Baby clothes! What do you like/dislike?

[Flowermum]

I'm slowly but surely setting up my own business selling baby clothes and accessories.

I have gotten a couple of orders from overseas but was wondering, does anyone know of any companies in the UK or Ireland that makes their own clothes?

Or what clothes did you buy/receive that were different from your usual run of the mill pinks and blues?

Any suggestions welcome!!!

Brightly coloured clothes that aren't just pink/blue/neutral.

Soft, but thick (i.e. hardwearing) fabrics.

Clothes that did up at the back or that you had to put on over the head (just had buttons at the neck) were a pain for newborns.

Pictures on clothes - but not logos or writing. I don't like my ds advertising a child's programme/toy, but do like non-specific pictures of cars (for example).

For older (crawlers/toddlers) dungarees good, especially in thick fabrics like cord or denim.

Soft denim trousers (had a problem getting these as most the ones I find in this country are too stiff or very thin).

Soft and very stretchy waisted trousers, especially for toddlers (again I've had a problem finding these, my ds has a swollen/sore tummy a lot, and most rub cos of buttons, and rough elastic).

ooh and cardigans for lo's - had to get someone to knit them for me in the end.

and just more gender neutral clothes in all.

My preferences are similar to a lot of others on here:

• colourful clothes that are not the standard pink/lilac/blue -I like deep reds, deep orange, greens (DD had some beautiful olive green clothes from France. Sounds gross but they weren't, we got loads of positive comments and they brought out the green in her eyes )

• stripes (classic Bretton? stripes but in traditional and non-traditional colours)

• thick, cotton, simple separates for babies (simple trusers and long-sleeved tops in bold colours or stripes -not pastels)

-no logos or slogans

I don't understand some bold green orange stripe colours on babies. But mine were all light skinned, blue eyed and I just love blue on boys and pinks and lilacs on girls, what exactly is wrong with that?

Ds1 likes orange and red, and I haven't just dressed him in blue, but I just love light blue denim jeans with a coloured long sleeve top, he did wear a bit of orange as a toddler.

Ds2 is ginger, so he looks great in light blue, and I have succumbed to beige and browns.

But dds are very girly, and just love pinks and lilacs, or light blue, creams etc. Hate bold primary colours on my girls. Just love pink pink pink!!! LOL

There's nothing wrong with the colours you like MM, I'm just not keen on them myself and they do seem to dominate in the shops. My ds is dark-ish skinned with dark hair and dark green eyes, and although he looks ok in most things except yellow or sludge green, he really shines in more unusual colours.

I also like adjustable clothes, especially for toddlers. The adjustable elastic on the waistband of Pumpkin Patch trousers is a little fiddly but very useful. Although I think it would be better to have an adjustable tab on the outside of the waistband, eg a strap through a loop and back on itself with velcro.

I had a great pair of trousers from Vertbaudet that had adjustable legs, you could roll up the bottom and secure it with a velcroed tab. And I think that all trousers should be nicely finished on the inside at the bottom of the legs, perhaps with a nice contrast material, as I always have to roll the bottoms up a bit.

was given some french kimono style vests in a lovely rib cotton - gorgeous yellow, pale green and were so comfy and practical for a newborn.
i love brights, polonecks (yes even on babies!) with cord dungarees, really old fashioned smock style dresses in velvet & velour for winter, and same in pretty prints for summer - this summer made a party dress from a 40's pattern in strawberry print cotton with red ribbon piping and had so many positive comments.

oh and really love warm cotton or velour trousers with feet for pre-walkers - avoids endless sock fiddling

dungarees, essential for cotton bottomed babes.

natural colours, less of the garish stuff or endless pastels.

i'm loving ds's lambskin bootees as he wears them inside and out instead of socks and shoes and they're very snuggly and tie on so don't fall off. he grins like mad when they go on his feet.

nice hats.... knitted wooly ones are gorge

dresses with matching knickers for girls, i can never resist!

Oh and trousers that go over real nappies (reason why tights won't fit under trousers too)

My children all had traditional matinee jacket style cardigans that flare out at the bottom and sleeves so they are easy to put on. They don't seem to exist now. They also had flannelette nighties with a drawstring at the bottom as newborns- so much easier to change nappies in the night than unpoppering a suit.

I must agree on colours. I hate pink and blue with a passion, and pale green and pale yellow never suited any of mine. Surely there are more colours available?

love:

dungarees and shirts
travel sleeping bags like these but at £29 ds only has 2 which were bought him as presents
red
the whole blue and white stripes sailor thing
shoes to keep socks on. the only socks i can get to stay on ds' feet are gap ones!!
on ds i love knitted v-neck cardigans. i don't think i've seen them in a shop ever but mums friend loves knitting ds stuff so i go to her every so often with my "shopping list."
also love corderouy (sp?) on my ds.
fleecy or velour babygros

hate:

babygros which do up at the back
babygros with hoods
matinee jackets because they only have buttons right at the top
those tshirts that look like you have a short sleeved top over a long sleeved top
fleecy clothes cos they go all bobbly EXCEPT for babygros

love

those velour all in ones for daytime, no messing about with tops and trousers or socks. Asda do lovely ones. Those snowsuits with a double zip and a little fol at the top so zips don't scratch their chin.

Hate buttons/poppers up the back of tops too.

I crotchet my own buggy/moses basket/cot blankets.
Its just a case of crotching a square then keep going round and round until they are big enough for what you need.