Dressing the little ones

Your child's wardrobe will change drastically over the course of their childhood. It's not easy keeping up with their rapidly changing clothing sizes, much less the shifting trends. Try to combine smart shopping, durable clothing, and fun fashions when shopping for kids' clothes.

Keep It Simple

There are countless trends in children's clothing happening at any given time. Before any shopping trip, remind yourself of the basics. That is, your child's lifestyle should ultimately play a role in choosing their clothes. Many kids spend a significant amount of time running, playing, goofing around, and doing other things that could potentially rip or stain their clothes. For this reason, it's important to always keep in mind the durability of the items you choose.

Stay Age Appropriate

Consider your child's age when purchasing any piece of clothing. Especially once a child reaches school age, they will resist wearing any clothing that they feel is for "little kids." You might want to include your child while shopping for clothes once they reache this age, but remind them that you have the final say in what is purchased.

For babies and toddlers, there is an endless supply of adorable clothing from which to choose. There will always be the classic "pink for girls" and "blue for boys" rule, but try branching out to other colors as well. Green, orange, and yellow are very popular for either sex. Children in this age group often wear brighter, funkier colors than older kids.

Children in grade school might begin to express their opinions about what they want to wear. Fun clothing items will often include their favorite TV or cartoon characters. They might want to wear slightly more subdued color palettes than when they were younger. Try a bright color matched with a neutral, such as white, brown, navy, or black.

Preteens and teenagers will inevitably want more control over their clothing choices. Check to see if the items they want are appropriate for school. Girls will want to experiment with more mature styles and makeup - set some ground rules about what styles are allowed and what are not. Longer, flowing tops are a good alternative when you are trying to avoid girls wearing clothes that are too tight. Boys might want to express a bit of rebellion with edgy shoes or shirts with clever phrases. Again, give your stamp of approval before any purchases are made.

Save Money

Don't forget that kids' clothing can always be found at cheap prices. It's easier to look at sale items regularly by utilizing a store's website. Remember that your kids are growing, you might want to spend more money on a brand-new outfit, but they might only be able to wear it a few times before they've outgrown it.

Culled. Image credit: Carter's and Google images