Before a baby arrives, it is very easy to buy a lot of things. The internet is full of lists, the shops are full of tiny adorable things, and everyone has an opinion. Some of it is genuinely useful advice. Some of it is just very effective marketing.
We're not going to tell you what to buy from us. We're going to tell you what you actually need — and where you can comfortably hold back.
Start smaller than you think
The most common first-wardrobe mistake is volume. Newborns grow at a speed that feels almost aggressive, and anything sized 0–3 months may only fit for a matter of weeks. Buying twenty of something in newborn size is a lovely idea that often results in a drawer full of barely-worn clothes and a slight sense of loss.
Buy a small number of newborn pieces, then size up sooner than feels logical. A slightly too-big babygrow will be grown into by next week. A too-small one is already done.
What you actually need
Vests. More than you think, fewer than the internet suggests. Vests are the foundation of almost every baby outfit — worn alone in warmer weather, as a base layer the rest of the time. Aim for enough to cover a bad laundry week without panic.
Sleepsuits/babygrows. The true workhorse of the baby wardrobe. Comfortable, practical, and genuinely suitable for most of a newborn's life. Zip fastenings are a gift at 3am; poppers are fine in daylight hours.
A couple of warm layers. A soft knit cardigan or two, a pramsuit or all-in-one for colder weather if your baby is arriving in autumn or winter. Not a full drawer — just enough to layer up when you need to.
Scratch mitts and hats. More useful in the early weeks than you might expect. Newborns haven't yet discovered temperature regulation, and those little hands get everywhere.
What you probably don't need
Newborn shoes. They cannot walk. The shoes do not do anything except look extremely small and cute, which admittedly is a valid thing to want. Just know what you're buying.
Elaborate outfits for the first few weeks. Buttons up the back, dry-clean only, anything that requires ironing — save these for slightly later when you have slightly more time and the baby is slightly less likely to immediately cover them in something.
Huge quantities of any single size. See above. Growth is relentless and shows no mercy to a well-stocked drawer.
Matching sets you love so much you don't want them to get dirty. They will get dirty. Everything gets dirty. Buy things you're happy to actually use.
A note on quality over quantity
There's a version of building a baby wardrobe that involves buying fewer, better things — pieces that wash well, hold their shape, stay soft, and can be passed down or passed on. It doesn't always cost more overall; it just shifts where you put your budget. A handful of pieces you reach for every single day will always serve you better than a drawer full of things that feel like a compromise.
You don't need a lot. You need the right things, and enough of them. Everything else can wait until you know what your baby actually needs — and they'll let you know soon enough.