I don't have any tactical stuff. Mostly outdoor clothing companies like MEC is where I shop. Shoes are sooo important! I have several for every season. A good winter parka and pants. socks, socks, socks! I don't have any specialized base layers...yet.
For the kids, Good winter parka and pants, and boots & shoes. Also try to keep one size up in everything for them. They grow so fast so it can get expensive trying to keep just the basics in supply!

Also try to keep one size up in everything for them. They grow so fast so it can get expensive trying to keep just the basics in supply!

Our 3 year old girl is whip thin and in the 98th percentile for height... lol clothing her is extremely difficult.

Our newborn boy is only 5 weeks old, but in 9mth-12mth sized clothing...

We pretty much just shop in Value Village and kijiji for all kids clothes now. Sell off a bag of our used toddler size 6 clothes for $20 and pick up a bag of toddler size 7 somewhere else for $20 lol

Wool pants, because wool insulates even when wet, won't melt to your skin if you're near a fire (like poly clothing), wicks moisture away, and won't stink to high heaven after repeated wearing (hey, just because it's a survival situation doesn't mean it can't be romantic).

Wool socks, for all the reasons above, and because cotton socks - when they get wet with sweat - will eventually wear all the skin off your feet if you have to walk far in them.

Wool shirt - I won't repeat myself, you know why.

A 3-season jacket or coat.

A military-grade poncho. Not only will It cover you and your backpack in the rain, it can be used to: Make a small lean-to; Using rope or string to tie off the neck hole, and green sticks for a frame, it can be used to make a small raft to float your kit across a stream; Using cords to tie the corners to nearby trees, and a short stick shoved up into the neck hole, it can be used as a tarp to sit under; Folded in half, with the grommets of each half lashed together, and two poles slid between the halves along each side, it can be a small stretcher for a child, or for carrying light equipment.

You best friend is your feet
1 I keep 3 pairs of boots at different stages of worn in at all times
2 😛 GOOD QUALITY DRY SOCKS (I LOVE DRY SOCKS):P
3 Other then that I Buy most of my clothes at the VV boutique as well ,Seasonal requirements apply
4 A good jacket and Hat
5 Gaiters for the lower legs reduces chance injury ,bugs and snakes
I keep it all in vacuum packed packages to save on space and keep dry

I shop mainly at rummage sales, yard and local online sales, and at thrift shops. I can get much much more volume then any other places, saving my money for bigger and better things. I have done this since high school and now that I have a growing family it has proven to be a great thing. boxes of boxes of baby to 5 year old clothing, as well as many years supply of jeans, sweaters, hoodies, and the works in boxes in the basement. We separate it all into stuff we keep and/or give away/sell. into age groups and size. The misses said she has a bunch she does not want to sell so she can make another couple of patch work quilts, we have 2 sowing machines as well. They are awesome warm and heavy thou. other then that the obvious that I need to buy new from time to time is.

1.) steel toed working boots. I use for work and outdoors. always have 3 in various shapes of ware and always have a unused pair.
2.) socks, I buy the walmart cheap-o-brand in the bulk bags. Have a few hundred per person in our family.
3.) cammo gear for hunting and such. harder to find a good deal on this stuff as people in my area pick it up really quick.
4.) winter gear, hats, jackets, gloves, I sometimes get a good deal on this stuff on the online sites.
5.) The big plastic totes with snap lids from walmart or canadian tire to organize it all.

My friends think I have saved to much stuff in totes in my basement, but that's ok. I just tell them that it is all cloths, even the stuff labelled food! and that I plan to use them or sell them sometime in the future lol

Not sure if I have a top 5 list, but I aim for comfortable, long lasting and inconspicuous clothes. I think that "Grey Man" principle is important in SHTF situation. Looking like Rambo, an Everest hiker or bushman can really draw unwanted attention.

Wool pants, because wool insulates even when wet, won't melt to your skin if you're near a fire (like poly clothing), wicks moisture away, and won't stink to high heaven after repeated wearing (hey, just because it's a survival situation doesn't mean it can't be romantic).

Wool socks, for all the reasons above, and because cotton socks - when they get wet with sweat - will eventually wear all the skin off your feet if you have to walk far in them.

Wool shirt - I won't repeat myself, you know why.

A 3-season jacket or coat.

A military-grade poncho...

Thank goodness someone finally mentioned wool. There are countless benefits of wool over other fabrics and Gallowshumour touched on the main ones. It's also breathable and self-cleaning. However, beyond all that you'll feel warm in a wool sweater compared to any other material. I never go camping without my wool sweater.

You can find some used ones (sweaters, pants, etc.) at places like the 'Goodwill', Value Village, etc.

Some used army surplus stores also carry used military clothing that contain wool.

quick tip - dye army surplus a different color to blend in...i used to dye with koolaid those sweaters with the shoulder/elbow patches if there was wool enough in them.
I always have a huge stash of wooly things to choose from(we're knitters), and I'm wearing knitted socks year round.
you really cant go wrong with stocking up on underthings. its nice to be comfy(in 'your brand', when in stressful times)

I've posted this somewhere else, but there was no answer...

Being the father of a young child, I'm looking for tips on prepping clothing for the little one. My wife and I are well equipped clothing wise for all seasons for the foreseeable future, but it is much harder for the little one. Being the first grand kid in the family, there are no hand me downs. Stores are always a tad off season (snow stuff coming out in late august and swimsuits in March...) and with the weird growth spurts, it's hard to know what's needed from season to season. We've been taking advantage of end-of-season sales to buy ahead but it's hard to plan more than at best a year ahead. There are also no thrift stores in the general area...

Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

what we do is buy the next size or two up at the end of season sales. they're usually really cheap...but dont expect variety lol.

I just picked up merino wool undershirts for Christmas gifts at costco for $19 each comparable to those I saw at that other places were about $80 last winter. These make a nice lightweight layer . For the most part I can get heavier merino knit undershirts for $4 to $8 at the thrift shop but these thin undershirts are nice more seasons here in our milder coastal climate.

For those that are so inclined, wool garments of the knitted kind can also be recycled - simply unravel the article and wind up the wool. Re-knit into something else.

Unless we are talking about the felted wool garments (such as pants are). Those will just end up as patchwork garments in the end I think.

syn;
look a little more closely at those "merino" undergarments you bought. They are only %15 merino. The remainder is Polyester and Spandex.
I bought one last year thinking, "Yay. Finally found Merino wool base layer ...."
Imagine my disappointment a month layer after I had worn it and was about to wash it when reading the laundry directions as well as material content more closely. These "Merino" undergarments Costco is selling is not unlike any other wicking shirt; don't expect tremendous warmth from them. I know! I've tested the top out when camping in the fall.
Plus, I checked again (in a Costco) this year when I saw them again. These are the same as were sold last year.
For this reason, I rarely buy clothes at Costco anymore; will buy only if I've given the tags a thorough reading.

Nah, I saw the ones you are talking about gPRS, I never bought those , the very fine shirts that I like were bought on vancouver Island last week are brand name Segment are 100% australian merino made in Canada, and the medium weight Calvin Klein undershirts at Langley Costco today are also 100 % merino ( more Christmas presents ) .