For many parents buying baby clothes is one of the most complicated sets of decisions thrown at them. I wanted to take a few minutes to summarize some of the baby clothes buying guidelines that will not only make your life a little easier but also will most likely save you some money in the process.

1. Buy Baby Clothes Big

Now this one is a bit obvious, babies grow. And so it is always smart to err on the side of buying big as apposed to a perfect fit. In this same stream of thought plan ahead, a great way to save money on baby clothes is to look for good deals on clothes your child will need next season or even next year.

2. The Unisex Solution

Of course this one applies to if you do not yet know the sex of your child, but the value in this baby clothes rule doesn’t stop there. By buying unisex outfits of gender neutral colors such as cool yellows or lime greens you open the door to saving money on clothes for future children and make handing them down over time much easier.

3. Function before Fashion

This one is a huge pet peeve of mine. Function before fashion is one of the most important rules regarding baby clothes second only to safety. It can be easy to get charmed into super cute outfits that are completely impractical. Watch out for lots of bows, buttons, ribbons, etc. Extra fasteners and such only get in the way of diaper changing duty which parents know at times can be quite urgent. Function is especially important at bedtime, make sure your child’s pajamas are safe and easy access. The last time you want to be trying to figure out some crazy elaborate outfit is at 2:30am while your child is screaming.

4. Don’t Forget the Feet

Covering your baby’s feet can be very tricky. Socks don’t always stay on long and easily get lost in the day’s action. The best bet here is to go with onesies or pants with footsies attached.

5. Wash Before Wearing

This is something that most people do anyway, but it is worth mentioning. Many baby clothes are made or treated with harsh chemicals and even if you buy organic cotton baby clothes they still have gone through a lot of handling and moving about. Baby skin is much more sensitive then adults, washing new baby clothes not only makes the clothes safer but softer, your child will thank you.

So there you have it, 5 simple guidelines that can make the process of choosing baby clothes much more simple. Good luck, and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

So you would think that with all of the crazy super important decisions that you are called to make while having a baby that buying baby clothes would be a piece of cake, well guess what, it’s not. Buying the wrong baby clothes can potentially stunt your child’s growth, lead to difficult teenage years, and cause diabetes. Now, while none of those things are true it is still an important part of preparing for your child’s  time in this world. As a father I can honestly say that when Ruby (daughter) came into this world I had no idea how the respective sizes of baby clothes worked. It was a sphere of knowledge somewhat akin to women’s shoe sizes, by that I mean that it is different then my sizes, probably important to someone else, and something I don’t care about at all. That being said, I wanted to take a moment to write some tips on buying baby clothes to save you from some of the bumbling mistakes and eventual research I had to do to figure it out for myself.

1. Function is King

There are some pretty awesome outfits out there for your newborn or toddler and many of them are completely ridiculous when it comes to actual utility. I don’t care how awesome that baby biker or cowboy outfit is, if you cannot get in there quickly to defuse whatever diaper bomb is cooking they are not real baby clothes. Look for clothes with a snap-crotch for easy access; you will be glad you did. As for the top half of things weight your choices towards necks that are stretchy and or have buttons to widen the opening. Your baby will love you more for not trying to forcibly squeeze their head through anything more then is necessary, and you want your baby to love you, don’t you?

2. Think Season Appropriate

When purchasing baby clothes before the child’s birth, spare a moment to figure out what the general temperature will be when that kid meets the world and shop accordingly. How would you feel if you went to visit some family in January and you lost your bags, and as chance would have it  also happened to be naked when you got there. It would be pretty great if your hosts had some nice warm clothes for you to wear.

3. Sizes

For most new parents this is where things get a bit weird. Baby clothes sizes are by age, so for example 0-3 months, 1 year, 2 year, etc. Of course, this system is insane, but it is the best that we have come up with so far. I mean can you imagine if we stuck with the baby clothes model of sizing throughout life? Shopping for a size 34 year could be wacky and potentially embarrassing. Anyway, the rule of thumb with baby clothes is to aim for a little big at the start (babies grow) and then once you get to know the baby, assuming you like him or her, and feel like buying them more things, you will know where they fit in relation to the universal age size scale.

And so to sum things up, the best way to buy baby clothes is to use common sense. Think of the weather, remember that babies grow so aim for bigger rather then smaller, and the most important thing is function.

Whole Foods Market has put together a great video of an interview with Lynda Fassa, founder of Green Babies. Lynda points out a number of facts about organic cotton and clothing that should be considered when shopping for your baby.

• Conventional cotton farming uses pesticides that may be harmful to your baby and the environment.
• Cottonseed oil and cotton hulls from conventional cotton (pesticides and all) is included in many snack foods.
• Pesticides from conventional farming find their way into the surrounding streams and rivers.
• The cost of organic clothing is falling and becoming more competitive with traditionally produced clothes.