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Children’s fashion is not an easy task. There are trends that emerge every season. The seasons are Spring and Autumn-Holidays and the collections differ a lot. Fall and holiday dresses are usually produced at the same time. Christmas dresses are a very popular item and so are Easter dresses. These two Christmas seasons keep children’s clothing boutiques going. There are many special occasions such as baptisms, baby shower gifts, and birthday outfits. This is the most difficult clientele and niche in its category. With competitive marketing strategies and a very conscious buyer status, manufacturers are proactive in their ability to create new comfortable apparel solutions.
There is a great demand for special children’s clothing items. People complain and ask why children’s boutiques don’t carry more children’s clothing. Children’s clothing is very difficult to find. The reason for this is simply that boys’ clothing is just as difficult or more difficult to produce than girls’ clothing. People just aren’t willing to pay the same price for boys’ clothes as they are for cute little girls’ things. There is a great demand for ruched Easter dresses for kids and also for dresses with special messages, such as ruching with images with birthday cakes or birthday balloons and party hats. Newborn and baby clothes are in high demand in these tough economic times. There will always be a need for newborn baby clothes. The Peruvian cotton layette for infants is of great interest. Lines like Sweet Cheeks have matching blankets, bibs, hats, pajamas, onesies, jumpsuits, dresses and leggings, all in coordinating fabrics that can be displayed for customers in boutique stores. These make a very beautiful display and customers seem to love them as baby shower gifts and just special things grandma likes to buy. Studded clothing such as jumpers and jon jons are very popular children’s clothing.
Many years ago, most of the children of royalty wore this type of clothing. Smocking is an ancient art that originated in England and was most popular during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Ruching is an exquisite art and is a kind of embroidery. It is used mainly in children’s clothing, but some use is made in ladies’ blouses and evening wear. Patterns from Martha Pullen and Children’s Corner have made the smock very popular with stay-at-home moms to sew their children. Ruched dresses are available in pullovers for casual wear. In recent years, it has become popular to cut a square from the center front of a t-shirt and insert a square about 6 inches down the center of the t-shirt to make a cute and fun capri or pant set. Smocking patterns are all about threads. Cotton thread is mainly used. The design may vary according to the number of threads used for the smock. The ruched dress can be made in many different patterns. The dress with a round yoke is called a bishop’s dress. Some dresses are gathered to the waist in a bodice pattern. Many sundresses are made with ruching designs. Sometimes white inserts are used on a colored fabric and something called picture shirring is inserted to make a lovely image, like Santa Claus for Christmas or bunnies for Easter. Children all over the world enjoy a large number of different clothing items.
If you think your child should look like a little princess, then shirring is certainly something you should consider. Many shirred garments become heirloom garments. There are several companies that produce handmade children’s clothing. A standout shirred line is Bow Peep. Bow Peep is a line of handmade ruched dresses that has been in the United States for 16 years. Bow Peep clothing is made in Central America by some of the most talented artisans in the world. The native women there love to do this kind of work. They teach their young daughters at an early age to make the handmade smocking. They start them doing what is called back smocking. This is the seam that is done on the back of the design that makes the design hold its shape. I was surprised to learn that the 50 women who make the smocks for Bow Peep can produce around 200 smock designs per day. That’s an average of 4 dresses per day. That’s pretty surprising since I’ve smoked quite a bit and it would take a lot longer.
Elegance is the raison d’être of gathered clothing. Parents enjoy dressing their children in elegant and quality clothing. A children’s boutique is the best place to find those unique and special items for your children.