Do I really need to only buy Gap and Gymboree?

[katydid2002]

My question is this. I am about to have a baby in July, my first. I am wondering about all of this talk about quality baby clothes. We live in the bay area, the most expensive place in the country, and I am going to be staying home with my baby. I can't afford to buy baby clothes at these expensive clothes, and it doesn't seem to make sense to me either. They outgrow them in two months anyway, puke and crap on them. Why pay $15 for a onesie that is going to get just as abused as a $5 one? Are Target clothes really that bad? I can see buying a little higher quality clothes once they become more active and go outside to play, but not for babies. What have you all done if you couldn't afford to shop at these places?

[KathyO]

I couldn't agree with you more. Kids outgrow stuff at a ferocious rate, so why pay more for their clothes than I do for my own? Besides, they don't care what they look like or what brands they wear at this phase, so take advantage of that!

Those of my daughter's clothes that didn't come as gifts or hand-me-downs came from consignment stores. She wears Gap and OshKosh and Gymboree and Please Mum... but at about a tenth the price. Thrift stores in affluent communities can also be gold mines. Even if you're picky about stains and stitching (as I was) you can still get tons of stuff. In Canada we also have a chain of "thrift department stores" called Value Village, that were the best source of all. Maybe you have something like that down where you are. (My husband used to chortle at his wife the Mighty Bargain Hunter, until I steered him through the baby section at the store, and showed him her $4.99 OshKosh outfit new... for $50!!! His eyes popped.)

An additional bonus to buying clothing used is that if you have a child with sensitive skin, they will be more comfortable in clothes that have had the stiffness beaten out of them already. The more expensive brands have some really lovely buttery-soft cottons that are almost indestructible, and hence they show up second-hand quite regularly.

You're asking this question at a good time. Start cruising the stores now, while you still have the energy and spare time - it gets harder in the few months right after you have the baby (but not impossible). Granted, you have to buy gender-neutral, but this round of clothes is only for the first few months - and you can squirrel away a few boy or girl outfits if you find them irresistible - and then see what you get.

You can also pick up lots of your gear that way as well. Consignment stores furnished me with a nearly-new crib in mint condition (just be sure it conforms with recent legislation and is and not subject to a recall), crib bedding, play mats, toy box, mobile, nursing pillow, sling, hooded towels, Exersaucer, diaper pails, bathtub and a bunch of other stuff. I used the money I saved to go first-class on the items that I really wanted to have new - a Britax car seat and a Mountain Buggy stroller - and the rest has been set aside in an education fund.

Good luck -

KathyO

[GreenIZ1971]

Oooh, can I sympathize. We moved from the Bay area last May.

Anyway, my first is due in June and I resolved to only buy the bare necessities until he gets here. Why... because I don't know how big he'll be, if he'll hate certain things, if we'll hate certain things, etc.

I am sticking with Gerber sleep n plays, plain onsies, snap side t-shirts, and pull on cotton stretchie pants for now. I got all of those at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or Target in multiple packs. I bought a few McBaby (sold at Wal-Mart, and I think very good quality) layette pieces for around $4-$6 each. I did buy some winter clothes, in 6-12m on sale for $75% off at Gymboree the other day. At that price, they were worth it.

I do highly suggest shopping last season's sales, and buying for the future. Only buy those things that look forgiving (overalls), or are very expensive unless on sale (anything polartec), or you absolutely love.

Most people agree the Gerber underwear/sleep n plays are pretty good quality. The only way to see if you're satisfied is to try some. Buy the minimum quantity... Same with the Target clothes. Some people love 'em, some hate 'em.

I have purchased some Lands End clothes for friends and I can definitely say they are great quality. And they really last. Worth it as sleepers, especially winter. You can get on their newsletter, and they have lots of sales for older kids (6m+), plus a great overstock selection if you check regularly.

I buy Gap clothes, but only on sale, for my stepson. Otherwise go Old Navy. Old Navy is great. Usually same styling as Gap, but half the price. And when they outgrow them or poke a hole in them, you don't cry too much.

Good luck, I know the cost of baby clothes are insult added to injury while living in the bay area.

[MinnieMouse]

We have a few gap things(bought only on sale) for dd (now 7months)...but mostly I've either gotten stuff as gifts or bought them significantly on sale.

Babies R Us has wicked sales in the middle to end of every season...they mark everything down, then have a 30% off sale. I got a ton of oshkosh stuff for a song!

I too LOVE the Walmart McBaby line. Everything is around $10...2 tops, 2 bottoms or and outfit. And they have matching bibs and hats as well! Every month or so they come out with a new "family" of clothes and everything mixes and matches with each other. Makes it very easy.

