Guide

Cute but impractical: the baby clothes no one needs

14.4.2023

When you have a newborn, you’ll end up with tonnes of baby clothes – but at best, you’ll only need half of them. Read on to find out which ones I’d avoid.

I have to admit, tiny baby clothes and accessories are insanely cute. Sometimes they come in pastel colours, other times with ruffles or in cuddly fabric. And somehow, part of becoming a parent means stocking up or getting stocked up on the most kitsch mini items.

But cute doesn’t equal practical. And in the stress that is day-to-day life with offspring, you’ll soon find you prefer functionality over aesthetics. Or at least you will once you have to squeeze the babygrow neckline that’s cute but way too tight over your child’s head or pick up those cute little socks from the floor for the seventh time.

It won’t be long before you need to move up to the next size and when you do, you’ll realise you’ve only ever used half of their initial outfits once or maybe never at all. To stop the same thing happening to you, let me show you my bad buys.

Babygrows without a wrap feature

Parents of newborns have bodysuits aplenty. But very few are actually practical. The reason being that you have to pull most babygrows over your baby’s head – basically, anything you have to put on that way is annoying. Mind you, the neckline can often be widened a bit thanks to poppers (see product 1 below) at the shoulder or what’s known as an American cut (product 2). But the only ones that are really practical are [wrap babygrows](/search?q=wrap bodysuit) that feature buttons on the side (product 3).

Bodysuits

Wheat Baby Bodysuit Night owl

Bodysuits

CHF46.95

Name it 5erPack BabyBody

Bodysuits

Lässig Wickelbody

62, 68

Bodysuits

Wheat Baby Bodysuit Night owl

Bodysuits

CHF46.95

Name it 5erPack BabyBody

Bodysuits

Lässig Wickelbody

62, 68

Dresses and skirts

As a mother of two girls, I was quite stereotypically given a lot of little dresses and skirts when they were born. Cuteness doesn’t even come into it. If your child is only moving about on their back or stomach, these aren’t suitable for everyday use. Dresses never sit where they’re meant to and usually slide up over their tummy. It’s even more troublesome when they’re at the crawling stage. Once the skirt hem goes over the knee, the fabric stretches. So until your child starts walking, you’ll only need dresses for baby photos at most.

Casual dresses

Noppies Baby Dress New Hope

Casual dresses

Baby Sweets 3 parts favourite pieces floral

Casual dresses

Konges Slojd Birch smock dress toffee check

Casual dresses

Noppies Baby Dress New Hope

Casual dresses

Baby Sweets 3 parts favourite pieces floral

Casual dresses

Konges Slojd Birch smock dress toffee check

Headbands

Baby headbands are just another example of pretty photo props. Most babies lose their hair early on, so putting a headband on a practically hairless child really doesn’t make sense. Not even to show if they’re a boy or a girl. As soon as the child can, they’ll just tear it off their head. It’s not like you can blame them.

Headbands

Feetje Baby-Stirnband

Headbands

La Redoute Collections 3-Pack Hairbands

Headbands

Sterntaler Headband Flowers Ecru Gr. 49

Headbands

Feetje Baby-Stirnband

Headbands

La Redoute Collections 3-Pack Hairbands

Headbands

Sterntaler Headband Flowers Ecru Gr. 49

Sunglasses without an elastic strap

Speaking of kids tearing things off their head, very few babies like wearing sunglasses. I was given red, heart-shaped baby glasses when my second child was born. The little one rejected it and the older one would’ve loved to wear them, but they were already way too small for her. Obviously, protecting their eyes is important. But during the first weeks and months, I’d opt for baby sunglasses with an adjustable elastic band (see product 3 below). If your child pulls these down too, the only other option is to keep your little one in the shade.

Sunglasses

Beaba Sonnenbrille

Sunglasses

Babiators Sunglasses polarized Blue Series The Influencer

Sunglasses

CHF16.90

Baby Banz Bubzee

Sunglasses

Beaba Sonnenbrille

Sunglasses

Babiators Sunglasses polarized Blue Series The Influencer

Sunglasses

CHF16.90

Baby Banz Bubzee

Dungarees

Whoever invented baby dungarees failed to take into account one key aspect: babies need their nappies changed from time to time. And by that I mean about six times a day. But if you have to take off their dungarees first, it’ll take twice as long. Thank goodness you can now get some with popping buttons on the lower crotch seam (see product 3 below). All the others only merit being rated as unusable. But irrespective of the buttons underneath, the braces on dungarees get in the way when they’re crawling.

