Why is it that when you blink, suddenly your children have grown a whole foot taller? The summer growth spurt hit both of the girls this year. Overnight they suddenly didn’t fit into pieces from their wardrobe and shoes no longer fit. Having worked in retail of a certain clothing shop there has been a certain size range I’ve been dreading; finding clothing that works for the in-between phase.
Do you now what the in-between phase is? It’s when kids no longer fit in the items in the toddler section and your find yourself shopping in the older girls section, but are realizing that 99% of the stuff is not age appropriate for your soon to be 6 year old. I saw this occur a lot while working retail and always did my best to help the parents searching for pieces for their kids. I knew one day, I’d be in that boat with my own kids.
LET ME LOVE YOU A LITTLE MORE, BEFORE YOU’RE NOT LITTLE ANY MORE
Here we are. My oldest doesn’t fit in a 5t anymore, we’ve had to jump into the next section. I have taken her shopping in big name stores, unfortunately we would strike out finding nothing that was right. There are a couple things that are currently working well for us in finding clothing that works for the in-between phase.
CHILDREN HAVE THE UNFORGIVABLE HABIT OF GROWING UP
Shopping local has made a big difference in finding pieces that as parents we love, but that our oldest daughter also really loves to wear too. Finding clothing companies with similar values for kids and the clothing they make has also helped a lot! Peekaboo Beans is one of those companies we have turned to. The creator behind the company wanted “ultra comfortable, durable clothing that was not only made to last, but polished and stylish – and most importantly, made for playful living.” this was her desire for clothing for her own kids.
I know both of my girls want to wear pieces that they like the looks of, that they feel comfortable in, and that they can play in. As a parent, I want their clothing to withstand all the times it goes through the wash and for the marker and food stains to come out easily. Needless to say, we’ve found this with Peekaboo Beans.
This biggest thing though is that my 5 year old is wearing age-appropriate clothing that is still very stylish. What fits and is made for a tween is not necessarily the best thing for a 5 year old. Often it doesn’t fit the same and just isn’t right for them to wear. I would love to see more companies taking this into consideration and plan for kids ages 5-10ish to have their own variation of pieces and styles. Something that is meant for them.
I’d rather invest in less pieces, and get a few key items at a higher cost, than to just settle for fast fashion. I want my kids to get to be kids for as long as possible and this includes taking what they wear each day into consideration. For now, we’ll keep shopping local and through Peekaboo Beans.
I think the mission statement you posted about this company is fantastic. It is important for kids to have durable, comfortable clothing so that they can play!
Great tips. I’m glad I’m kind of out of this stage now that my kiddos are teens.
my daughter is only one, but i’m not looking forward to the crazy quick growth spurts! thanks for the company recommendation! will definitely keep them in mind for later. love the star shirt especially! & these pictures are just too cute – definitely have gotten me ready for fall!
– cassy | blissfullyher.com
Your kids are darling!
Okay, but that star sweater dress is ADORABLE.
I remember those days and the struggle to find clothes that fit my growing daughter but that weren’t too “grown” and I had to go through that again when she was a tween too. Thankfully or maybe not thankfully she’s out of that stage and wears Junior’s sizes but I talk about too grown with some of these styles sheesh. Glad you found a brand that works for this stage!
Very useful. Thank you so much. I am going to check out peekaboo beans (cute name)! 🙂
Great tips here. Thanks for sharing.