Children and Brand Names?

[etali]

Obviously, everyone on here likes designer gear for themselves to one extent or another, but what about your children?

If you are a parent of children in the 'peer pressure' age group, do you buy the brands that the children see as 'in' at the time? Do you buy them the brands you as an adult like, or do you prefer to keep them in practical, perhaps less expensive clothing?

When I was a child I was offered 'normal' clothing, and if I wanted a brand name instead I had to pay the difference in price between the 'normal' and the brand name out of my pocket money or paper round wages

I think that was a sensible thing to do as it taught me the value of money, and I had to think about if I really wanted that particular item or not.

[sbarber77]

This is an interesting topic even in regards to younger children.

I have a daughter who will be a year old later this month.

I like to buy clothes for her and I sometimes buy cheaper clothes at Wal-Mart or some other box store but I also buy her brand name clothes sometimes even though she is not old enough to get it.

My husband is bad for buying her clothes from Gap which I just can't do because in my own mind I can't justify spending the money.

I buy her a lot of clothes from The Children's Place because they have really good sales sometimes. I just went and bought her a spring/summer wardrobe for $100 and it should almost be enough to get her through the whole season. If I would have bought the clothes at the Gap I would have spent $100 on one or two outfits. To me that is ridiculous.

A friend and I had a conversation about how much to buy kids....what is appropriate and what is over the top.

It was interesting to me because she was saying that she loves watching America's Funniest Home videos and seeing Christams videos where kids are so excited and thrilled to be getting their gifts. It seems that does not happen now a days because kids just get what they want and they esxpect it.

Before my daughter gets too old I have to find the line myself about what is okay and what is overboard because I think I want things for her that I did not have and at this age she could care less whether she has it or not.

I'm interested in everyone's views on this topic. Thanks for bringing it up.

Oh, and in the end I think when my daughter gets older she probably will have a lot of what she wants but she will also know what it is like to earn it.....nothing comes for free.

[elaine130]

My children wear hand-me-downs, sale stuff from Target (I love the quality and style of their girls' stuff especially!) and maybe one or two special outfits per season for church, holidays or other formal gatherings. I do like to get one nice coordinated outfit from Gymboree for my daughter and one semi-dressy Polo/RL shirt for my son to wear with slacks.

[britjojo]

We did a lot of hand me downs when my daughter was smaller, but now she has grown larger than her four year old cousin that we were getting stuff from (and my daughter just turned two). Her cousin is a tiny wee thing at 25lb, and my bruiser is 32lb. So we are handing UP now.

Children's place totally rocks for sales. I think that my daughter is about 90% Childrens Place wardrobe-I just love it. She doesn't own a single designer item, but does have good brand shoes.

What I prefer for her is customs, rather than expensive store stuff. By that I mean work at home mothers who make stuff. When she is older, I'll figure out some how to let her have a choice too.

[sbarber77]

I agree that the Children's Place has incredible sales and we get most of my daughter's clothes there. The only drawback for me is that I have to travel to the city (2 hours away) to shop there.

unfortunately, being in Canada, The Children's Place online will not ship orders here.

[DianneMK]

I always wore what my parents bought.We didn't have designer clothes when I was growing up(in the 70's).The only brand name clothing I wore was Levis.
But kids today are in the "give me,give me"decade.They have to have designer clothes just to be a part of the"in" crowd.About a month ago I was in the Florida Mall with my husband and there was a girl no more than 10,tops.She had a very expensive coach handbag.Not kidding.She looked like her parents caved in to her expensive tastes.Now as the parent of three adult daughters,if I couldn't afford to buy the trendy clothes(single mom at the time),they got jobs and bought their own stuff.
I feel bad for kids whose parents cannot afford the expensive trendy clothes and have to wear whatever mom and dad buy.

[babidius]

My Son wears mostly gap but I only buy on sale and always try to use coupons. Also I always use my Gapcard and for every $200.00 you spend you get a $10GC.

[elaine130]

That's good to know about the gapcard! I'm sure that as my kids get older, they'll want the brand name stuff. So that's when I'll get that stuff from Burlington Coat Factory, Marshall's and TJ Maxx! But still, I will probably get one special "designer" brand outfit, then some mid-brand clothes for play as well as the hand me downs! I don't want to deprive them, but they'll have to settle for last season's designer items or sale items. Just like when I was growing up.

[kitsch_k]

i dont think i would be buying brand names for my kids when i have them..i will only buy expensive clothes once i think they would really appreciate it..

[britjojo]

I don't think that not buying designer clothes is 'depriving' your children. If your kids were not clothed at all, that would be deprivation, but there are so many people in this world who can barely keep food in the pantry that to suggest that not buying designer is somehow hurting them seems a little harsh.

[elaine130]

Originally Posted by kitsch_k

i dont think i would be buying brand names for my kids when i have them..i will only buy expensive clothes once i think they would really appreciate it..

I agree Kitsch! Interestingly, I think some parents out there DO dress their kids... even BABIES in designer label clothing, shoes, etc. just to impress other adults! Buying something expensive based on quality, style and durability is one thing ("you get what you paid for" holds true for kids' clothes, too!) ...but a $20 baby t-shirt with a name brand plastered all over it is just vanity on the part of the parents!

[elaine130]

Originally Posted by britjojo

I don't think that not buying designer clothes is 'depriving' your children. If your kids were not clothed at all, that would be deprivation, but there are so many people in this world who can barely keep food in the pantry that to suggest that not buying designer is somehow hurting them seems a little harsh.

You make a very good point, britjojo. There are kids out who have so much less than our own kids do as far as mere subsistence, nevermind luxury. My dh and I are always trying to teach our children how fortunate they are with their lives of relative luxury, compared to other really impoverished and truly deprived children; but they do not quite understand the concept, nor did I when I was a youngster and I was told to eat my peas because there are a lot of starving children in Africa. In one ear and out the other!

