hand-me-downs

We love hand-me-downs! Our grandma always brings us loads of things when she comes, and we enjoy wearing many of them. Of course, we can be particular about what we wear, so some of grandma's finds become a blessing to other friends--or to their friends! Here's what our mum has to say about our clothes:

Hand-me-downs are economical, of course. Lucy has a friend at nursery who passes on the most posh things--the best way to get clothes from Zara and Monsoon! And it saves time, as the business of clothes shopping might otherwise mean long days at the Metrocentre or Dalton Park or Newcastle.

But that's not the real reason I like hand-me-downs so much. The truth is, I am terrible at deciding. If I am going to pay for something, I have to be certain that it's really what I want. I have to like it. And quite often I am just not sure about that. So a bag of clothes to explore and try, and like, or not-like-so-very-much, is a great gift indeed. Anna loves trying on the things her grandmother brings (of which there are usually loads). Sometimes there are things too small, too big, or just not suited to Anna. So we pass them along. Sometimes the things Lucy and Anna receive are not quite new-looking. Then I never worry about them being spoiled.

There are times, of course, when shopping is necessary. School uniform must be bought, most of the time. The school year always seems to start better with fresh white shirts and new cardigans. And we'll shop for smart clothes for a dear friend's wedding this summer.

But by the beach and by the pool, you'll find us in hand-me-downs.