Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

why are so many clothes for babies miniaturised adult clothes , sorry if done before

84 replies

autumnsmum · 09/01/2011 12:54

hello i have a dd who is 15 months as well as a dd11 and a ds aged 5 , it seems that when i try and buy cheap clothes for my youngest the shops seem to be full of fake uggs , jeggings etc Iknow its not the fifties but I would like to dress my toddler as a toddler, sorry if topic done before Iam fairly new to mumsnet

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 09/01/2011 12:57

I have no idea, but what happened to babies looking like babies?

My kids are 22 and 17, and I never put them in jeans always thinking they were too rigid and uncomfortable.

Yet people do it now put their poor babies in uncomfortable clothes just because it's the fashion.

charliesmommy · 09/01/2011 12:57

because we have a large nation of mothers who think their child is a mini-me extension of themselves and want to dress them in identical clothes...

Megatron · 09/01/2011 13:00

This is something I have a real bug bear about. I cannot stand seeing children, dressed like miniature adults. I've been trying to get some new trousers for DD and all I see in the shop is skinny jeans or trousers. She is 4 years old I do not want her dressed the same as an 18 year old.

borderslass · 09/01/2011 13:02

To get 'proper baby clothes' now you need to go to actual baby shops.
Even DD1 [19] can't stand baby girls dressed as mini-me's.

judgeypantaloons · 09/01/2011 13:10

YANBU

It's really hard to find old-fashioned baby clothes. Affordable clothes for a toddler boy = jeans, rugby shirts, polo shirts etc.

I think it's because they are "outfits" e.g. they are styled so that you wear all items together, meaning that the sellers would like you to do a whole lot less mixing and matching and simply buy a lot more.

In practice, I think most of us still mix and match but there are few options for one-pieces now, despite them being much handier etc. I would love a romper suit for ds but I have noticed that if I take him out in sleepsuits that many people will comment that he is in his pyjamas!

And don't get me started on dd1 and the harlot clothing! Angry

tabulahrasa · 09/01/2011 13:15

but surely jeggings and fake ugg boots are toddler clothes? well they don't suit adults anyway, lol

EricNorthmansMistress · 09/01/2011 13:30

You need to go to boden and pumpkin patch and places that cost £££££££ to buy cute proper toddler clothes. I have a DS so it's easier but I find lots of little girls clothes in cheap shops to be completely naffola.

FabbyChic · 09/01/2011 13:35

My boys did not wear jeans until they reached around 13/14 before that they wore tracksuits for comfort.

EllieDawn · 09/01/2011 13:35

I dress my DD (4 weeks) in jeggings and miniature soft trainers which she got as gifts from people when she was born, I don't see a problem with it. If the clothes are stretchy and comfortable enough so that the baby is happy in them I don't see what business of anyone's it is what I dress her in, we all have different tastes and don't all dress the same ourselves so why should we all dress our babies the same?

MamaVoo · 09/01/2011 13:37

You really do have to shop around if you want to dress your toddler like a toddler. My personal hate is black clothes for babies and small children. Surely they'll spend most of their teenage years wearing black - I know I did.

MamaVoo · 09/01/2011 13:38

I don't think we have a problem with what your daughter wears Ellie, we'd just like to be able to buy different styles of clothes for our own children.

MoonUnitAlpha · 09/01/2011 13:40

Skinny jeans for toddlers are the most ridiculous thing ever. Looks trashy and uncomfortable.

Haribojoe · 09/01/2011 13:42

Totally agree, mine wore/wear babygroes for the first goodness knows how many months of their lives.

DS3 (18 weeks) has worn proper clothes (i.e. tracksuit bottoms and long sleeve t-shirts) twice so far.

If we're having visitors or going out he just wears one of his "nice" babygroes.

mamavoo must admit he has got some black babygroes though, I adore black and just can't resist them Blush

undercovamutha · 09/01/2011 13:52

I do think there are still some cute baby clothes around, although I must admit that my DS (21MO) does wear a lot of jeans. I'm a huge fan of little boys in dungarees - cute!

I think however, its worse for pre-school/infant school children. It seems that as soon as they are out of 2-3yo clothes, its all sparkly tops, glittery mini-dresses and jeggings. Its so hard to get a cute party dress for my 4yo DD without going for something that makes her look as though she's just about to go clubbing!

cunexttuesonline · 09/01/2011 13:58

I dress DS (23mo) in joggers or cotton trousers with elasticated waists and t shirts/jumpers. I hate toddler jeans.

Mamavoo - I really like black toddler clothes!

