Q. Are there any clothing items that can be bought a bit big so kids can grow into them?
A. Back-to-school shopping can get a tad costly what with all the books, school supplies, accessories, tech gadgets and clothes. While your child will undoubtedly be anxious to acquire new threads for the school year ahead, there are definitely ways to stretch your dollar a bit further. And it all comes down to the idea of buying bigger.
No, we don’t necessarily mean picking up items that will last your child through dramatic growth spurts (you don’t want them to be drowning in their clothes, after all), but for the slow-and-steady years, the idea of picking up select pieces that are larger-sized than they might need right now will actually work.
Garments such as denim and knits can be a bit trickier to buy for the long term as they tend to be the workhorse pieces in everyone’s wardrobes, but there are certainly some styles (think: those that are designed to fit more loosely than others) that can be purchased with a growing youth in mind.
“For girls, T-shirt swing (dresses) are definitely a great go-to. (They’re) comfy and easy to wear,” Kirsty Brinkley, co-founder of Redfish Kids, says. “It fits generously through the body and makes the perfect tunic as kids sprout up.”
Brinkley says belted dresses are another great option for girls as they are easy to cinch in at the waist when purchased a tad oversized, and then let out as kids grow. Voluminous culottes and loose midi skirts with an elastic waist are solid choices for bottoms as they both boast room for growth by nature of their roomier silhouettes.
For boys, cotton button-ups and relaxed T-shirts can be bought a bit big as they can easily be worn a bit oversized without looking sloppy.
“Most of our belted dresses fit generously through the torso and are easy to cinch to fit a variety of sizes as kids go through different growth phases,” she says. “We love fashion, but we are moms first. We try to engineer all our pieces for growth.”
In addition to investing in fabrics that are durable such as denim and knitwear, Brinkley recommends parents keep versatility at the forefront of their minds when shopping for growing kids.
“Is it a versatile piece that can be worn in many ways?” she recommends parents ask themselves before splashing out on a pricey item. Above all, she recommends splurging on quality items that kids will wear again and again to get the most bang for your buck.
“Quality over quantity is key,” she says. “Splurge on loved items (and) they will love you back!”
Have a question you’d like to see solved in the Sartorial Solution? Email aharris@postmedia.com.
