BABY STYLE
/
But really, is there anything more fun than dressing your mini me?
I love dressing Trey. It's the total best.
I wanted to be strategic about it, and I spent so much time thinking about what to get him, how much, and in what size. While it's good to be prepared, it doesn't need to be this complicated. Sharing five things I've learned so far:
1. On Sizing | I asked everyone, "Did your baby wear newborn sized clothes? For how long? How many pieces did you need?" But each baby is so different and everyone had a different response. On top of that, each brand is different, and newborn for one company may look more like 3m for another. I got a few newborn sized pieces, and was glad to have a couple favorites. I didn't need much, even though Trey wore newborn for about a month, but then flew through most of his 0-3m. Each baby is so different, but the general trend I hear is that before six months these sizes tend to move FAST, and then things might start to slow down. I was glad to have a variety of sizes, and my philosophy is it's always better to go too big than too small.
2. One Pieces over Two | Some of my very favorite pieces for Trey are his rompers. I think they're cute, you don't have to think about matching with the bottoms, it cuts down on laundry and folding by being just one piece instead of two, etc. Efficient and adorable.
3. Fabric Matters | Especially for newborn and 0-3m sized pieces, the softer the better on that delicate skin. Read the labels, the softest I've discovered so far is bamboo and organic cotton.
4. Ditch the White Onesies | When I was pregnant, I thought I needed to stock up on All The White Onesies in every single size. Wrong. This style may work great for some moms, but since we're flying through clothes and sizes right now, all I want him in are my very favorite pieces, to get the most use out of them. I've packed up nearly all the white onesies that I thought I needed and they're now in storage.
5. Only Stock The Faves | You really don't need that many pieces. Since having Trey, I do laundry about once a day, because of spit up, stains, our own laundry, etc, which means he typically has his entire wardrobe available at any given time. I thought babies needed a full wardrobe for each size, and it's just not the case. You need a few pieces in each size, for each season, and that's about it.
On Organizing: I have these Ikea boxes, and I fold them in kind of a lazy girl's version of the Kon Mari Style so I can see everything all at once. We have one dresser with six drawers and each drawer is a size: Newborn/0-3m, 3-6m, 6-9m, 9-12m, and the top right is diapers and top left is sleepers/accessories.
There are tons of baby fashionretailers out there. The big box ones (Old Navy, Gap, Target, Carter's) are great for cheap basics and work for many of my friends, but I love to shop a bit smaller, and try for quality over quantity. Highlighting some small shops that I love for Trey:
Basal Baby. The capsule wardrobe for baby! Coolest concept, you can sign up and choose from a few customizable capsule options of onesies and pants, and it's delivered to your door every 3 months as your baby outgrows each size. It's also made ethically from super soft, organic cotton. Sign up for their email list to receive an awesome wardrobe planner for baby's first year. I've seen it and it's brilliant.
L'oved Baby. Organic and so soft, I'm a big fan of these footed rompers. They have snaps all the way down to the foot for easy on/off, optional fold-over sleeves to prevent scratching, perfect for sleep or play and the best price point for the quality.
BabySoy. Made from soy and organic cotton. Soft staples in easy pieces, my husband mentioned one time when he was changing Trey that he particularly loves this "kimono style" because there's no pulling something too tight over the baby's head.
Softsie. Such a cool concept, created by a mom with a child with eczema, she wanted to create a garment that would help sensitive skin conditions. The fabric on this is organically infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, and jojoba oil that transfers when worn to nourish all skin types. Such a unique design, and so incredibly soft.
Gray Label. An Amsterdam-based company, the tagline is "organic apparel for the little minimalist." Beautifully made, the fabrics are a thick, soft, stretchy organic cotton. They just released this family sweater (pictured in black) and Daniel and I have matching adult ones, how fun is that?
Kickee Pants. This is the outfit we took Trey home from the hospital in and my very favorite newborn outfit of his. I love the bamboo fabric this companies uses, it's incredibly soft, thin, and breathable, and as a bonus they're based locally in Seattle.
Winter Water Factory. This company partners with Hazel Village, and I had to get this outfit so Trey could match his bear. They make organic rompers in playful prints, with lots of cute, gender neutral options.
Bella Bliss. A southern company, these rompers are my favorite (are you even kidding me with that baby blue seersucker??) They've become my summer go-to for a "fancier" outfit for Trey, and I love that the fabrics are looser and breathable for summer. (Monogramming options as well!)
VonBon. A Canadian based company, with organic bamboo fabric and cute prints. I especially love those striped bloomers, perfect summer bottoms.
Goat Milk NYC. Like the name suggests, an NYC based company with ethically made, organic basics for baby.
Axl Brand. Another USA based brand (ethically made in San Francisco), with awesome organic rompers. Simple prints with solids and stripes, and lots of gender neutral options.
Finn and Emma. Ethically made, great quality and a good price point for organic cotton. These footed leggings are perfect since babies lose their socks so often.
Hanna Andersson. A classic. I wore this line growing up so it feels nostalgic for me. Great quality, and their new pima cotton is super soft; that unicorn print is my husband's favorite on Trey.
Chasing Windmills. A small shop with beautiful items made of 100% merino wool, an awesome fabric for babies that helps regulate temperature (read more about it here).
Le Edit. Can we talk about that bear sweatshirt for a second? Those fuzzy ears! Made of merino wool, a splurge for sure, but incredibly soft and adorable.
Lucky Jade. Cute, luxury rompers. That elephant one on the left is a washable cashmere blend and will be perfect during the holidays.
Monica and Andy. Organic, high quality baby and kidswear. Can't wait to put Trey in that sleeveless hoodie, and that seersucker jacket is perfect wedding attire. (For NYC friends: they offer same day delivery in city limits, how cute for a hospital surprise gift?!).
Aden + Anais. The wildly popular swaddle company (that Kate Middleton used with Prince George) now makes clothes in the same muslin fabric. Cute prints, and these all have the snap over design for the easiest on/off with nothing going over the head.
Goblin. A hip, New Zealand based brand. Those little back shorts have a stretchy wide waistband and have been a favorite this summer.
Huxbaby. Australian based with a cool/edgy vibe and a huge selection of kidswear. Lots of neutral designs with a focus on sustainability. Love that golden bear sweatshirt.
Fin and Vince. All the things I love - 100% organic cotton, designed and made in the USA. Playful designs, cute colors, and they're having a major sale right now (including this hoodie!).
Tane Organics. Heirloom quality pieces, 100% organic and made by fair trade artisans in Peru. I loved that romper on Trey as a newborn, and those booties are hand-knit!
Mingo Kids. Netherlands based, and the stretchiest! Perfect play clothes in neutral colors and simple designs.
Babysprouts. Love a good bloomer and these are organic cotton. They run tiny, size up!
Beau Hudson. An Australian company, perfect for when Trey is a bit older, skinny jeans for boys that are true "skinnies." That chambray is the softest, the sleeves can be rolled and there's room for growth.
Shared in partnership with all brands listed. Style choices, colors, and opinions are my own.
