image credit warrelics
Now for the non-parents, this post will bore you to tears. How do I know this? Because there is no way in hell I'd ever write a post about press studs before I had my daughter.
For the non-parents who are still reading, a onesie is a top that buttons at the crotch generally with press studs. Why is this even worth discussing? Gosh I guess it is because I have no life and I'm randomly clutching at straws to entertain you. No, actually this post is not designed to entertain. This is a public service announcement. Cue the stern government ad voice.
Babies can be very messy individuals, they spew, they dribble, they have accidents, they spill food on themselves, they draw on themselves. You are forever changing their clothes and washing and drying so you really must choose clothess that can withstand a lot of washing.
I am fastidious about stains. A pet hate of mine is seeing babies and children with food stains on their clothes. If I spill something on myself I take it off and change it so I like to apply the same standards to my little bunny. I hate the sight of a child with dried food all down her outfit. Yuck.
So I do a lot of laundry. At least 3 loads per day. I think I am qualified to call myself an expert when it comes to judging the hardiness of baby clothes.
I love onesies because they do not ride up and expose little baby backs and little baby bellies. They keep them all nice and snug and they are easy to deal with at nappy change time. I have tried the following brands of onesie and I the majority failed what we will call the "tinker test" mainly on account of the studs falling off or the seams not being strong enough.
I'm a tough critic and if you are the owner of one of these brands please accept my sincere apologies but I'm in the business of helping out my fellow onesie buyers so I have to be truthful!
Little Tinker sleep-testing an Absorba onesie.
These onesies failed the Tinker Test:
Target
Pumpkin Patch
Sooki
Rock Your Baby
Bonds
Coosh Baby
Le Petit Bateau
These onesies passed the Tinker Test:
Gymboree
Janie & Jack
Crazy 8
Country Road
Absorba
Seed
Mill & Mia
There are other brands we have tried but I've only included brands that we had more than one item for, because you can't rate a onesie brand on a single onesie!
The biggest gold star goes to Gymboree. My Tinker was tiny for a long time and on her first birthday she was still wearing the 3-6 month size onesies she had been in for months and months. So those that lasted all that time endured some serious washing and drying. None of her Gymbo onesies have ever started to show any pull at the studs and all the seams are in tact. The snap placement is great and they seem to reinforce them with a band of fabric.
So there you go an entire post about 2 tiny bits of metal that come together to keep a crotch cosy. Weird. I hope it was helpful to someone! I spent so much money on Tinker's clothes and it always annoyed me when things just didn't last. It's kind of sad how much time I have spent thinking about press studs isn't it...
I love babies and toddlers in all-in-ones and babygros - feel little babies look so uncomfortable in 'grown-up clothes' at a few weeks old although with my first I was so excited by all the little clothes I did overdress her. By the time I had Bea, she pretty mcuh spent the first year in all-in-ones and was all the more squidgable for it! I didn't notice the press stud issue though and mainly used the Bonds ones in Oz...just loved those stripey colours!
ReplyDeleteI love onesies too. Thats why i sell them! I look forward to dressing another baby in onesies again ONE day!
ReplyDeleteas i sit here typing my little woodleman is sitting on my lap in a fairly new but scruffy looking bonds terry wondersuit. They look so sweet the first time they are worn, but the terry pulls and pills soon after the fist 100 or so washes!
ReplyDeleteI too loved absorba, especially when as a newborn as he was quite little and was skinny for a long time. Baby gap also did great onesies for boys.
I hate hate HATE seeing little bubs tummies and backs exposed, who ever invented tshirts for wriggly little babies who get lifted up all the time under their arms????
dont get me started on the "easysuit" !
plus there is somthing so sweet about a baby in a onesie- they just look so yummy!
I haven't had any issues with press studs on Bonds wondersuits which I still love putting on Amelie for bedtime.
ReplyDeleteAll the onesies from Seed stretched like crazy which was annoying.
