How to Choose a First Birthday Dress

A first birthday dress has a rather lovely job to do. There are candles to lean towards, grandparents to be passed between and, quite possibly, a first determined attempt to escape the photograph.

The right dress should feel special while leaving plenty of room for the little person wearing it. Here is what to consider when choosing one.

Choose for how she moves

Some children spend their first birthday sitting and exploring. Others are crawling beneath the table or taking their first steps.

Try the dress on before the celebration and let her move around in it. An outfit can look perfect on a hanger and feel quite different during a determined crawl across the sitting room.

Matching bloomers are a lovely finishing touch, particularly when a carefully arranged skirt inevitably ends up somewhere unexpected.

Let the details make it special

Embroidery, a beautiful neckline or a scalloped hem can give a birthday dress its sense of occasion.

Our Magnolia Square Neck Dress & Bloomer brings together soft sage cotton, an ivory voile overlay and butterflies and trailing florals embroidered along two scalloped tiers. There is plenty to discover up close, as well as a full silhouette for those brief moments when she stands still.

Think beyond the photograph

Consider the whole day, including the journey, the meal and any time spent outdoors. Bring an extra layer if needed, and have a comfortable change ready for spills or a change of plans.

Check the care label before choosing, too. Knowing how the dress should be cleaned makes the inevitable encounter with birthday cake much less worrying, although, those little stains can be the reminder of a beautiful memory. 

Choose something you would love to see again

A first birthday dress can have a life beyond its first celebration: a family lunch, another party, a visit that becomes an occasion simply because everyone is together.

Choose a piece you love enough to dress her in again. The memories need not stop at the candles.

Discover the Magnolia Dress & Bloomer in the Santi e Sofia collection.