PoppetUK

My toddlers need a new wardrobe as they have grown out of all there stuff. I have avoided buying anything for a couple of months so we could see where we would be living.

I know there is Pumpkin Patch in WA but wondered if anyone found clothing out in Oz more expensive or more limited than in the UK. Not sure if I should be buying some stuff from Next before we go or wait until we get to Perth.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Regards

Julie

M J

Hi Julie , i cant answer your question as i'm still in the UK. However i would be really interested in what everyone already in Oz with kids, thinks of the clothing available for young children. At least i can bump your thread nearer the top for when our friendly Australians wake up!!!
M J

northernbird

Nothing beats Next for kids clothes, I stocked up before I came. Pumpkin Patch is nice but expensive but I pick up bits and pieces in the sales. I get most of my kids stuff from Target, it is a little better quality than K Mart and Big W. However I don't buy half as many clothes for them as I did in England. I used to spend 1000 pounds twice a year in Next!! Here I pick bits and bobs up in the sales but in the summer they tend to live in bathers and shorts anyway. Deffo more expensive and deffo more limited.

M J

Hi Northernbird,
What would a tshirt cost then? Next sort of quality? And i guess Target and Kmart are Tesco and the equivalent?
With Pumpkin patch over here i think they are expensive and not great quality anyway!!
M J

ohippy

Definitely stock up in the Next sale before you come over - but stick mainly to tshirts and shorts. I haven't found any clothes for kids over here the same quality as Next for the same price. I use Target too but do find the colours sometimes fade no matter what I do and it's not the best quality.

For the swimming stuff though, I wouldn't bother, much cheaper here - picked up a bikini in the sale here for eldest for $4 and they're good quality.

clougherty family

I would definitely stock up in Next and I agree with one of the other posters that really shorts and t-shirts are what the children will mostly need. Pumpkin Patch is nice but for a nice outfit it costs probably $50. I know it's only £20 but when you are earning $s it's quite expensive. I tend to get day to day stuff in Target and get "best clothes" from Pumpkin Patch or Myer (department store). Myer had a sale the other week and got a really nice Osh Kosh top for my 3 yr old for $25, bargain! The other place I sometimes get stuff is Harbourtown (shopping outlet place). Mind you, I have mostly got trainers and sandals from there as they have a Converse shop and do nice shoes for kids. The other thing I have found really hard to get is sleepsuits for the baby. My Mum got a load in Next/M&S and brought them over for me as they just don't do packs here and the individual ones I have seen are expensive, not good quality and they feel hard if you know what I mean, the Next stuff always feels lovely and soft.

Hope this helps.

Jo

PoppetUK

Where do you all do shoe shopping? I was thinking of getting the kids a couple of pairs of trainers right before we fly out.

Thanks for all the posts. I now have an excuse to spend in Next!!!

northernbird

I bought 2 pairs of trainers from Betts Kids (Clarks but no way as good) for going back to school last month. I paid $120 for the 2 pairs. I don't know what they cost in England now so you will have to judge for yourself if you think that is expensive.

price28

Hi

I loved next in England but i think Target has got some fantastic stuff for my little boy hes 3 and a half and a bit under nexts standards but i have never had to take anything back/complain about quality.
Kmart is not as good but they have a policy of if your child wears it out before they outgrow it you can get another one which is pretty good idea.

I would definately get shoes before you come i have found that 1 thing very hard they all fall apart or arent really suitable we use to get hime the little reeboks and stuff too expensive i have found here.
Over here there are lots of sales in places like target every weeks something different like 20% off kids clothes or buy 1 pair of shoes get 1 at 50 % off.

Hope that helps a little Jo

Teabag

I would kill to go clothes shopping in England!

Out here, Target is pretty much the best value, followed by Best & Less (have heaps of baby sleepsuits) and then Kmart.

I don't buy Pumpkin Patch $30 for an item that will get worn a few times before it has to be passed to someone else as they grow so quickly.

The sales are good, can pick up loads of Tshirts and shorts for about $7-$15 each. Swimmer's only last one season for us with the pool.

I buy Target shoes too, they grow too quick for expensive ones.

Princess Leia

I agree with the others - Target and Best and Less do nice looking children's clothes at a reasonable price. Target sometimes has 20% off children's clothes days so look out for those.

I sometimes get an item or two from Pumpkin Patch for a special occasion but not very often due to the expense.

For shoes I will get the expensive Clarks shoes as they seem to last longer and I get better value even though they are a more expensive outlay. My daughter's sandals from the summer before this one still fit her!

MightyMouse

Ditto what most others have said. I'd stock up on Next before you come over - especially their half price sale (oh how I miss that !!!).
Target here is less quality than Tesco (IMO) and don't even get me started on vests/sleepsuits. OH's cousin was over a few wks ago so thankfully my daughter (8mo) is now stocked up with some lovely Next & M&S stuff...but clothes wise, I've picked up some good bargains in Pumpkin Patch. Hadn't heard of Best for Less (I think that's what it was called) so will look out for that.

I went through my sons winter clothes yesterday and thankfully we have a half dozen jeans/joggers and long sleeved tshirts from next so that'll do him

As for shoes - Betts Kids have similar to Clarks back home (not sure if they're the same or not) and similar priced I think. Sons sandals cost $40 at the weekend but weren't the nicer ones. I'd pick up any sale items from back home if you want nice things - for nursery etc, Target does the 20% off at times so you can pick up bargain shorts/tshirts then

Guest0424

Hi
Were down in Bunbury so clothing is a lot more limited than Perth. Cant seem to get reebok trainers which are the only ones my daughter will wear for comfort (got parents bringing some out when they come). Trainers and shoes we have bought so far don't seem to last long. If you go for named brand trainers then you are looking around $80 plus for a child.

Clothing - I wish we had brought a lot more out with us. We will have to do Perth in a few weeks to stock up for Winter. We have shopped at Pumpkin Patch and the clothes seemed fine. K-mart and Target are also ok but have to buy when they have something in that you like otherwise you might not see it again.

Perth probably has a lot more clothes/shoe shops than down here and that is one thing I miss - but we can always travel and get things in Perth, but if you have room in your case just fill it up.

MightyMouse

Another thing - we tried around 4 shops yesterday and couldn't get football trainers (Nike 90's or whatever) for our son (size 9). They just don't do infant sizes...start at a 1.
Could pick these up for under a tenner back home too....

clougherty family

At Harbourtown there is a Nike shop and a converse shop. I got my son who is size 10 at the moment some Tommy Hilfiger trainers for $40 instead of $90 and I previously got him Converse trainers when he was a size 8. They have quite a lot of kids trainers/sandals in both shops.

Jo