New duds

After sharing a week or two ago about how Jacob was on the verge of outgrowing every outfit he owns, I decided I had better do something about his state of clotheslessness—and quick!

Having a diaper-clad baby in the summer months is okay, but with the days already cooling off and the end of summer just a month away, I figured I’d better be ready for the chilly days ahead.

Because we’re on a pretty tight budget (and, even if we weren’t, I’m a total cheapskate anyway), I skipped the retail stores and headed to a local consignment sale.

And, am I ever glad I did.

For about a third of what I would have paid for just one of his sweaters at retail price, I snagged enough combinations of sweaters, shirts, jackets, vests, and pants to keep him clothed for a month of Sundays.

Because the sale I went to happens just twice a year, it was a mad house of mothers. Once they flew through the door, they headed straight for the clothes racks and began grabbing as much off the racks as they could carry before heading to a remote corner to weed through their finds.

I was a little more choosy in my approach. I’m more of a quality over quantity person, so I went item by item looking for the best brands. Generally speaking, I’m not one to care about designer clothes for designer clothes’ sake, but I do care about workmanship.

What I came away with was a collection of too-cute designer outfits, including a Ralph Lauren half-zip mockneck cardigan sweater for $3 and a Kitestrings Boutique sweater and pant set for $4 (retail price on the tag: $70).

All in all, I dropped just $20 on his new duds, including tax. If I wasn’t a believer in consignment sales before, you can bet your brand name britches that I am now.