I simply love the baby and children’s collections at Petit-Bateau. For french chic and a sailor-inspired look, they’re second-to-none. And there’s simply nowhere better to really nail that coordinated mum & baby look
To get it right, you don’t need to don an adult-sized Paddington Bear duffel, or colour-match your baby to a tee. It’s all about choosing just one coordinating texture, pop of colour, or pattern. If he wears stripes, you can still wear blocks of colour or asymmetric prints; if she is in baby soft knits, you can still plump for a herringbone jacket or padded cotton parka. After all the look should be subtle and still embrace the fact that baby is just that, a baby. And let’s face it, no grown women looks good in baby pink.
As the weather gets colder, your baby needs layers and chunky accessories to stop heat escaping from their bald head and curious hands. Petit Bateau’s winter collection this year is all about soft creams, coupled with block colours, barely-there stripes and the odd geometric print. From cotton rich trousers, to starched dresses, to heavy cardies, there’s bound to be something perfect for your baby-about-town and mini trendsetter.
I’m loving the frills, Peter Pan collars and rolled cuffs. Petit Bateau have kept traditional cuts and styles whilst delivering a distinctively French twist. For me, there’s an irresistible nod to the early styling of Suri Cruise and Prince George.
When your little tike turns into an fully fledged explorer, clothes will need to be more robust. Cords, flannels and jeans will hide those indiscretions whilst creating great accent colours to layer against. It’s no longer about neutral and pastel shades, your child can pull off vibrant colours and bolder patterns to best express their burgeoning personalities.
Don’t be afraid to team bright colours and clashing patterns, just tone things down with simple footwear and clean one-colour accessories. I’m pleased to see tartan is making a comeback too - it just looks so crisp and irresistible on little madams, and looks fabulous against pops of colour and woolen tights. Unisex styling is also back this year which is also great for creating outfits that can withstand the messiest of playtimes, and also be handed down from sibling to sibling more readily.
So how to make baby match against mum’s style?
So now you have your child trussed up in Parisian-chic, should you be rushing out to buy a whole new wardrobe to match it? No! Not at all.
Whether your look is casual, tailored, bohemian or whimsical, it’s all about the picking out just one colour, pattern or texture from baby’s outfit to match against mum’s. Although it pains me to admit it, Victoria Beckham is just an expert in coordinating her outfits with Harper’s, and there’s not a hint of ridiculousness about it.
A cotton dress (baby) is teamed with a cotton top in various hues of purple for a sweet afternoon lunch look, and bright orange is coupled with an equally vibrant blue for playful summer outings. Finally dusky shades meet muted tartans for the more serious evening look. It’s the perfect lesson in mum and baby coordination.
What’s your take on it? Do you plan your day’s outfits to match your baby’s, or is this a step too far?
