Consignment Shopping Gone Bad

I have talked about the benefits of consignment shopping, especially when buying children’s items, but you have to be careful.  Let me be your example for the day.  Today, I was in the mood to do a little shopping for the new baby and what better place to cure that urge of shopping without spending a ton, the consignment store.  Unless, that consignment store is the last of a dying breed in your area and they know it and start hiking up the prices. 

I admit when I go to thrift or consignment stores I search out name brands.  What is the point of paying $2 or $3 for a piece from Walmart or Target.  You can wait until they go on sale at the stores and buy it new.  If I am going to be doing some searching then I want to find diamonds among the coal.  The problem is the consignment stores know this and take advantage.  I just hate when I fall into the trap.

This was today’s recent score from my local consignment store:

Yellow dress is BabyGap, Polka Dot pink dress is Circo (Target brand), flower and blue dress are Gymboree and the shoes are Stride Rite.

Not only did I break a few of my rules for second hand shopping, the biggest was  spending more than is reasonable.  The other rules were never buying second hand shoes and I never buy shoes for infants.  If you are not walking then you don’t need shoes, socks will do you just fine.  However there have been evil thoughts afoot with this new baby, like, not only the cute shoes, but these headbands.  Also, I bought a Target dress for $5 when I am sure I could have found it for way less, but I am loving the polka dots.  *sigh*  I was shocked at the price tag of $71, but when I get my heart set on something I usually can’t walk away.  That means I paid over $10 for each piece.  I know these styles are probably no longer in the stores, but I am sure I could have gotten a lot more for my dollar if I just waited for the next big sale at Gymboree .  Heck, I just spent around $60 for well over $200 worth stuff at Gymboree a few months ago.  And it was all new. 

So yes, consignment shopping can be a good thing, but know your prices and realize when to walk away.

Read Full Post »

Why God Made Little Girls

It is time to start thinking about spring time.  I know most of you are under a couple of feet of snow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look through a few catalogs while bundled up in front of the fire.  I am not sure how I did it, but I have been getting some pricey catalogs, lately.  I look through them and dream of the days when little girls were little ladies and never considered running around or getting their nice clothes dirty.  These were, also, the times when women cross-stitched and wrote letters with wax seals.  These days I don’t have tea and rarely do I put pen to paper, but I can dream of how my little girl would look in these high-price nods to a day of prim and proper.

How lovely would any girl be in this cupcaketastic dress?
Apparently, this dress is perfect for the beach or if you are like me,
after you pay the price for this dress, you would only let your
daugther wear it if she sits still and goes no where near any type of food,
drink or dirt.

This is the perfect party dress, if your child
will be near nothing but water.
Seriously, I love this dress and I could see my daughter
wearing it, but not at these prices.
I wonder if they have a rent to own program.

This is the perfect petticoat to transform any dress
into a twirling dream.

Now for the dress that took my breath away, literally.
This is the dress that makes me dream of a time when
Queens begged us to eat cake and dresses were big, puffy and
every delicate color of the rainbow.
I am not sure how you would wash this dress, but who cares
your little girl can go to the beach in style.

All these dresses and more can be found at Chasing Fireflies.  Enter at your own risk your estrogen levels may sky rocket.

Read Full Post »

Diva in Training

You think she can work it?

I think someone is giving his sister a run for her money.

I think the homemade scarves are a hit.  I just think that maybe we should find a better color scheme for Sam.

Read Full Post »

The Good Ole Days

My mother in law use to tell me how she dressed her daughter in puffy dresses whenever they went out.  It was hard for her to understand why I didn’t dress my daughter like she was meeting the Queen of England whenever we went out.  Well, there are a few reasons for that:  I know that most people are paying attention to my children, but I don’t think I should give the impression that I shop at the thirft stores for myself and spend all our money on my child’s clothes.  It was easy to wear the puffy dresses back in the 50’s, because the kids didn’t use carseats.  Have you ever stuffed your child and her dress into a carseat?  I have.  It isn’t pretty.  Then there is the changing of the diaper.  It was hard enough to change a squirming toddler on those changing tables in public restrooms, but to fight with 15 layers of frill plus trying not to get poop all over it was not something I really wanted to experience. 

Then I get emails from Janie and Jack and all those logical thoughts go out the window.  Janie and Jack is Gymboree’s fancier and more expensive sister store.  The clothes echo back to a time when everyone dressed when they left the house.  Think of Donna Reed vacuuming in her pearls and you know exactly what her little girl would be wearing to go to town for a few errands.  Even though, that is not how we do things today, Janie and Jack still have their place.  There are special ocassions that warrant a nice dress.  Considering some of the prices I have seen in the boutique stores Janie and Jack are better priced.  And like their sister store, Gymboree, you can find all matching accessories for your outfit of choice. 

Now, if you live in the Hamptons and need something for your children to wear on the yacht or their ultra exclusive pre-school then this is your store.  A girl can dream, though.  I just need to find an appropriate place for my children to wear something like this:

       

Maybe a nice pumpkin carving party.  

Read Full Post »