What are your favorite baby clothing brands?

[Blanca78]

Now that I know what I'm having (GIRL!) I'm trying to register for some bigger-baby clothes for next winter (I've already been given TONS of NB-6 mo stuff).

All the stuff I'm seeing is either super expensive or super cheesy/hot pink/frilly, which I'm not into.

Experiences moms--what would be your go-to brands for cute stuff that's not too noxiously "princessy" and whatnot? Even if some of these brands are splurges I'd love ot know where to look rather than hopeless wading through zillions of sites.

Thanks!

[HappyWoman]

We have a 7 month old. Here are my pics:

Shoes:

- Robeez shoes (they stay on the feet and are great first walking shoes)

http://www.robeez.com/EN-US/default.htm

- Zutano fleece booties (they also stay on the feet well and keep their feet warm)

http://shop.zutano.com/Products/zutano-booties

Bibs:

- For feeding, a waterproof smock type bib to protect their sleeves, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Mimi-Sardine-Organic-Cotton-Months/dp/B003F78BT2/ref=pd_sbs_ba_8

- For drooling, choose bibs with a snap, (rather than velcro). Our baby has learned to pull the velcro bibs off.

Sleepers:

- Choose cotton sleepers with zippers, rather than snaps. So much faster.

We haven't needed to purchase a single article of clothing for our baby. People (friends, co-workers, neighbors we hardly know) have come out of the woodwork to give us baby clothes (hand-me downs and presents). Our plan was to purchase baby clothes on Craig's list, but we haven't needed to. If people have already started giving you things, you might have a similar experience. Baby consignment stores are also good places to find cute baby clothes too.

The only brand of baby clothes that I don't like are Gerber onesies. They are thin and cheap. Most of our clothes are Carter's, and we have some Old Navy, Baby Gap, Hanna Andersson.

[CookAMH]

I've loved Carters clothes for my cloth-diapered DS. Their onesies are nice and long to accommodate diapers. Old Navy relaxed fit jeans fit well with CD.

I've liked what I've seen of the girl Carters clothes, not too frilly and a mix of blue, pink, brown, green and purple.

Gap, we like. Their onesies have a nice stretch to them and I generally just really like the fit. DS wasn't chubby, just sturdy but not skinny (50% for weight, 80%+ for height).

Kohl's has this brand of baby and toddler clothes, Jumping Beans, and we have a few pieces now (but not younger) and really like them. They are cheap too!! I don't know if this link will be any good but it's from kohl's, a listing of that brand for baby girls, lots of summer stuff most likely though. http://www.kohls.com/upgrade/webstore/subcategory.jsp?ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3ENe=2&ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3ENo=0&ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3ENs=p_Product_Total_Inventory|1&ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3ENtt=&ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3Erecs=25&ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EN=4294963770%2B4294929214&ENDECA_SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3Etype=2&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374754256812&bmForm=guided_nav_search&bmFormID=1297571208546&bmUID=1297571208546

I really don't care for the fit or quality of Gerber basic white onesies, very much prefer Carters.

Oh, and lastly, this is pricier, but I LOVE LOVE the basic cotton pieces available here, in really beautiful colors. http://www.basicbrilliance.com./baby.html I love the cotton pants, Ts, onesies. There is a lot more I'd buy if I had a bigger budget. They sometimes run sales, and again, I love the colors. No girls yet for us but I love the bold pinks and purple, which you could pair with their chocolate brown on top or bottom. So cute.

[mclisa]

If you want good quality, Carter's is great.  Some places even have Carter's outlets nearby where you can get great deals.

I like Hanna Andersson clothes.  They really do last through several kids and can have some crazy patterns or more simple prints too.  Some of my dresses are on the 3rd kid.  They don't shrink.  Gymboree clothes are good quality too, but they do shrink after a while.  I have small kids, but my 3 1/2 year old is wearing the size 5 dresses though she is the 3rd or 4th to wear them. 

I like mini Boden too.  My girls have shirts and dresses from there. 

I've seen some Tea catalogs, but haven't bought anything from there yet so I can't comment.

