RE: Reader Poll: Tell us your favorite baby clothing brands!
Good Bets
Hanna Andersson: I was skeptical at first but am now a believer. DD has worn the same wiggle pants from 1 month old till now (nearly 9 months)and they show NO signs of wear. They have never stained or pilled. The dressed are very high quality too. And I love the marshmallow pullovers--keep dd so warm. The only thing I am not a fan of is their zipper. I know many here love them, after buying 4 of them I have to say that I don't understand the appeal. They are hard to change diapers in and not warm enough for winter wear. I would much rather have DD in a onsie and wiggle pants.
Baby Gap: Love the side snap or snap front onsies especially for newborns. It is so nice not having to place the onsie over baby's head. I would put this as a must have for every new mom. Baby Gap washes well, wears well (doesn't stain), is soft & cute. One of the nicest lines for litle boys. Can get great sales at outlets or sales.
Baby Lulu: My daughter gets complements every time she wears a Baby Lulu outfit. If you are looking for something special this brand will not dissappoint. The rompers and dresses she has look brand new after much wear (please note that I line dry all my dd's clothing). The only item that showed wear was her bathing suit which faded from the pool.
Jacadi: Beautful heirloom quality clothing. Very expensive but can get good deals at their outlet mall in Aurora, IL. (They will do mail orders if you call.) European styles are slimmer cut which works well from long, lean babies.
Catamini: Insanely expensive but really cute. Can often find pieces at discounters like Marshalls and TJ Maxx.
Strasburg: Beautiful special occassion clothing. They also make very nice hairbows. Outlets will do phone orders and their prices are 30% off cataloug prices.
Victoria Kids/ Biscotti/ Bebemonde: Expensive, but beautiful boutique clothing. Worth looking into for special occassions.
Kate Mack: Great winter coats! Not only very fashionable but warm. Try ebay for smaller sizes as they are often worn only 1-2 times. Note: Coats appear to run large.
Good but not Great
Ralph Lauren/Polo: Style is really nice bu tthe quality is fair. Fades in wash and sizing runs small.
Naartjie: Good basics with a little bit of a funky flair. The lack of an online ordering site can make ordering a bit of a pain. Items wear well but sizing is inconsistant.
Gymboree: Clothing is cute when worn as a set. Will always get complements when wearing it. Washes well but quality not as high as it should be for the retail price. Buy ONLY when on sale--then you can get items for $5-$10 a piece.
Pottery Barn Kids: Washes well and holds up to staining. Very soft fabrics but pricey.
Carters: OK quality & price. For Carter's full price can get cuter items at Gymboree on sale.
Pumpkin Patch: Really like the clothing style & quality but it is very hard to locate the brand (especially in non-layette sizes).
Skip It
Babystyle: Their "softest" line of clothing is not worth it. The quality is lacking, the clothing stains and sizing/ cut of the clothing is off. One nice item though is the idea of a side snap onsie.
Gerber: Clothing is cheap quality. One exception is the side snap long sleeve t-shirts. DD lived in these for the first 2 months and I can not say enough how wonderful they were. It didn't matter that the fabric was thin because she was swaddled. I would highly reccommend those to others.
Great Accessories:
Bla Bla Baby hat & booties: Wash well and so darling.
Strasburg Children's hairbows.
Also, ebay seller Lizzy Loops has great hairbows that don't slip on baby's fine hair. She even offers monogrammed bows.
Tumpette socks & tights: One of the greatest accessories ever. Perfect for the tiniest baby.
Shoes:
Bobux/Robeez: Have both brands and love them equally.
Pedipeds: DD loves these shoes. You would think that they would fall off when she crawls but they don't! Great for special occassions as they have a black patent leather mary jane.
Amelia
DD 5.5, DS 2.5, #3 due 3/12