Fall Fashion

Thanks to a hefty school deposit and two weeks of vacation, money is TIGHT around here these days. Of course, my dwindling bank balance comes at the same time that temperatures are dipping and - SURPRISE! - Kale has grown out of 80% of his pants and sweaters that have been hiding in the closet since April. So last night I did a little on-line window shopping ('cause it's FREE to look) and thought I'd share some favourites:  

1. Nordstrom // 2. Nordstrom // 3.  // 4. The Gap // 5. Old Navy // 6. Old Navy // 7. Quicksilver // 8. Nordstrom // 9. Hatley  // 10. Adidas 

Here is what I look for when shopping for Kale: 

1. No buttons! Kale doesn't enjoy being wrestled into his clothes and I don't enjoy doing it, but it seems to be the only way to get clothes on him. Sometimes he's interested in dressing himself without my help, which rarely ends well (yet he's a master at taking his clothes off....). That being said, we avoid buttons at all costs and try to keep things simple. 
2. No characters! I know there will come a day when Kale will refuse to wear anything but a Batman or Dora t-shirt, but I'm trying to resist it. Disney has made its way onto our screens at home (something I said would never happen), but I'm not quite ready to let it onto my sons clothes. 
3. No cutesy sayings or gender stereotypes! I cannot STAND the "mommy's little monster" or "daddy's helper" type shirts. They literally make me gag. However, a shirt in the boy section that says "smart like daddy" and a shirt in the girl section that says "pretty like mommy" just makes me rage (enough that I won't visit that store any more). 
4. Bright colours! Finding bright colours for boys is a serious challenge. I often look through the girls section for stuff, but the gender stereotypes are even more prevalent over there. It's not that I don't want fake rhinestone butterfly stamped on my boys back pocket, it's more about not wanting that on my child's pocket. 

So what do you look for when buying clothes for your kids? Any favourite stores that ship to Canada that don't cost $50 for a t-shirt? Please share!