Dressing a Baby Girl
Posted by Kalen on Sunday, August 28, 2011. Filed under: clothes, Shopping
How do you decide how to dress your child? Do you use their preferences or do you dress them how you would dress yourself at that age? Do you dress them just like you, or do you try and give them a unique style that you would never pull off yourself? Do you like to dress them in the latest trends or only designer clothes?
One thing I've noticed about how I dress Everly is that a lot of her clothes are gifts, so everything is pretty eclectic. A matter of fact, I've only bought her something myself a handful of times (like online just now) because she has been pretty stocked up to this point. Here are some of the things I just bought her at The Children's Place:
I got a few other things too, then entered D7E2011 for an addition 20% off (good today only) and I also shopped/checked out through my Ebates account for an addition 2.5% off.
I guess when I shop, I look for good deals & for comfort. I want Everly to be able to crawl, cruise, and even take a nap in her clothes. I think the frilly stuff for girls can be cute, and am okay with her wearing it on special occasions, but for the most part - I just want her to be a baby and feel cuddly and soft. I also like putting her in funky graphic tees whenever possible... so I guess when it comes to that, I do try to dress her like me.
I will openly admit that I'm sad she'll no longer wear headbands or hats though (hopefully it's just a stage) because she looks pretty scrumptious in them. But other than that, I just want her to be happy and not drowning in ruffles or pulling at her clothes all day.
I just can't justify spending a ton of money on clothes, nor do I really have that luxury. I thrift whenever possible, but sometimes there are actually better deals on brand new stuff, so it just depends. However, lately I've had the itch to splurge and get her a few nicer things... maybe for special playdates and to celebrate the fact that I have a beautiful baby girl? Or maybe out of guilt because I know her and her brother are going to be wearing lots of hand-me-downs for the next few years.
I'd love to know how you handle shopping for your kids!
I guess when I shop, I look for good deals & for comfort. I want Everly to be able to crawl, cruise, and even take a nap in her clothes. I think the frilly stuff for girls can be cute, and am okay with her wearing it on special occasions, but for the most part - I just want her to be a baby and feel cuddly and soft. I also like putting her in funky graphic tees whenever possible... so I guess when it comes to that, I do try to dress her like me.
I will openly admit that I'm sad she'll no longer wear headbands or hats though (hopefully it's just a stage) because she looks pretty scrumptious in them. But other than that, I just want her to be happy and not drowning in ruffles or pulling at her clothes all day.
I just can't justify spending a ton of money on clothes, nor do I really have that luxury. I thrift whenever possible, but sometimes there are actually better deals on brand new stuff, so it just depends. However, lately I've had the itch to splurge and get her a few nicer things... maybe for special playdates and to celebrate the fact that I have a beautiful baby girl? Or maybe out of guilt because I know her and her brother are going to be wearing lots of hand-me-downs for the next few years.
I'd love to know how you handle shopping for your kids!
August 28, 2011 at 10:41 AM
I haven't had my child (due in November) yet, but so far I seem to really like the Carter's brand. We have an outlet store nearby, but I buy most of the clothes from Kohl's. I mainly buy Carter's because it seems like good quality for a decent price when paired with most of the sales Kohl's runs. I try to only shop when Kohl's has 30% off. I did stop at the Children's Place outlet yesterday because the coupon was 25% off (ended yesterday) plus I earned a $20 off a $40 purchase coupon for spending $40. I guess I just look for sales! Considering they won't be in any one size for very long I figure price is more important than brand name!
August 28, 2011 at 11:26 AM
When she was little, I didn't care about dressing Harps like a girl at ALL. Now I have fun with it! She gets a ton of handmedowns from my cousin (who has 2 girls), so she's spoiled because my cuz's got great taste! I LOVE when she gets cute Etsy things her kiddos have grown out of...
I do thrift store shopping and I LOVE Baby Gap sales rack. (Really really good deals there and great quality.) My mom makes her a lot of little things, too -- pants/dresses from recyled tees and handmade shirts. Love those and will keep them forevs!
My splurge items are Hanna Andersen things. I usually buy a few pants/shirts for each stage. These things are adorable (tons of stripes and cute, classic patterns) and amazing quality. I tend to get unisex items from this store, so I can use them for whatever gender we have next and then pass them on!
I basically dress her like myself: A mix of old stuff and new stuff, vintage/funky/basics. She definitely dresses like a girl these days, but no ruffles or super fem stuff...
(oh and cc always wants her WAY girlier than I do and has bought the majority of her new things... it's hilarious.)
August 28, 2011 at 12:58 PM
when hannah was a baby and a little girl, i always just bought what i thought was cute, and we were also given a lot of things, but now that she is a teenager (gasp) she pretty much picks out her own clothes...she is very modest, a little sporty, yet feminine... :)
August 28, 2011 at 5:55 PM
Erin - I always look for sales, too. And actually, Everly stays in the same size quite a while (she's just now moving into 12 month stuff) because she's so small! She wore newborn outfits for a while before moving up, too.
Amy - Billy always wants to dress Everly more girly too. Supa cute. Never really looked at Hanna Andersen things - must check out!
Jo - I can't believe she's a teenager. I can't wait to see you guys, hopefully soon!
August 28, 2011 at 7:54 PM
I've been buying things here & there for the future, so it can't be gendered since my crystal ball isn't working :p
My favourite things are hand-knitted cardigans, vintagey things, and neutral colours like creams, browns, and pale greens. I don't like anything with stupid slogans on them or character prints, or anything that is super boy or girly (like t-shirts with a truck/dinosaur/ballerina on the front). If I ever have a girl I want lots of cute legwarmers, tights, and smocked dresses. For a boy I like old man looking clothes like corduroy pants and cable-knit vests and mini-loafers :3
I like hunting through thrift stores for things but only if they are pretty much brand new. I think a lot of old ladies knit stuff for fun and then donate it, so I've found some great cardigans and stuff that have never been worn. I like the bulk lots of clothes on eBay too, they often have really nice designer brand stuff in there (like Bebe, Seed baby, and Sooki Baby- some Australian brands I love but are like... $80 for a newborn cardigan) for really cheap. And end-of-season sales in fancy department stores have nice things too :)
September 5, 2011 at 2:36 AM
Oh I wish I have a baby girl...
September 5, 2011 at 5:19 AM
Not to sound too sexist, but I personally think dressing a baby girl is a LOT more fun than dressing a baby boy.
I have a boy and a girl, and I had considerably more interesting dressing options for my baby girl.
The Children's Place seems like a pretty decent online option for baby girl clothes. Know any other?