I must admit that I have a very weak spot for brand name baby and children's clothes. Firstly, I love baby clothes, period. And when I go shopping, I simply cannot come home without a new outfit for Natasha, be it a new sleeper, a onesie, or even a new pair of socks. I just can't and Matthew hates it. But as much as I am crazy for all baby outfits out there, there is just something extra in those brand-name outfits. The quality of Old Navy, the funky textures of Roots, the silkiness of Baby Gap, and the bright colours of Children's Place are simply irresistible. And I love it how when those clothes go through the washer/dryer a million times, they still retain their fine quality and still look brand new.

But of course there is an obvious downside to buying all brand names and that's the price tag. The prices in any of the above stores are astronomical, to say in the least. For instance, around the time Natasha was three months old, I entered a Baby Gap at Yorkdale Mall because I wanted to get her a first pair of jeans. Naturally, their selection was huge but the cheapest (yes, cheapest) pair of little denim baby pants was $24.50. Please. Give me a break. That's how much I pay for a pair of jeans for myself! And when I purchase jeans for myself they usually last me at least a year, but a pair of jeans for Natasha will last a maximum of three weeks. Nope, excuse me, but I am not paying $24.50 for baby pants.

So due to this, I purchase most of Natasha's clothes in Zellers, Wal-Mart, or even Sears which is kind of like a middle ground between store-brand and brand-name. These stores still have really great items, but they shrink and fade a lot faster than brand names. But the good part is that when they do shrink and fade, you don't have to spend a day crying into a napkin because it's $6.99 and not $24.50. And then of course there is Once Upon A Child (OUAC), which is simply great for people like me. OUAC, if you aren't familiar, is a consignment store (second hand) that sells a lot of new or gently used baby merchandise, including clothes of course. But the key with OUAC is that they only accept brand names or if it's not a brand name it has to be a really cute or a really special piece. My last visit to OUAC I got Natasha at least 7 new items (all brand name) for as little as $30! Most of their clothes sell from $2.00-$4.00 per item and so if you have the patience to do some digging, you could leave the store with some really great deals! And this store is also good in Matthew's book, which helps, right?

And that's my rant for today.