Wardrobe Design

Ella in her precious romper from my aunt.  Romper is made by Lemon Loves Lime.

I love baby clothes.  Most people would say I am crazy and a tad obsessed or as a friend would say, "You have a problem."  I love buying Ella's clothes.  It's like my favorite thing ever.  I realize that most people are not as obsessive as I am about their child's wardrobe.  

So do you start shopping early?  

Hit up sales the season before?

Buy from a friend or consignment?

Go all out on one afternoon?

I am a big internet shopper.  I don't have time to shop like I want so I buy most of E's clothes online and usually pick up a few things at my favorite stores when I have time.  I have my favorite stores (Tea Collection, Pink Chicken, BabyGap, Ralph Lauren, Hanna Andersson...) and as I find things I love, I put them on my / Ella's universal wish list.  I have an Amazon wish list and I add everything I find that I like for her and then I edit from there.  I also am a huge fan of Zulily.  I have gotten some adorable clothes at awesome deals on Zulily.  Anyway, once I get the wish list done then I start buying.  Given the limited storage I have in my house, I cannot save everything Ella wears for a future baby so I only save the things that I really love and is in still in excellent condition.  Otherwise, I sell the rest on eBay or at consignment and I try to use that money to buy her clothes for the next season.  

So now in mid-May I have most of Ella's summer clothes purchased and I am waiting for the fall lines to come out.  I told you I was obsessed.  Here are a few of the pieces I picked for Ella for the spring and summer. 

I also love Zulily.  I have gotten awesome deals from Zulily.  The Baby Lulu romper above I got on Zulily for $20 and it retails for $43. Go check it out if you aren't familiar.

While on this topic, I wanted to share the wisdom of a fellow blogger.  Here is Jenny from Spry on the Wall with her tips about buying kids clothes...

Buying kid's clothes can be fun and exciting (I mean who can resist such tiny and adorable items) but it can get expensive.  That's why I hit consignment sales and consignment shops for kids clothes, gear, etc. These sales are usually held by local churches or other groups twice a year, usually Spring and Fall.  These are great because you can usually buy and sell (consign) which means you can make a little money on the side and declutter at the same time.  What's great is that you can usually find some really fab kid's clothes, shoes, decor, gear, etc at significantly lower prices.  For example, I have gotten my girl some great Lilly Pulitzer, Crew Cuts, Little Maven, and Gymboree items that were either new or barely used.  I also use these sales as an excuse to declutter.  That way I have a deadline and goal for how and when I get rid of items my girl no longer needs or uses.   It's a win-win situation because any money I make consigning can usually cover, or make a large dent, in whatever I spent at the sale.  When I tackle these big, seasonal sales I go in with a plan as to what I need.  In between sales, if I find we need some items then I hit the consignment stores.  Again, I've found some great items at great prices.  Doing this helps keep my 3 1/2 year old girl's clothing budget low and I'm not brokenhearted when something inevitably gets stained, ripped or otherwise ruined.  

Thanks Jenny!

Happy weekend everyone!