If you are a parent of two boys or two girls, passing clothing down the line is a snap. But if you have one of each, sharing garments can be a bit more challenging. The key is in the color and pattern choice. While it’s easy for girls to sport red and blue, it’s a bit more complicated to dress little boys in pink and lavender. It’s best to stick with well made basics so you’ll get more mileage from your kids clothing. Here are our top five fall/winter items that are easy to pass down from brother to sister (or sister to brother) with ease…
- Sleepwear: Pajamas are the easiest and most practical clothing items to pass down. Usually pj’s that are washed and worn over the course of a season are nice and soft and the recipient typically doesn’t mind the hand down. Sleepwear can be almost any pattern or color (although pink ballerinas may not be your son’s top choice). Our pick: organic striped long johns by Hanna Andersson.
Rain gear: There are so many fun patterns to choose from when it comes to rain coats and rain boots but these often get minimal wear. To get more for your money, choose solids and gender friendly themes, like animals or critters. Our pick: the Bee and Frog collection from Kidorable. - Denim: One thing that always gets better with age is a great pair of jeans. Denim is a universal material that can be worn girls and boys alike, especially when they are little. Blue jeans for infants and toddlers are designed to accommodate a diaper so the cut is neutral. When choosing a pair, stick with unembellished, no fuss jeans. Our pick: boyfriend jeans from babyGap. Jean jackets and basic denim shirts can work for kids of any age and is a must have in your children’s wardrobe. Pair a nice denim jacket with flannel for boys or glam it up with a pettiskirt for girls. Either way, you’ve got a great look. Our pick: denim jacket from Gymboree.
- Snow pants and Snowsuits: There really is no need to have snow pants in the same pattern of your child’s winter coat. For the occasional wear snow pants
and bibs get buying a good quality solid pair that can be worn for several seasons’ by all of your children works best. Stick with solid black, gray or navy blue. These colors typically work well with both boys and girls winter jacket styles. Our pick: insulated squall pants from Lands’ End. Snowsuits for infants and toddlers are often outgrown so fast and can be pricey. Be cautious when choosing for the first child, it’s tempting to buy the cutest girlie or boyish snowsuit for top dollar but if you’re pretty sure you’ll be adding more family members at sometime in the future, stick with neutral colors and patterns and girl (or boy) them up with the perfect hat. (Check Baby Melons for some adorable options.) Our pick: hi-loft fleece coveralls from L.L. Bean.
- Turtleneck’s and Basic Tee’s: Basic layering pieces are perfect for passing down the line of children. Turtleneck tops really don’t change much in cut and t-shirts are a great basic. Neutral colors such as white, cream and black are perfect for wearing under sweaters and button down shirts. If they get too beat up, use the tee’s for sleep shirts. Who doesn’t love to cuddle up in a well broken in t-shirt? Our pick: cotton turtleneck from Ralph Lauren and the long sleeve no pocket jersey tee from J.Crew’s crewcuts.
There you have it, our top 5 fall/winter kids items to be passed down. Remember if you buy good quality garments and take care of them, you can recoup some of your initial investment by reselling them in the future.
Let us know if you’ve got some great ideas for sharing clothing among siblings in the comments section below.