2nd hand baby clothes

Gemma

Gemma

New member
With my first I spent a fortune on clothes and he grew so fast some went unused. With my 2nd I bought nearly all new from cheaper shops after 'learning my lesson' lol.

This time I'm thinking about getting a few newborn things off eBay, I've bought some stuff brand new already, mostly the basics and I am watching a few things now, mainly little outfits. I've already bought a thick used jacket off there as it will still be cold when baby is born and they are £15+ in shops and I got it for £3.50 on eBay! :)

I mentioned used things to someone and they looked at me like I had 2 heads lol. Is it really that bad?? It's just like handing things down to someone else in my opinion as long as they are in good condition.
 
Dude, Chloe would be naked if not for used things. LOL

We have a huge consignment event for kids clothes here twice a year, and I always load up. Last go around, I spent $300 and got a winter coat, halloween costume, all the clothes she'll need for the rest of winter including jammies (in 3 sizes cause they grow so fast at this age), AND tons tons tons of toys (some we gave her now, and some we put away as christmas presents).

So yeah, I'm ALL about finding a bargain and buying used if they're in good condition! Plus, I can turn around and sell them back at the next sale when she outgrows them. This past sale, I made over $100 (so I really spent less than $200 on everything I got).
 
Last edited:
We do 2nd hand around here a LOT. Actually I have a friend with a girl who is 4 and a girl who is 1. My girls are 5 and 2. We both have friends with older girls, so we have gotten clothes from them, my 5 yr old wears them, passes them to her 4 year old, to my 2 yr old, and then to her 1 year old!! Of course we get them some new stuff too, but most of the stuff that is worn around home is 2nd hand. It is common around here to pass things around! No one has a problem with it! I think it is smart.
 
Between my siblings and I, we have 12 children under 9 years old. We are ALL about hand-me-down clothes. The kids love it, to be honest. As soon as someone grows out of the clothes, it gets handed down to the next kid. I have no problems with second hand clothes.
 
90% of all my kid's clothes are 2nd hand... I spend a lot of time going to rummage sales and consignment shops for his clothes and I stock up the next sizes - anything that catches my eye... and I'm a bit of a brand snob (okay, huge brand snob). :D This winter's, Lands End winter jacket and snow pants for Jake - I picked up at a rummage sale for $10... and that was 3 summers ago. Then the rest of the stuff I do buy new are on really, really good sale prices or at outlet stores for things that I just can't find like dress clothes for church.


Oh - and shoes... kiddo has a bit of a foot alignment issue, so I buy new and better quality so his foot doesn't get worse.
 
Last edited:
I buy a LOT of my 14 yo's stuff at consignment stores. I pay about 1/4 of the price for the stuff she wants, and she actually likes that they're 2nd hand, she says they're already broken in and comfy.
 
I live in the land of snobs, Palm Beach Florida... it seems like no one puts hand-me-downs on their children. Especially first time moms. Now I know better! It depends on who you ask. Some people will give you a very strange look (especially the one time I responded to a compliment on my daughter's shoes by saying 'thanks! I got them for $2 at a thrift store!'). But others will tell you in confidence that the Baby Guess or Gymboree their kid is wearing is *USED* ;)

When I had my first, aside from a single bag of hand-me-downs from a friend at church I bought all of his clothes brand new and, like you, I spent way too much $$ on things that literally were worn once... sometimes never. He outgrew things very fast at times! So, with Grace I knew I couldn't do that. I now had 2 children to shop for. I still bought her some special outfits brand new when she was a baby, but some of her best clothing I found at thrift stores, and garage sales. She got so many compliments on her clothes, I'm sure people thought I spent a lot... but, I was buying the barely-worn hand me downs for dollars a piece. :D

The only thing with buying second-hand on ebay is that you can't see the condition or smell them before buying. Especially with the tiny baby clothes, some have a lingering milk smell. I was pretty choosy with what I bought and inspected it well before buying. Some stains are faint and might not show up in photos... and baby stains are very difficult to remove! If you can find a place to buy locally that might be better. :)
 
Last edited:
I buy a ton of clothes at Once Upon a Child, a popular used store. Kids never wear out the clothes before they outgrow them.
 
I absolutely buy used kids clothes! Most of the time the good brands will last longer (even when buying used) than the cheap brands. Since I have three boys, that's important to me. And our daughter gets almost all of her (adorable) clothes from her cousins. They're in great shape and we're very happy to get them.
 
Like you, I bought everything new for my first, and she had so many clothes, that there were some clothes that she only wore once or twice before she outgrew them! It was such a waste. Thankfully I've been able to pass her clothes on to my sister, whose DD is the same age (but smaller), so they haven't completely gone to waste. I knew better when it came to my second! As long as they're in good condition, I have no problem buying used clothes. I wish we had cousins who were the right age to pass their clothes on to my kids :D
 
I bought Winter clothes such as coats,etc. for both girls at Once Upon a Child as well. I don't see nothing wrong with hand-me-down clothes either. The money I saved, will be spent in digital scrapbook supplies and a new jeans for me. :)
 
95% of the clothes the kids and I wear are second hand. I hardly every buy new stuff...usually only for their birthday/Christmas.
 
