Sunday, August 1, 2010

Thrifty Treasures: Dress(es) for Less

When I was growing up, wearing clothes from Wal-Mart was pretty much a death sentence for your social career. I shared my thoughts on Wal-Mart once here on the blog.

It doesn't have to be a scary place. (Although it can be infuriating when your cashier spends the entire transaction having a full blown conversation with another employee on break, not looking at you once, thus lengthening greatly the time you have to stand there with two little kids who are asking for stuff off the "last chance deal" shelf by the register. You might become so infuriated that you track down a manager and have a little chat about register #25. I'm just saying....)

Anyways, I've found some really cute things for my girls in the children's clothing section. I won't lie. It pains me a bit to tell you that. No, not everything you see in WM is a gem. You have to pass by a lot of size 5T shirts with Elmo and "I'm 2 Cute 4 U" plastered all over the front to find the really adorable stuff. I tend to stick to separates that can be mixed and matched with other pieces.

We can take a few WM outfits and mix them in with cute, well-made consignment sale finds, Target deals, and Gymboree/Crazy 8 clearances.

And you know what? My girls get complimented all the time on their little mini ensembles.

Thought I'd share a few of our recent finds. Preschool starts up soon, and if you don't grab the stuff in your kids' sizes, they tend to go quickly.

I believe these little pleated skirts were around $5 each.
Purple, jeans material, and navy--the weight of the fabric was actually pretty sturdy, and they have the built-in shorts underneath. Those of you with girls know that this is a must if you have a preschool girl!

Love them because they can be mixed and matched to make multiple outfits and can be worn with tights underneath and a sweater when the weather turns cool.

If I could squeeze myself into Natalie's new plaid tunic, I totally would. Don't you love the ruched leggings?
Think that outfit was around $9.50 or so.

Loooving these little matching dresses. The jumpers are heavier, so these will be perfect for cold months. $7 each.

Can we talk about the ruffles on this cotton, long-sleeved top? To quote Rachel Zoe, "I die."

$5 jeans for a two year old. Fabulous!

And these. There are no words.
Ba-nanas. Michaela Byrd had a similar pair last winter and looked so cute that I had to buy these. They'll be perfect with a little jean skirt or with leggings.

So how much fun was that?

{Have you had any fabulous finds in unexpected places lately?}


Linking to Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures party.

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24 comments:

  1. I totally take my granddaughters to WM and you can get some cool things. Your finds are fabulous. Loving the boots!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  2. I completely agree, WM has cute stuff for kids. Not to mention the toys are usually cheaper there than anywhere else.

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  3. I do think Wallyworld has improved the offerings, across the board...I do love several of their Better Homes & Garden offerings for home. I guess it isn't actually Walmart that I hate...it is the people of Walmart LOL..

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  4. Love the boots. And, I love that all the clothing items are age appropriate. It kinda gives me the creeps with 3-year-olds dress like 20-year-olds. =)

    Although, I kinda want similar boots. haha

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  5. Love Rachel Zoe! Sometimes I just say "Rodg....." in a gravely voice like her to make my mom start busting out laughing. :) Cute clothes - and like Kim said above, I applaud you for buying age-appropriate items for your little girls!

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  6. OK, I just left WalMart with a broken hearted 3 year old, because I let her pick out a chapstick, she carried it around the entire store so excited to buy it and then we got to the register and had the slowest checker in the entire world who charged me $7 for a cantaloupe(didn't realize that til I got home) and Taylor was having a major melt down, screaming and kicking because I wouldn't let her play with the credit card swiper. Anyway the first thing she grabs off the belt was the chapstick, there was no barcode on it, so she sets it aside until the very end when she finally calls a manager over and the manager has to go somewhere to figure out what to do and Taylor is laying on the floor kicking and screaming by this time, so I told slow-as-molasses cashier to forget it and drug my kids out the door. Kie was so upset, I had to bribe her with a trip to the dollar store after naps just to make her feel better. WalMart....I despise you but since you are the only place in town I will continue to shop there...but only because I have to! By the way I love the clothes, so cute!

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  7. I'm going to have to find that plaid tunic and leggings for my little girl!! LOVE!! I got my little one some cute boots last year at WalMart too...I'm hopeful she can still wear them this year (she has the tiniest foot EVER). I used to snub my nose at Walmart clothes, but for kids they do have some cute things...it's just like you said, you have to look for it amongst all that "2cute4u" crap. I love it when I find Healthtex brand stuff there. It's always cute and tends to hold up better in the wash than some of the other brands.

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  8. Your making me want to ditch my Walmart boycott! (no, I don't really have one... I just avoid it at all costs typically!) Those boots are adorable! I wonder if my son would wear them (haha jk!) =)

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  9. I couldn't agree more! My mom has given me some very good advise to just NOT overspend on my preschoolers clothes right now. First they grow so fast, second they can also stain an outfit 5 minutes after putting it on them and third they aren't that opinionated about brands right now. They just like how things look. There'll be a time for when all that money I'm saving on kids clothes will go towards the I just have to have the latest craze....

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  10. When I was a kid, it was Kmart. It was a major cut down to say "You shop at Kmart!" haha I'm not the biggest fan of Walmart. I shop there, I've bought clothes there for all of us though. And honestly, some of the quality I've found there was better than Old Navy. Cute clothes you found! :)

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  11. cute outfits - love, love, love the boots

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  12. Blogger ate my long comment so I will add
    great boots!

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  13. You found some cute things at Wally World. They've remodeled the two closest to me and it has made a big difference. My friend at school wears bunches of Walmart things and you'd never know that that's where she purchases them. It pays to shop and really look for a deal!

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  14. I have often wanted to try to fit into my daughter's clothes (wouldn't be a pretty sight though). Love that tunic! I am all about the bargains when it comes to kids clothes!

    Jody

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  15. Your girls will be stylin! At least Walmart has improved their clothes selection over the years. Cute stuff!

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  16. Great finds and you're right...your have to look past the elmo, 2 cute 4 u to find the cute stuff. You got some really cute outfits.
    Toni

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  17. The matching outfits, so cute I want to dress my boys in them...errr...perhaps in a masculine version?

    It's such a blessing to grow up with a mom who has style!

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  18. It was so much fun dressing my daughter when she was little. I know her style is better now that she chooses her own things, but I had fun while I could. lol

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  19. That's definitely the reaction most people had to wal-mart where I grew up. I don't go there often (there really isn't one conveniently located to me now) but I have one or two shirts from there that I wear occasionally and, WITHOUT FAIL, I always get tons of compliments on them and people are blown away that they were like $9 at wal-mart :)

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  20. I love getting deals on clothes for my kiddo, just snagged some cool t's from Target for my son, ACDC Aerosmith love them

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  21. I'd kill to have those boots in my size! :-D We went thrifting at a store by the courthouse this weekend & scored 4 lovely wine glases for a quarter each & wait til you see the solid wood trunk we got at a yard sale this weekend too. I think I might put in on the next dilemas party b/c it's in need of some painting. :-)

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  22. I couldn't agree more. I buy basics at Wal-Mart. We get tons of mix and match plain t-shirts to embellish and that I make cute pants to go with. That little plaid top is adorable and so are those boots! Sooo cute! Our WM doesn't have little girls boots yet. I've been checking EVERY time I walk in the door.

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  23. cute stuff! I miss having a little girl to dress up. My 9 year old loves thrift store shopping with me though because we have found her a lot of cute name brand clothes and shoes that way

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