TheMeow · 09/01/2011 13:58

I agree about the baby jeans, most of the pairs I've seen are horribly stiff and scratch, however I was given some baby jeans as a present when ds was born, they're from the Disney store and they are so soft I'm jealous! I want jeans like that! I've been trying to find some similar in bigger sizes but no luck so far.

Ds's wardrobe is mainly sleepsuits and dungarees though, I love how cute they look!

TrillianAstra · 09/01/2011 14:01

On the other hand if you pick the right things from boden you can dress an adult like a toddler.

KAZAMM · 09/01/2011 14:02

I have an 11 month old DD and for christmas she got a top which had 'Daddy's pretty princess' written on it. Boak! I really can't stand that whole princess and Daddy's girl shite but I do dress her in leggings and long sleeved tops and she's happy.

mutznutz · 09/01/2011 14:03

They're only babies for such a short time. I loved dressing mine in babygrows and similar baby type clothes. There's plenty of time for them to dress like teenagers...when they actually are teenagers.

I was actually shocked the other week when I saw a toddler wearing a pair of jeans that said 'Bitch' across the arse Hmm

purplepidjin · 09/01/2011 14:05

My best mate is pg, and her mum and I are getting round it by making baby clothes! So far I've crocheted a pair of mittens and a kitten hat complete with eara and tail, and am working on a bunch of granny squares to which I will attach some form of stuffed toy animal as a "buddy blanket". Mate is planning to learn to knit under mum's tutelage to make a cot blanket, and I will start on clothes etc once we know the sex and she decides what kind of thing she likes Smile

It helps that I make adaptive clothes for SN kids as a sideline, though, and have some experience.

Oh, and when it comes to matching clothes, does nobody remember the hideous Liberty print and Laura Ashley frocks from the early 80's?? Shock

sungirltan · 09/01/2011 14:14

(makes self comfy on the thread - this is a pet peeve)

mutznutz - !! thats just horrid :-(

op - yanbu. jeggings on kids are tacky and naff. fake uggs on pre walkers i suppose dont matter but fake uggs on walking children make me cross. delicate baby/toddler feet should be in properly fitted shoes. actually i hate seeing fake uggs on all children when you can see them worn down on one side - so bad for developing feet.

i dont like adult clothes for babies. i think they look tacky at the very least. i put dd in all in ones when she was tiny - vertbaudet do lots of pretty, cheap ones. now she is bigger (15 months) i dress her in age appropriate pinafores (still hard to find) and long sleeved vest and hard wearing trousers for nursery. i dont even like jeans on babies but i have caved and bought some for nursery because dd is a bum shuffler and has worn bald patches on the bum of her cords!

i avoid branded items too - dd is not free advertising space.

Beveridge · 09/01/2011 14:15

When DD was getting her first jabs, the nurse told me how nice and unusual it was to see a baby in a babygro these days! I purposely always put her in them for trips to the GP, HV ,etc. as 'proper' outfits were always such a faff to take off and put on.

I am surprised when I see how 'mini-me'some outfits are and I have seen some I would definitely never buy as they just look too adult.However, I am glad leggings are in for example as they are quite practical.

I'm also glad that baby/toddler clothes for girls come in colours other than varying shades of marshmallow - I'm sooooooo sick of pink!

I also like spangly on DD for party frocks!Blush

And why can't you buy woolly hats or cardigans for wee ones in shops? I only seem to see fleece ones that don't really stretch.

mincenmash · 09/01/2011 14:21

This has bugged me since having my first child. The amount of times i see kids dressed same as their mothers and I just think it looks naff.
I remember a friend of my child , who was only 2 at time, wearing a mini leather skirt and I just thought it was way too grown up. I think M&S are quite good for not being too "grown up" but can a bit twee.
Mamavoo - I've not been a fan of black clothes on babies and young kids either.

sungirltan · 09/01/2011 14:30

i saw a little girl in the docs the other day. must have been between 18m and 2. wearing a black shiny puffa jacket with gold writing all over it. weather appropriate to be fair but she could barely move her arms in it! tht and she looked like a baby gangster

TabithaTwitchet · 09/01/2011 14:33

DD (3) got her first ever pair of jeans for Christmas, and I think they make her look far too grown up. Actually she doesn't like them either, I think they are too stiff. Plenty of time for her to wear jeans for the rest of her life anyway, this is the time when she should be wearing fun, bright colours and patterns, and clothes should be all about comfort!

I try very hard to dress DD age appropriately, and it does annoy me when I have to spend ages trawling the shops, and spend more in order to do so.