Cozy Choices for Children Best-Selling Baby Apparel

By Sara Karnish

Comfort and functionality were two must-haves in apparel this past year, particularly in baby apparel. Busy parents and grandparents want their little ones to be stylish, but decidedly low maintenance. Retailers interviewed for this article said this is a direct reflection on adult trends, which have been more casual and comfortable for the last few seasons. Clothing and accessories with practical elements are big sellers. Items like Munch Mitts by Malarkey Kids, a silicon teething mitt designed by a mom, are selling well at Maditude Children’s Boutique and Toys in Mountain Top, Pa., according to Owner Amanda Pesce . She names Chew Cubes by Malarkey Kids as another popular item, as well as Zoocchini Comfort Crawler Legging and Sock Sets, which are designed to help babies grip, while they are crawling across floors to prevent slippage ed by so many adults during the COVID pandemic extends to baby and children’s clothing. “People weren’t going to work or school, so they wanted to be comfortable. They want to look good, but still feel comfortable,” she pointed out.

Soft, natural fabrics are also in high demand. Morgan Miller , owner of Baby Sweet Pea’s Boutique in Uniontown, Ohio, said some of her most popular brands are “KicKee Pants, which are bamboo loungewear, layette, sleepers, and booties, Petite Lem, and Angel Dear, another bamboo line. I think these lines sell well because of the softness of the fabrics. We sell almost all bamboo and organic cotton. It sells well. The customers really like it,” she said.

“Magnolia Baby, Baby Wise, and Sarah Louise. I love Magnolia Baby for a couple of reasons—it’s incredibly soft, it washes beautifully, and it lasts and lasts. It looks the same after 30 washes as it did after the first wash.”

“[Our best-sellers are] anything that’s pima cotton with a really polished look, which is actually hard to find,” said Linda Johnson , owner of The Purple Goose in Alexandria, Va. “Our store has a little more of a traditional look, but if something is on trend, we’ll get it.” Johnson noted the casual, “athleisure” style adopt-

Jean Knouse , owner of Kiddie Korner Boutique in Danville, Pa., said her best-selling lines in everyday baby apparel include “Magnolia Baby, Baby Wise, and Sarah Louise. I love Magnolia Baby for a couple of reasons—it’s incredibly soft, it washes beautifully, and it lasts and lasts. It looks the same after 30 washes as it did after the first wash,” she said. She tries to carry items that are either unique to the area or hard for customers to find elsewhere, and has something of a niche market with christening clothes. “I carry a wide supply, which is pretty unusual today. We don’t have a large department store near us anymore—most of the big box stores have gone out—so I’m one of the only stores in a 30-plus mile radius that carries christening clothes.”

The “sophisticated pastel” colors including marigold, dusty rose, slate blues, and sea greens, were big trends in 2021. Looking ahead to what colors will be popular in 2022, Pesce said, “Tie-dye is coming back for spring/summer 2022. [Also for summer], I predict a lot of pastels and soft hues. Bright colors and metallics in boutique clothing. Florals and rainbows in prints.” Miller predicted a lot of periwinkle blue for girls. “I predict a lot of neons, a lot of smiley faces, a lot of lightning bolts. I think we’ll see more trendy symbols rather than colors.” She added, “I buy for so many different customers. I have a wide range of items— I buy for the trendier mom, and grandparents who want a more conservative look. We see a broader range of trends—Grandma will not buy what Mom will buy. Easy, comfortable is what’s in across all categories. Kids are the same—who wants to wear a stuffy outfit? We want them to love an outfit because it’s soft and comfortable.”

Knouse said in addition to the traditional soft pink and blue, gray is “a nontraditional color that has become traditional, because it pairs nicely with either pink or blue. I think we’ll see lavender or lilac for little girls, and for boys we’ll see shades of blue and green. In style trends, I think the trend toward natural fabrics will continue. The trend toward really high-quality items will continue. Smocking is one thing people look for, but is really hard to find in our area, which is why I try to carry it. It brings people in, and if they are looking for something else, I likely have that, too.”

The style trend of easy, comfortable clothing will extend into 2022. Customers want more basic looks, even for little ones. “[One style trend] is more sets. People want the pima cotton sets. Rather than mix and match, people want to come in, get the matching outfit, and go. People have simplified their lives—they want to create a polished look with little to no maintenance,” Johnson said, adding skirts are going away because “you have to find a top to go with them.”

Knouse has noticed another outgoing trend: “Tights aren’t as popular as they used to be. Girls like the footless tights—they don’t pull down like regular tights do. They can add a cute little sock to them to make an outfit.”

In some ways, merchandising has gotten easier over the past year and a half; in other ways, it’s been more challenging. Baby apparel retailers strive to make the shopping experience easy and enjoyable for busy parents. Organization and visual appeal are two key ele-

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In or Out? The Long and Short on Dresses

Styles may change, but retailers interviewed for this article said dresses are still a popular choice for little girls. “Jumpers are definitely in. Rompers are in. Also below knee-length dresses and maxi dresses,” said Amanda Pesce, owner of Maditude Children’s Boutique and Toys in Mountain Top, Pa.

Said Linda Johnson, owner of The Purple Goose in Alexandria, Va., “Dresses are always in. You can’t get a cuter look, especially for photos.” Young girls under age 5 or 6 are particularly drawn to pretty dresses; Morgan Miller, owner of Baby Sweet Pea’s Boutique in Uniontown, Ohio, said they are decidedly “out” for girls over age 6.

Jean Knouse, owner of Kiddie Korner Boutique in Danville, Pa., said, “Dresses are still in. Little girls are very opinionated about when they want to wear them, or not. Sometimes they come in and want every one I have; other times the child and their mother will have to look through each one until they find one they like. I also try to do skirts or skorts. I also make sure I have a dressy pant and dressy top if they’re just not interested in dresses.” She added, “I like the idea of dressing for celebrations making a comeback. We’ve become so casual in our appearance. Is it comparable to what it was 30, 40 years ago — absolutely not. But it’s starting to come back.” ❖