** First and for most the best way to find good deals is to shop off season and obviously shop the sale racks. I try and shop a season ahead for my son and always check the sale racks first. I know that for some it can be hard to shop a season ahead not knowing how your child will grow, and predicting growth spurts is impossible. Here are a couple tips:
*Short sleeve t shirts: In winter you can layer them with a long sleeve shirt under or a jacket over and in summer you can have just the T. That is one of the nice things about the short sleeve T, you don't have to worry about being too small or too big for the season...they can wear them whenever.
*Jeans/pants: Unless it is extremely hot then pants can be worn all year as well. We live in an area that gets VERY hot in the summer so shorts are a must most of the summer but on the cooler days jeans or pants work fine. This is also the case for activewear pants and sweatpants. On days you don't plan on going anywhere sweats are fine indoors in the summer for lounging.
*Don't forget to look online! Many of the best clothing deals can be found online. sign up for email alerts and be sure to check out their sites regularly for deals. Many stores also have apps for smartphones which I like for checking if the item is cheaper online while I am in the store. Some stores will also ship directly to your home for free if the store is out of the size you are looking for.
*Rewards memberships: If you shop the store, join the rewards program! Many of the stores have good rewards deals that send you $ off coupons as you reach higher points values. Make sure to ask if the points expire as well so you know how long you have to accumulate points and use them. I am not suggesting opening a credit card with a clothing store, no matter how "good" the offer may sound (Never a good idea)!!!
Here are my favorite stores for finding boys clothing at great deals:
Old Navy: Old Navy can have major discounts on their sale racks which give you the best bang for your buck. I have found boy cargo shorts in the toddler section for .50 cents! uhm...YES! I suggest Old Navy for baby through, well men. I have found that Old Navy baby and toddler clothing tends to run larger but the men's clothing runs a little small. So once they reach an older age you can move them to the men's section and still find good deals and find clothing they are willing to wear and like. I have to say I am not a fan or even impressed by Old Navy's pj line. They don't seem to last very long but occasionally you can find them on sale under $5, my suggestion is only buy their pi's on sale and at a low price.
Gap: Let me say first that I am a sucker for Gap's toddler boy line...its adorable, however I only buy items from Gap on sale. Gap regular prices can be quite overpriced for children's clothing they can have some amazing deals. Just this past week they had a 50% off sale on sale items which made children's jeans $10 and some t's $5. To me that is a great deal! However I am not going to pay $35 for a pair of jeans for my 1 year old. $10 yes, but never $35! So be sure to sign up for their email alerts to know when these deals are happening, they normally only last a day or two as well so you have to jump on the deal when it is offered.The Children's Place: The children's Place does some of the best sale deals I have seen. T's as low as .50 cents and shorts just as low. It can be very hit or miss with this store so unfortunately you have to visit the store on a regular basis to find these good deals and these really low prices are normally only in store. Online has some good prices but never as low as the store. Their regular prices are not bad either and there has yet to be a time they didn't have a coupon code to use. Most codes are for 20-30% off your purchase. I will say they have some great (and cute) pi's for little ones as well. Personally I feel this store is for babies through young children, the "older" children's line doesn't seem very appealing to the age group so I avoid it for my older nephews.
Gymboree/ Crazy 8: Here is another line of clothing that I only buy on sale...very overpriced for kids clothing but they have great sales. Having said that Gymboree has the BEST pajamas I have been able to find for kids. They last quite a while and are very soft. They also have some cute designs. A few times a year Gymboree will have a "jammies" sale (as they call it) and they are $10 a pair. To me this is a perfect price for them and worth it. they run $21 reg price so getting them half off is nice. I tend to stock up on them when they go on sale for the next size up. Like The Children's Place they tend to always have 20% off coupons. Unfortunately their pi's and polo/dress shirts are all I get from there. I don't really like the "cutesy doggie face on the sweater" look and most of their clothing is like that. Crazy 8 is Gymboree's sister company and has a lot better deals on clothing but not as many locations. They do some very good online deals, once again...sign up for email alerts!Amazon: Amazon is a great place to find dressier clothing at a discounted price. Nautica is one of my favorite boy's clothing brands and a brand that I particularly like when it comes to polos and dress clothing. You can typically find Nautica 3 piece sets (pants, polo or dress shirt, and sweater) for around $25-$30. Not a bad deal. They also have sets with t's, jeans, and a hoodie for $20-$25 (they also have summer sets). The only downside is they don't have them for long. If it is a set you really like, you don't want to wait long to get it and they don't bring the outfit back once they sell out. I have also found Izod and activewear such as Puma and Under Armour on Amazon for great deals.
Target: I use to shop at Target a lot for basic boys clothing. However having moved to a place where the closest Target is almost an hour away, well you get the picture. Target has good clearance deals but like The Children's Place you have to go frequently to find a good deal. Target is best for the basics...undershirts, underwear, socks and basic t's. I tend to find better deals at other stores for jeans, shorts and nicer shirts.
Shoes: Instead of making a store for shoes I just made it a separate subject all together. Shoes can be tricky and it comes down to personal preference. Personally I buy one "good" pair of shoes and then a cheaper second pair. For example Rack Room Shoes does a Buy one get one 50% off deal. This deal works well if you, your husband or older child needs shoes then you can get the toddler shoes for 50% off. (which can make a pair of toddler nike's around $15) plus Rack Room does a 15% off Tuesdays for military deal. Payless is a great place for baby and toddler shoes. I have found summer shoes for $5 at Payless. Considering baby's and most toddlers are not going to ruin shoes before they outgrown them, the cheaper the better. Payless also has regular 20% off deals, which are normally sent via email so be sure to sign up for their alerts.
I hope this list helps for when you are out shopping for boys clothing. I am sure these stores are just as good for girls clothing, but as i mentioned I have no girls to shop for so that's not a section I even go through. Any stores I missed that you find great deals for boys clothing at? I tried to stick to the main stores that most can shop at and have the best deals.
Until Next Time...
See also more and compare for best prices deals for Boys Clothing here!
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