Reformed Gymboholic
The first time I went to Gymboree, I was in my final month of pregnancy and was still trying to figure out how to get across town to work and back as fast as possible while climbing the fewest number of stairs. (Few Manhattan subway stations have escalators or elevators to street level.)
I bought an entire outfit at full price that day. But since my aunt (Herman Anne’s mother) had bought up half of the stock at the Carter’s outlet, I had plenty of baby clothes already and didn’t return to Gymboree for about a year.
When I did return, I had made a new friend who was also shopping for her little girl who was almost exactly as old as Tacy. We made many trips to New Jersey malls (Mayberry Mom, if I can speak for you, I’d name Riverside Square as our favorite) both with and without the girls, accumulated our Gymbucks, and proudly presented our 30%-off Friends and Family coupons. Although our tastes differed somewhat, we could each always find something that we could envision our little girls wearing.
My Gymboree addiction hit its peak between Tacy’s second and third birthdays. It’s almost shameful, how many items of clothing we have that are size 2T or 3T. We’ve got items from Apres Ski, Pool Party, Whale Watching, Sunshine Daydream, Miami Vacation, Tip Toe Tulip, and tons of City Sidewalk – among many others. They’re practically vintage.
I’m immune to a few of the Gymboree ploys. For example, I don’t buy the matching socks. The dryer inevitably eats one from each pair, and who the heck notices that the socks match anyway? I also don’t buy the hair accessories, because they’re ridiculously expensive and rarely go on sale, plus now I’m making my own (and selling them for much less than Gymboree). I’ll admit to buying a few pairs of underwear there (for Tacy, of course – not myself) and a Tip Toe Tulip bermuda bag for Tacy (but it was really me who wanted it), but that’s it as far as accessories go.
But considering that I have two girls, as well as how hard CJ is on her clothes – one of the little white shirts has a huge spaghetti sauce stain on the elbow, I think we’re getting our money’s worth out of these clothes. And Gymboree clothes are well-made and hold up admirably to normal wear and tear. Really, when you buy them on sale (or on eBay, where there are tens of thousands of listings), they’re not unreasonable at all.
Or at least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself. Because this addiction could resume at any moment.
Technorati Tags: Gymboree
April 13th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I am an addict too. I do shop their sales mostly though. I buy the next size for next year a lot of the time. The store is pure genius with the Gymbucks. And… if you don’t use them, you can sell them on ebay
The 5% off when you use your Gymboree credit card helps too…
April 13th, 2007 at 9:14 am
They make THE BEST leggings. Hands down. Fit, design, color and durability are all superior.
I’m going to cry rivers the day we can’t get The Bird’s leggings there.
April 13th, 2007 at 9:49 am
I’ve bought a couple of things new, but mostly, I’m an e-bay-aholic and get my fix there. I never got into it enough to understand the series names, and I am very impressed when other people know them!
April 13th, 2007 at 10:05 am
I’ve got tons and tons of gymboree from when my first set of girls – now ages 12 and 9 – were smaller. I mean, literal TONS of clothing.
My second set of girls – ages 3 and 4 – don’t get much new stuff, because they wear the older girls handmedowns. I also don’t like much of the newer gymboree.
Glad to meet a fellow addict…
April 13th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Their clothing is the best quality and washes so well but I’ve been banned by SB. I did get some sweet things on eBay – in fact my favorite dress for B (at 6mths) was Gymboree and I got it for a song with the matching tights and socks (neither used, still in packaging). Now you’ve got me itching to go again… summer is coming…. oh MGM – you are such a bad influence.
April 13th, 2007 at 10:37 am
It’s Children’s Place for me. Not too expensive, quirky cute, and fairly rugged. Unfortunately fortunately my friend buys out Lands End and so my kids are well-stocked. Anyway, I hate the mall.
But I am good friends with some Gymboholics (they even get together to trade Gym bucks) and I’ll have to let them know there is now a name for their condition. Thanks!
April 13th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Ah yes, the Friends & Family discount! I still receive those postcards even though my former playgroup friend lives in Tokyo (with her Gymboree-higher-up Husband.)
