A christening dress is said to be the most important piece of clothing that a mother ever purchases and is second only to her wedding dress. While the second condition is not necessarily true for everyone, undoubtedly these dresses are treasured not only by the mother but the child as well once they grow up. Option is not a factor when it comes to choosing christening dresses but what is important is choosing the right one. Consider the following factors before buying one of those options.
Style
Whether you want your child to wear a traditional or modern dress depends on your personal taste and judgement. Traditional styles are more favoured by mothers who want their babies to wear the same kind of dress that they wore during their christening. It is a nice way to build a nostalgic bridge through time. On the other hand, if you are more into the styles of your child’s generation, choosing a modern style is always the better decision. The latter section usually offers the most designs.
Fabric
Even though your child is going to wear the dress only once, you must pay attention to the fabric. Do not choose anything other than all-natural fibres like 100% cotton, raw silk and linen. They do not cause any kind of skin problems in babies which cannot be said with guaranty in case of synthetic fabrics.
Climate
The climate is also an important factor to consider when buying christening dresses even though most of us often fail to realize. If the climate is hot, wet and sunny then choosing a cotton or silk dress with short sleeves is the better decision. On the other hand, if it is windy, sunless and cold then choose heavier fabric for the dress. You might also need to add a woollen bonnet and/or sweater to the whole dress set as well. Colour also plays a role here. Usually white is taken for granted when it comes to choosing the colour for christening dresses but that need not be the standard. White is preferred because it is the symbol of purity and holiness but it also absorbs the least amount of heat. Hence choosing a darker colour is important if the climate is not so warm.
Fit
Fit of the dress means your child needs to fit into the dress comfortably. The dress must have enough space so that your child can move freely without feeling suffocated. Keep an eye on the hems too. Sometimes the dress itself offers enough room for movement but the neck and sleeve hems cut into the skin. You can also consult sizing charts to find the appropriate fit for the baby’s dress.
Small Details
Do not ignore the small things. We often fail to recognize small faults like the size, stitching, colour of the buttons and regret doing so at the last moment. The stitching needs to be strong so that the buttons would not fall off at the first try. Their size needs to be proportionate to the dress and their colour must complement that of the dress. Inspect the laces, trimmings and hems as well.
A christening dress can turn out to be a real pain if you do not pay attention to these factors. But whatever you do or decide remember, the experience should be joyous for both you and your baby.