Consignment Shopping

            Since the time I found out that I was preggo with my first (June 2008); I started looking into consignment shopping. I of course still had that "new mom" thing of wanting some new gear but I wasn't too crazy about it. As an example....I had a hand-me-down swing so I didn't bother registering for one or buying one....until I needed it when Victoria was 2 weeks old and realized it didn't work. Oops! Should have checked that out sooner. My sister-in-law told me about this great local consignment sale called Duck Duck Goose. When I started going it was pretty small, but not as small as it was when my SIL started going. Now it is crazy big and in A LOT of locations. It's a great sale! I kind of prefer smaller sales though so I've started mainly going to Jack and Jules. The idea is still the same. Clothes...heck, all baby stuff....is crazy expensive! Even at Target and Walmart the majority of clothes are $12 and up not on sale. I mean they do have a very small mix and match section which is usually around $4-$6 each. That stuff is generally not my style so I have had to take to searching for the good deals. Consignment shopping was great when Victoria was smaller. You can find GREAT pieces....name brand pieces, for amazing prices!!! I still remember 2 of my favorite finds from when Victoria was like 6 months....the first was a set that included: a Gymboree jumper, shirt, tights, headband, and shoes for.............wait for it........$10!!!!! YES!!!! The second was a Janie and Jack set (jumper and shirt) for $7!!!! Those aren't boutique brands but they are still super expensive if you buy them new not on sale.

               It has recently been brought to my attention that I spend way to much on clothes for my children (edited: at least that is what some people think), so I wanted to share my recent consignment trip. It is actually a more expensive trip so probably not the best to give examples of but here goes. There's a lot of pictures so this is going to be long! It just frustrated me that some people have no idea how much I spend on clothes wants to judge me....and I KNOW other momma's go through this.


Let's start with jammies. Anyone who has looked at jammies knows that Carter's are usually rock bottom...$7-$10...let's not even get into how much Gymbo and Gap are! Jeez!!!! I usually get jammies for $2-$3 each but at this sale that was not the case! They were overall much higher priced but heck...I got a pair of Gybo for $3 and a pair of Gap for $4!! The Halloween ones were a splurge, but they were the only Halloween jammies in size 6 I could find AND the skeleton is not cracked at all. All of these are in far better condition than what I normally find.

Next is what I got Emily. She has a BILLION hand-me-downs from Victoria, but for some reason not many dresses. I wanted her to have some dresses for church so I got her these. Do you see that $2 Gap dress?! I wanted to get some cow Baby Leggs to go with but talked myself out of them (although it was 4 pairs of Baby Leggs for like $7). Yes...other than a coat, that's all I got Emily. 

Talking about coats...here are their winter coats. They are those 3-in-one coats so they have a removable fleece shell on the inside. 

Now we're moving on to Victoria.....let's start with shoes. Kids have to have shoes right? I'm pretty sure they do. At Target and  Walmart they start at $14. I don't really care about brands in shoes. She needs tennis shoes, black flats, and brown flats. I like her to have white Keds, brown and black boots. Her Keds still fit and she'll probably get a new pair for Christmas or her birthday from my parents. So this is what she got (5 pairs of shoes for less than the cost of 2). Those black sparkle were special because she got a black/silver sparkly skirt as a hand-me-down and I thought they'd go well together. 

Now to Victoria's actual clothes. She got a lot of hand-me-downs that are awesome so really she probably didn't need this much, but she LOVES dresses. She didn't get a lot of dresses as hand-me-downs so that is mainly what I focused on. 

Garnett Hill is pretty expensive new and it along with that TCP dress scream Victoria. That child won't wear anything she doesn't like so I really had to try to channel my inner V while shopping. LOL! It was hard. 

I really liked the Gymbo but was on the fence and looking back...I think I should have passed it up. Victoria doesn't care for it so I may try to resell it at another consignment coming up in Oct. (that I'm NOT shopping at). The purple outfit is something I KNEW  Victoria would LOVE so that's why I got it.

Seriously....Tea Collection dress and tights for $10!!! Yay!!! The pink and brown will be Victoria's Thanksgiving outfit and will match a hand-me-down of Emily's. It's more than I normally like to spend but just could not pass it up. I had soooo many people commenting on it even when I was sorting through what to keep and what to put back.

That Gybmo shirt was meant to be put back. Oh well. Emily has a matching outfit which is why it made it in the stack in the first place. The $14 Carters is also way more than I normally spend on Carters but it's going to be her her Christmas dress so I went for it. It matches Emily's perfectly! Then that 3 piece Gymbo...I just couldn't pass that up....plus I knew V would adore it.

I wanted to want to put this back so bad and just couldn't. I'm glad because Victoria loved it! 

I don't really like that shirt BUT it went with the skirt and shoes so I got it. 

So that with their hand-me-downs gives both kiddos very full and beautiful wardrobes. Could I have just said I'm not going to spend more than $2/item of clothing and found stuff. Probably. It would have been more than likely very worn, no designs, and definitely not Victoria's style. I think we made out pretty well. I will say in the spring I spend WAY less at consignment because I always find AMAZING sales in stores for spring clothes and both kids get a lot of clothes at Christmas and for their birthdays. Like....a heck of a lot! It works out really well for Victoria because spring clothes are out by then. I buy her clothes for her birthday as well and not toys or anything else. Here's what she got last year (and a few items for Emily). I spend $61.33 at Gymbo for 18 pieces that would have been individually bought (some things were sets that would be bought together). It worked out to like $3.42/item!!! Yes, my kids mainly dress in name brand but at a whopping $4-$7 per outfit average. This picture has 6 dresses, 6 shirts, 2 pair of shorts, 2 skirts, 1 pair of capris, 1 (2) piece set, and 1 jumper. 

Oh...and I'm SUCH a big spender that I even buy some of their Christmas stuff consignment as well. This is going to be from Santa to BOTH girls (they only get 1 Santa gift). Picture is from Jack and Jules site. It has a new batter and NO scratches. These things sell for $300 new...sometimes you can find them on sale for $260 + tax. 

I also got this doll house for V, but I'm seriously considering making it for both. The girls get 3 gifts each for Christmas from us (that's what Jesus got and so I we go with they don't need more than that). Also a picture from Jack and Jules site. It's the 4' doll house...not the stroller (you can't really see it but it's in storage now so I'm not going to be getting a pic). The cheapest in store I have seen is $120ish. 

I'm nervous because I know we are getting close to that age where I can't find a lot through consignment but hey...that Gybmo sale was amazing! I am just going to have to get really good a sale shopping :-) I never spend full price for the kids clothes and hope to never have to. I try to always be proactive and hit the sales. I do spend a lot in one trip...but I usually don't take more than one trip. 

Edited: Sorry for all the grammar mistakes! Eeek! That is annoying! I will proofread next time :-)