April 13th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I am just now venturing out to buy things other than sleepers and onesies for Jocelyn and a good friend of mine has started sharing her Gymboree addiction with me. I did not do much for N, but for J, it’s going to be bad.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:08 am
My favorite outfit of Maggie’s is from Gyboree. Little khaki pants with grosgrain ribbon belt (attached) and little navy TURTLES all over them! and of course, a matching navy sailor shirt with turtle, and green turtle shirt.
This is part of the reason why she is obsessed with animals of all shapes and sizes.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:11 am
There is no place cuter than Gymboree when it comes to girl clothes. I find Gymbo irresistable when shopping for my nieces. Thankfully I only have boys because most of the boy things are so blah and so-so I’m not tempted. Nothing wrong with being a gymboholic, I do feel that their clothes hold up really nicely and you can always resell it on ebay (or at any children’s consigment store for that matter) pretty easily to fuel even more Gymboree purchases.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:32 am
I got a ton of Gymboree hand-me-downs from Dawn. They are in excellent condition and both Mimi and Rosie have been wearing them.
My other favorite, which Dawn introduced me to, is Hanna Andersson. The dresses, leggings, shorts — great colors and they wash like a dream.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:42 am
My name is moodswingingmommy, and I am a Gymboree fanatic. You are in good company. I have a 3 yr old son, but this whole addiction really didn’t start for me until our little girl came along 5 months ago.
My favorite places to get gymbo are consignment stores, eBay and gymbucks. Gotta have those Gymbucks!
April 13th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I don’t think we have a Gymboree in my area. Then again, I’ll know for sure after I have my own bebeh. I’m pretty clueless about the kid-resources right now.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Oh, I’m a Gymbo addict also. Cordy has a ton of it, and I’ve always been proud that most of it I have bought through various sales, discounts, eBay, GymboRebel message board, etc. I’ve already sold a lot of Gymboree clothing on eBay, but I saved my favorite pieces in case of another girl, which proved to be a wise decision.
Cordy doesn’t fit into non-stretch pants well, so I’m happy that every single line Gymboree offers has stretch leggings or bike shorts as part of the line. And you’re right – they do hold up amazingly well.
I thought my addiction was under control, until they opened a Gymboree outlet near my mom. The outlets have fabulous clothes at half the price – nothing in the store is more than $19.99, and they’re all new lines that aren’t in the regular stores.
April 14th, 2007 at 12:25 am
i have had great luck buying kids clothes on ebay. we also have a factory outlet for The Childrens Place here. Between my shopping and hand-me-downs, the kid is better dressed than most adults.
April 14th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Have more kids. It cures the addiction – quickly.
April 14th, 2007 at 6:37 am
I’ve never checked ebay for the clothes and we live 90 minutes from the closest store, I am able to keep my addiction in check….
April 14th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I only shop online there, and only when stuff is on sale. I used to buy their things at full price for all 4 of my kids, but although my husband makes a lot of money, their stuff is still too expensive to buy entire wardrobes for each of my kids at full price. Unless I decide to stop eating or feeding them, then I suppose we could swing it.
April 14th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
I’m the same way about Baby Gap. It’s so much more expensive than Sper Target but it’s so damned cute and holds up so much better.
(She tells herself.)
April 15th, 2007 at 10:58 am
I love Gymboree but apparently they are out to get me. It seems that for my children they are the ultimate in stain magnet and I just can’t get stuff out of them! When it comes to stain removal I seem to do way better at Target. We have more ruined Gymboree shirts than I care to admit. The leggings are a definite life saver for me with my tall thin 3 y.o. and the dresses with my older daughter who would wear them everyday if I let her.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Yes! Riverside Square. I even buy little boys’ clothes at Gymboree sometimes now (very occasionally, when I get the chance to wrest control of my children’s wardrobe away from the grandmothers) because they don’t have as much with the lame baseball themes you get everywhere else.
AND I just gave away a pair of unused (NWT!) Tulip pants (18mo) that somehow didn’t fit Jo in the right season. sob.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:00 am
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