2nd hand here too! It is getting harder now with lily being older so we do end up buying most of hers but lucas' clothes are mostly all from a 2nd hand store.. it is awesome! You fill a garbage bag for $10! I've never gotten such a good deal on clothes.
 
I've bought so many things used over the years. When my kids were little we lived in a city that had several Once Upon a Child consignment stores. I found that if you went to the rich parts of town, the clothes at the consignment store often still had tags on them!

Certain parts of town have nicer things in their thrift shops overall, while other parts of town have nothing anyone would want (why do people donate things they should really throw away?!). I was only ever in one thrift shop that was completely disgusting...maybe someone had an experience in a place like that?

I bought a book several years ago called Secondhand Chic and it went into detail about how to tell whether a fabric was good or cheap, how to tell if an item was well-made or not. It was one of the most helpful things I've ever read.
 
We have our own hand-me-downs between all the boys. Even my twins are such different sizes that I can give last years shorts/jeans from the bigger one to the smaller one.

Other than that, we do new. I'm just way too lazy to hunt down used clothing. Plus, my boys are not picky and a couple pairs of jeans and shorts and a few t-shirts and we are good. I don't spend a lot on clothes (thank you Lord for giving me 4 boys instead of 4 girls. ;) )
 
My kids live in second hand clothes. I buy name brand stuff at Goodwill for like $2-$3 a pop. That's like Gymboree, Osh Kosh, Carters, etc. Frankly, I couldn't afford to buy two new wardrobes for my girls every year. I do buy some new stuff each season (we have hot and cool and that is about it) but most is hand me downs.
 
I've kept most of my eldest daughter's clothes so my youngest now wears a lot of hand me downs. They grow up so fast that most clothes were hardly worn and I'm so glad I've kept them so I won't have to buy baby clothes. If I shop it is always when there's a sale, I never buy retail price for my kids clothes.
 
I've got to admit, I'm only comfortable with used clothes from people I know. But part of the reason I can afford to be picky like that is that I pick up most of my kids' clothes from clearance sales the year before. That way they're new but only cost a little more than second hand.

I consign our used things and work at a consignment sale twice a year, and sometimes I find brand new things there with the tags still attached. Those I buy with no hesitation. :)
 
We are all about the second hand clothes. I've got 2 nieces, one is 3 and the other is 2 so it works out great for me because Kennedy gets plenty of hand me downs. Yea we still buy a few things new here and there but we are all about deals and second hand.

I too use cosignment shops and then also sell her clothes to them as well. It's a win-win for all. :)
 
I have discovered consignment events way too late! I found out there are events like that every weekend here, each time in another town, but none of them are far away. I went to my first one a couple of weeks ago and was so surprised at what I was able to buy for so little money! I wish I had done this when my girl was younger! I have spent a fortune on girly kids clothes!I now plan on buying more second hand clothes for my kids and with the money I save, I can buy some more expensive pieces for myself! :)

I have no problem with my kids wearing used clothes at all. I do like to see and touch them before I buy, so I prefer to not buy second hand clothes online. Although I have bought payamas of Ebay before and I had no complaints.
 
I bought 2nd hand clothes for all my kids when they were babies other than my first. You can get so many more clothes for less money. I still buy used clothes for my teenage daughter and my 7 year old son (other than jeans for him - he is super skinny and I can't ever find slims in his size). I occasionally buy used stuff for myself. We have the ability to buy everything new if we wanted, but I just think it makes sense to buy used if they are just as nice as new and save the $$...

Stephanie
 
I bought the baby a lot of new stuff but I am all about used. On Craigslist you can often find used clothes for free!! People just want to get rid of it. If someone gives me a funny look I tell them after they wear an outfit once it is "used'. Usually shuts them up LOL
 
definitely...4th child and you bet we do 2nd hand. I recently found a facebook group of local moms where we all list clothing, toys, household items, you name it...all within a 15 minute drive at the most - have gotten some great deals on there - outfits for $2 or $3. I sold a ton of old Halloween costumes too. I also sell/shop at a consignment sale twice a year and score some great finds!
 
I bought a lot of stuff for Harper used. Most of his stuff really. I didn't with Keira, wouldn't even consider it to be honest.

I still don't like to buy shirts usually used for the other two, they show their wear more, but I'm all over pants.
 
I don't BUY second hand things only because I don't have the time nor the energy to drag three boys into second hand stores or go to garage sales with them in tow. I do, however, get clothes from my cousin for Derek. Every now and then she will give my mom a huge bag of clothes that someone had given her...mostly Gymboree stuff...to bring up to me.

Aaron was the first and got every thing new. Since there is a 14 year difference between him and Jason, Jason got everything new too b/c I sold all of Aaron's stuff as he outgrew it...usually made hundreds of $$$ every year on his stuff.

Jason's clothes were handed down to Seth but now they are the same size so we have to buy double the clothes. I get ALL of their stuff on sale....everything!! There are not a whole lot of garage sales where I live...at least for clothes.

Derek gets hand me downs from Jason and Seth and my cousin but he does get new stuff too. All my boys were big time projectile vomiting babies and as much as I thought I was spraying and getting spit up out of their stuff...there are stains. Seth gets SO excited when he gets something new and I know Derek will too one day!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2026 XenForo Ltd.
Back
Top