If there’s one thing I love more than shopping for myself then it’s got to be shopping for a little one. Be it boy or girl there’s something so bewitching about buying clothes in such diddy sizes that inevitably ends up in Steven looking at me with one eyebrow half raised when the postman arrives with my latest haul.

I’m the first to admit that I  buy too much on the clothing front for Hector (there are outfits he has only had the chance to wear once because he’s grown so quickly). But having grown up in a family of girls with two sisters and an uber fashionable mum I am well and truly ‘enabled’ on my shopping adventures. I make no excuses however, instead it’s only fair that I share my experiences about various baby brands as well as those items I’ve purchased for Hector’s summer wardrobe.

Whilst this post is predominantly a baby boy fashion post, so many of the picks below actually could quite easily be unisex so I hope that mummies of boys and girls alike will enjoy the post.

Zara Kids

Zara Kids is my kryptonite. Hell who am I trying to kid, Zara anything is seriously bad for my bank balance. I love it all, be it these shoes (which I bought for a wedding I’m attending on Friday) or this t-shirt, you can pretty much guarantee that every time I pop onto the site I come away with something for me and something for Hector. In all seriousness though I really rate their kids clothes not only because they wash extraordinarily well but also because, for Hector at least, the clothes actually fit according to the labelled size. There’s none of this shall I buy two sizes bigger just so he’s got a bit of growing room dilemma that you so often find with other brands. Plus I find that the label is reasonably priced too which helps with the pennies when you’re on maternity or even working part-time.

I have to confess that Hector is yet to wear the mixed stripe shirt and the bloomer style blue and white striped shorts. I bought them both on an aforementioned ‘I’m only looking but oh dear look what’s just fallen into my basket’ browsing adventure but the weather hasn’t quite been warm enough to garb him in this matchy matchy combo (they are quite thin). I can attest to their superb quality though and I’ll be sure to snap him in the outfit and post it on my personal Instagram account when I do.

All of the leggings pictured here are also from Zara. We’ve got everything going on from skateboard motifs,  Zebra stripes (my favourite), paper boats prints and a bit of nuts and bolts action. I usually pair them with an equally awesome t-shirt on warmer days or add a jumper or long-sleeved top into the mix when it’s a bit chillier. I love the flexibility that stretchy leggings give him now particularly when he’s trying so desperately to crawl.

Boden

Boden is another one of those brands where a bit of mother and baby shopping activity occurs. I’ve not purchased much for myself this year but having spied on their instagram feed last week, their Autumn/Winter collection looks like it’s going to be epic (think tweed and cloaks and a gorgeous capsule Icons range).

One summer staple that Hector has worn a-plenty already is this pair of striped dungarees which you can let down or button up at a shorter length depending on your fancy. I pair them with various bodysuits in different  lengths depending on the temperature outside and the loose fit means that they’ll still be practical and wearable in a couple of months to come.

The Little White Company

I feel I have to apologise in advance for the ridiculously heavy focus on The Little White Company in this fashion spread. Oh and for the overuse of the blue/white/striped colour theme; I fear I may have a small problem.

I’m the first to admit that The White Company is not the cheapest of options compared to other baby brands out there but I always purchase when there’s a discount event going on and you can pretty much find an online code floating around on the numerous voucher sites if you google before you buy. The reason I keep coming back to the brand is because of the quality of the products and the versatility of the designs. In fact they wash and fit so well that I’ve packed up all of his smaller clothes from the shop for the next baby whenever he/she may arrive. It’s all about cost per wear people…

The fine knit crew neck blue and white striped jumper with red star motif is perfect for summer particularly when it becomes a bit colder towards the end of the day without becoming stiflingly hot. Plus it’s 100% cotton which means you can chuck it in with the rest of the wash without worrying about any shrinkage.

The short sleeve shortie in orange, the nautical stripe shortie in blue and the soft stripe dungarees in blue have all had their day in the sun. Literally. I added the white textured anchor jumper to add that extra bit of warmth to nearly all the outfits in question and Hector had plenty of compliments on the dungarees in particular which is so soft and thus perfect for baby skin.

For warmer days I add short sleeved bodysuits like this one or this one. Equally if you feel your little one needs that extra bit of cover then I highly recommend the long sleeved vests from Boden.

Tiny Cottons

The short sleeveless all-in-one with the knot motif is from a Spanish company called Tiny Cottons whose Spring/Summer collection I’ve fallen hopelessly in love with. Admittedly it’s not cheap but for the odd one-off purchase I think it’s a treat that’s ok to indulge in. I actually purchased this all-in-one from Scout & Kids and took advantage of a 20% off promotion to make it that bit more affordable.

P.S. I’ve sworn that I’m going to indulge in their Swaddle blankets for baby number two.

John Lewis

The mellow yellow lion t-shirt was actually purchased by my baby sister who insists on bringing pattern, print and colour into Hector’s wardrobe at every opportunity. I can at times be guilty of being a little monochrome or adhering to an overly blue palette (something that was made particularly clear to me when composing this post) so I’m grateful to her for shaking things up a little. I also know that the photos with him wearing the more corny rather than stylish outfits will be the ones that make me smile in twenty years time. Plus it has polka dots…everyone loves polka dots.

Rachel Riley

My mum often ventures to London and came back  with this long sleeved polo shirt bedecked with blue elephants from a recent trip (which I’ve paired with the short blue and white striped all-in-one with anchor motif). Most of you will probably know Rachel Riley as the label that so often dresses the loveable Prince George and yes it is spendy. It’s not something that I would have bought myself per se but it is unquestionably soft and surprisingly durable to boot. Hector has already worn it a myriad of times and the top shows no signs of fading yet. I don’t seem to be able to find the top on the website however which is a shame but I’m lusting after this and this.

Shoes

Speaking of Prince George, I was informed after purchasing the navy blue pre-walkers from Early Years (styled in the Nautical get up) that these were the very same shoes that he sported in his trip to Australia. I’m sensing there’s a theme here…

Hector has yet to wear the ‘Alex’ shoes but I honestly don’t see him being that far off given that his feet are a bit on the larger side. Hobbit feet anyone? They are super soft so won’t affect his developing feet without compromising the style factor either. I bought this pair from the children’s boutique Children’s Salon and I have my eyes on this pair too. His dad walked at ten months so we might need these sooner than we think!

Before Hector was born I also indulged in these buttery smooth grey leather moccasins from Monkey & Mole which I figured would suit both girls and boys (we didn’t know what we were having at the time) and which have since sold out. Bad times. That said they do have lots and lots of other styles – all equally beautiful – and they have recently collaborated with Rebecca Kiff to produce moccasins with a oh so sweet hot air balloon print. Rebecca also creates wonderful baby products – I’ve got the sweet bunny softie and can attest to its high quality.

So folks, what have been your top small person purchases this season? Do you also have a weak spot for certain boutiques or colour spectrums?  Please feel free to share your recent buys in the comments so we can all have a nosey.

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