Adorable and Affordable :: Where to Shop for Kids Clothes in Columbia

Shopping has always been one of my absolute favorite past times. Growing up, my mom, sister, and I often made day long excursions to huge shopping malls back home in Maryland. I loved nothing more than scouring racks upon racks of gorgeous clothes and parading through the dressing room trying on the latest fashions. While my mom shared her love of shopping with my sister and me, she also instilled in us a cardinal rule: Never pay full price for anything.

When I found out I was pregnant with a little girl I knew she was going to have quite the wardrobe. And she does, but I have been able to dress her in cute and trendy clothing because I know how to work a sales rack and use reward programs to get the most out of my shopping trip. Today I am sharing some of my favorite places to shop for affordable children’s clothing in Columbia.

Super Savers:

Walmart

The kids clothing at Walmart is surprisingly good! You can find Carter’s brand outfits as well as Walmart’s own line of Garanimal’s, which is super duper affordable. Garanimals basics for infants and toddlers are often less than $4! You can easily score a three piece set for under $10.

Once Upon A Child

Looking for name brand clothing at a fraction of the cost? Check out Once Upon A Child, Columbia’s premier children’s resale store. Here you can find new and gently used children’s clothing that has been carefully selected to ensure the items meet current style, safety and condition standards.

Savings Galore: OUAC often have sales where items are a mere $1 a piece. A couple times a year (including Friday, July 25)  Once Upon a Child has huge stuff a bag sales where you can stuff a bag for $15. These events are crazy busy so plan on getting there early and with a plan!

Target

Carrying name brands such as Genuine Kids by Osh Kosh and Carter’s as well as their own Circo and Xhilaration brands of attire, Target has an adorable array of affordable options. I have scored some great deals on their Circo brand as they often have 2 for $10 mix and match deals. Also, Target’s clearance racks cannot be missed.

Savings Galore: The Target Red Card gives you 5% off every time you shop, free shipping from Target.com and an extra 30 days on qualifying returns. Cartwheel is Target’s very own coupon app where you select the deals you want to use and then have your “coupon” scanned at checkout. Find out more ways to get the most bang for your buck in our popular blog post 10 Ways to Save Money at Target.

Insider tip: Shop on Mondays as that is the day they do mark downs on children’s clothes.

Average Prices:

Kohl’s

One of my favorite places to shop for my own daughter is Kohl’s because of their awesome sales! I tend to stick to Kohl’s own Jumping Bean’s brand because the prices cannot be beat.  Catch a good clearance sale and you can score complete outfits for $5. Kohl’s also carries Carter’s sets at great prices.

Savings Galore: When using your Kohl’s charge card you can earn a $10 Kohl’s Cash® Coupon for the first $50 in purchases including clearance items! An additional $10 in value will be added to the coupon for each additional $50 spent in that single transaction.

Carter’s

The opening of the Carter’s store on Harbison Blvd. may be the worst thing that has happened to my wallet. It is without a doubt my favorite place to shop for kids clothes in Columbia. I absolutely love Carter’s for their clothing’s quality. They also have the cutest styles for kids. From basic onesies to fancy holiday attire Carter’s has options for every occasion. And. Their. Sales. Ya’ll! The sales cannot be beat. They almost have $5 doorbuster’s and every few months the ENTIRE store will be 50% off.

Savings Galore: When shopping in store you can earn a $10 Carter’s Reward certificate for every $50 spent.

Old Navy

One of my favorite places for kids, Old Navy’s clothing is not only stylish, but they fit fantastically. If your child is “in between” sizes you will love that Old Navy’s toddler sizes run 12-18, 18-24 etc. If your tot is tiny like mine check out their denim shorts and jeans with drawstring waists. One of my favorite things to buy at Old Navy is their pajamas. If you hit them up after a major holiday their themed jammies will be super cheap! They almost always have sales going on and their clearance racks are packed with bargains. Sifting through racks can be a mess, but finding a toddler’s wool pea coat for 75% off is well worth it!

Savings Galore: Major advantages for card holders such as Stuff and Save events where you save up to 30% on full priced items when paid for with your Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic card (20% off if you don’t have a card).

Splurge  Stores:

Gymboree

I admit, I have only been inside Gymboree a few times since my daughter was born. I was always under the impression that their clothing was a bit overpriced and since I don’t pay full price for anything, I stuck to finding the brand in resale shops online. What I own from them I love. The styles are chic and the quality top notch. Upon some research I found out about Gymbucks and my life may never be the same.

Savings Galore: Gymboree’s Gymbucks are an amazing way to score a ton of loot for your little ones. For every $50 spent at Gymboree retail stores, www.gymboree.com or Gymboree Outlet during an earnings period, you will receive $25 worth of Gymbucks. $25 worth of Gymbucks for every $50 you spend – for savings of up to 50% off. You can earn Gymbucks on ANY purchase, including clearance. You can also stack the bucks and score HUGE savings!

The Children’s Place

A staple in my own childhood wardrobe, The Children’s Place has been making quality kids clothes since 1989. Their clothing is divided into four sizing categories; Big Girls and Big Boys (4-14), Baby Girls and Baby Boys (6 months-4T). Children’s Place can be a bit of a splurge full priced, but the quality of their pieces is certainly worth it. The Children’s Place also carries uniform pieces at great prices!

Savings Galore: myPLACE Rewards: Earn 5 Reward Points for every $1 spent in store.

{Note: If you are planning on doing some back to school shopping make note that Tax Free Weekend is August 1-3.}

These are some of my favorite places in Columbia. Where do you shop for children’s clothes?