To be honest I walked into Gymboree and about had a heart attack when I saw the prices! Even the sale prices were waaay out of my league.

And..you have to watch consignment shops. I saw some stuff from BRU's clothing line in one shop and they were selling it for more than I got it for at BRU on sale...new!

HTH

Christine

[jojo2324]

My first is due the end of June, and I too live in a very wealthy somewhat remote, area. Unfortunately, I am not very wealthy. The nearest Old Navy and BRU are almost two hours away. Not too convenient. Anyway, I've started stockpiling a few things. The best thing I have near me is a Gap, and I take FULL advantage of their price adjustment policy. I think I spent about $75 on a whole bunch of major sale stuff, and then I got a price adjustment for nearly $30. My hubby now has confidence in me that I won't go off the deep end shopping for the baby. I'm also fortunate enough to have a pretty decent outlet center about an hour away; they have Gap, Osh Kosh, Carter's, Little Me, Children's Place. I imagine I'll be shopping there exclusively once my little one arrives.

[GreenIZ1971]

Okay, pardon my ignorance but what is a price adjustment policy?

And where do I get one....?

[jojo2324]

It's the best! I don't know all stores that do it, but I know that Gap and Banana Republic offer up to two weeks to get a price adjustment on items. Basically, if you buy something at Gap and then two weeks later you go back and the thing is on sale, just show them the receipt (ALWAYS keep receipts!) and they will credit or refund the difference! I love it! I think that J Crew does it too...If you notice something is reduced and you purchased it at least a month prior, they'll do the same thing. I don't know if they do it in the stores, maybe just the catalog and the web. With Gap and Banana you have to get the timing down...Things go on sale pretty frequently, but it might take them more than two weeks to mark it down. Just make sure you hold on to your receipt. And they definitely won't give the difference back if it's past two weeks. My hubby was very impressed by the thirty bucks I saved at Gap a few weeks ago :)

[suzska]

I pretty much second everything that everyone else has said, with a few differences. I bought Carter's sleep-n-plays on sale at Penneys, KidsRUs, or at the outlet store. I have bought a bunch of stuff on clearance at KidsRUs. I only buy Gap if it's on sale. I shop Target's clearance racks all the time (I don't have a problem with them, and the rompers I bought got my son through his first summer). I've also got some stuff at Wal-Mart--a McKids T for $2! I have only bought one thing there that I was unhappy with--a Faded Glory overall (I think that's the brand)--the snaps wouldn't stay closed on the legs. But I had another overall from there (same brand) and it was fine. I only buy stuff if it's on sale or on clearance (pretty much Penneys, Sears, Gap, Target, Wal-Mart, Carters, and KidsRUs)--I shop "ahead" and now have some clothes for my son from 18 months to 4T (he's in 12 months right now). I never did get to Old Navy, but I've heard good things about them. I've also never shopped consignment shops or eBay (for clothes), but I know people that have. I did get my nursery set on eBay (used, but still in pretty good condition) for about 1/3 the original price.

--Sue B.
SAHM to Evan Jeffrey 03-11-01

[Geebee]

You don't really need to buy only Gap and Gymboree, but they do have good quality for those times that you are showing off your baby (grandparents, etc.). I don't ever buy from either of these places at full price.

Gymboree is always having great sales. Their lines seem to last 6 weeks or two months or so. I was just in there, and they had 50 percent off (although I know that, even at 50 percent off, their prices can easily be higher than Target or Walmart's full price clothing). And if you walk into Gymboree and see those nice, soft, huge blankets on sale at 70 or 75 percent off, buy one or two. They are the best blankets, and they make great gifts.

I have found Target lines and Walmart's McBaby lines of clothing to be good quality also. If you have a Children's Place store nearby, their clothes are nice too. If you have an outlet mall (Children's Place, Carter's, Osh Kosh, Burlington Coat Factory/Baby Depot, to name a few), you can also find good prices on nice clothes.

And I would check all of these places after you have your baby. I find that some places have better choices for girls and some places have better choices for boys. I have a girl and I love the girls' Gymboree clothes, but whenever I need to buy a gift for a baby boy, I seem to end up with Osh Kosh or Little Me brands. (I have found Little Me clothing to be really nice and soft, and I have seen it at both department stores and Burlington Coat Factory/Baby Depot.)

I wouldn't buy too much before you have the baby. My girl was only 6 pounds at birth, and she wore 0-3 month clothing until she was about 4 months old. I have a friend who had 9+ pound baby, and he began to outgrow the 0-3 month clothing when he was only 6 weeks old. Also, we received so many clothing gifts after my girl was born that I didn't buy her any nice clothes until she was over 6 months old (except basics, like sleepers)!

