Essential Baby Things

Unisex baby clothes?  Really?  Why would anyone want to buy unisex baby clothes?  Isn’t that just a half-step above buying a gift certificate or a book or something?

At first glance, the whole idea of unisex baby clothes seems a little bland, kinda like overcooked roast beef.  But the truth is, there’s nothing wrong with unisex baby clothes and in some instances, they may be the perfect thing for the little boy or girl that is already here or on the way.

First of all, let’s figure out what unisex baby clothes are.  Contrary to what one might think, unisex baby clothes aren’t some ill-fitting burlap sack fashioned into something that vaguely resembles an article of clothing.  Unisex clothing for babies is simply clothing that has no discernable design or color that favors either boys or girls.  That’s all.  A pink shirt with ruffled collars, sleeves and hem with a sparkly dancing unicorn?  Obviously girls clothes.  A dark blue western-styled shirt with a cowboy riding a bucking bronco and the words “Ride ‘Em Cowboy” stitched across the front?  More than likely boys clothes.  A simple green shirt with the design “World’s #1 Kid” on it?  Could go either way.  It’s not distinctly boys clothing and not obviously girls clothing.  Therefore it fits into the wide range of unisex baby clothes.  And what parent is going to turn up their nose at a shirt that says “World’s #1 Kid”?

So now that we see that unisex baby clothes simply mean clothes that can be worn by either boys or girls, it’s easy to imagine some situations where buying something that is neither strictly for girls or explicitly for boys could be advantageous:

-    Everything the kid has is blue or everything they have is pink: Your child is drowning in a sea of gender specific clothing (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and you think it might be time for a little variety in their life.
-    Not every parent chooses to know the sex of their unborn child: These days, even though the technology is able to determine it and many people choose to learn if their child-to-be is going to be a boy or a girl, many people choose to wait for nature’s surprise.  This also throws a damper on what may be bought for them by friends and family.  If you just have to buy clothes for the parents who are waiting to find out if their child is a boy or a girl until “The Day” then unisex baby clothes, as opposed to baby girl clothes or baby boy clothes, are the answer
-    Buying for charity: If you’re trying to do something nice for charity, you don’t want it to backfire by having the kids you’re trying to help hate you for it.  Not that they would, but their parents might not appreciate a whole box full of pink and ruffly clothes for their bouncing baby boy or vice versa.

There are a wide range of reasons for buying unisex baby clothes.  Newborn baby clothes are typically geared more towards either boys or girls, but if you look around or if you’re buying for an older child, you should be able to find just what you’re looking for.  And one of the best things about it – often times unisex baby clothes can be found in inexpensive stores.  That doesn’t mean we here at Essential Baby Things always advocate buying cheap clothes.  However, remember that the kids will never see them, they’ll outgrow them before you need to cut your hair again and that saving money is always in style.  And if you think you can’t find some cheap unisex baby clothes that are fashionable, you obviously haven’t taken an objective look at Carters, Gerber, Chico, Old Navy, Target or any other place that offers good quality clothes at reasonable prices.

Shopping for girls clothes can be both a blessing and a curse: while there are so many wonderful choices, this same wide variety can make you either freeze up before you start, or get caught up in the moment and overbuy.  Like, really overbuy.  The smartest way to go shopping for girls clothes is to start out with a plan, any plan, and stick to it as best you can.

Now, seeing as how the name of this website is Essential Baby Things, the focus is going to be on baby girl clothes, infant girl clothes and ranging up into toddler girl clothes.  Much beyond that, you’re on your own, although the advice given here could apply for older girls as well.

The first thing you have to do is make a plan.  A plan will save you time, frustration and more than likely, lots of money.  A plan is a backup to when your daughter wants something more – see, not on the plan, sorry honey.  A plan will help guide you through the aisles and stacks of clothes just waiting to convince you to pry open your pocketbook through their amazing cuteness.  So make a plan.

But what kind of plan?  Well, you need to realize, first of all, that the clothes you buy now for your daughter will more than likely not last her until the following season.  That means that clothes bought this winter will most likely not fit next winter.  Summer clothes can stretch into fall and may be able to be worn about the house during the winter, but it is unlikely they will fit next spring.  If they do, then great, you’re lucky.  But don’t plan on them “buying big” and have clothes that are falling off your child now just to try and save some money next year.

