Kathy said around during nap time on July 9, 2007
Clothing, as an industry really causes me great confusion. Not just in the Abercrombie size double zero kind of way (and really, did they need to go and invent a new number smaller than ZERO?) but in a material way too. As a personal rule, I try not to buy synthetic clothing and attempt to stock my closet with natural fibers...cotton, linen, etc. Thats not to say I don’t have my fair share of synthetic blends in there too but for daily wear kind of stuff… I make an effort. I make this same effort for my kid too. Herein lies my frustration.
I shop for him primarily in Old Navy. Affordable clothes, almost everything is cotton and he doesn’t look like a tool. Old Navy is stylish for kids. He rocks a ringer tee like nobody’s business. Pajamas are a different story. I’d like to know, why finding cotton pajamas for kids is so impossible. Old Navy carries some, but they’re hard to come by and they are a polyester offender on occasion, especially in the winter collection. Gymboree is just insanely expensive and their jammies are like skin tight.
My biggest beef: Polyester. WHY are kids pajamas primarily made of polyester? Why does this material still exist? I don’t know anyone (well almost) who opts for polyester clothing. So why is it ok for kids to wear? Just about everywhere I look, kids pj’s are polyester sets. And further more, I’ve been looking around at kids bedding for when we inevitably get Reilly into a toddler bed and those are all cheap scratchy materials too. Maybe my inner snob is showing here (and I am ok with that) but it really chafes me that affordable kids pjs and bedding is so ....cheap. I take the same care in choosing things for him to sleep in and on as I would myself. Soft, comfy, non-irritating materials. Unfortunately, that requires I go to specialty stores and shop online, therefore spending double or more. I just don’t understand why companies think its ok for kids to have cheap crap. “Ehhh they’re kids...they don’t care.” Maybe not, but I care and I don’t think its fair.
Hmph!
from your moms.
I read your blog all the time but rarely comment…
I just wanted to say I completley agree with you…
And…
Check Marshalls or TJMaxx—They ALWAYS have cotton sheets, even in toddler size… Last time I was there… They had the cutest tool and puppy dog set for boys!
((I have a 4 year old nephew - we always keep an eye on things for him!))
from West Palm Beach, FL
Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
@Katie: I will! The sheets aren’t AS hard to come by. I found some really soft organic cotton toddler sheets at Babies R Us of all places. But the jammies...I’ll have to give those a shot. Thanks for commenting!
from Virginia Beach, VA
Cocktail: Calypso Cooler
I have not found any good little boy pajamas - I have loads of them for my 5yo daughter, but nothing for the beast. I have resorted to letting Ashton wear little boys boxer/briefs (cause they come in all the cool cartoons that he likes) and toddler size wife-beaters. He has always been a hot-natured kid anyways, so I have never needed the long pants. Target sells the tank top/boxer brief combos in the little boys underwear section - and they run really small!!! But they are cotton and they are cute as can be!
As for sheets, I have always loved Pottery Barn’s stuff for kids!
from your moms.
Polyester wears hard, which I bet is the clothier’s thinking. Same for sheets. Why would people pay for high quality kids bedding that’s going to get peed on and be out of fashion in a year or so anyway? (Dora the Explorer is *so* last year, Dad!)
from West Palm Beach, FL
Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
@soap: Thanks for the tip! Good idea
I love PB Kids stuff too. The airplans sheets are soooooo cute.
@Deltus: Polyester is also not a breathable fabric so that pee festers… at least it does in my head when I lay awake at night. My point is that better quality bedding shouldn’t BE so high priced. I don’t begrudge anyone for buying the cheap stuff, I just wish there were better options for lower prices.
from your moms.
It’s been a while since I bought kids’ pajamas but it seems to me they were usually made “flame retardent”. It may have even been required, but I’m not sure. Maybe natural fibers don’t take well to that process?
from Boston
I don’t know if Reilly is too big for this sort of thing, but most of the time in the warmer weather I put Charlotte to bed in just a onesie. I too simply loathe the baby pajamas out there (does my daughter seriously need to wear a polyester piece of crap with glitter on it? no, no she does not.) and so I’ve resorted to 100% cotton onesies - I have a mix of plain old Carters and some higher end organic cotton ones and she seems pretty comfortable.
I’ll second the PB kids cotton sheets too. They stand up really well to washing and drying - no shrinking and they’re really soft.
from West Palm Beach, FL
Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
@Erin: Reilly is definitely too big. He is working his way into 2T clothes already! But I found some more of the Old Navy ones I like online last night. I snapped up a bunch.
Link here in case anyone else is looking for good cotton pj’s.
from your moms.
i’ll keep that in mind when the kiddo comes along. some good ideas here.
from Boston MA
I think it has something to do with flame retardant or something, but I totally agree. I’m not a big fan of The Children’s Place, but their all cotton one-piece “stretchie” jammies rock. And they’re light enough for the summer if you have A/C. I highly recommend them!
from Mouseville™
Cocktail: Amaretto sour
Dude, hit eBay for those Old Navy and Gap cotton jammies—if you watch enough auctions (especially as summer ends because we can wear them longer than the rest of the country) you can snag 2-3 pair new and still sealed in the package -with shipping- for cheaper than one in the stores. And you know the toddler bed mattress will be the same size as the crib one right? All of your current crib bedding will work on the toddler bed.
I got N the cute bedding set for the exterior and then put the cotton sheets on the matress instead.
from West Palm Beach, FL
Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
@Robyn: Good tip! Now if you can give me a method of changing a crib sheet without cursing you’ll be my hero.