and recoup the money (especially since I now have completed outfits, which sell better on ebay!).
I do on occasion if it's a good deal. And try to only get outfits that can be worn in multiple seasons, in case the sizing is odd.
I do not.
Even though T has been right on sizing, he's now comfortably into his 12-18 month stuff, I'm afraid he's going to have a big growth spurt or slow way down and then I won't be able to use the stuff I buy now. Besides, I know I'll want the latest stuff next summer.
The only things I have bought ahead have been a pair of 18 month pjs from TCP when they were $4.99 and I got one 18-24m long-sleeve polo at ON for $3.99.
The other thing to consider with buying ahead is if they skip sizes. Jackson pretty much skipped 3T for the most part because he has long legs and needed 4T in pants soon after outgrowing 2T.
But really I just try not to go overboard because it's a hassle. It's not that I'd lose money on the clothes, but I would have to list them on ebay sooner than planned, etc. It's just not all that worth it to me unless I love it since there are always deals.
I also only buy lines that I really, really like...
Like, I bought a bunch of Fall Forest and a few Outdoor Whimsy pieces for fall, and Gingerbread Girl and Winter Snowflake for winter.
I just really haven't LOVED any of the more recent Gymboree fall/winter lines, so I figured I'd stock up on the lines that I like before the season is here and they all ended in bidding wars. :-)
Brenda - I am STUPID excited for the fall/winter stuff this year. It's always my favorite for girls. I like summer stuff, but fall/winter lines are like crack. Hopefully there are some good ones - the ones you linked are some of my faves, too.
I already went nuts at Boden - I'm expecting divorce papers before Scarlett arrives.
Plus, I got lucky this morning and caught cheap J&J replens AND I had a 20% off code that was expiring. I mean, I still spent $$$, but I got so much (for both kids)...lol.
I am the exact same way with fall/winter lines. Like, summer, you can just put them in shorts and whatever t-shirt or tank top, but fall/winter = crack.
I'm especially bad with fall. Which is dumb, since it seems like the shortest season as far as clothing goes (really, how long can you wear clothes with fall leaves on it... a couple months, max!). But I just absolutelyfreakinglove cords, and dark plums, and rich greens, and khaki, and fall leaves. LOVE.
I just hope this year's fall/winter lines are better because some of last year's, like Fashion Star and Superstar, were fug city (Gingerbread Girl was their saving grace!).
Yeah, those were AWFUL. I'm hoping I love the baby sale lines in September. It's my favorite sale to shop, but now that Jackson is older, I tend to not like anything for him but the baby girl line is usually very fall-ish, which I would like.
What she said. I'm terrible. I would post a pic of LO's closet on here but I might get flamed. I tend to buy ahead during sales which makes me feel like it's ok to buy more (because it's such a good deal). lol. She is still in 0-3 months but I'm set on clothes until 18 months....though I told myself that a long time ago and I just returned from the mall with a huge bag full of 3-6m and 12-18m clothing from the gap. I tend to buy almost all Gap and gymboree because they fit her best. I've even been known to buy things in two different sizes b/c I like it so much (ie the light blue fish gymboree line).
I do buy ahead but not nearly as much as I did last year.
Like Beth, I have a rule that I have to be gaga for something. I feel like there is always a sale to find and a coupon to use.
I made the mistake last year of buying so much stuff that didn't end up fitting. Now that I know how she tends to grow I might be able to make smarter purchases.
I've also learned, however, that for day care I almost always reach for my most basic (think Carter's) comfy stuff. As much as I love J&J, I just know she'll never wear the stuff. Gymbo is a different story - to me, their stuff is 90% play clothes that happen to wash and wear really well.
Can't WAIT for fall stuff to come out. LOVE.
I have always purchased ahead for the boys and never had any problems size wise. The boys have seemed to stay right in line with the sizing for their age, we as well had the length issue at 3 and had to go into size 4 pants ahead but they still got plenty of wear out of their size 3 clothes.