For the first few months, your baby will probably be mostly in sleepers or onesies (depending on time of year, weather, and your baby). I think that Carter's sleepers and pajammas are the best (even after trying Baby Gap sleepers and pajammas). I've seen Carter's sleepers and pajammas at Kohl's for 50 percent off, which was less than the Carter's outlet.

I know that I must be rambling! I also stay at home with my now 2 year old girl, and I find that I have more time to find good prices and look for sales. I think that part of my staying at home job is to try to save money even though it can be time consuming (shopping around, reading the paper for sales, cutting coupons, etc.) I have found outfits (tops and pants) for only $10 at Talbot's Kids, and their clothes are generally more expensive than Gymboree. If you walk by a store and have some time, check it out. (And that goes for just about any store!)

I hope that helps!

[APG]

Although I agree with what everyone else said, i do believe that the quality of Gap and Gymboree is better than the other brands mentioned. However, these stores ALWAYS have stuff on sale. Their sale prices are better than the prices of the cheaper stuff.

[stella]

I have not, however, EVER paid full price at baby gap - they put new things on sale every Wednesday and you can generally find onesies, sleepers, overalls, sweaters, etc for 75% off.

I prefer them because they are sooo soft on my little boy's s kin. I have bought plenty of Target items and do not love any of them like the baby gap (and hanna andersson, but that's another expensive line). He doesn;t outgrow them as fast because the gap items are cut larger and they hold up to the 3x weekly washings that our favorites and sleepers receive. The colors stay bright and the clothes retain their shape. I do like the mcbaby from wal-mart, but mostly for tiny babies becaue of the sizes and styles.

my cheaper gerber and target onesies and side-snap tees just felt like cardboard compared to the baby gap items. but again, they are always, always on sale. and I like the idea about the thrift shops - just look for quality brands!

Good luck!

[APG]

the only thing i forgot to warn you is that the BabyGap tends to run short and wide. Depending on the size of your baby this may be eitber very good or very bad

[GrahamGal]

I must confess to being a Gymboree junkie. Having said that, I also can admit to have purchased a few items (12-18 month) at 75% off at the store and also on Ebay. I go to thrift shops and consignment stores for everything. I am finding this season's Gymboree for $1 each at a local thrift! Yes, the regular prices at the store are ridiculous and I would never pay them, even for a special occasion outfit. My dd spits up so much, what's the point?? :)

[egoldber]

Well, not ONLY Gap and Gymboree, but they have very nice things. And when you can get them on clearance, they are as cheap as anything else. I usually make a day of it at the mall and hit Gymboree, babyGap, Old Navy, Children's Place and the department stores to see what is on clearance. Break that up with a Starbucks and lunch and it's a fun all day outing! I try to do this about once a month, since this seems to be about how often the chain stores rotate merchandise.

Last week at our mall I got several outfits at Gymboree for 75% off retail (onesie - $4.50, leggings $4.00, etc). I got them in larger sizes for her to grow into. I will say that based on my own personal experiences, I have never had an outfit from Gymboree shrink. I have had skrinkage from pretty much EVERY other major clothing retailer, including babyGap, Carter's (terrible shrinkage depending on the outfit), and Target (sometimes shrink and their stuff isn't THAT cheap). The Lord&Taylor near us has ESPECIALLY good sales. They have a clearance rack that is always full of Little Me items that are often an additional 50-80% off the marked down price. We have gotten $40 outfits for $4, etc. At these prices, I would rather shop the mall than at consignment stores where the quality of the merchandise is also very hit and miss.

I also like to shop at BabiesRUs for basics. For example, if I need a pair of navy leggings to go with a bunch on onesies, I'll go there. Even at full retail, these items are only like $7 for the BabiesRUs brand which I have had good luck with.

Several of my mommy friends have had a lot of luck buying things off of eBay. But they warn that it can be very addictive and often end up spending more by buying more!

HTH,

[vivianm]

Another great source for cheap quality baby clothes are the Ross Dress for Less stores. I'm in LA and the one around the corner from me carries, among other brands, Little Me, Carter's, OshKosh, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. Most of the items are priced from $5.99 to $7.99 - these are for sleepers or three-piece outfits.

