Splurge or steal?

Summer is coming, and all of a sudden it seems that The Pea needs new clothes. None of her shorts fit her and she's outgrown half the dresses in her wardrobe. To make matters more complicated, she's developed her own sense of style; gone are the days when she would wear whatever I bought for her (in odd combinations, for sure, but she did wear them). Tank tops are in, anything "princess" is out. I refuse to let my 7-year-old dress like a teenager, so half the stuff at Target, Walmart and the Gap are out.

Fortunately, I happen to know a couple of people who have more taste (and money) than I do -- yet still love a good bargain. Thanks to their heads-up, I was able to attend a trunk sale featuring Wati, a hip kids clothing designer. Her pieces are super-stylish, in an age-appropriate way. Normally in the $30-$60 (i.e. unaffordable) range, even at half off I would consider these beautiful clothes a splurge. But I was able to get a dress and cargo pants for $15 each, and a top for $10 -- which puts them at about the full-price Walmart range. In other words, it's a steal!