I work full time and don't have much time for shopping other than over my lunch hour on the computer.  Can you tell?

[Blanca78]

Great suggestions--thank you all! I registered for a couple pairs of Robeez booties (one 6-12 m size, one 12-18 m) and the fleece booties in 6-12 mo.

Last night I also found this site--I'm sort of shocked at how inexpensive the stuff is for fair trade. Clothing suggestion (ETA: Uh--SELECTION) is limited, but some really cute stuff. http://www.gonaturalbaby.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=catshow&ref=organic_baby_clothes_cotton_organic_baby_clothes

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Lost 2 posts!!  Test...

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Weird - I tried to post on this thread and it just loaded and loaded and never posted...annoying!   

Here's my very condensed version of the posts that I lost.  

- I think Robeez suck!  Along those lines but far superior (imo!) are the cable knit moccasins from Nowalli.  They breath, are easy to get on, don't come off (neither do Robeez), don't leave marks, cover ankles, are machine washable.  

- Clothing sometimes can really depend on the shape of your kid (same with shoes!).  Lots of cute stuff would not work on DC because it seems like a lot of brands are made for stout-er kids.  Benneton worked really well for DC and was my favorite for ages 6month-4 years.  Small Paul was another fave!  For girls I'm also a fan of leggins and dresses over.  DC always seemed really comfortable in that combo.

-Cute brands that I can think of are: Tea, Naartjie, Mary Kate and Ashley (I don't shop at Walmart but these can be found at thrift stores), Jaine & Jack, Garnet Hill, J Crew (way expensive but WAY cute!), American Apparel...lots more!  Check out a local boutique or a store like Nordstroms for brands that you like.  

-For good play clothes I like REI and Land's End (Sears) the best.    

-Splurge on outerwear.  I always have a pair of these in my kid's size: http://childrensneeds.com/mud_and_rain_children_s_overalls.html  Patagonia buntings & hats are the best!  DC gets a super nice jacket every 2 years.  We also splurge on socks - either REI band (or similar) or Smartwool.  They don't need to be washed as often so it ends up being a good investment.  

-This doesn't help for registering but baby consignment stores are great and the younger the kid the better.  For ages 6months-4 years clothing is often hardly worn and is sometimes super high quality.  It's also an exposure to all kinds of interesting brands.  It's also a way for you to have clothing from stores that you either boycott  or couldn't otherwise afford.  

-Have fun!  DC was super sensitive to how clothing fit her, she was really tiny and out of diapers really early - we've had quite the road finding her clothing!  The sewing machine is your friend.  (just for taking in a waist or a hem) 

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

i love the children's place clothes. They always have great sales/coupons and i have an outlet store a few minutes from my house so i often get things for thriftstore prices, ie .79-.99 a piece. I have only really bought boy stuff from there and used for my ds, but the jeans/pants are pretty good quality and the sweaters are quite cute. I do buy lots of birthday gifts there and they have quite a bit more to choose from in the girls section with better prices too. Every couple months the children's place will have free shipping codes and you can also combine them with % off coupons.

http://www.childrensplace.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_10001_10001_-1_132920_newborns_24101|132920_newborn|girls

[Oregonicmama]

I like Carter's, Old Navy (super cute if you like patterns), Gap, and American Apparel baby clothes.

As some of the PPs have mentioned I stay away from Carters onesies.  They are flimsy and cheap and not very soft.  I can't tell you how many I had to throw away because the snaps ripped through the fabric. 

I love gowns for the newborn stage... so easy and cute.  I also love kimono/ wrap style tops, especially for summer time and for cloth diapers. 

Another favorite is pilot style caps that tie under the chin in a simple cotton material.  Nice for keeping baby warm and little bald heads out for the sun.  Plus they actually stay on!

http://www.lapsaky.com/shop/organic-cotton-clothes/Baby-Organic-Cotton-Pilot-Hat

I also think Robeez are terrible.  They are hard to get on and off and make the baby's feet stinky and sweaty. 

[Blanca78]

Oh, I LOVE the Tea stuff.

