The best place to find vintage for kids (if your mom didn't save all of your hand-me-downs like mine did) is the thrift store. Most standalone vintage stores don't feature kids' stuff, and when they do, it tends to be way more expensive than it would be otherwise. But at thrift stores, the old sailor suits, Polly Flinders dresses, and authentic saddle oxfords tend to show up mixed in with everything else, at everything-else prices.

I found this peasant blouse for Anne at Thrift Store USA recently, the heavy cotton fabric and bright hand-stitched embroidery jumping out from amidst a sea of Target and Walmart brand girls' stuff. And it had been marked down twice, making it a sweet $2.50. Score!


blouse: vintage (similar), jeans: Carter's, shoes: Minnetonka, sunglasses: 17th Street Surf Shop (similar)

Sometimes in the course of thrifting for Anne, I'll come across a piece of clothing that doesn't fit -- now -- but is too good a deal to leave behind. When that happens I always ask myself: is this worth storing for the two, three, or four seasons until my kid fits into it? We don't have a lot of storage in our house, so in most cases, the answer has to be no.

But sometimes, it might be a yes.

I found this brand new (still with tags!) Crewcuts bubble skirt when A. was still at least two sizes too small for it but picked it up anyway knowing that it would be worth it in the long run. Crewcuts stuff is practically impossible to destroy (when it isn't made out of some impractical fabric like SILK) and the colors and cuts are classic, meaning it won't go out of style while A. waits to grow into it. Also, Crewcuts stuff tends to be relatively expensive, so when you can pick it up for $3 versus $45, you better.

Other brands I tend to hang onto when I come across them: baby Gap, Hanna Andersson, tea collection, Boden.

Do you save things for later when buying stuff for your kids?