Back to School Wardrobe: Kids

Back-to-school shopping is obviously something I did as a child, but I've also been on the adult end of things too.  When I was in college, I was a nanny for a family with three kids.  The parents were extremely busy with work and hobbies, so I did a lot of the jobs that you might not expect.  I took the kids to most of their doctor and dentist appointments.  I did sports practices, monitored homework, and sometimes even met with teachers.  Often I was also called upon to take the kids shopping.  If they needed something, it was much easier for us to run out after school than for the parents to try to find time in their very busy weekends.  As a result, I did more than one back-to-school shopping trip. 

One of my magazines says that this is the perfect time to start over with kids' clothes.  Just throw away the ratty undies and socks, and donate everything else to charity.  Now buy everything new!  I won't name the rag because I think this is a terrible idea.  Not only is it wasteful, but you run the risk of mutiny.  My three charges would have been most offended if I'd just tossed some much-loved clothes.  "Pruning" is an important activity, but be sure you don't get rid of anything precious to the child or they might try to go to school naked in protest.  How much you actually buy depends a lot on how much useable stuff you already have, but use this list as a general rule of thumb:

-Socks (14 pairs in cotton.  Avoid synthetics since they make most people sweat)
-Undies (10-14 pairs. Get different styles or colors for each kid or the wash will be confusing)
-Shirts (5 in 100% cotton.  Short sleeves make a great base layer)
-Pants (3-4 pairs in sturdy material.  Leggings are fine for girls, but watch the school rules on these)
-Shorts (hopefully you still have these from summer, but if not...)
-Skirts (1-2 if she likes them, but be careful that she's always able to run and play comfortably)
-Sweatshirts (2-3 in different colors and styles)
-Coats (1 for cold and 1 for rain)
-Shoes (1 pair of athletic and 1 pair of dressier, but still comfortable, ones)

Old Navy and Target are great places to buy new items, but consignment shops are really a wonderful option.  Using the weekend ads in the paper, I estimate that this shopping list could easily cost more than $300 for just one child!  If one only buys the shoes and underthings new, and gets the rest at the resale shop, the total price could come down to as little as $100.  That's still a lot of money, but much easier to swallow in the family budget.  If you can, spreading out the purchases is another great way to go.  Wait to buy the coats, for instance, until the cold weather is actually about to happen.  This way, you and your child will feel good about the way they look on the first day of school.