Shopping for Unborn Daughters
Clothes. I love clothes. I always have and always will and spend far too much money I don’t have on clothes. Clothes, clothes and mas clothes. I’ve obviously cut down on shopping-spree madness since becoming a mother — only because frankly, I’d rather spend my clothes allowance on Archer’s tees and pants outfits for whatever reason. The kid has style with or without the clothes on his back but it’s sort of become a hobby of mine: picking out his clothes, planning for outfits daily. I do the same for myself and always have. In fact, when Hal and I first started dating he walked into my bedroom and gasped at my dozen or so outfits hanging around the room complete with shoes.
“Hi. Uh… You’re weird.”
“HI. Uh. Please still like me?”
For years I’d been planning out my outfits a week in advance, then hanging
them variously around my room with post-its, which, yes, I realize is
kind of embarrassing and odd. I think was especially weird for dudes who slept beside me in the darkness only to wake up booby-trapped with sundresses and scarves come morning.
I have done the same for Archer pretty much since he was born– planning and folding the week’s outfits neatly on his dresser. Because like Hal said/says, I’m weird. And also, and more simply, I’m easily amused by such things.
Yesterday, after finding out we were indeed pregnant with a little girl (yay!), I went straight to my local boutique to buy my unborn daughter a present.
This is what I bought her:
It was far too expensive for what it is but far too adorable not to buy. I fell in love with it and had to make it mine hers, even though she won’t be able to wear it until the summer of 2010, which is like, yeah, long far away. There were ten plus other gorgeous dresses/jumpers that I fell totally in love with, all stuff I would totally wear myself had it been in my size. Dresses that would look adorable over leggings, with pockets to die, and jumpers made with vintage fabric from my OWN childhood. And OY VEY the pricetags. We’re talking dresses for two-hundred bucks n shit. I need to start shopping in a new neighborhood me thinks.
I put everything back except for the green duck dress which I paid for with my eyes closed and then promptly came home to hang it on the wall. And then I called Hal and asked him to pick up a few lottery tickets on his way home, because, um, yeah.
If anyone else has any get-rich-quick ideas, please let me know. I have a feeling this daughter business is going to break my bank, because, people? I have no fucking restraint when it comes to clothes. Green duck dresses might just be the end of me.
Oh, Lord, give me less expensive taste strength.
***
Shoplift while they’re young. Those tiny ass little dresses. Easy.
Learn to sew! Fabric and patterns are much cheaper and much more satisfying than clothes worth hundreds of dollars. Kids are easy to sew for, too – straight up and down, no curves.
OMG – I’m droooooooling over that dress (and would have grabbed it also). My first indulgence for Bumper was a knit stripped dress with matching tights in the coolest 70s colour ever, quickly followed by the coolest corduroy jumper with big-eye animals appliqués. It’s like having a real live barbie sometimes (big sigh). I will never point and accuse GGC because I so get this – so totally get this.
I spend disgusting amounts of money on my daughters clothes. Meanwhile I’m in leggings from three years ago and tank tops from the clearance rank but WHO CARES!
I’ve been dying to take a sewing class and maybe this summer the time has come. Boys clothes aren’t so sewable. Jeans and tees seem like they would be far too complicated for me but little sundresses? Seems like I might be able to pull it off.
I would much rather make my own clothes. Good call, Amanda! Way more special that way anyway. And uh, yeah, CHEAPER! Hee.
Oh how I love the boys. But the girls have clothes!!!! I’m all into the cute little stuff girls wear. You are so lucky!!!! congrats on finding out!!!!
Good gosh, who’s blog was it then where they already found out they were having a girl and already posted a picture of the first little dress purchased? I’m losing it. I thought it was you.
Congratulations on your girl!
Congrats on your little girl! The dress *is* adorable but what if she doesn’t like dressed? I *hated* dresses ever since I was born; even now, I rarely wear them. =P
Since you live in Tinsel Town, check out Goodwill stores or consignment stores where I’m sure there will be gorgeous name-brand clothes just as stylish as the ones you saw at full-price. That would save you money immediately rather than taking a 4 trillion in 1 chance of winning the lottery.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9511599
This is the cutest dress. Have you checked out designmom.com. Always links to cute kids clothing. Not to fuel your fire or anything….
I can’t believe that dress. Beautiful.
I, too, love spending my clothing $ on my son’s clothes instead of mine. But now he is at the age where he thinks it’s okay to have his own opinion & will promptly pick out the most ugly thing he owns (usually from a grandparent) & insists on wearing it.
Even for boy clothes- buy jeans and tees, and learn how to applique designs on them- you will have totally unique custom clothes that look like they came from a boutique, but WAY cheaper, and any mistakes just add that “handmade charm”- at least, that is what I tell myself. Fast, too. I totally agree- learn to sew a tiny bit and you will be a happy camper.
