To the parent whose kid influenced my son to declare that he, too, wanted a pair of Skechers for kindergarten: Had I known where you lived, I might have driven my child to your house. And left him.
I told Buddy he'd better put on those Thomas the Tank Engine canvas slip-ons I had grabbed at Target and go somewhere while he still had feet. But secretly, I felt nervous that he might not appreciate the new tennis shoes I had bought him a month ago on clearance at Payless and was saving to reveal in September.
But then I thought, if Payless shoes were sturdy enough to earn Star Jones' endorsement, they're quality enough for a child.
C'mon, 5-year-olds with distinguishing tastes? Up until that day, Buddy hadn't known anything about a brand other than character-inspired goods. Peer pressure is starting earlier and earlier.
Well, too bad. Back-to-school clothes shopping is not going to be any different in the Walker household this year.
Stocking my three kids' closet is a year-round process. I keep an eye out for inexpensive clothing and shoes almost every time I leave the house. If I'm headed to Wal-Mart, Kmart or Target for food or incidentals, I also hit their clearance racks.
JCPenney and Kohl's rock-bottom-priced clearance sections are faves, too. And a trip to Dillard's when it offers its seasonal extravaganza of 30 percent off already-reduced prices is like coming into a windfall.
My children know not to peek into any bags I bring home. There might be a loaf of bread, lettuce... and leggings. I keep the fab finds stashed in bins labeled with sizes, and voila! - when I want to surprise them, they wake up to a new outfit. Or whenever their pants turn into "floods" or their shirts fall above the upper hip, I don't have to stress over making a special trip to the mall. Some of the clothing is already hanging in their closet, separated into what I know as the "next size up" section.
My limit for spending on kids' clothing pretty much is $9.99 per item. Usually I end up paying $3 or $4. As recently as Friday, I bought three pairs of school-uniform walking shorts for $2.74 on a clearance rack at Target. They're normally $9.99 to $12.99. My kids' schools do not require uniforms, but blue and khaki are universal colors. My older daughter will be able to wear her shorts this year and maybe next. It'll be a couple of year s before my son can fit into his, but hey, that's one less pair of bottoms to worry about later.
Buying shoes too far in advance can be tricky because of erratic foot growth. If I can't find a clearance-priced shoe that can be worn now or fairly soon, I'll try to find a buy-one-get-one promotion. Both pairs of shoes together had better not be more than $25, though.
It's August, and I'm under no pressure to go load up on back-to-school attire. My kids have enough to last well into the school year. That's aside from the pieces I've racked up that they can wear until they're 10 or so. (The oldest is 8; the younger two are 5.)
If they don't like what I bought them, they can go eco and wear loincloths.
All in all, I spend about $500 total each year on their shoes and clothes, not including coats. I buy those every other year, and I accept hand-me-downs.
It just seems more practical to shop that way. Those hyped-up back-to-school campaigns can be too much on parents, particularly if they are buying for more than one child.
A few weeks before school started, my mom would put a bunch of clothes on layaway by paying the minimum $2 down - and sometimes my sis and I would never see the clothes again. We'd see peers whose clothes were purchased ridiculously large with the hope they'd last until the child was darn-near grown.
Sometimes the money just isn't there, and there is no sense pretending. I've already mentioned in an earlier column about the year my mom was so hard up that she made my clothes out of bedsheets and scraps of fabric. I looked so good that I didn't know to be ashamed until some boy made a rude remark.
So? I had on clothes that were clean, neat and properly sized.
That was all that mattered then. It should be all that matters now.
One day my children will want more choice. That's why they're being encouraged to save their allowances to buy those "to-die-for" items.
Until then, I've got them covered.
Jamesetta M. Walker, (757) 446-2211, jamesetta.walker@pilotonline.com
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