It’s hard to resist adorable baby clothes. Not only has Sophia received quite a few wonderful outfits from family and friends, but I succumb to the kids department at every store I enter. Now that we’re back in Richmond I’ve stopped by the used and consignment stores as well.
But sometimes adorable outfits are better left on the hanger.
I’ve learned quickly that babies want to be dressed as babies, not as miniature versions of adults. And as for the doll clothes, they’re better left on dolls.
Sophia took particular objection to one outfit that I couldn’t wait for her to grow into. It is a plush pink jumper embroidered with ladybugs, bees and butterflies. It has a white cotton collar on the neckline with a cute ladybug embroidered in the center. I thought it would be great.
I put it on her recently and realized that the cotton collar (that really made the outfit) made Sophie look like a clown, and it was so large and stiff that when she leaned her head back the collar flipped up and covered her face. It was bad news, as my mother-in-law would say.
Lesson number one: avoid attached cotton or other collars that only get in the way of baby’s natural movements and make him or her look like a circus clown.
Then there’s pants. I have to admit that Sophia has been wearing a pair of jeans on most days, but that’s only because I don’t have a lot of clothes in her current size and I am waiting for her to hit the next size sometime soon. The jeans are cute but I admit that they may not be the most practical item in Sophia’s wardrobe. Moving forward I plan to avoid buttons and zippers on baby pants and stick with less construction as opposed to more.
Lesson number two: buttons, zippers and belt loops are cute but not practical for baby. Keep it simple, keep it loose.
Finally there’s fabric. In general, I want to wear 100 percent cotton and I imagine it’s the same for babies. So while they’re cute, holiday and other dresses made from synthetic fabrics that look cute on the hanger can’t be comfortable on new skin. Adults don’t like synthetic fabrics, why subject kids to the same ordeal?
Lesson number three: stick with fabrics found in nature. Babies shouldn’t sweat.
I am also trying to avoid anything that resembles shoulder pads. It sounds crazy, but there seems to be a trend with outfits that have gathered puffy sleeves. They just look like shoulder pads once you get them on. Proof here – unhappy baby.
And while this issue may come up more frequently with little girls, parents of boys are not exempt. I’ve see a few miniature sailor outfits and business suits that could only inspire a grump.
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