While I am all for the learning to sew idea – be forewarned!! It is not necessarily cheaper. You start by innocently buying fun fabrics you think “Oh I will make that into a jumper or pants or pillows” and the next thing you know you are in these fabric stores finding all the funky fabric for $40 a yard and you have closets full of fabric that are never going to be clothing unless you start draping yourself and others in it toga style and make your own avant guarde look. But love the dress. And I find your planning ahead of your wardrobe both fascinating and horrifying all at the same time.
My mother sewed most of my clothes as a girl and I was better dressed then than now.
My friend Nancy who is the most superfreak of the freaks I know has always hung her outfits for an entire week around her room! Her house is like the funhouse at the fair and I’m NOT kidding.
Congrats on the girl, how does Archer feel about all of this? Does he understand it all yet? Just curious…
i am so happy you are having a girl! everyone we know has had boys… i often imagine just how deep our debt would go should gus have been born with a vagina…. the possibilities of hair bows, shoes, tights, skirts, dresses…ahh. have fun!
Yay, a girl! Congratulations. Have you seen http://www.knuckleheadsclothing.com for boys? Or http://www.wonderboyclothing.com? Really fun stuff for boys.
I have the same problem with my love of clothing and the little girl’s stuff I always really love is just way too expensive. I try to shop clearance sales at my favorite online boutiques.
Dresses are my weakness but at this age- 16 mos- she is falling down so frequently as she tries to run that it isn’t worth her knees to put her in dresses.
Would love to learn to sew but where would I really find the time for it?
Shop etsy for unique, hand-made stuff that won’t break the bank, and for other kid stores online go through ebates (which has coupons and offers rebates on your purchases – they have double rebate days, too).
I was never into clothing until I had a kid. I love shopping for Jack and still hate shopping for myself.
I will 2nd Etsy for super cute handmade stuff and it’s generally much more affordable than the boutiques and you don’t see every other kid in the neighborhood with the same thing on. Plus, lots of the Etsy shop owners are other Mom’s/women and it’s nice to support them. Besides having my own etsy shop I try to buy there as much as possible.
Yeah. You guys are right about Etsy. Good call. And also sewing? Yeah– that’s one of the reasons I haven’t started. I would spend a fortune on fabric and it would sit in a closet somewhere, most likely.
Also, Tracey– Archer does know a baby is coming. He knows he’s having a shister and he says hi to the baby and kisses my belly SOMETIMES… Other times he pulls my shirt down and says “no baby!” So I think he kind of gets it but not entirely. I don’t know he knows that one day baby will leave my belly. I’m working on that
I’m all about Ebay. My little girl is 10 months old and her closet is much fuller than mine.
Does anyone have any etsy rec’s for great designers? I’d love you to post what you have!!! Thanks, all!
Congratulations on the new dress and the baby too! Um, speaking as a boy, the whole outfits and post-its is very funny and only slightly creepy. We all have our idiosyncrasies, I know I do. They just don’t happen to be hanging up all over the room.
I have a friend who told me about her 1 1/2 year old’s closet and how many outfits he has never worn and never will be able to, because he has already outgrown them. Lucky for me, she has great taste in clothes and gave my son a few of them. I am sort of the garanimals type of dad–it doesn’t matter what you buy because all of the pieces sort of go together and I don’t have to really think about color coordination. I suppose if I had a daughter I would feel compelled to put a little more imagination into it, though it certainly doesn’t come easy to me. In any case your sense of humor is great, I love reading your blog.
Hm. When my arrow is over the picture, it says “F’s first dress from Flickr.”
F? As in…Florence? February? Fanny? Fergie? Frenchie? Or just Female GGC Babe? I know you’re not going to tell (the best policy, in my book) just wanted you to know there’s a hint here…
Yes, her name does start with an F. That is all I’m going to say. And thanks so much for reading, Fosters! Yeah, boys are totally fun to dress and I’m in hog heaven with Archer for sure but as someone who’s obsessed with layering and dresses and prints and hats and all things accessory, I’m completely going nuts with all the OPTIONS girls have in terms of (our) wardrobe. My second favorite thing about being a woman is fashion. (First being a mother, of course.)
Girls are trouble. I spend a fortune dressing mine. Good luck! I looove the dress you bought for her!
OK, I’m so jealous. I ordered that dress for my daughter and then the website emailed to say they were out of the size 4. I searched all over and could not find a size 4, so she didn’t get it. BOO HOO!
A few other places I love:
http://www.girlcharlee.com/
Etsy shops:
My experience with Etsy has been that you get what you pay for.
WARING: Whoever said to try Etsy for inexpensive didn’t visit these shops!
CourtneyCourtney – cute recycled dresses/boy tees and screenprinting stuff
pinkroses1220 – OMG the jackets!!
