buying clothes for grandchildren

I also enjoy buying clothes for my GC boy (6) girl (3). However I do my 'homework'...I ask their Mum what's needed and pay attention when she gives me a bit of honest feedback.
Children's fashions and lives have changed and what suited my daughters (Laura Ashley frocks) is definitely not what is needed nowadays.

It can be a minefield! The clothes I like to see little girls in are often scorned by my DGDs, but I think I've got the hang of it now.

I tend to buy on impulse from places like Asda (cheap and cheerful!) and always keep the receipts. The cheaper outlets are often better at spotting what's on-trend for children anyway.

I get gift receipts in case my lot want to exchange what I buy. Also, I find a few thigss I like online and email the link to see if they like them and give me the go ahead. Every now and again, we have a little shopping spree so I can see what they would go for and enjoy coffee or lunch together at the same time.

It's a relief when they can tell you what they want or are able to spend gift vouchers in Next or M&S. By the time they are about six, they tend to be quite fussy, even the boys. Teenagers are out of bounds!

I certainly wouldn't just buy clothes for them based on what I like. If they never wear them then there's no point. I think your DIL is trying to tell you something lin!

My GDs like lurid t shirts with cats and ponies on with glittery bits everywhere . Their mums would never buy them but I can!

Both GDs seem to live in leggings and T shirts so I occasionally buy these two items in various shops, H & M, Zara, M & S etc.

Usually I do as you do When if it's skirts or dresses, hang on to receipts or look on line. Love taking them for a shopping spree and sometimes a hairdressing trip for a trim.

I buy my older grandson tees with things he likes on them( anything to do with Minecraft, Minions, or the colour red.)I also buy him cords and jeans, and as he doesn't like jumpers, warm cardigans, which they now make for boys, so must be a fashion thing.Young grandson likes anything bright with trains or dinosaurs on them and very young granddaughter is too young to mind what she wears.

I have 3 young grandchildren who live with me up to 4 days a week (their dad lives with me). I often buy bits for them in sales when I see them, usually successfully as I know them so well. The girls (3 and 5) love dresses, the swirlier the skirts the better, not my style but hey ho! The boy (8) wears tracksuit pants, cut offs in summer and 'cool' T shirts. Dad usually gets the latest team football kit! Two arrive in school uniform and the youngest from nursery usually in sister's castoffs so I have to be careful what I send them back in as I don't always get the clothes back. My other two grand daughters are more difficult as the 5 year old is in 7-8yr old clothes and the 7 year old in up to 12-13 yr old sizes which do not always suit. I am now giving them money to go shopping with Dad (or Mum). I can't imagine how I ended up with such 'girly' girls!!

GD1 is fine to buy for, she is exactly average when it comes to fitting by age. GD2 is a nightmare to buy for, she is 5 but needs at least 10 year old for length and it is generally not big enough on the chest. Youngest can now pass her clothes down to her elder sister. When did children's feet get so big ? 9 year old takes a bigger size in shoe than her adult aunt.

My DGDs love dresses too!
You could see what they tend to wear and buy something similar or ask DIL what they need.
If you give a gift receipt they can change the items, or else, if DIL says 'no more clothes' save your money for treats or a trip out with them.

DIL always seems very grateful for any clothes I buy. However, I would never, ever take them for a haircut. That is DIL's domain!

I used to love buying clothes for my granddaughter when she was younger. She always wore them (well most of them). She is 15 now and obviously I wouldn't dream of buying her anything. Occasionally if we are out shopping she will choose something herself and I will buy it or
she may point something out that she likes and I will go back and get it for her birthday or Christmas or something.

I see what their mother buys and tend to buy the same brands - or occasionally I go shopping with the boys and let them choose something they love and that their mother will hate. Orange and blue colours were favourites last year - their mother cringes when they ask to wear them.

Buying clothes for others is like buying presents. You do not buy what you like, you buy what you have noted the potential recipient wears or heard them say what they would like.

When DGC were small clothes buying was guided by their mother's taste in children's clothes. Now DGC are at school any clothes buying I do is guided by their expressed likes and dislikes.

