Made in China

I do most of my shopping for the kids (and often for myself) at Salvation Army.  I always feel good after I purchase things there; the prices are great, I get a huge selection of styles and sizes all in one place, and it fits very nicely into our humble attempt at a "reduce, reuse, recycle" lifestyle.  Even though there is always a grand amount of things to choose from at SA, often the bigger problem is lack of the right thing at the right time in the right size.  So when trips there are unfruitful for a particular need, I often shop online (preferred even, to a place where I can stuff them all in a cart).  But...  

....this is what happens when you purchase mass-produced, big-box clothing online.  You get a pretty, (machine) crochet-trimmed sweater that will be quite handy for spring and summer and then you discover that the buttons say "precious."  ACK!  I am pretty much convinced that words should not be allowed on 99% of ANYONE'S clothing, but this is going too far!  My mother would tell me that no one is going to notice.  True.  But isn't that half the point?  If they are going to jack up the costs on their already overpriced clothes by adding useless details, couldn't it be something better than this?  Ellerie certainly is precious, but do I need her buttons to tell me that?  No, I think not.  I am almost to the point where I'd love to replace them, but when I add that to the list of knees that need patches, sweats that need drawstrings, a big boy that will soon need pajamas and the baby that needs "custom pants" for her ample, cloth-diapered bootie, I feel slightly less motivated.  After all, no one is going to notice.

Hmmmm, I think on Ellie's next pair of pants I'll embroider AMPLE across the tush.  Now THAT would be really precious.