Prettyme – the fabrics, the dresses, too cute!
Little Duckies
Tiny Modernist
Bella Sera baby
byrdie clothing – TOO CUTE!
Little Girl Pearl
OK, I’m stopping there. I could go on and on forever. I have b/g twins and my daughter’s clothes definitely take up 2/3 of the closet. My son has the best tees, which I do spend a fortune on. Because seriously, how can I pass up the “Sister For Sale $1.00 Negotiable” even if it cost $30???
You’re doomed and I mean that in a good way.
I always tell my husband we are saving a fortune on clothing and hair accessories by having boys. Love the dress! Consignment stores are great places to shop too-online hard to know how soft something is going to feel. Congrats on the girl!
This is my favorite seller on etsy….such cute girly things!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=82327
WOW, that dress is adorable!! Good thing I ended up with two boys.
Etsy has some awesome awesome girl clothes – right up your alley – and if you like sewing, girl clothes are SOOO easy!!!
Gorgeous dress- I would do the same thing!! Buying way too large clothes before the birth is right up my alley!
Let the shopping begin! It is so much fun…and I really wish many of these clothes came with matching mama dresses (yeah, that doesnt SOUND cool, but it totally would be!) I found this shop yesterday looking for something for my little girl, totally reasonably priced (I love the owls and dandeloin patterns!):
EarthGroovz.etsy.com
Also, if you’ve got beaucoup money to burn, or just want to look at amazing baby clothes eye candy (and they DO make mama sized clothes!) check out Matilda Jane:
http://www.matildajaneclothing.com/
Happy Shopping!~
Heather
The most cost effective way to have the cutest most fashionable clothes for your little one: open your own boutique! I seriously debated doing this – still am- and have received wholesale pricing etc from all my favorite kids designers. Wholesale prices are very affordable not to mention all the fun you have picking fashion lines and designing your store. Now if I could just figure out where to open it…..
All these people saying “oh no, but sewing takes TIME!” Of COURSE it does. But what a skill to have! When you learn to sew, you just get better and better over time, and it’s so satisfying. I loved the clothes my mum made me better than ANYTHING else I owned – they were always unique and stylish and I still love making my own (simple) pieces. You’ll be pregnant, and babyful, and have some time, right? A sewing class once a week would be such a terrific hobby. I took one and never looked back. Bugger paying hundreds of dollars for outfits that kids will just grow out of! The answer to closets full of fabric?? USE IT UP!!!
Sheesh. And good luck
Congratulations! And ohhhhh the girl stuff….. It’s just so much fun to buy. I second the sewing thing. One really great way to get started is to find one or two easy patterns (they usually say if they are easy ones) that you like and then use them over and over with different fabrics until you are more confident in sewing. I’m a big sewer and I still do that. My daughter has about five dresses from one pattern but I change out fabrics and trim and buttons and they look nothing alike. Plus, little girl dresses need very little fabric so you can splurge on that expensive fabric now and then.
have fun shopping!
Check out http://www.babywit.com They have some of the cutest shift dresses in prints like old school tattoo and sugar skulls. They are handmade in Portland, OR. I bought some for my little girl and they are adorable!
I started buying more clothes when I was pregnant with my second daughter. I my head I would split the price in half. My oldest refused to wear dresses until she was 4. My 2nd wants to wear dresses like her sister so I have to buy her some! I think it is ok to spend on a few items, just try to get hand-me downs for the first 2 years, those clothes are still in good condition unlike 3 yo clothes. Dresses can be worned year-round even where I live (Canada) and they are outgrown more slowly. I bought dresses from Etsy: Harmony Wear and Une Petite Étoile, and also from Huset.com… silke and suuse… and Katvig dresses… sigh…
WEll, the good thing is you can spend less on you now because NO ONE will look past a cute little girl, especially a cute little girl PLUS your already adorable Archer.
Of course, after a few years, she will insist on choosing her own outfits. You know that, right? Mine dresses herself now, though I still buy the clothes. There are always a few cute things she just. won’t. wear.
Congrats on the GIRL.
Adorable dress. We have designer consignment shops and many have a baby section- bet you would do well even in the thrift stores in your area! I also seemed to get great girl clothes at Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Ross- that lasted longer than Target’s stuff and was about the same price..but my friends swear by Ebay.. I love to shop too much to buy a picture.
I bought my daughter tonnes of cute baby dresses the minute she was born. And now? At 10.5 months of age she can’t wear any of them becuase they get stuck under her knees when she crawls, and she cries!
However, I still have a stack of supercute toddler dresses in the closet for her!
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Don’t go crazy on the little matchy-matchy outfits w/ accessories.. I have a friend w/ 2 girls and I swear she’s drowning in a sea of hot pink and glitter.
You should check this awesome shop on ETSY it is called ,Rockerbaby, just amazing