I'll keep that in mind for Robeez. I have to admit they just look so cute, I'm tempted to brave the stinky feet...we'll see.

[MamaChef]

American Apparel - Love their lap tees and the karate pants are great for cloth diapered babies

Hanna Andersen - Sleepers, tights and the swedish mocs.  They have good sales atleast a couple times a year.  

Pumpkin Patch - Love this store.  They have really cute clothes and they are great quality. I do think they tend to run a little big.  Good sales in store.

Tea - Love Tea :)  They are super cute, not overly girly, hold up well. and are reasonably priced when you find them on sale.

Naartjie - we do alot of layering, so this works.. they are a bit more feminine, but things arent always pink and they are rarely sparkly :)

Gap - They hold up well and are other colors then pink and pastel :)  I also love their socks because they stay on.

I hated Robeez, Carters and Crazy 8- pretty much anything from target or walmart other then newborn onesies.  They are throw away clothes.  I just took all DD's clothes out to get ready for the new baby and all the carter's stuff was either frayed, unravelling at a seam, pilly or had shrunk up so much.  The crazy 8 stuff is just soo thin and I think it shrinks alot.

Under the Nile - love their little kimono tops and the flannel kimono sets.

Kicky Pants - good basics.  They hold up well and are so soft.

Children's place and Gymboree hold up well for play clothes and you can get super sales in store.. 

Kate Quinn - I think she has nice basics.. pricey though

[Lauren82]

Ooooo a girl! :)

We love Hanna Andersson play dresses with leggings or the little diaper covers under them. Some of the brands pp have mentioned such as Tea and Kate Quinn organics can often be found on sale at Zulily.com. They add new sales almost every morning at 9 am EST and the discount is usually quite good. Other brands I see there that are adorable are Baby Nay, Baby Lulu, and Twirls and Twigs. Shipping can take awhile but it's worth it IMHO.

My girls play hard and wear out their clothes so we tend to buy a mix of Hanna Andersson stuff, some Target, some Old Navy. It just depends on what it is.

[CookAMH]

I'm surprised to hear poor reviews of Carters. DS (21 mo) has has those in every size since birth and we've never had an issue.

[Blanca78]

Thank so much for all the suggestions! Someone hold me back--I am quickly reverting to my childhood obsession with dressing my dolls. It was all downhill once I found out it's a girl.

[snguyen]

They are expensive, and I would only buy them for an older girl so they aren't outgrown in 3-6 months, but I LOVE Daily Tea / Tea Collection and Garnet Hill.  However, I never ever buy anything from them full price.  I always wait until clearance sales, and top that off with coupon codes and rebate sites like www.ebates.com or www.shopathome.com.  Google something like "Tea Collection coupons" to find sites with coupon codes that can be entered right before you place your order.  When I combine sales, coupon codes and rebate sites all in the same order, I usually get clothes from them 40-65% off the full retail prices.  Also, look for brands you like on other websites, like children's clothing boutiques (Google the clothing brand) and eBay.  They often have discontinued items or last year's stuff that their own kids never wore for whatever reason, often still new with tags.

Of course I balance out these little splurges with trips to local thrift shops, consignment and garage sales for nearly all the rest of the less dressy wardrobe items I need for DD.  If you go to garage sales in upper-scale neighborhoods, you can find some REALLY nice stuff for great prices, and they are often well taken care of or never even worn.  I've gotten Hanna Andersson and other boutiquey brands for under $4-5.

Another GREAT place to find brand new kids' (and adult) clothes, footwear and outerwear is Sierra Trading Post's website.  I've gotten great stuff there 40-90% off original retail, and they carry all sorts of brands like Merrell, Keen and Columbia.  Sign up for their regular DealFlyer e-mails, and you get great sale and coupon code announcements that slash the prices even further.  I think they are also listed on the rebate site www.shopathome.com so you can use that too sometimes.  If you like, I can send you a link that can get you a $10 discount off your first order.  Just PM me with an e-mail address I can send it to.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by CookAMH 

I'm surprised to hear poor reviews of Carters. DS (21 mo) has has those in every size since birth and we've never had an issue.

