Remember when I crash tested kids clothes from BIG W? Well, I’m doing it again and I’ve got some tips for you about how I’m improving the value from my $100 spend.
Tip #1
Select a patterned item with different colours in it and then pick out the individual colours and buy matching t-shirts.
Clockwise from left: {Kids Basic Bucket Hat $4.94 – Girls placement print tee $4.00 – Girls crop ruffle hem legging $7.96} {Girls flutter sleeve print tee $5.84 } {Detail girls placement print tee $4.00}
Tip #2
With girls’ t-shirts and ¾ sleeve tops I think you can afford to go one size too big. They will wear them for longer as it doesn’t matter if they are a little long in the body, and the sleeves won’t come down over their hands like a long sleeve top will. 
{Kids Basic Bucket Hat $4.94 – Girls Stripe Applique Tee $7.96 – Mambo Crop Legging $14.88}
Tip #3
If you have kids of both genders, look for hats in colours that can be worn by both. I stocked up on kids hats because you can never seem to find them when you need them. Having a ‘swing’ hat or two will avoid that situation of sending your little boy off to Kinder in his sister’s pink sunhat ;)
{Kids Basic Bucket Hat $4.94 – Stripe Tee $4.92 – Wave Zone Hybrid Short $9.84}
Tip #4
Buy denim. It’s durable and goes with everything. Again, buy them longer in the leg and ensure they have an adjustable waistband. You can always roll them up and you’ll get more wear out of them. 
Clockwise from left: {Baby boy legionnaires cap $7.96 – Stripe Print Tee $6.87 – Value Jean dark blue $9.00} {Kids Basic Bucket Hat $4.94 – Short sleeve appliqué tee $7.96 – Value Jean dark blue $9.00} {Detail of tees}
{Baby boy legionnaires cap $7.96 – Cut and Sew Stripe Tee $6.87 –
Value Jean dark blue $9.00}
Tip #5
If you can avoid it, don’t take your kids shopping with you! You’ll have more time to mix and match and won’t just be tempted to shove anything into your basket and get out!
I did take both kids into BIG W and I also took the time to mix and match and have a good look around. They paid me back by running around and going nuts. Thankfully the staff at BIG W are very patient!
CrashBoy kept taking off and hiding in the baby clothes section. At one stage I lost him altogether. The lovely man on security at the door watched to make sure he didn’t make a break for it while I searched the store! I found him, again, in the baby department.
I’m pretty pleased with my purchases from BIG W. I overspent my $100 budget to the tune of a couple of under $5 bucket hats, but I think I got very good value for the spend.
The clothes I bought in February are all still in really good condition and they’ve been in high rotation.
There’s a great range including brands like Mambo and OshKosh as well as good basics. It’s also worth having a look at the sales racks too – I picked up a Peter Morrissey top for myself and a couple more pairs of pants for CrashGirl.
Part 2 of the Crash Test will be a trip to the zoo to see how the clothes stand up to the Crash Kids rough and tumble play. I hope the weather is good!
Have you bought baby clothes or kids clothes from BIG W before? What’s your best tip on getting great value?
Laney x
Excellent points Laney. I try not to take the kids shopping, but I find that as my daughter grows, some clothes differ in fit from store to store.
Melissa(Bright Side Up)’s last post..Wordless Wednesday – I have style and wheels
Yes, that’s one of the reasons I took the kids – CrashGirl has grown so much lately and I wasn’t sure what sizes to buy.
I actually prefer to take my kids shopping. They can be very adamant about what they will and won’t wear so find it is easier to let them have some say, so they will actually wear the clothes!
PlanningQueen’s last post..Choosing Clothes For Kids
Luckily my two don’t really mind what I dress them in yet. CrashGirl has her moments, and I’m usually pretty happy for her to go out in strange combinations – think fairy dress over a hoodie, with tracksuit pants and gumboots ;)
Love the funky outfits you put together. I didn’t even think of hats, I might have to go back and grab some x
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They have so many good hats right now – and really good value too. I’ve stocked up on a few extras that didn’t make it into the photos.
Unfortunately it gets a bit harder as they get older. I’m sure that we are all well aware of the social media “scandal” that has occurred with another big department store recently with regards to their “young girls” clothes. I have an 8 and 9 year old girls and it is sometimes a struggle to find “appropriate” clothing in that age bracket. I love the choices that you have made for Crash Girl – great colours and fabulous prints. It seems that as they get a bit bigger and older that these options aren’t always there. I do like Big W and can manage to get some basics there but not as many as I could when the girls were in the 1-6 size bracket.
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I’m a mambo junkie so love big w’s clothes. I love that t-rex shirt too!
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Enjoy it while you can – both my kids no longer allow me to buy clothes without them approving it first !!!
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I love your tips! Big W has such a great range of clothes for kids, and they do stand the test of rough play ~ well at least they do for my boys!
Love the idea of buying a size bigger so that they last longer. And the mixing of colours is a great idea.
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Great tips!!!! I love Big W and as I live in Sweden, have to stock up when I’m home. Actually my mum just sent a big Big W parcel with clothes for the kids. Yay!!!
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I love Big W for their basics. Dyllan loves picking out his own clothes. I usually pick out two shirts I like then let him pick which one he likes. They also have great range of boys stuff which is so rare for a department store.
Great tips. I agree it’s easier to keep the kids at home, but Kalyra is such a princess she has to come choose her own or she’ll never wear them. Actually she helped me choose clothes for Savannah so it was great to have her. We are off to the zoo tomorrow to test ours out
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