A Lacoste long-sleeved “Heritage Striped” polo will set you back $60, should you choose to purchase one for your seven year old son.

So where can you find cool, fashionable clothes for your kids that are of good quality and are reasonably priced?

The Children’s Place (1-877 PLACE USA)
The Children’s Place offers clothes that are well cut, super-trendy, colorful and relatively inexpensive. Basic tees and turtlenecks for kids 4-14 start at $7.50; pants are $16.50 and up (often reduced to $8 when on sale) and jackets are priced at $20-30 a piece. Most clothes are 100% cotton. They also sell shoes and accessories.

Old Navy (1-800-OLD-NAVY)
Another retailer that keeps prices in check is Old Navy, a division of Gap, Inc. These clothes provide great basics that coordinate well with The Children’s Place’s cuter outfits. Old Navy merchandise is priced higher than The Children’s Place but is of better quality. If you wait for a sale, you can get tees for as low as $5 a piece. Some Old Navy styles are available in slim and plus sizes.

Gymboree (1-877-4-GYMWEB)
A quick look at Gymboree’s website taught me that their prices are very similar to Gap prices. Tee prices hover around $20; skirts for girls and pants for boys sell for around $25. These clothes are of very good quality and are cute and fashionable, although they appear more childish (busy patterns, pastel colors) and less “grown up” than the other brands mentioned here. I agree with the company’s statement that its clothes “are designed and crafted to withstand rugged play while letting kids be kids in outfits they love to wear.”… but at these prices, it makes sense to wait for a sale before making a purchase.

Acorn Children’s Clothing (1-800-776-5319)
This Washington-State-based retailer carries simple, unpretentious cotton basics that are reasonably priced. While the pieces are not particularly fashionable, they can be incorporated into a trendier wardrobe and expand it without breaking the bank. Tees are priced at $12, leggings cost $11 and pre-shrunk jumpers will set you back $23-25.

Gap Kids (1-800-GAPSTYLE)
You should definitely aim to incorporate a few pieces from Gap into your child’s wardrobe each season. The items are of excellent quality and are cute and stylish, although the cut is not always as trendy and flattering as that of The Children’s Place. Gap clothes are priced high enough (tees $16.50, pants $25-30) that it makes a lot of sense to buy them only when they go on sale. Both Old Navy and Gap refresh their stock frequently, so the stores and the website always carry “on sale” items. Some GapKids styles are available in slim and plus sizes.

Storybook Heirlooms (1-800-STORYBOOK)
A leading brand name in the better children's apparel catalog marketplace, Storybook Heirlooms offers exclusive, high-quality fashionable apparel and accessories for girls ages 2 to 12. Price-wise, this brand is even more expensive than Gap (tees $20-50, casual pants $20-50). The website has a permanent link for items that are on sale.

Discount Retailers
Wal-Mart, Target and similar discount stores are obviously an option when trying to save money when buying children’s clothes. Wal-Mart (1-800-966-6546) carries tees that cost around $5 and pants that sell for around $10. Target clothes are priced a bit higher - you can get boy’s shirts for around $10 and casual pants for around $15.

Even though these merchants have expanded their selection of 100% cotton clothes in recent years, personal experience has taught me that many of these items are not very well cut and do not always survive repeated washing and drying. I find that, as far as discount retailers go, The Children’s Place offers the biggest bang for your buck.

When shopping for your kids’ clothes, there is nothing wrong with splurging on the occasional Juicy Couture or Lacoste item, if you are so inclined. But if you are trying to keep to a budget, it makes a lot of sense to base your children’s wardrobe on less expensive designers, and to splurge on more costly items when they go on sale.