The first creative mothers who invented the concept of designer childrens clothes lived through the American Civil War. Up until the 1860's, children dressed in smaller versions of their parent's clothes. Out of necessity during war time, American women began to design clothing that used less material and more suitable for a child's body shape and active lifestyle. Before long, designer childrens clothes were an international phenomenon.

Today, mothers are creatively stretching their household budgets during tough economic times while still dressing their kids in a fashionable and stylish way. The best mother will want to make sure that her children look and feel their best, gaining confidence among their peers.

And there are plenty of sophisticated yet sensible designer childrens clothes that suit an active child's lifestyle. Boys can wear jumpers, shorts, t-shirts, blue jeans, sportswear, and some more formal clothes for special occasions. Popular styles for boys this autumn include plaids, khakis, and adorable little boots that resemble their father's outdoor boots. Girls can choose from dresses, layered or collared, as well as colorful knit fabric creations for wearability and comfort. This year, it is very popular for mothers to dress their daughters in large bows and florals, argyle sweaters, mary jane shoes, and pea coats with large buttons.

Many of these pieces are expensive, however, and children won't wear the same sweater four winters in a row like an adult will. So this is where mom ingenuity comes in to play.

They have created a concept called clothing swaps. They can be found in your local recreation center, commuity center, and many online sites. These women will bring in a brown paper bag of designer childrens clothing that their child has outgrown and trade it for the same number of items in their child's current size. Sometimes, women don't even have to bring a contribution. All they have to do is make a small contribution (under $50) to a local charity in exchange for their children's clothing.

Another innovative concept is consignment shopping. Mothers can bring their child's used clothing to the consignment store and either sell it to them for resale, or accept a clothing trade in. As an added bonus, they can also trade in used play pens, buggies, high chairs, plastic bottles, and other childhood accessories.

As many mothers around the world demonstrate, they can tend to their child's appearance and overall emotional wellbeing without abusing their pocketbooks. It takes the creativity of a mother to accomplish that one!

Andy Tomkins