There are certain pieces from particular brands that I buy for Mabel in every increasing age range, and have done pretty much since she was a baby.
I’m firmly in the “value” camp and also if it ain’t broke then well….why risk trying something that might not wash as well/be fit for purpose?
Favourite Knitwear
I have bought the Marks and Spencer Pure Cotton Cardigan since Mabel was a newborn, amazing quality as well as a cute design and always looks like new even after multiple spin cycles. I have pink but will probably invest in the navy for winter.
Basic Tops
I have always bought the multipack of jersey tops from the “concious” range by H&M, I’ve obviously bought other brands, but these are definitely the best value for money. The fabric is so soft, and they haven’t faded, frayed or changed shape considering Mabel wears these on an almost continuous rotation for nursery.
They are available for 1 to 10 years olds and also in a bodysuit style for 1 month to 3 years.
Sleepwear
When Mabel was a baby my favourite sleep suits were the multi-packs from John Lewis, now she’s older I have moved onto the John Lewis brand 2 pack top and bottoms which come in a variety of colours and prints. They seem to come up that bit loser around the waist which I think is more comfortable for sleep.
Underwear
Since Mabel was potty trained about a year ago we’ve tried a variety of knicker brands, it’s only been Next briefs that’s she’s found comfortable and prevents her from shoving her hands down her trousers to ahem “re-adjust”. She actually requests the hipster design with an elasticated waist every morning, so in future I’m just going to continue to purchase this style.
What clothing do you buy on repeat? I’m currently on the hunt for some tights, the brand I normally buy only go up to age 3 in the type I liked so I’m at a loss what to try next.
Excellent timing as I’m picking up some AW basics for E.
I’m also always seeking out tights. They’re often either too scratchy, bobble too easily or have mad sizing, but I’ve found that Next seem to come out on top.
One thing I think I’ll come back to for a good while are the H&M rubber boots. They’re basically a shorter, comfier, more practical, cuter version of a welly, meaning E can run around in the rain (& jump in muddy puddles) without clunking around too much. Mostly she just likes to wear them when it’s neither muddy or raining. She loves them! I’ve gone so far as buying bigger sizes in the sale of her favourite grey stripe pair which are tucked away in the wardrobe.
http://m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/productpage.0533642001.html#Powder pink
This M&S cardi’s are such a good shout too. It’s a lot more difficult than it needs to be to find a decent kids cardigan than isn’t full of unnecessary applique or other such added bits.
JoJo for tights. Always. Never bobble. More expensive but you can pick the colours and they’re thick and wash well.
Next tights are thin. M & S are itchy. Gap have weird bears on the bottom.
Ooh Karen thanks for the boots tip! Love this. Mabel actually finds wellies quite difficult to walk in – she falls over a lot. Going to check these out immediately!. Also I’ve never tried the Next tights (pretty sure I haven’t anyway) so I’ll take a look x
Oh Mabel will love the boots then if she’s not great with wellies. It was actually Phirefly Pip who got us onto them and we’ve never looked back. x
I absolutely swear by Marks and Spencer’s sleepsuits! They wash and wear so so well. Going to be gutted when my little boy moves out of sleepsuits 😞
I was gutted when Mabel grew out of them too Gracie, and her grow bag 🙁
I can’t even think about what we’re going to after grow bags. Luckily he’s only just turned one so I’m hoping I have another year before I have to face that reality 😬
Mabel was in them until she was almost three, she loved her grow bag!
I’ll keep this brief
(1) Sainsbury’s sleepsuits for long tall babies
(2) M & S pants
(3) Gap cotton PJs as they’re the only ones without that awful hareem elasticated bit at the bottom
Help me:
Am in the market for decent legging brands. I did like Next but since potty training I find them too big on the bottom even if I size down – although the £3 price tag doesn’t hurt. The luxury brands like Blade and Rose wash appaulingly (my little boy is 10 months and still in 3-6 month stuff so we’ve had A LOT of wear but still, no reason for an elasticated waist to just stop working)
Brand rant:
Have become very irritated with H & M recently and am taking the whole debacle personally. They’ve stopped doing their single bodysuits and started doing them in packs of two. Obviously one of the colours is rank so it’s preventing me bulk buying them in Navy. Now I have a son who needs head to toe blues (Makes his eyes pop like, wow) it’s stressing.me.out. Need them singularly. M & S bought one out but it had poppers along the tummy line. Random and stupid.
