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?

When I get questions from readers, they are usually on one of three subjects: venues around town, what A. is wearing, and thrifting, probably because I can't resist instagramming all of the amazing things I find on our (at least) weekly thrifting trips. The most frequent thrifting related question I get goes something like this... I'm new to thrifting and wondering: what should I thrift FOR?

Every thrift store has its own specialty. Some have great kids clothes, others have a large selection of books and media, some are more like antique stores with the style of vintage furniture they tend to carry. But there's one thing that I look out for at pretty much every thrift store I visit, and usually find lurking on the shelves in the shoe section: Converse All-Stars, in every size, style, fit, and print imaginable.






Some people get squicked out by the idea of secondhand shoes, but I really don't mind it with Chucks, because they are SO easily rehabbable. You can throw them right in the washer with a scoop of Oxyclean, let them dry for a few days in the sun and voila! they are as good as new. You can replace the inner soles, use a Magic Eraser or nail polish remover to clean the outer rubber sole, and change the laces out to make them your own.




They are pretty impossible to wear out, and every pair we've ever thrifted has been subsequently RE-thrifted or passed down to friends with kids with smaller feet.  I haven't paid retail for Chucks in about a decade and have scored some pretty awesome designs. Right now Anouk has several pairs in the next few sizes waiting to be grown into and I'm willing to bet all of them together cost less than the price of one new pair. Can't beat that!

Do you have a question about thrifting (or anything else?) You can email me at wtwgrow@gmail.com or reach me on our FB page.