Style Without Boundaries: The Beauty of Neutral Baby Clothes

People are joyful and happy when a new baby in the family is on the way. However, the struggle to determine the perfect dresses for a baby begins here especially if the sex of the baby is not known. There are numerous choices available for selection including colours, patterns, accessories, and more.

This is when the beauty of neutral baby clothing is useful. Neutral baby clothes offer inclusivity and flexibility. They are also practical and simple and make sure your infant is dressed suitably no matter their gender. Here’s everything you need to know about gender-neutral clothing pieces and why you should have them in your baby's closet to ensure both style and comfort.

Neutral Baby Clothes – Where Did the Idea Come For?

Gender-neutral baby clothes can be traced back to the practice that girls and boys wore similar clothes during their early ages. In the early twentieth century, there were no striking differences in clothing options for girls and boys, and both genders typically wore dresses up to the age of six or seven. Moreover, the apparel was typically white, primarily for easier cleaning and bleaching purposes.

Babies and children did not wear bright-coloured clothes. Contrary to what people follow today, pink was considered the colour for boys while blue was for girls. This was so because pink was observed to be a stronger colour compared to blue and this was deemed fit for the boys. Blue was considered more fragile and elegant so it was specifically for females.

However, it was in the 1940s that retailers started advertising blue for boys and pink for girls. This seemed to be arbitrary and did not have any apparent reason. Parents again started using gender-neutral clothes for boys and girls in the ’60s and the ’70s only for political reasons, and also because studies showed that babies liked sharp and rich colours.

It was not until the eighties that a distinction was made between baby clothes for boys and those for girls. Rather, the obsession with gender-specific clothing was primarily driven by advances in prenatal technology! Thanks to amniocentesis, parents could accurately identify their baby's gender before birth. So, for the first time ever, parents had a greater incentive to purchase gender-specific baby clothing!

Why Choose Neutral Baby Clothes?

Many parents are choosing gender-neutral baby clothes over highly gendered options, and here’s why you should think about doing the same.

It is budget-friendly: If you’re planning to have more children, you may discover that neutral clothing is a more practical choice. Rather than purchasing new clothes for your new baby, you can utilize the entire wardrobe as hand-me-downs and significantly cut costs.

It offers more variety and adaptability: Gender-neutral baby clothes are a simple choice for all. Basic, understated, and muted colours work well for any baby and can be effortlessly paired together. Also, they are appropriate for all types of events, including celebrations and casual wear.

It makes shopping easier: Gender-neutral clothing makes shopping easier for parents. It eliminates the pressure and requirement to search through different sections for ‘boys’ or ‘girls’. This simplifies and reduces stress in the shopping process.

It enhances freedom of choice: Some parents opt for neutral baby clothes because they believe it gives their infant more freedom in terms of self-expression. Since they wear only neutral clothes, they feel free to wear whatever they want to as they grow up without following other complicities present in society.

It prevents gender stereotyping: When children wear clothing excluding discriminative aspects between young boys and girls, negative influences can be prevented. Regarding the impact on gender roles, parents can avoid dressing their children in clothes that perpetuate cultural norms of gender roles so that children’s hobbies, likes, and dreams are not limited by such norms.

It might be about preference: Perhaps you simply dislike the typical bright pink, blue, floral patterns, or truck designs that are often correlated with specific genders. Some parents choose gender-neutral options for baby clothing instead of the traditional choices because they want to break the norms and try something new.

Neutral Baby Clothes – Designs and Colours

Traditional gender norms extend beyond the confines of certain colours; designs and patterns are also a factor.

When choosing neutral baby clothes, you'll see that boy clothes usually don't have patterns of cars, tractors, tools, or other traditionally boyish items. Similarly, neutral girl clothes don’t come in bright pink or have frilly, lacy, or floral designs. Likewise, girl clothing is unlikely to have delicate or intricate designs, and boy's clothing usually doesn’t feature sharp, straight lines or bold fonts.

As for neutral baby clothes colours, these are usually understated and simplistic. Some of the colours include black, white, grey, yellow, brown, green, and orange. Other shades include muted reds and purples, greyish-blue, beige, and rainbow patterns.

Neutral clothing enables every child to experience a variety of colours and the numerous advantages that come with them. Colours emit a unique energy wavelength, uniquely impacting each child. Shades like yellow and pink evoke emotions of joy, affection, and serenity. While shades such as brown and deep greens can evoke emotions of sorrow, solitude, and seclusion. Hence, dressing infants in earthy tones could influence their emotions and actions more than previously thought.

Final Thoughts

From onesies and jumpsuits to layettes and sleepsuits, neutral baby outfits are perfect for either gender. The decision of which colours to dress your child in is completely yours to make. Neutral baby clothes are always a good choice. They’re practical, straightforward, flexible, and cost-effective. And if you intend to have another little one in the future, they would subsequently become good hand-me-downs.