When I first found out I was pregnant I think my heart wanted a girl. I never voiced it, and I always answered the very cliche “…as long as the baby is healthy” but I felt it; and my Pinterest board definitely reflected it.
Honestly, looking back, it was nothing more than a shallow and selfish desire rooted in wanting a real life baby doll to dress. Any mommas relate?
Thank goodness God knows me better than I know me because #boymom life is SO special and I wouldn’t trade a million girls for my two little guys.
I DO however remember though when I found out my first born was a boy thinking to myself:
“oh no! How in the world do I dress one of these things?!” (ya know, #priorities)
Pictures of dinosaurs, various sports ball appliqués, and 90’s denim overalls flashed in my mind. YIKES! A challenge it would be, but I’ve secretly always LOVED a challenge.
I knew right off that I wasn’t into the baby look. Pastels and infant animals make me cringe.
** CONFESSION: I returned and exchanged almost $300 worth of clothing after my baby shower **
In the months that followed, I probably spent too much time surfing the web, reading blogs, and checking out various different little man brands. I was surprised to find that there were so many options when it came to dressing boys. I guess I just figured that it was Carters or bust at that point but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was wrong.
I quickly learned that my personal style preference for the boys wasn’t Southern (Even though I’m a born and raised KY girl), it wasn’t preppy, and it wasn’t even sporty (though I’m really loving the ease of Adidas Tracksuits these days). Over and over I found myself drawn to styles on site
s that I couldn’t easily order from. Why? because they were all European. When I FINALLY caught on to my taste I started searching out popular European brands that also sold to the US and landed on a few that still to this day are some of my fave Go-To brands when I’m looking for unique pieces to add to their wardrobes.
FEW OF MY FAVES:
1. ZARA
2. MANGO
3. NEXT DIRECT
Now you’d think that figuring that out would be the end of it and I could just stop there, right? Wrong. Unfortunately there was a problem. The fashion was spot on but the price was WAY high for this thrifty momma, and I feared some MAJOR buyer’s remorse.
The idea of giving $50 for a jacket that definitely would end up with some sort of bodily fluid stain on it and most likely would fit them for MONTHS not YEARS, got me thinking…
How can I dress my sons in a focused style but on a budget? THRIFTING was my answer.
Now sometimes thrifting is at a Goodwill store and sometimes it’s shopping season end clearance. BOTH are very effective.
Here are my top 3 Tips for dressing a focused Kids style on a budget:
1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
– know your favorite brands/looks and study their little models. How do the stylists piece together their outfits for branding? Are there certain aspects or even individual pieces you are drawn to every single time? Look only to purchase those things.
– What are the central themes? Muted colors or bright? Navy or Black? Patterns or no? Lots of layers? Unique out of the box statements? etc
When you get the hang of the style you’ll start to find yourself gravitating towards the same colors, patterns, textures, and styles no matter where you are shopping.
2. SHOP FREQUENTLY AND SMART
– Whether it be stopping in at the thrift or checking in with your favorite brands (in store or online), check frequently. Persistence pays off! Obviously if you are making purchases at the thrift store, you’ll be scoring incredible deals and saving lots of money BUT what people don’t always consider is that when companies run clearance sales in an attempt to move out seasonal inventory you can score deals just as awesome! Time and time again I purchase brand new items directly from my faves just as cheap as I could thrift them or purchase secondhand.
3. USE YOUR IMAGINATION
I think it’s so important to be original. Using someone or a certain brand as your inspiration? Sure, I do it all the time but don’t be a carbon copy… that’s lame.
I think you’ll find after learning which styles and brands you prefer and spending a little time intentionally picking out what it is you like about them, you will develop “an eye” for selecting random pieces no matter where you are that fit in perfectly with the look that seems to best reflect you and your littles.
Okay, so now for the important stuff : I want to end by saying this …
Fashion doesn’t amount to anything in this life so don’t take it too seriously.
I deal in fashion for a living and have always enjoyed using it as an creative outlet for expressing individuality but to me, it’s nothing more than that. No matter your style or favorite brands, remember, those things don’t define you. You have been created so perfectly unique and have so much more than your style sense to offer this world! Shine bright my friends.
– K.BETH
Below you’ll find a video overview of one of my recent thrift hauls for my boys. ENJOY!
