Thursday, November 16, 2006

Never buy navy

We buy almost all our kids' clothes secondhand. One lesson I've had to learn time and time again is NEVER TO BUY NAVY! Not Old Navy, but the color navy. The cotton turtleneck will never match the knit pants, which are a completely different shade altogether from the winter coat. Why is there so much dye variation with navy? Even if you manage to make a successful combination, the navy will, over time, look more tired than any of the other clothes in the closet. My only exception is for fleece items and the occasional handknit sweater--but only because they will be paired with khaki bottoms.

Another tip: whenever possible, buy dark shoes instead of light. They show much less wear. I found these Stride Right wides for $1, and they go with almost every outfit. Why? Because he doesn't wear navy pants.
Above: Andrew's outfit, head to toe, cost less than $5: off-white Gap turtleneck, Kite Strings fleece vest, Osh Kosh corduroys, and the aforementioned shoes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are sooooo right about navy.

I'm having the hardest time finding toddler boy clothes used. I'm looking in Goodwill and at yardsales. There is a local independent resale shop but it is more expensive than purchasing items new. They have a much better selection of items for adults. I had 5 daughters before I had my son and never had this much difficulty finding great used clothes at great prices. Where do find the most/best items for Andrew? I know your daughter is young but do you use a different strategy to shop for her than for him?

I hate to purchase children's clothing new. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks - Melissa

Kim C. said...

After watching my little brothers, I have to wonder if the boys wear out their clothes so that none ever make it to the thrift shops.
I love CappuccinoLife's signature line:
Boy - n. a noise with dirt on it