Since my baby niece, Malika, was born, I have not been able to enter a shopping mall or clothing store without checking out the kid's section to buy her something. As I shopped around, I grew conscious of a department of fashion I never knew existed outside the walls of Mothercare, the children's clothing retailer. More and more high street fashion stores and high-end designers are launching baby, junior and kid's lines these days, prompting mothers to put aside the conventional childrens' overalls in place of trendy outfits and accessories for their children. Whether you are at Beymen or CityStars, shopping for the little ones nowadays needs a deep pocketed budget. High-end brands such as Burberry, Armani, Gucci and Dior are launching new children's collections every season, keeping the younger generation stylish with whatever baby models are strolling down the runaways wearing. While very cute on kids and undeniably fun for mothers, this begs the question: Are you willing to spend a mini fortune on a few items your child will soon outgrow, or, more likely, throw up on? If you have the panache to splurge on designer items for your child, I recommend buying an accessory, such as a blanket, diaper bag or wrap-around, that can be used by the next child or at least for a couple of years. Frankly, I succumb to fashion whims and can sympathize with anyone who can't resist a tiny Burberry checkered shirt or an adorable pink dress by Baby Dior. In that case, it is best to buy it at a size that they can wear when they start walking because let's face it, you want to at least be able to show it off, which is impossible if your baby is laying in their carry-cot or car seat all the time. Mixing designer clothes and babies is now the fashion faux pas du jour of Egyptian mothers who are overdoing the cute designer items by treating their children as an accessory. While mothers don Miu Miu boots and carry their Louis Vuitton bag, not to mention wearing Just Cavalli jeans and Prada sweaters, their child has to match the outfit with the latest ensemble by Moschino and loafers by Gucci. My advice to all you mothers out there: act responsibly. You can stay trendy, with reasonably priced items. After all, you have to start thinking about future necessities such as school fees. There are great high street fashion brands offering affordable children's clothing that can make your child look like they just stepped off the catwalk. Stores such as H&M, Sfera and Sergent Major come to mind. Offering stylish lines at affordable prices, your child can change their outfit a couple of times a day without you going bankrupt. "I love to dress up my baby girl, Khadiga, it's not a matter of what the brand is but it has to be something stylish, said Amina El Sewedy, adding that there are some stores at CityStars which have clothes that fall in the same price category as Mothercare but have fashionable items. "At home she usually wears the classic overalls; and when we go out, she wears a dress.you have to keep in mind that she has to be able to move freely in whatever she is wearing so I don't think she would be comfortable in jeans and a top at this age, El Sewedy said. Other mothers such as Dina Abu Rida, take a different approach to dressing their babies: "Her clothes have to be unique, said Abu Rida, "If I'm buying her a dress, for example, it can't be plain with a simple cut. There has to be something about it like an empire waist for instance; or if it's short we could throw in a pair of leggings underneath, she added. "I also like to mix and match outfits to make it different, she said. While many mothers feel that fashion fun can only be had with baby girls, Dalia El Tayebi delights in dressing up her baby boy. "He wears what a man wears, said El Tayebi, who dresses up her baby in Polo-shirts and jeans. "He wears the jumpsuits and other baby clothes while we are at home, but when we go out, he wears classic male clothes..which are even cuter on babies and everyone has to smile when they see him, she said.