[momathome]

Marshalls and TJ Max are also good options. When we had our first baby, we were living in Boston (not quite as pricey as the Bay Area but up there) and my husband was a grad student and I was a stay-at-home mom. We didn't have a whole lot of money for baby clothes and I lived at the TJ Max there. They have Carter's, Little Me, OshKosh, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger - all for rock-bottom prices. I remember getting an adorable Ralph Lauren outfit on clearance there for $7. Consignment shops were also my savior. Look for these stores in the more upscale areas near you and you would be amazed at the prices you'll find on gymboree and Gap stuff. Good luck!
-Lauren

[bunnycup]

You might want to try ebay. I'm due in June and have purchased all my layette items from sellers on ebay and have spent less than $40 total, (including shipping) for 14 onesies, 10 sleepers, and a "take me home" outfit by Baby Dior. The quality of the items has been either brand new (the Dior outfit) or like new. None of the items have had rips, stains or any noticeable flaws. The way I figure it, when you buy something new and baby wears it once, then it's used...so why not start with used items?? Why pay premium price when an item is only "new" until that first washing? If you type in "Gap" or "Gymboree" you will get tons of items to choose from, some of them never worn. It's worth a look!

[neuhofer]

I echo many of the thoughts above.

Gap is my favourite, but I never buy full price. On second markdown or clearance, they are cheaper than many lesser-quality items at regular price or first markdown. I also get MOST items through garage sales, second hand stores, or eBay (which has such great variety it's almost like shopping in the store, one year behind the fashions - like that's a big deal!).

Sure, you can go with the cheapies, but they DO cost you in the long run - my time and sanity ARE worth something! Not only are they not as soft in the fabrics used, but I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've bought or received new stuff through cheaper stores only to have problems like: incredible shrinkage in the wash, seam stiching falling apart, fabric shredding out at the seams, manufacturers defects unnoticed at purchase, excessive pilling or color-fade in the wash, twisting seams (my personal laundry vexation), runs at the crotch snaps on knits, etc. When you combine all that hassle with trying to adjust to every single manufacturer's unique idea of what a 12-month size is, who needs it?

Is there value when the babies grow so fast? Absolutely. The better quality clothes will still be around and in great shape for your future babies. If you plan for an only child, you'll realize good money reselling the items in the same places folks like me buy them used. If you buy excellent-condition used items and wear on one baby, you are likely to recoup most of your costs since used is used is used.

As a final point, you may see more value in heading the Gap/Gymboree route in the 12-month and up sizes. At first, I thought I would never catch up hauling tubs of various sizes out of the basement and sorting them through DD's drawers. It slowed dramatically though, and she will have had at least 7 months in most of the 12-18 month items.

Shannon

PS. Not sure if you guys can get it in the States, but my secret weapon against baby stains (from both ends) is SUNLIGHT BAR SOAP. Although a hand soap rather than a laundry product, it works better than anything we've tried - especially on diaper blowouts!

[Melanie]

Everyone else had good advice, but I just wanted to add that I regret any Gerber basics that I bought. I do not use them. They are so rough compared to Carter's. I am a Carter's junkie for onesies and sleepers. They cost a bit more than Gerber, but are SO much softer. I get ours at the Carter's outlet, or Ross/TJMaxx.


Mommy to Little Jonah born 11-6-2001

[TracyA]

I'd like to second that! I gave all the Gerber undershirts I bought to Goodwill! The fabric is so rough! The Carters onesies are not only softer, they stretch, so they're easier to get on and off. And they have big, strong snaps!

[mspacman]

I really like Carter's clothing. I think they're very underrated. Around here the Gap/Gymboree moms seem to turn up their noses at Carter's, but I go to their outlet all the time and almost never pay more than $7 for anything. I like how their pj's are designed with snaps down the front and down both legs, instead of down the back (the worst!) or only down one side. And I really like their footed pants, which are hard to find from other makers. I can dress baby in them for outings without having to mess with those awful socks and booties that always fall off.

The clothing I bought from Gymboree shrank, and they refused to take it back. They won't be seeing me again!

[jojo2324]

I have to agree with the above...Carter's stuff is so nice. I just went to the outlet and went a little crazy :) The most expensive thing was $10 for a receiving blanket. But they had a whole bunch of footies that were slightly irregular for $5. My only thing with them is that I wish they had some more variety in the babies clothing. It seems like they have the same things (in terms of footies, onesies, sacks, etc) all the time. A little variety.
And I do like Gap a bunch, but I never buy anything there that is full price. I just got a bunch of corduroys for next year for $4 each, and I'm sure that I'll be able to get a price adjustment on those and save more money. If there is something I absolutely adore at Gap, I just wait it out. If they run out of my size, they usually have it online. I have never been to Gymboree, only their website, and it seems so expensive! $60 for a dress? I used to work in a children's clothing store and we had really nice dresses imported from France for that much. If I were to spend that type of money, I'd rather get something that I wouldn't necessarily see everybody else wearing.