Casual trousers

Smile Baby Dungarees

Casual trousers

−15%

CHF27.70 was CHF32.70

loud + proud Check dungarees

Jackets

Smile Baby Dungarees

Casual trousers

Smile Baby Dungarees

−15%

Casual trousers

CHF27.70 was CHF32.70

loud + proud Check dungarees

Jackets

Smile Baby Dungarees

Jeans

While we’re on the topic of dungarees, a lot of them are made of denim. And, in fact, all denim clothes for babies turn out to be impractical. I mean come on – do you like lounging around in jeans yourself? Exactly. The absolute worst are denim dungaree skirts.

Jeans

Name it Nbmsilas Slim Swe 1055-bo Noos

Casual dresses

Smile Baby dress

Jackets

Smile Baby Jacket

Jeans

Name it Nbmsilas Slim Swe 1055-bo Noos

Casual dresses

Smile Baby dress

Jackets

Smile Baby Jacket

Baby shoes

I’ve already talked before about having too many shoes that you don’t need, and I’ll say it again here. You can skip baby shoes with soles altogether. And if they’re really snazzy, it only really makes sense to get them when your child can walk.

Guide
Awesome gifts for newborns – and what to steer clear of
by Katja Fischer

Baby shoes

Sterntaler Knitted baby shoes

15, 16

Baby shoes

Bopy Paimpol

Baby shoes

Crocs clog

Baby shoes

Sterntaler Knitted baby shoes

15, 16

Baby shoes

Bopy Paimpol

Baby shoes

Crocs clog

Snowsuits

At first glance, it’s a must-have. But look again and you’ll realise it’s a complete waste. In any case, I now know why my friends were so eager to get rid of their used, thick snowsuits in baby size 56. If you don’t plan on putting your newborn in the snow or pulling them around on a sledge, there’s no need for expensive snow overalls in the first few weeks. Your baby will usually be in their pram or carrier, so snuggly-warm rompers are the more practical choice.

Jackets

Reima Baby snowsuit Moomin Knytte Light

56, 62

Jackets

Rukka Frosty

Jackets

Reima Baby jumpsuit / sleeping bag Tilkkanen Mustard

56, 62

Jackets

Reima Baby snowsuit Moomin Knytte Light

56, 62

Jackets

Rukka Frosty

Jackets

Reima Baby jumpsuit / sleeping bag Tilkkanen Mustard

56, 62

Non-elasticated baby socks

Finding matching baby socks turned out to be a challenge for me. If the socks weren’t elasticated, my girls lost them all the time. But by the same token, if the elasticated bit at the cuff was too tight, they’d immediately get pressure marks on their little legs. And then there’s the issue that socks can’t be too long but equally, not too short. That’s why the simplest thing in the early days was no socks at all. Just a babygrow with feet.

Socks

Lässig Baby socks

pack of 3, 12 - 14

Socks

CHF18.70

Cucamelon Baby socks

5-pack, One size

Socks

Smile Baby Sneakers 4 Piece

pack of 4, 15 - 18

Socks

Lässig Baby socks

pack of 3, 12 - 14

Socks

CHF18.70

Cucamelon Baby socks

5-pack, One size

Socks

Smile Baby Sneakers 4 Piece

pack of 4, 15 - 18

*Are there any other baby clothes you don’t think are worth buying? Or any practical ones that became staples? Let us know in the comments.

Header image: Katja Fischer

65 people like this article

Katja Fischer

Senior Editor

Katja.Fischer@digitecgalaxus.ch

Mom of Anna and Elsa, aperitif expert, group fitness fanatic, aspiring dancer and gossip lover. Often a multitasker and a person who wants it all, sometimes a chocolate chef and queen of the couch.

Baby

Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest

Guide

Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.