Whether you are buying a gift for an infant or an older child, a lot of the principles are the same, but for today I am going to focus on how to pick out an item of clothing for a newborn. Clothing is a great gift for expecting parents not only because it is practical (and believe me, with 3 boys in my house, the need for new clothing is never ending!), but when you are preparing for the arrival of a new baby, you are focussed on the essentials and being gifted a special outfit or accessory can be so lovely.
Sizing
One factor that is often overlooked and is key to choosing the best size is the season! Hang on... don't run off now... I'm not going to start waffling on about the most up to date trends and missing out on this season's must have accessory... we are still talking about buying for a baby! However, the seasons will have a big impact on your choice. If you go shopping in June for a baby that is due any day, what you will find is a gorgeous array of bright colours, little dresses and shorts made from thin, breathable fabrics. Now, whilst bright colours are a must at any time of year, if you decide to pick something up to fit the baby in 6 months time, we will be heading into winter weather by the time it can be used... and these pretty, little outfits will be left at the back of the wardrobe and untouched
Opting for a bigger size is a good idea, but don't go too big. One size up should be enough. If possible, look for clothing that can be used in different seasons, something cool enough for Spring, but that could be layered up in cooler months. Rompers and pinafores are fantastic for this.
Budget
This may seem obvious, but it is important to have a think about how much you want to spend on the gift. Gift guides tend to use three budget categories: up to £20, up to £50 and up to £100. Whilst you may think that there is no way you could spend more than £20 on baby clothing, once you find yourself in a shop (whether online or brick and mortar) and see the collections of outfits and all the accessories that go with them, the cost can soon mount up! Pick a budget and stick to it. This will help you to work out where to focus your attention.
Up to £20:
For this budget you can't go wrong with a gift box with a couple of coordinating accessories: hats, headbands, bibs and bloomers are all fabulous for newborns and getting a couple of them in matching sets is ideal. Not only can you choose the cutest patterns, they can be used with any other outfits that the parents-to-be have been given!
Up to £50:
If you have a bit more to spend then you can loosen the reigns a little and have a good look at collections. Pairing up an item of clothing with accessories is a fantastic gift. It makes for a super cute, coordinated outift, but also gives the flexibility to mix and match with other outfits that the parents may already have. A patterned pair of leggings with matching bib and hat will look gorgeous with a plain vest/jumper, but the hat and bib could equally be paired with a plain sleepsuit that is already in the baby’s wardrobe.
If you are buying for a 2nd or 3rd baby and you want to get something for the older sibling too, then you could also look for coordinating outfits: a baby romper and toddler/older kids leggings or joggers in the same pattern. You can coordinate without opting for identical outfits!
Up to £100:
Granted, not many people (except maybe grandparents) would be planning to budget up to £100 for a baby gift, but we will give it some consideration. This budget gives you a very wide scope to give something truly special. As a mother myself, my best advice is to you is to buy a little bit of everything! A pack or two of the essentials (plain vests, plain sleepsuits, muslins), a nice outfit (rompers are my favourite for newborns), a warm layer (cardigan, jumper, all in one, blanket) and a couple of accessories (hats, bibs, headbands). The bonus with having this amount to spend is that you can tie it all together to create the perfect gift basket for expecting parents.
Start by choosing the outfit and tie in the rest with coordinating colours. This gives the parents any number of combinations when dressing baby and allows for all those changes of clothes that are needed throughout the day, without the need for a full outfit change!
If this sounds like something you would love to do, you could get together with other family members/friends/colleagues and pool you budgets.
Colour
This is one area that is often the most difficult because a lot of people have strong and polarised views on what colours to choose for babies. For a long time, it was normal to dress boys in blue and girls in pink. Whilst there are still those that prefer this option, the trends have been shifting over the last 10 years and we are seeing more parents opt for neutral colours, be it cream and beige, monochrome or rainbow colours.
As the trends have moved, more and more infant clothing companies have taken note and are producing items in colours and patterns that will suit both girls and boys. Picking a pattern that has a wide range of colours will allow parents the flexibility to pair it up with the colours that they would like to dress their baby in… whether that is what they see as more feminine/masculine colours, or simply colours that they love.
Know that whatever you decide, any item of baby clothing that is gifted to parents will be well received. As well as a large range of bespoke, handmade clothing, I also offer a gift service - let me wrap the gift, add a personalised note and send it directly to the recipient.
If you are currently looking for a baby gift, then have a look at our full range of clothing and accessories here. If you would like to know more about a particular product or you want to discuss gift options further, then please feel free to contact me and I would be delighted to help you choose the perfect gift.