Which piece suits your baby depends on how soon the baby outgrows it and what the day involves: a velvet coat with faux-fur trim or a cherry print ruffled outfit is for photos and short outings, while a monochrome puffer vest set or a floral crochet knit cardigan can handle a regular day.
The list runs from brand names and gift sets to special occasion dresses and suits, plus a burgundy velvet coat with faux-fur trim.
1. Designer Baby Clothes Brands
The logo and the matching blanket do the talking.
Buy it for the unwrapping, and expect a baby to outgrow it fast. Bibs and hats get the most wear, so if the price makes you wince, a single accessory in the brand’s pattern gives you the look.
7AM Enfant is already beloved by parents for its top-of-the-line outwear for kids, especially their popular stroller blanket, which you will see on nearly every NYC baby once the temperatures drop (seriously, you can count a dozen per block).
— Glamour
2. Baby Gift Sets
Gift baskets work best when every piece gets used in the first month. A teddy bear, a bottle, baby wash, and a blue outfit cover that.
Pick the clothes first, then build around them.
Choose a size above newborn, since newborn sizes go quickly. A plain white basket also holds up as a laundry or toy bin afterward.
I would skip anything scented for the toiletries unless you know the parents’ preferences.
3. Special Occasion Baby Dresses and Suits
Knit dress, cardigan, bonnet, booties, and socks arrive as a full set, which makes dressing for a christening or family photo a one-step job. Pink and white keeps it soft and photographs well.
Laying everything out the night before saves a scramble. Knits have more give than stiff formalwear, so a baby can sit and be held without complaint.
Buy the set a size up if the event is months away.
4. Luxury Baby Clothing
A tracksuit with a zip hoodie and joggers is the easiest luxury piece to actually wear. The BOSS lettering and white and brown palette read as polished even on a baby who spends the day on a play mat.
Zips beat pullovers for quick changes. Matching tan sneakers look sharp, but a baby who isn’t walking yet gets no use out of them, so I would treat them as a photo extra.
5. Floral Crochet Knit Cardigans
Crochet cardigans with flowers are the piece that makes a plain outfit look boutique. Against printed trousers, as on this toddler, the knit stays the star if the trouser colors are quiet.
Hand-wash or follow the label, since open crochet can snag on toys and little fingers. Check the buttons before you buy.
I would choose pink florals over anything busier, because they pair with almost every neutral bottom.
6. Monochrome Puffer Vest Set
Matching brown from cap to ribbed pants is the simplest way to make a toddler look put together. A puffer vest, hoodie, pants, and baseball cap all in one shade needs no styling decisions.
Vests keep the core warm while leaving arms free, which matters in a car seat.
A puffer vest adds bulk under the straps, so take it off before buckling your baby into the car seat and lay it over them afterward.
A cap is cute, but expect it to be pulled off.
7. Cherry Print Ruffled Outfit
White with red cherries is a print that works on its own, so the ruffles and cherry-shaped tassels can carry the whole outfit without a hat or shoes.
Tassels are the part I would check first. Dangling pieces get pulled and chewed, so tug them before buying and keep this one for photos and short outings.
Plain white socks or bare feet let the print do the work.
8. Velvet Coat with Faux-Fur Trim
A burgundy velvet coat with brown faux-fur trim and a gold buckle belt is the dressy outer layer I would pick for a holiday visit or a family photo.
Burgundy is rich enough that the rest of the outfit can stay plain: cream or brown underneath, nothing patterned.
The belt is only decoration, and the thick velvet and fur trim add too much bulk under car seat straps. As with the puffer vest, take it off before buckling in.
Velvet shows crumbs and lint, so I would keep it for short wears.
9. Vintage-Style Lace Collar Linen Dress
Sage green linen with a cream lace Peter Pan collar and a ribbon bow reads old-fashioned in the nicest way. The collar is the detail, so the dress needs nothing else.
Linen softens with washing, though it wrinkles, so hang the dress right after laundering. Lace edges deserve a gentler wash, and I would check that the collar sits flat and doesn’t scratch the neck.
Bare legs or cream tights keep the look quiet.
10. Suspenders and Sunglasses Streetwear
Unbuttoned green shirt, brown suspenders, white trousers, and sunglasses: it’s a small-man outfit that toddlers somehow wear with total confidence.
Open the shirt over a plain tee if you want it to stay put. White trousers are the weak spot, since one snack ends them, so I would save this for a short outing.
Sunglasses are the piece most likely to be tossed. Expect to carry them in a pocket.
Choosing the Right Size
Brands cut their sizes differently, so a tag from one label can fit a baby noticeably smaller or larger than the same tag from another, and the size guide on each brand’s page is worth a look before you buy.
Check each brand’s size chart against your baby’s current weight and length, and don’t trust the age on the tag.
Babies outgrow clothes quickly, so buy for where your baby will be in a month, not today. If your baby sits between two sizes, choose the larger one; a sleeve can be rolled, but a tight snap cannot be undone.
Keep the receipt and tags on anything you haven’t washed yet, in case the fit is off.
Caring for Baby Clothes
Wash baby clothes gently, on a cool, delicate cycle, with a mild detergent. Harsh detergents leave residue that irritates skin and wears down the fibers, so the softness goes first.
Cotton, merino wool, and breathable knits are the fabrics worth protecting, since they stretch gently and keep a baby comfortable against the skin. Merino especially likes a gentle wash and flat drying.
Skip fabric softener on anything you want to stay breathable. Check the care label before the first wash, because premium pieces often have delicate finishes that a hot dryer can ruin.
Shopping for Baby Clothes
Time your buying around the seasons. Stores clear out jackets and heavier pieces as the weather warms, and that is when premium labels drop in price.
Buy the basics in bulk: long-sleeve bodysuits and onesies get ruined by diaper blowouts, so you want a stack of them.
Affordable stores sell these cheaply, but popular sizes at places like Uniqlo can sell out right after a launch, so check back often.
Nordstrom and Amazon carry many of the same brands, so compare prices there before paying full price at the label’s own shop.
Save the splurges for gifts and ceremonies, and let everyday pieces be soft, easy to put on, and cheap enough not to worry about.