I learnt the hard way. I bought some boots in Sainsburys, in a lovely soft grey. DGD, aged 4, looked at them and just said in a disgusted voice. 'I am not going to wear GREY boots. I don't like grey.'

I learnt my lesson.

I recently bought pajamas for my six GC, they all are happy with them except youngest GD 3 who refuses to wear the pajama pants. I have taken off the tag in case it is irritating but she will only wear leggings with the pajama top. Last year when she was 2 her mother bought her a cotton blouse and GD refused to wear it, she said she didn't like it.

Just after her third birthday DD, GD and I were just about to go out and GD looked down at her shoes and said her they didn't match her clothes. She also had a favourite too small twirly dress. DD would hide it if they were going somewhere, otherwise if GD saw it she would insist on wearing it.

You can take a photo and send it to their mothers (or your GC) via phone message if you are not sure lingomez.

The only things I tend to buy for GS (8) these days are outdoor clothes - fleeces, waterproofs, boots, etc - because they are things I know more about than DD so she is happy to let me. I used to buy him ordinary clothes when he was younger, but these days he likes "cool stuff" and I am not up with "cool stuff"! DH has also said he will bankroll this coming season's club football kit as a reward for doing well at school - we are taking out a second mortgage!

I started a tradition when my twin granddaughters were born that I would buy a new dress to wear on birthdays and Christmas. I still do this but now we look on line and they choose, usually the same or similar in different colours. I tend with other clothes to ask my daughter what they need as they are in uniform all week, they are 6 now.

I buy a lot on line so we can look at it together. I just bought them 2 pairs of shorts each from Boden in their sale, we love Boden and it's good quality but quite expensive. As my daughter says you don't buy until it's in the sale!

I have bought elsewhere but sometimes have to return it if not suitable so always keep the receipt and the tags on until it's been "approved"

DDiL sends me a link to clothes that DGS likes so that I can buy them for Christmas and birthdays. He really loved a pair of chinos in a sort of tan colour that I'd never have thought of! He was also very happy with a new pair of Crocs. He's quite easily pleased, though with 11th birthday coming up soon, he might be getting more choosy.

Ask them. They have strong opinions!

I remember going to babysit my grandchildren (1 and 3) for the weekend and when I went to the wardrobes I found a lot of things still with the tags on (all the stuff I'd bought for them). I do understand that everyone's taste is different but I did feel a bit hurt. I wish my DIL had just told me and I would have given her the receipt or taken them back.

If my DiL had been given clothing for her children that she didn't approve of, they'd have been on Ebay pronto! Certainly not in the wardrobe. But, as I've said, it wouldn't happen in her case.

I buy clothes for both children, clothes were requested for baby son's birthday so we complied with that.

I have granddaughter over night on occasions now she is 5. I have taken to putting clothes I have bought on her the next day so they are worn for a full day before I take her back after tea, that way I know they can't be returned. To be fair, I don't think they have been and they are appreciated, it's just I don't get to see her in the clothes I buy and I often think some of the stuff she is sent in isn't always play appropriate, for climbing etc. in the park. I don't like precocious "frou frou" clothes for girls. I only had boys, but if I had had a daughter, I'd never have wanted to dress her up like a princess. I'm quite in favour of the ubiquitous leggings though I think they are particularly good under dresses if it gets a bit chilly. I buy summer and winter school shoes, but insist they come from a shop such as Clarkes and feet are properly measured etc.

We buy a lot of clothes for our DGC. Two of the boys have ASD's and have sensory issues. They will only wear soft cotton tee shirts and fleece sweaters. We have a Regatta outlet locally, and whenever we see anything we think they would like, either my DH or I phone my DD to ask if we should buy them. They grow so quickly that I am never sure if I have the right size. Just last week we sent our DGD a pair of cotton summery dungarees, I would have called it a play suit. DGD was on the phone as soon as she received them, thanking us and saying how much she loved them and was wearing them straight away. I don't know how long we can carry on buying for GD as she is 8 now and getting rather particular in her clothes choice!

Send her a link to the Next (for instance) online catalogue, hildajj and ask her what she likes. My GDs would never turn down an offer like that!