Part II
OUTFITTING CHILDREN
Buying vs. Sewing
As a general rule, it's cheaper to buy ready-made
simcha clothing for children under the age of 14 than
to have it sewn.
"Mass production has driven down costs, although the quality
may not be on a par with sewing," observes professional
seamstress Judy Singer. "If you do decide to use a seamstress
to sew matching outfits for all the children, ask -- before
you buy the material -- for a fixed price, the highest it
could be, not an estimated price or an hourly fee. People
expect to pay less money but it actually takes more time to
sew children's clothes. It's definitely cheaper to buy than
have it made."
Mrs. E.'s two teenage daughters turned their private sewing
lessons into a wedding project by sewing gowns for their six
small nieces, as well as themselves, in honor of their
sister's wedding. They bought cheap material, spending about
50 shekel per dress, and turned out fully lined, floor length
gowns in two months. "It was a big waste of money because
they won't wear these dresses again," Mrs. E. admits, "but it
was fun and educational. After you put in ten sleeves, you
know how to put in a sleeve."
When a wedding comes close to a yom tov, many families
`buy ahead' so their girls can wear the same outfit for both
occasions. With enough advance notice, you may be able to
take advantage of end-of-the-season or closeout sales on
children's fashions.
Alternatively, your daughter could borrow a fancy dress from
a friend instead of buying something she will soon outgrow.
"Since our daughter agreed to borrow her dress, we bought her
pretty hair ornaments and a new pair of stockings so she
would feel she had some new things of her own," Mrs. F.
says.
Boys under bar-mitzva age can easily get by with their
regular Shabbos shirt and pants. Of course, a vest will make
them look and feel more dressed up (and hide shirt stains
occurring on the night of the event). If you decide to buy a
new pants-vest set, even in a bargain store, compare the
price tags between the pants alone and the set. Typically,
you'll pay forty shekels for the pants but 150 shekels for
the set. In this case, it would be cheaper to have a
seamstress sew the vest.
Mrs. F. dressed all her boys in their regular Shabbos shirts
and pants and gratified them with a few new accessories. "My
6-, 8-, 10- and 12-year-old sons were happy to get new socks,
tzitziyos and kipos in honor of their brother's
wedding," she says. "We also polished their Shabbos shoes and
wouldn't let them outside until right before we left for the
hall."
Simcha Gemachs and Rentals
Only a handful of gemachim specialize in children's
simcha clothing, but if you find something you and
your daughter like, it won't cost you much at all. The
Unsdorf Gemach, for example, features a collection of nearly
one hundred girls' gowns that are received in mint condition
from an American dressmaker who operates a rental shop.
Several sets of matching dresses are available in every size.
The dress deposit is refundable; customers only pay for dry
cleaning, which averages 30 shekels per dress.
Neighborhood gemachim can also yield valuable finds
for budget conscious children's simcha shoppers. Mrs.
A., who is handy with needle and thread, scours neighborhood
gemachim for any girl's outfit that she can `dress up'
with fancy trimmings, a new velvet collar or special buttons
(some gemachim specialize in buttons as well!). Once,
on the lookout for a dressy outfit for her year-old baby, she
spotted a beautiful but impractical size 14 velour skirt
(orange and blue plaid on a dark green background) at a
gemach. She bought it for a few shekels, opened the
seam, and used the material to sew a gorgeous baby outfit.
[The same goes for women who do not wear sheitels --
many velvet skirts can produce stunning headgear.]
Pre-teen rentals are a new entry to Eretz Yisroel's
simcha scene. Rental prices start at 200 shekels to
outfit girls aged 2 - 12. The fee includes dry cleaning;
customers also leave an open check as a guarantee against
tearing or otherwise damaging the garment.
Shoppers beware: There is no price ceiling for how much a pre-
teen dress or gown should cost either in the retail or rental
markets. One mother received a quote of 800 shekels to RENT a
dress for an eleven-year-old! You'll save money, but not
time, by shopping around for the right price as well as the
right dress. Also, ask friends who recently married off
children, and benefit from their experience.
NEXT WEEK: Outfitting Women and Teens
[Incidentally, there are two little-known but listed Gemachs
of clothing racks in Jerusalem for storing the wedding gowns
before the wedding, or for the bride herself, when she moves
into an apartment that doesn't have a closet.]
