Parent's Guide to Children's Clothing Shopping (2024)

FAQs

How much does the average parent spend on their child's clothes? ›

What Moms Spend On Kids' Clothes. According to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture, families might spend up to $1,280 annually on clothing, especially if you have tweens or teens. That's approximately 6% of the total costs to raise a child. What do YOU spend each year on outfits for your girl?

Comfortable Clothing Is Important

There are three main aspects of comfort to consider. Temperature. Clothing can cause children to be uncomfortably warm or cool. Comfortable clothing will allow absorption and ventilation so that body moisture can evaporate easily.

Kids grow fast and we need to replace clothes quickly–so from a financial and sustainability perspective, it's important to buy less to waste less. A kid capsule ideally includes between 12-14 items of everyday wear. That means each season they need roughly 6 tops, 5 bottoms, and a dress for girls.

We generally include 8-10 onesies for the newborn and early months sizes. We always include at least some long sleeve onesies in our sets for skin protection from the sun. Many new parents like to use kimono bodysuits for the first few weeks.

Expenses vary depending on the age of the child. As families often need more room to accommodate children, housing is the largest expense.

How much do clothes cost per month? In the United States, households spend an average of about $120 per month on clothes. That comes out to $1,434 per year.

The number of pajamas you choose to keep on hand for your toddler can come down to preference or access to a washing machine. Common consensus for parents seems that 4-7 pairs of pajamas is typical. Laundry can add up for busy families, which means it never hurts to have more than less in the case of baby clothes.

It typically comprises around 37 pieces, including tops, bottoms, dresses, and outerwear. The key to building a successful capsule wardrobe is to choose items that can be easily layered and that work well together.

With normal wear, most children's clothing can be expected to last around two years. Play clothes might have a shorter lifespan—around a year, on average.

However, as your baby grows and you size up, you'll eventually come to the bittersweet realization: Most onesies stop after 18-24 months.

How many baby clothes do you need minimalist? ›

I'd recommend having 8-10 pairs of pj's in the first few sizes, then 4-6 pairs in later sizes, when baby will probably start getting dressed in daytime outfits instead of wearing jammies all the time. Add about 4-5 onesies and 4-5 pairs of pants, shirts or rompers in a bigger size and you'll be golden.

Hats and Mittens (2-3 sets): Keep your baby's head and hands protected from the elements with soft, breathable hats and mittens. Socks and Booties (4-6 pairs): Tiny feet can get cold easily, so make sure you have enough socks and booties to keep them warm and cozy.

Cost: $20 to $50 (or more) per month on average, depending on where (and how often) you shop. Throughout the first twelve months, babies outgrow clothing very quickly, so you'll be buying more clothes in infancy than when they're older.

Housing, food and childcare make up the largest percentage of children's expenses. As children grow, you can expect to pay for things including hobbies, sports teams. When adjusting USDA estimates for inflation, parents can expect to pay between $16,227 and $18,262 a year raising a child born in 2023.

Parents expect to spend an average of $202 on clothing and $161 on electronics when doing back-to-school shopping, making those the most expensive categories for back-to-school shopping.

However, that doesn't concern Pasierb, who reiterates that what parents buy may change, but how much they spend remains relatively stable. He says the average toy spend per child in the US was US$366 in 2021—the highest in the world—followed by Europe at US$222 and Asia at US$35.