Loved Zara for leggings for my boy which he wore to death.
Next boys sweatshirt hoodies in a selection on colours for my two year old girl for nursery. She can take them off herself and they are nice and warm. Boys ones are better colours. Next pjyamas as they do dinosaurs for girls, loving that they are not all pink and flowery!
Sweatshirt hoodies are a good shout for nursery Clare, I’ll have a look for Mabel for winter x
I love the Next hoodies too. They are really nice quality. Also i agree re: the legging comment about them being too big in the waist! Huge for my skinny minny but if i size down they are too short!
I normally stick with Next and M&S. But recently had a few good tops from Verbaudet. Really reasonable and nice quality.
I’ll definitely be purchasing the M&S cardigan now, and Karen’s H&M boots look very appealing too!
Staple buys for us have always been:
Gap for pyjamas and jeggings (and their fab discount codes if you’re on their mailing list);
Next for socks and tights;
Zara for jeans.
M&S was always my favourite for baby vests and sleepsuits, but we’re past that stage now. Also, in the summertime, a pair of Clarks Doodles is an essential – they’re nice and light and most styles can go in the washing machine – as well as Primark’s £1.40 t-shirts, which can get ruined with suncream, ice cream, etc and you don’t have to care! x
Second Primark Ts. Only the white ones mind as the others come with those awful slogans ‘my other car is a pumpkin carriage’ and ‘Daddy loves me’ etc etc *voms*
Ugh I’m so glad I’m not the only slogan hater! Boys ones just as bad.
I forget about Primark Tracy, yet I’ve had some good/bargain bits from there in the past x
Yes to Doodles! And yes… buy the boots buy the boots! x
My mum has bought some leggings, bodysuits and long sleeve tops from the lupilu range at Lidl (their own brand organic baby clothes range). I don’t have a Lidl near me but my gosh it is amazing! Wash better than anything else we’ve bought on the high street and in lovely designs. Super cheap as well- obviously not reliable enough to buy each season but who doesn’t love a rummage in the central aisle bins!
Ooh! I didn’t even know Lidl did baby clothes (we don’t have one near me). My sister gets loads of bargains from there in general and has just had a baby so will have to let her know x
Thank you for the John Lewis tip. My little girl has a err…..big belly 😉
Victoria, err…….so does Mabel 😊
Charlotte you are a life saver, the Next hipster knickers are amazing!! Why have I never thought to look at Next for underwear??
I have been buying Gap hipster knickers which are £25! She hates ‘normal’ knickers (she is forever rearranging then and they make her sore) so much I just closed my eyes when I paid for them – haha!!
Pleasure Jills, they are brilliant, and Mabel has the same problem. I bought some from Zara and they were so skimpy, I’ve since thrown them in the bin and they just kept riding up and making her sore too x
I second Lidl – their cotton range is fab! And I’ve also repeat bought the same M&S cardi for the boy since birth. Generally love M&S and H&M.
I’ll be gutted when he’s outgrown sleepsuits, they’re so much easier than pjs! I also love that they do nice boy stuff that’s not always blue or covered in cars.
Sainsbury’s harem style trews for girls- my cherub has chunky thighs and all leggings look like arm sleeve width to me! Forever searching for bottoms for her that don’t fit like a wet suit. LOVE these monochrome bad boys- go From 9 months to 6 years https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/p/Charcoal-Cool-Kitten-Harem-Trousers-%289-months—6-years%29/131322747-Charcoal
I have this problem! My little girl has a belly and a bottom and chubby thighs! (Takes after her mum!) I’ve found matalan, mothercare and Morrison’s not too bad.
I love the Next Snuggle fit pyjamas for my 4 yr old boy, been buying them since he was about 18 months. They wash really well, I only replace them out when they have been out grown and are super cosy and comfy. Lots of fun designs that come in multi packs that can be mixed and matched. Think they only size up to 4-5 years so this will be my last yr of using them. Gutted that my boys will soon be out of the younger boys ranges in all clothing (they usually go up to 5yrs). Younger boys stuff is much brighter with cuter prints.
