Baby, You Look Fabulous

Those who follow this blog know that I am expecting a baby boy any day now. I don’t write much about kid or baby stuff because (1) I have no idea what I’m talking about and (2) I’m sure my life will be consumed soon enough with thrilling topics like nursing bras and cloth diaper covers, so why blog about it? Given that I’m just four days from my due date, though, I thought I’d allow myself a baby-themed post this week.

I have to admit that when I found out we were having a boy, I had to give myself a day or so to get used to the idea. Don’t get me wrong; I was thrilled to know that Baby was looking healthy and developing on track and blah blah blah. It’s just that I had to give myself a mourning period for the girly ruffle-butt bloomers and pinafores that I had envisioned hanging in Baby’s closet.

And then I rediscovered the romper: a mid-century classic for baby boys.

Images (clockwise from top left) are from Etsy shops DahliaDaffodil, VintageGoodness1,  ReinvintageKids, and PumpernickelToast. 

Before she retired, my grandmother worked for years as a pattern maker for upscale children’s clothing company Florence Eiseman. I even did some modeling for the company when I was a kid. This, plus an unnatural obsession with the Kennedys in my adolescent years, may have contributed to my love for old-fashioned kids’ clothes. I do not, however, have a Kennedy-size budget, so Eiseman’s creations are a bit out of my reach.

Luckily, there are plenty of vintage children’s clothes to be found on Etsy and at kids’ resale and consignment  shops at discounted prices. Children grow out of clothing so quickly that so-called “secondhand” outfits often have never been worn.

I figure I have a year, maybe two, when I can dress my little guy in whatever I want. So rompers it is. And I don’t want to hear a word about how they might not be “practical.” I have always hated that word. You might make fun of my baby when he’s wearing his seersucker john-john, or your kid might throw sand at him, but hey, give Mommy a break. At least I’m not putting ruffle butt bloomers on the little guy.