As a mom to a bunch of daughters, I have learned a few clothing tips. Most of my daughters are tall. I have found that I get the best buy in the men's department. The men's and boy's shirt sleeves and torsos are longer. So, modesty and warmth are not an issue, as they are covered, regardless if it is a t-shirt, jacket, flannel shirt, or sweater.
Boys t-shirts and undershirts come in a 3 pack, often for the same price as buying a single t-shirt or under shirt in the women's dept. If it isn't fancy enough, add something like an iron-on to "girlie it up"
I noticed that the bulk white socks are cheaper in the men's department and have more in the package. During the winter, no one is going to see the girl's socks anyway.
By mom-from-missouri from NW MO
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
As long as your daughters don't mind wearing boys clothes. I always likes to dress my daughter up a little in frilly things. I don't think she would have worn boys clothing.
Also I wonder if anyone would be so quick to dress boys in girls clothes. I guess there is something in dressing kids in opposite clothing that bothers me. I mean if the kids want to that's different but to make them seems not right.
I don't think there is anything wrong with this, so don't let those comments bother you. I was a very tall, long-legged, thin girl. I couldn't wear girls pants,they were too big around & too short. My mom bought boys slim size jeans & had to take the waist in. As a teen, I bought myself the boys tube socks because I like them. I still usually buy men's tennis shoes because they fit my feet better than the womens. In my 20s, I knew several college girls who would go to the boys dept in the store for their 'preppy' button up shirts & slacks because they were cheaper than the same thing for girls-the only difference is the way they button.
I have 1 daughter & 3 sons. My daughter had boys jeans(which were usually made better & lasted longer!), flannel shirts & tshirts-she was also a 'girlie-girl' who wore ribbons & frills when she wanted too. Her brothers wore some of her hand-me-downs that you couldn't tell were girls clothes & I laughed when people would compliment me on something in particular they wore.
Before anyone turns their noses up at the idea of girls wearing boys clothes, take a closer look at the clothes kids wear now. A lot of times there is very little difference in the appearance of the jeans, shirts & tshirts for boys & girls, same goes for shoes. At one point a few years ago, several stores(including Target) were selling shoes that were deliberately marketed as asexual so anyone could wear them! Pick out a pair of jeans or a regular tshirt or pack of plain socks in the girls dept, then go compare them with similar items in the boys dept-not a lot of difference in the appearance, but a BIG difference in the price because marketers KNOW you will pay more for girls clothes!
Adult tshirts that are marketed for the latest movies & stuff are usually marketed to both sexes. My kids ALL had Star Wars tshirts they got in the boys department!
Go to Thrift stores & see how many times they put girls jeans & shirts in the boys section & visa-versa, because they can't tell the difference either! My 2 youngest kids are 16 & 13. I've volunteered at their school since they started. I can tell you there are a lot of girls that come to school every day in boys jeans, tshirts & flannel shirts. Just because girls might wear boys clothes, doesn't make them any less of a girl or mean they can't wear dresses, lace & frilly, girly-girl clothes whenever they want to also. And they shouldn't be made to feel uncomfortable about it.
Sorry, one more comment to add to this (can you tell this subject is a sore point with me?).
When my mom was a teenager in the 50s, it was a big deal to steal your dad's or brother's white dress shirts to wear with the jeans they also took from the guys because they didn't make girls' jeans then- it was cool! When I was a teenager in the 70s, it was still cool to borrow the guys clothes to wear. I remember being thrilled when I talked my dad into giving me some of his dress shirts & tshrts to sleep in because that was the style then, since they only made nightgowns for girls back then!
I am an adult and I still prefer men's jeans to women's. They fit better and look better on me. Many of my T-shirts come from the men's department too. No one can tell the difference by looking at them, the styles are so similar these days. I say, you go girl!
Hey... the disparity in prices between gals' and guys' clothes and accessories is so obvious, even a blind woman can see it, lol! Kudos to you for beating the greedy retailers at their own game.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
In having to help raise my grandchildren - 2 boys and a girl. I have taken to cutting a few corners to make ends meet. The boys being the oldest, hand me downs went ok. But I did not want to put boy clothes on a little girl. So I sewed cute little designer buttons or appliques on the pockets to give them a little feminine touch. No one knew that they weren't bought that way unless I chose to tell them. I did the same with some of the solid color shirts -- a bow at the neck line made it look like it belonged to her.
By Carol from Huber Heights, OH
What a wonderful idea!! Thanks so much for the tip, I will definitely use it, especially when I am at a garage sale or thrift shop! (03/02/2006)
By Crystal
To make big brother's hand me downs or thrift shop clothing look more feminine for a little girl, employ the use of lace, ribbons, bows, appliques, fancy buttons. Lace can be sewed to necklines or cuffs of tops or pants. Lace sewed to the hems of pants can also make short pants long enough again. You can get some 'basic items' (t shirts, turtlenecks?) in traditional girl colors on sale and mix them into her wardrobe. Those paired with something you have embellished, who would know? (03/02/2006)
By kidsNclutter
Great tip. Something I would have never thought of and I know some friends who could use this tip. (03/02/2006)