Purebaby has stood the test of many many washes :)
My kids lived in onesies...loved them. Where were you 16 years ago?
ReplyDeleteYou know which onsies have stood up best for my babies? The ones I made myself. Start with good quality fabric and studs, pre shrink it so that I can abuse it with washing to my heart's content (I hate stains too), and they're good to go. My one year old son is tiny and takes forever to grow out of anything, so longevity's a must!
ReplyDeleteKate I agree the Pure Baby stuff is great so soft isn't it? I didn't buy much over the 0000 size though so I haven't included it my (very scientific) study since I didn't use it for as long.
ReplyDeleteThe GAP stuff I found was pretty hit & miss when it came to onesies but great for everything else especially socks and summer dresses.
Woodles you know I think Tinker is the only baby in Australia who has never had a Bonds Wondersuit. In fact I have never bought a single Bonds baby item but I have received some of their onesies and singlets as gifts.
I'm anti-Bonds baby stuff for no real reason other than every baby seems to wear it so I decided I wouldn't buy any. Seems quite stupid now that I think about it! I'm odd.
awww this post makes me actually miss being pregnant & having to buy wee onsies! I'm your newest follower nice to meet you honey!
ReplyDeleteHello there...Because I like your lovely blog, you've been AWARDED !!!
ReplyDeletehttp://danangib.blogspot.com/
Haha, awesome post.
ReplyDeleteI'm no parent, but I babysit a lot and get put in charge of the babies and children at pretty much every family/friend/religious function I attend. I fully appreciate press studs and onesies. They should have adult sized onesies, just so I can experience them whilst being capable of forming lasting memories of their greatness.
I agree with you so much on the topic of dirty clothes. If I'm watching a kid and the parent failed to provide clean clothes, I usually end up putting them in one of my shirts so I can wash their clothes that got peed on or spit up on or used as a napkin or a canvas, etc. Kids are masters at getting their clothes dirty, and I can't let them sit around in that.
Tinker has another wondersuit virgin baby friend. I detest them so much I was given some and I gave them straight to charity. I can also declare my entire house a pumpkin patch free zone.
ReplyDeleteGymboree ones are lovely. I wholeheartedly agree with your entire list.
My additions would be Pure Baby:thanks to their local warehouse Mr C has worn a lot of their beautiful soft cotton. The odd popper has gone belly up but easily fixed and they will replace items no problem.
Featherbaby: deleriously soft and amazingly robust.
Marquise: I just adore their classic white onesie and singlets. They have a lovely range of plain ones that wash up well and can handle a nappisan but stay soft. No horrible lace/elastic just a simple bound edge.
My big thumbs down is Munster. Necklines bag out, poppers area is not re-inforced and poppers are too big for the fabric so they leave huge holes.
Most of the Pure Baby and Bebe stuff we have is in the newbie size so I didn't include it in the Tinker Test but you are right it is super soft. I have a couple of Marquise tops for T but none are onesies. Also lovely thick and soft cotton. I remember you buying Featherbaby when you were pregnant with Mr C. It looked gorgeous.
ReplyDeletePP is hideous. It is the most awful brand of all. Out of desperation I bought T a snowsuit last winter. It lasted ONE wear. 2 press studs came off that day. I received some PP things as gifts. Jacket pilled within hours.
pp makes me vomit! osh kosh is pretty hit and miss too. As for the wonder suit- he only wears it at home, and never when visitors are over. I hate seeing babies leave the house in them - they are purely for pj's people!
ReplyDeleteI do hate the way bonds has to advertise themselves so loudly and colourfuly on baby clothes. I hate overt branding.
As for dirty clothes, I practically died when my sister in law gave my neice a cherry to eat (she was 3) and I watched bright red juice drip all over her new white top (that I gave her, grrrrr), no bib, no change of clothes until bathtime later that night. It was not soaked, but washed with other colours (!!!!!). Never given clothes for christmas again.
I hope that it it now being used to wash the car!