When my kids were younger, it was easy to get away with buying their clothing from resale shops. I was never one to buy new clothes for my kids because they outgrew them so fast! Sometimes, for special holidays or recitals, I bought new. Now that my kids are getting older, it's harder to convince them to head to the local Goodwill for jeans .... Do you shop resale shops for your and your children's clothing, or are you a new clothing buyer all the way?
These days, new jeans don't even look new, so I don't see the issue. My kids actually find some great looks at resale shops. It's better than choosing from the limited number of stores we have around here and just looking like everyone else. Apparently, some of the people who donate to the resale shops, shop elsewhere, because we find all kinds of cute things and brand names that aren't otherwise readily available in our area.
I don't have children, and my nieces are spoiled brats who 'need' $50 bras from Victoria's Secret, but I'm perfectly happy with shopping at resale shops. I am also happy to save money, and buy at least two times as much, because I bargain hunt. Most people I know and their children understand that times are tough for most people, and are willing to take what they can get. I don't see the point in overpaying for new items that can be just as easily acquired at resale shops at a fraction of the cost. If the items truly are good quality, they will usually be in good to excellent condition, and most resale shops won't accept items with holes or tears.
I have always enjoyed shopping at resale shops for myself and my sons. I continue to do so but my sons preferred to go miles away with friends to shop at department stores for the latest styles. I could never find anything that I liked at department stores unless it was something for a special occasion. There is always a wide variety of styles at resale shops which saves time spent and money.
I love resale shops and never give much thought to the fact that the clothes have been worn by someone else. For starters, they get washed as soon as I get them home and secondly, things only end up in these stores because the original owner wasn't getting any wear out of them for whatever reason.
I prefer buying new clothes but mostly just because I know of many retail shops that sell clothes brand new for a very cheap price, pretty much equal to what you'd find at bargain shops. I'm very uneasy with using other people's used clothes even if I know they've been washed, so I just opt to save elsewhere if I really felt like I needed to.
I am a yard sale, thrift store warrior! I have two boys one is 19 and the other is 17. I also have lots of pre teen and teenaged nieces. I can hardly bring myself to go to a store and pay 40 bucks for a pair of jeans...*shudder*! I never had a complaint from my kids or nieces when they were younger but then the dreaded teenage years struck out of nowhere with a vengeance! The thought of purchasing cloths at a thrift store utterly mortified them. So I know how you feel, however I have the magic cure for that. It took me a while to figure out but it works like a charm and turns you into the coolest mom on the planet, at least in their eyes! All you have to do is tell them that you are taking them shopping for vintage, retro, and couture clothing! These three words in the teenage clothing world are magic! Good luck and let us know how it goes.
I just remembered something while reading over the responses. I have a friend who associates resale/thrift type shops with dead people. She didn't realize that people actually donate their clothing, or sell it. Before we went shopping together and I suggested hitting some resale shops, she assumed that all the 'used' clothing came from the homes of people who had died, which, to her, was a huge turn off.
When my girls were younger I would shop at the resale shop because as stated they grew too fast to spend a lot of money on clothes that may not be of use in two months. They now have kids and have taken their kids to the resale shop to help extend the budget, now that they grands are teens it is not as easy to convence them to shop at the resale shop.
I'm a resale junkie. Goodwill Salvation Army, and the small consignment shops and thrift stores are like my 2nd home. School clothes at the beginning of the school year are bought new. Anything for a birthday or Christmas is bought new. But everything else? I'm at the thrift shop before anywhere else.
My mother would not go to thrift shops. Until I was in HS, I don't think I had ever been in one. When I finally convinced her to take me, I was amazed at how hat I found. I have never really bought new clothes since. I just can't stand the thought of spending that much per item and I have found older clothes that I like so much better than what is supposed to be currently in style.
I used to go more often when I needed a piece for a Halloween or theater costume, but I sort of dropped the habit and I’m not sure why. There’s still a part of me that would love to be a thrift store goddess. And I’ve definitely picked up a couple of nice finds at garage sales over the past couple of years, so at some point I’ll probably start again.
