I am very tempted to contact your friend, but I am very gun-shy about not being able to try stuff on her. That's how I ended up with a closetful of clothes that show her buttcrack. I discovered today that the one place I was able to find her ##### that fit (that I didn't even have to hem!) is going to be open again next week. It's a boutique line of children's clothing that I seriously cannot afford ($58 for a girl's jersey knit dress?!?), but they are made here in Raleigh and four times a year they open their warehouse for a big clearance sale of the previous year's styles.
We went to the one last fall and my Mom spent $400 on 4 pant/top sets and 3 dresses, which are the only things in her closet that still fit. (I cleaned out her closet today in a fit of rage and frustration -- she got all new clothes at the beginning of the school year and she's down to 7 outfits that actually fit right. I could retch.) I checked their clearance deals online, and it looks like they still have some of the same styles that worked for her last year -- their tunic tops are fabulous on her -- for a lot less. The tent sale next week is being advertised as "nothing over $15," so if I can find her sizes I might actually be able to fill out her wardrobe for a reasonable sum.
The big question is, will there be enough of the stuff that fits her in the sizes she needs for the right season?
Following up: Today was the big sale. It was like Black Friday up in that piece. We tried clothes on Chaos Girl for 2 solid hours, then waited in line for 40 minutes. She was a trooper. I spent $300, and when I totaled up the regular retail price, it added up to almost $1,000. My mom spent another $200 but some of that was for my niece.
We got a dozen knit dresses that she can wear to school, two swimsuits, a swim coverup, nine shirts, seven pairs of long #####, and five pairs of shorts/capris. Most of it is for warmer weather, but it's just about warm enough for short sleeves most days and I was able to get enough long ##### to get her through 'til summer. And I have most of her summer wardrobe, too -- shorts and knit dresses are a lot easier to find in sizes that work for her than long #####.
What a relief. Glad that's over. Let's hope I don't have to do it again 'til August.