Next step is to love the beauty of layering.  That doesn’t mean the questionable style of multiple layers of clothes that are highly visible and meant to look that way.  Layering is the wearing of more than one layer to increase warmth without adding thick layers.  Tank tops from summer can go under a short sleeve shirt in the early fall.  Short sleeve shirts can go over or under long sleeve shirts in the mid-fall.  All three can be combined and with a medium weight coat in the early winter, your child will be toasty warm in many areas of the US.

Next you need to evaluate your daughter’s situation.  No matter how heart-breakingly adorable that red dress is, if the child has no place to wear it or no inclination to wear it, then there’s no point in buying it.  Of course, it’s always a good idea to have a dress on hand that can be worn if there is a need, but if your daughter doesn’t wear dresses often, then there’s no point in having lots of them.

Take a good look at what kinds of clothing your daughter needs for her daily life.  For example, a recent look at our daughter’s summer clothing situation revealed what she really needs is about 3 skirts, 3 pairs of short, 2 pairs of thin shorts, 2 summer dresses, about 5 sleeveless tops, 3 t-shirts, 2 tank tops and a thin wind-breaker for summer rains or the wind before the storms.  That will allow us to take her to any of the places we typically go, have clothes for special occasions such as weddings or birthdays, let her go to daycare or grandma’s house or play dates with her friends, all without having to wear the same things over and over or having clothes sit unused in the drawers, but also have extras in case of messes or spills.  Plus, it allows us to do laundry only twice a week.

Now, come the fall, the clothes should all still fit.  Add maybe 2 pairs of pants, a pair of jeans, maybe a longer skirt or two, a couple long-sleeved shirts and an extra t-shirt or two, maybe a sweater or a hooded sweatshirt, and everything will be fine.  As long as the clothes from last season still fit, and they should, then many of the things can be re-purposed and used in the new season with a bit of layering.

Every person who has gone shopping for girls clothes has been caught up in the buying of cute things for their child.  It’s easy to do and we here at Essential Baby Things are just as guilty about it as everyone else.  Pretty soon your cart is loaded up with far more things than they need or could reasonable wear before the season is over.  You don’t have to go shopping for cheap baby clothes, just make sure your have a plan of what you want to buy, don’t go to an expensive store, maybe even shopping online, and be smart about how you shop.  You’ll be glad you did.

If you’ve gone shopping for boys clothing recently you may have been overwhelmed in a sea of blue. While blue is a traditional and popular color for boys, sometimes manufacturers overdo it a little bit. Okay, more than a little bit. But if you look around a little, you’ll find that many clothing companies have more to offer in boys clothes than just blue or light blue. In fact, some might surprise you.

Why do people always choose blue for boys anyway? Yes, it’s a traditional color, but is that the only reason? As many of you may know, sometimes it can be a little difficult to determine the gender of a child just by looking at them. While hair-length can help, it isn’t always an open and shut case based on short or long hair. An acquaintance who had a girl at the toddler age would sometimes dress her up in non-girly clothes when going out and invariably received many “What a cute baby boy” and “What a handsome baby” comments, despite the girl’s pink stroller and medium length hair. Some parents, frustrated with that, will opt for exclusively boy clothes or girl clothes to avoid any possible irritation based on people’s comments.

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But if a parent doesn’t care about the comments from strangers and is getting tired of all the blue, bright blue, light blue, navy blue and teal choices in baby boy clothes, there is hope. One of the first things you can do is spread out your tentacles into the world of hand-me-downs. Not every parent will be comfortable asking others for clothes. Some may not like the idea of their boy wearing cast-offs from other kids. Others may not have lots of family or friends with kids a little older than their own. But if you don’t mind and you can find some sources, hand-me-down t-shirts and the like are great for broadening the horizon of your little one’s clothing options. They’re better than cheap baby clothes – they’re free baby clothes. Plus it lets you try out some different color options, such as yellow, orange, purple or even pink, without throwing money down the drain on something that your child will hate.

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Another choice is to make your own. Sure, you could spend a lot of time and energy sewing patterns together if that’s your thing. You could also buy a cheap pack of white t-shirts and dye them. If your child is old enough, you could even involve them in the activity. Pale colors, tie-dye, even batik – the options are limitless. It could get your child thinking about something other than blue and be a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Finally, try to think beyond the blues. When it comes to boys clothing, blue is everywhere. But it’s not the only choice. Searching through online stores for brands such as Old Navy, Carters, or OshKosh will reveal many things available that look great, but aren’t blue. Green, white, brown, black, gray, yellow, red, even purple things are out there. But, please, avoid the pink. Essential Baby Things, and the boy you’re buying for, will be glad you did.