Also H&M for basics here – their jersey treggings. They’re fantastic; they wash well, comfortable fit, don’t fall down, and MOST IMPORTANTLY (for my 4yo anyway) is that they’re not ‘stiff’ like normal trousers (which she won’t wear). She lives in regular leggings when it’s warmer but in the winter I want her in something more substantial and these definitely fit the bill. I’m a big fan of the floral ones.
I bought a few pairs of the lightweight cotton trousers for summer from H&M Sara, they are amazing! and have such lovely prints x
Marvelous stuff, thanks for all the suggestions! Sainsbury’s sleepsuits for us, and long sleeve t-shirts are pretty good too along with H&M, H&M for sweaters and cardigans (although I replace them regularly as they do tend to look a bit rubbish after a few washes annoyingly, but for the price I don’t mind), and trusty Zara for dresses and jeans. I have to say for tights I tend to buy rubbish H&M ones for nursery, but I have to say the best are Petit Bateau if you don’t wince too much at the price. They wash wonderfully, are very stretchy so last a long time, and are in great vibrant colours. Caramel also do lovely tights but I only get those if my mother is paying :). And socks from Gap seem to stay on pretty well with good grippy bits on the bottom. One thing I have been searching for high and low this summer are knickers to cover nappies. I cannot STAND frilly things that everywhere seems to stock, and I don’t necessarily want to buy the dresses that come with knickers, or spend a small fortune in the small fancy shops that sell lovely plain ones (hello £30-odd at Caramel for one pair?!). Finally succumbed to buying Petit Bateau pants in a size 3 (for my almost 2 year old) and they work reasonably well, not complete nappy coverage but pretty good.
Zara leggings for boys! My two (17m and 3.4yrs) are long legged and skinny and, while these are always a bit loose in the actual age size, they get a long wear out of them plus they wash beautifully. Great patterns too. Best cardis for boys anyone? Not that it has to be boy specific, will be checking out the M&S one that Charlotte recommended! X
Ooh thanks for the tips. Love the cardie and may need to invest.
My little girl is very slight and I constantly find that trousers fall down (all the blushes at nursery!) but I’ve recently discovered that m&s legging fit great and wear well. H&M for skinny jeans too.
Love clarkes doodles for the summer too.
Xx
Louise I’ve not tried M&S leggings (I don’t think) – I bought some really expensive ones and they have washed terribly, so disappointed! I’ll have to try these x
I have repeat bought Gap denim dungarees for Felix (he’s almost 2) and I’ve already spied them on line. They pretty much last a year as they have proper adjusters in the bib but not just 2 settings. I will be bereft when he stops letting me put him in them!
Also Gap knitted trousers and jersey trousers are great for his eczema as they don’t rub. H&M too but I think they stop doing non jogging bottom style jersey trousers/leggings at age 2.
I’ve also rebought a joules fluffy lined jersey jacket for Autumn, Felix lived innit last year and it washes amazingly!
Any tips on where to buy boys legging type jersey trousers would be great.
I have my eye on Phirefly ones too!
Big shout out for Matalan leggings – they are as cheap as chips and wash up great – they actually have some really cute girls pieces in.
H&M basic dresses which literally cost about 3 quid but they have such a brilliant variety of fabric designs (although not a fan of their sizing after 2 years)
Gap do the best pj’s – they’re quite a skinny snug fit but are great for my little girl – again the designs are really fun.
I’m, shall we say, particular when it comes to my little girls clothes.
I did buy the M&S cardigan in white, navy and grey but I found the sleeves were disproportionately long? Either that or my girl has arms like a T-Rex.
I love the little cardigans that Zara bring out every year, lots of good colours. Even the pink is a nice pink!
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/kids/baby-girl-%7C-3-months-4-years/sweaters-and-cardigans/basic-cardigan-c269277p4646515.html
The only other things I’ve bought on repeat are NEXT ankle socks, GAP pj’s and Salt-Water sandals. She’s 2 and has had 4 pairs so far. I realise that’s a ridiculous amount of money to spend on sandals, especially when you live in Scotland but they are just so good!
We should have a RMF clothes swap group for when the little ones grow out of their ridiculously stylish garms! 🙌x
Yes, yes we should!
Please can you do this post again but for boys? Thank you!
Yes I second that!
Ps I’ll happily do a guest post of bod autumn wear if you like 😆😉
Oh god sorry, *boys and it’s done my name wrong too….