Kids Clothing

OK, I just read someone post something about kids not wearing clothes for that long (and I know it's heard between moms everywhere these days) and it got me thinking about how lucky I am. My daughter, up until about a month ago, was wearing the same pants she wore last year (but then she decided to grow "up" and they're now too short). My son has some sweaters he wears that he wore last year too. And my kids wear their clothes, and I mean WEAR them! They are not looking very sharp when the season (or 2) is over for them. So I have such a hard time when people try to tell me to buy them clothes from a thrift shop or to get them from a friend. Because those clothes are starting out worn, and then once my kids get in them, they don't last very long.

Maybe I do laundry too often? I know my kids aren't that messy (except for my baby, he's still drooling with 4 teeth coming in), but once they wear it once, or heck, if it's not on a hanger, it gets thrown into the washer. I'm very picky about my kids walking around in clean clothes...no food stains on them or anything like that. I have a bunch of their shirts in the laundry room right now that I keep running through the washer with each load trying to get stains out, because I will not let them wear them until they are gone!

I also have fun shopping for new clothes for them...I do it in place of shopping for me. I can't remember the last time I bought myself more than one thing at any given time. But each season I go out and buy the kids their wardrobe for the season coming up (I do it twice per year...once in the spring and once in the fall).

But here's where I save some money...I head to the outlets. Luckily, I have some that are about 1 hour and 20 minutes away. I go to the good stores and get them good clothes that I know will withstand all of their playing, and my washing, and will last me through each child I have. All at outlet prices. I got my daughter beautiful GAP socks to match some of her outfits at 3 pairs for $3 (not just solid color ones...a beautiful print on them). I don't (unless I have a gift card) go buy something for them in a regular GAP store...just the outlet.

Maybe that's another reason I like to buy new clothes...we want 4 kids, and so far (crossing our fingers) we've been able to have them in the same season...so my son wore all of my daughter's neutral stuff (we didn't find out the sex with either one of them) and then we bought him boy clothes after he outgrew those. So hopefully, these clothes that I'm buying will get a second or third use out of them.

Is there anyone out there that thinks like me? Do you like to shop for new clothes for your kids? Do you sacrifice something else so that you can do it?