I like Carter's too.  I go to this big bin Goodwill outlet store by my house and sift through the infant clothes, which you then buy by the pound for insanely cheap (like you could dress a baby for a year for about $20) and Carters brand are always the softest things in the bin.  I also like that the cotton is thin.  Some may see that as "cheap" or a drawback in some other way but on an infant it's great because the can move so easily and you can layer w/o making them all stiff and stuffed.  

[tabrizia]

As has been commented by others, my favorite clothes for DD are Hanna Andersson.   Seriously about 80% of the clothes she wears are Hanna clothes.  I also like Carters for play clothes that I am not worried about getting dirty and destroyed. There are a ton of other cute cloth choices, but since DD is normally pretty stubborn about only wearing dresses, I love the feel and quality of Hanna, they often have sales as well, so you don't have to pay full price for the outfits, which is always a bonus, since otherwise it can get expensive fast.

[MamaChef]

Oh!  I forgot Shilav!  I have a few pieces I scored at the resale store.  They are a company out of israel, I think..  I love this brand so much.  I have one pair of velvet dungarees that dd has worn a bazillion times but look brand spanking new.  When I buy clothes I definitely think of being able to either resale them or use them for another baby of mine or a friends..

[Blanca78]

Oh, I didn't even think of Sierra Trading Post! I've ordered stuff from them before. I don't think I'm going to buy anything until I see what I get as gifts, but thanks for the offer of the $10 off! I might PM you about it later.

Originally Posted by snguyen 

They are expensive, and I would only buy them for an older girl so they aren't outgrown in 3-6 months, but I LOVE Daily Tea / Tea Collection and Garnet Hill.  However, I never ever buy anything from them full price.  I always wait until clearance sales, and top that off with coupon codes and rebate sites like www.ebates.com or www.shopathome.com.  Google something like "Tea Collection coupons" to find sites with coupon codes that can be entered right before you place your order.  When I combine sales, coupon codes and rebate sites all in the same order, I usually get clothes from them 40-65% off the full retail prices.  Also, look for brands you like on other websites, like children's clothing boutiques (Google the clothing brand) and eBay.  They often have discontinued items or last year's stuff that their own kids never wore for whatever reason, often still new with tags.

Of course I balance out these little splurges with trips to local thrift shops, consignment and garage sales for nearly all the rest of the less dressy wardrobe items I need for DD.  If you go to garage sales in upper-scale neighborhoods, you can find some REALLY nice stuff for great prices, and they are often well taken care of or never even worn.  I've gotten Hanna Andersson and other boutiquey brands for under $4-5.

Another GREAT place to find brand new kids' (and adult) clothes, footwear and outerwear is Sierra Trading Post's website.  I've gotten great stuff there 40-90% off original retail, and they carry all sorts of brands like Merrell, Keen and Columbia.  Sign up for their regular DealFlyer e-mails, and you get great sale and coupon code announcements that slash the prices even further.  I think they are also listed on the rebate site www.shopathome.com so you can use that too sometimes.  If you like, I can send you a link that can get you a $10 discount off your first order.  Just PM me with an e-mail address I can send it to.

[alireb]

We're having a girl this time around and while we got tons of hand me downs from my sister and a friend, we also did buy some stuff.  The brands that I like, based on my experience with DS are:

American Apparel - great for lap tees and pants - sizing can run small but we never had this issue since DS was small

Hanna Anderrson - love their organic zip pjs and their baby pants are also great for cloth diapers

Old Navy - good for a bit more trendy stuff, can get stuff at really good prices, not typical girly

Gap - only buy this on sale since it's pricey

Boden - love this brand!  only buy during preview sale or other sales but quality is awesome

Tea Collection - love the look of this for girls, heard it runs small though and can fade

Carters - good for onsies and basics but not a huge fan since a lot of their girl stuff has words on it like princess and that's NMS

Zutano - this brand runs a bit small and kind of weird on sizing, but I love the colors and patterns so we have 2 newborn outfits from here

Edited by alireb - 2/19/11 at 4:00pm