Best Approach To Buy Kids Fashion

Recent research suggests that it can cost over £200,000 to bring up a child. Whilst clothing accounts for a relatively modest portion of this, it is still a significant expense for families to cope with. Most parents want their kids to look good and today many youngsters have a strong interest in fashion. However, with limited budgets and the knowledge that the kids will grow out of everything they are bought, what is the best way for parents to get value for money?

Cheap and Cheerful

There are plenty of bargain basement kids fashions on offer from Primark and the big supermarket chains. There is nothing much wrong with the styling and it is tempting to think that these clothes are the way forward particularly where small children are concerned. Toddlers grow quickly and will often trash their outfits and so the cheap option appears to make sense but there are issues.

The Real Cost

Cheap fashion may represent a bargain to parents but often not to the workers who make it. There is still a great deal of unethical treatment of workers in the industry with factories fighting to produce garments at the lowest cost possible. Something has to give and it is usually the salaries and working conditions of those who fashion the clothes. Low cost fashion is also produced without regard to the environment. With the earth’s resources rapidly depleting and production methods leaching harmful chemicals into the environment, cheap clothes are often harming the world in which your youngsters will have to live. It is worth asking yourself if the well-being of the planet is a price you are willing to pay.

Ethical Fashion

It is well worth exploring the ethical options. Many brands are founded on principles of Earth friendly production, the use of organic materials and fair treatment of the workers. This clothing may cost a little more and for many would mean buying less items, but the wider significance is huge.

Top Labels

For many parents top designer labels and stylish boutique girls’ clothing may seem out of reach but there is a vibrant second hand market and that is another important factor to consider if you would rather buy new. Top labels are highly sought after and whilst they will cost more to buy in the first place you may stand to get much of the purchase price back by selling the garments once the kids have grown out of the clothes. Quality clothing can also be more robust making it far more useful as hand me downs.

Conclusions

At the end of the day it is not easy to way up the options with children’s clothing. Cheap items may help your pocket in the first instance but will have no resale value and may not have been ethically produced. More expensive items will be difficult to finance initially but may be kinder to the planet and hold their value well. It is certainly a thought provoking subject whatever you decide to do and I haven’t even touched on the issue of whether the kids should have a say in what they wear!