Best way to buy baby clothes...

[Rkbump]

I am so desperate to buy bits and bobs now I am 21 weeks but I am struggling. A lot of things seems to be gender specific. What shall I do- buy some for both a boy and a girl? Mothercare only has a few things - has anyone found a better selection of unisex clothes?
Or shall I just wait until its born...

Get a couple of neutral things now (will also work for subsequent children) - one or two cute newborn outfits and several packs of vests and sleep suits and then wait till it's born. Trust me, going out and buying something will be an adventure and will cheer you up when you need it. Unless you're someone who us going to snap back into shape, you won't be enthused by shopping for yourself for a while. And don't get loads of the newborn stuff, it'll be in 0-3 really quickly!

I presume you aren't finding out the gender? I only ask as we did find out, partly because we were extremely short for cash & I didn't want to be unable to buy appropriate clothes when I saw them cheap. I got some lovely clothes in second hand shops, barely worn. Some were neutral but a lot these days is very gendered. If you are worried you can go for pale blue & get some pink things after the birth if it's a girl? DD had lots of baby blue stuff & no-one ever called her a boy.

I've found the same thing and have just bought enough neutral bits to start with - you can always get more later and you'll probably be given lots of things once baby arrives! Vests, babygrows and cardigans are all you really need to begin with anyway - I got plain white vests as they just go under babygrows, neutral babygrows mainly from tesco/asda/matalan (multipacks) and a couple of cardigans. My MIL has also knitted us a load of gorgeous cardis in lemon/pale green/cream/beige :)

I got some purple, green, orange and black long-sleeved 'bodies' in H&M. I also got some stripy tops etc.
I didn't find out the gender ahead of time, and if people were buying things, asked them to go for neutral stuff; grey, beige, yellow.
I found it very frustrating (and still do ) to see such a plethora of 'blue for boys and pink for girls' everywhere.

If you don't mind pre-worn clothes then see if there are any NCT sales coming up on your area - you should be able to pick up some real bargains.

We don't know what we're having, I have scoured eBay and bought a few bundles of unisex stuff. (27 weeks)

Slightly by accident I've now got 20 newborn sleepsuits! In various colours/patterns and lots of white and pale blue vests from a friend. Hoping I don't have a 10lb monster or we'll be stuck

Not planning on putting the baby in anything but sleepsuits for the first few weeks, so will then start eBaying for bigger sizes, though probably still not gender specific. I'll leave that stuff to all the excited relatives to provide!

Boots, Next and H&M do so good bright unisex baby stuff, but you'll probably find it in the boy's section.

John Lewis do some great bright coloured sleepsuits. Polarn o Pyret also do some fantastic bright coloured neutral clothes. I basically shop in these two places almost exclusively (with a bit of baby gap) and buy things for my son that I would def use again for a girl. But then I am not at all
A fan of pastels !!

Retro 20 sleepsuits is not really that excessive.

YY to John Lewis and a Polarn o Pyret. £££ (especially PoP) but superb quality and will likely look like new for a second baby.

Agreed not cheap but also agree that they look as new (the sizes I have packed away). Given how far gone you are, wait around for sales for bulk of stuff maybe? There are usually discounts running up to christmas too.

www.pumpkinpatch.co.uk/baby/newborn/

Pumpkin Patch are good quality and usually have gender neutral baby items.
H&M are good. Gap used to be good but when I looked recently they didn't have many "baby" clothes iyswim and went almost straight to outfits.

I used loads of vests from Sainsburys - lasted well.

John Lewis basics were excellent.

Ooh thank you, you are all naming companies i haven't heard of so now on their sites having a browse!
It makes me wish we knew what we are having when I look at clothes,the rest of the time I love the idea of a surprise. Never used to understand why someone would find out but I definitely get it now!

I am really not keen on all the white things as my nephew used to look mega cute in bright colours!

I know what you mean - those whites and pastels stain too - although easier to wash altogether.

Some suggestions on this old thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/clothes_and_shoes_chat/871559-Funky-Bright-Baby-Clothes

www.bright-baby.com/home/babygrows

Now, these are bright

If you are up for a bit of craft - I bought lots of white baby grows and some dylon machine dyes and tie dyed some. You just put elastic bands all over the baby grow and chuck them in the machine with the dye.

I did some grey (not all tie dye, some just fully grey) and they look quite cool - neutral but not yellow or white :)

Oh my word jenni that is the coolest idea ever :D

People thought I was having a boy as I bought lots of dinosaur suits and other multicoloured outfits at a second-hand sale. I don't think it matters what colour a baby wears but my husband likes dinosaurs and they were cute! If I have a girl I know lots of people will buy girly stuff but I'm not too bothered myself.

If you're very keen to buy stuff now I'd recommend getting along to one of the big supermarkets with a baby section eg Tesco, Asda.

Just buy packs of vests & sleep suits, they do lots of unisex stuff.

For the first 4 months or so I just dressed my LO in coloured sleep suits during the day.

I didn't go for actual outfits with shoes etc until nearer 6 months, unless friends/family bought outfits, which they did in their droves!

For the first few months all you need are vests & sleep suits regardless of gender. Unless you want them in jeans & shirts etc from early on.

There is so much gender clothing in the shops now...blue for boys, pink for girls, I find it really boring & unimaginative.

If I ever have a girl in the future I think I will actively ask people not to buy any pink stuff...cannot stand it!

We got lots of neutral babygro's from Next, there's some lovely animal ones. Tesco have yellow vests etc. it was easier than I thought. I do resent everything being either blue or pink.

NExt Unisex stuff