But what I was trying to address is a dramatic and figurative type of deprivation many American kids feel because, let's face it, their self-esteem has now grown from needing love and acceptance from the microcosm of their home, to beyond into the neighborhood, school and society where they now need friendship, love and acceptance of their peers. In order for a pre-teen to feel like they are a bonafide member of a peer group, they must act and dress the part.

For instance, when I was an 11 year-old in 6th grade, Sergio Valente and Calvin Klein designer jeans were all the rage among my classmates... even the nerdy honors kids I hung out with! Everyone had them on, with that huge comb sticking out the back pocket with the fancy design, anyone else remember this trend? Well, my parents saw that I was responsible, doing very well in school, doing my chores, getting along with my siblings... so as a special treat they bought me ONE pair of Sergios (on sale, I'm sure!) and just LOVED how those jeans looked and made me feel... especially when I went roller skating with my friends...wow! Also as a reward for good grades and being responsible and obedient, my parents let me pick out one "Esprit" outfit when I was in either 7th or 8th grade... and I wore that outfit soooo proudly once a week! By high school, I started working at a library when I was 16 and earned money to buy my own clothes.

So since our budget can afford it and because my dh and I ALSO like to have a little self-indulgent splurge now and then, I will also buy my children one or two designer brand outfits per year (all things in moderation!) if its for excellent quality or style; for a special holiday or occasion; as an occasional reward for good behavior; and/or if they have earned it by working hard. When they start working on their own, then they can choose to buy that ridiculously overpriced simple tee-shirt with the brand name plastered all over it. Hey, if they worked hard to get it and it makes them feel HAPPY, then so be it!

As said before, moderation is key. We don't want them to develop a materialistic obsession with brand names like their mother has with designer handbags!

[kitsch_k]

Originally Posted by elaine130

I agree Kitsch! Interestingly, I think some parents out there DO dress their kids... even BABIES in designer label clothing, shoes, etc. just to impress other adults! Buying something expensive based on quality, style and durability is one thing ("you get what you paid for" holds true for kids' clothes, too!) ...but a $20 baby t-shirt with a name brand plastered all over it is just vanity on the part of the parents!

i just think that the money would be well spent on something more sensible u know? even if you are really rich and u can afford it you might as well dress two homeless children with five shirts than buy your one year old a designer shirt from paris or something. hehe. just my opinion. who among us remembers our wardrobe when we were toddlers anyway!! hehe

[britjojo]

Elaine, yes I realise that is it a very real issue in this country. However I really have a big problem with it-I hate the materialism in this country, I hate the fact that everything revolves around it and I try as much as I can, to stay away from that. I will continue to do so as I raise my daughter-I do not want her to be raised thinking that she has to have certain things, or better things than others, to be a good or likable person.

[elaine130]

Regarding materialism in this country, I couldn't agree with you more, Britjojo! Which leads me to wonder, when did I/do we become materialistic?
When I/we equate THINGS = LOVE!

I think I mentioned that my childhood wasn't the most stable. My mother died when I had just turned 4, I was sent to live with various relatives in the US and Philippines until I was 7. I reunited with my father and siblings and everyone felt so sorry for me all the while... so they bought me THINGS.

If circumstances had been different for me way back when, I wonder if I'd still be so obsessed with designer handbags...and whether or not I'd even be a member of this Purse Page forum!

[britjojo]

Elaine, I am sorry once again to learn something new of your past life. It seems that you've really had it hard and for that I am sorry.

I don't have the money to be all into designer stuff. I found this forum because I came here to drool at all the pretties Whatever brought you here Elaine, I am glad you are here. I am glad to know you.

[etali]

I think as long as you know you can express love without buying somoene stuff, then you haven't forgotten it's meaning and you aren't too materialistic

Actually, one of my friends has a daughter, and I was talking to her recently, we'd been playing some live arcade games on our 360, and she was really enjoying it. She got a few achievement points, and I said something like 'It's a shame you don't have a profile registered, you could show off to your friends, that was a hard achievement you got'.

Her response was to roll her eyes and say 'Well my !#@^ parents say I'm not allowed one of these, they must think I'm not worth spending that much on'.

Since when did not being able to spend a moderately large amount of money on something that would likely only get used once every few months equate to not loving someone very much?

[kitsch_k]

well elain the best thing is ..your life now is beautiful..and that's what matters most you grew up grounded and very sensible

[britjojo]

I completely agree that love and giving things are not one and the same, but as Elaine has already stated, for those who are lacking in love or lacking in other areas, the lines can become confused.

Plus, this world is becoming ever more materialistic. It is getting hard to live a life that isn't measured for success by how much you can buy.

[shainee]

I'm very practical when it comes to my kid. I dont splurge on clothes, especially branded ones, cause I know they'll outgrow them one day. It's also been a tradition in our family to hand down clothes to the next generation.

[medako]

I can't justify spending that much money on designer names for young children when they're going to either outgrow them in a matter of months or inevitably ruin them by tearing a hole or staining the entire thing.

Right now my son is just a toddler (and I'm sure it's different with girls, maybe?), but he mainly wears clothes from walmart or target, sometimes JC Penney's. He has some cute things that he wears out, but most of the time, especially at this age, he's constantly in knit tshirts and shorts. And why would I spend big $$ on stuff like that when I can get them for about $3 for each piece??

[dreamr802]

I don't have any children yet, but I do like name brands...but I don't have any problem getting cute stuff that aren't name brands...especially for children when they grow so fast why would you spend $50 on a shirt when in 2 or 3 months they might not even fit in it anymore. I think name brands are ok for high school kids because they really aren't growing too much anymore.