# What should a baby wear in public? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079 "2010-11-01T12:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/21 "2010-11-01T16:38:50Z")
I never knew people cared so much either! Are there people out there really insisting on shoes for an infant??? Let them wear whatever is weather-appropriate and convenient for mom & dad. The exception is only where some form on hygiene is involved - ie, if a baby is walking on public streets, it needs shoes. But by then, it’s a toddler. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/22 "2010-11-01T16:43:40Z")
I’m with \*\*irishgirl \*\*and **overlyverbose** here - if the baby isn’t walking , it doesn’t need shoes. Shoes are heavy, they’re uncomfortable, and they get in the way of stuffing your toes in your mouth. They’re for the parent, not the kid. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/23 "2010-11-01T16:45:20Z")
Oh, I’m with the shoe thing, too. Baby shoes are adorable but I don’t really see what they need them for. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/24 "2010-11-01T17:20:39Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > About diapers showing: I guess that’s a question about little girls in dresses. Do they need rufflebutt rompers under the dress? no but they can be very cute. I just saw a little girl in dress, rufflebutts and knit ruffled booties that all matched. Intensely adorable. > [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I never knew people cared so much either! Are there people out there really insisting on shoes for an infant??? Let them wear whatever is weather-appropriate and convenient for mom & dad. > > The exception is only where some form on hygiene is involved - ie, if a baby is walking on public streets, it needs shoes. But by then, it’s a toddler. knit booties are all the sprog needs, they are not walking, but something to keep toesies warm is a good idea, infants get chilled fairly quickly. > [@Alessan](#): > > I’m with \*\*irishgirl \*\*and **overlyverbose** here - if the baby isn’t walking , it doesn’t need shoes. Shoes are heavy, they’re uncomfortable, and they get in the way of stuffing your toes in your mouth. They’re for the parent, not the kid. I have never liked the ‘miniature adult clothes’ that very small kids get rammed into - they always look like they would prefer to be in onseies or shorts and singlet playing somewhere else instead of crammed into clothing and on display. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/25 "2010-11-01T17:29:41Z")
I was kind of gobsmacked when I first discovered that some people have opinions about what other people’s babies should wear. As far as I’m concerned, as long as it’s weather-appropriate, the kid’s good. Beyond that, who cares? I was reading another board not long ago where there was a thread titled ‘And you call yourself a mother???’ I almost didn’t click because I was expecting some tale of horror. It turned out that…the OP had seen a woman with a baby that WASN’T WEARING SOCKS!!! On a day when the OP’s baby WAS WEARING SOCKS!!! And this woman STILL DARED TO CALL HERSELF A MOTHER!!!1111!! And another vote for ‘If it’s not walking, it doesn’t need shoes.’ Toes need to wiggle. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/26 "2010-11-01T17:48:49Z")
Another vote for “weather appropriate”, but with the mention that what I see more often than not in error with this is babies bundled up \*too \*much. According to my doctor, a healthy full term newborn needs no more layers than Mom. A preemie needs one additional layer. Why, oh why, do people smother their kids in a diaper, onesie, blanket sleeper, coat and then a blanket…in August? :smack: Stop overheating your kid! For developmental reasons, I’m opposed to constant shoe wearing for pre-walkers, but there are some insanely cute baby shoes out there. Just save 'em for the photo ops, or make 'em soft ones like Robees. > [@flodnak](#): > > And banana stains are of course very stylish on anyone under the age of 12 months 😛 Oh, please! Banana stains are so 2008. All the cool babies have sweet potato stains now. 😉 > [@Sattua](#): > > About diapers showing: I guess that’s a question about little girls in dresses. Do they need rufflebutt rompers under the dress? No, they don’t need a rufflebutt. But they ARE insanely cute. I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/27 "2010-11-01T17:51:51Z")
I never heard of people insisting that babies should wear shoes. Our babies rarely did, unless we were dressing them up for church or something. As long as the kid is warm and comfortable, who cares. As for the diaper - well, we always used at least a onsie to cover them because our first baby tended to leak a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/28 "2010-11-01T18:08:44Z")
I asked about [the diaper thing](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=121758&highlight=diaper+trashy) back in 2002. Back then most people seemed to agree with my assessment that “just a diaper in a public place such as a store” looks trashy and careless. Most parents mentioned the concept of getting their kids accustomed to the concept of “we wear clothes when we leave the house, and diaper = underpants.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/29 "2010-11-01T18:22:12Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > **What should a baby wear in public?** One of those WWI German helmets with the spike on top. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/30 "2010-11-01T18:26:59Z")
I don’t have particularly strong opinions on this. My son was an October baby so we used the however many layers you are wearing plus one rule. My son usually wore socks and soft shoes but the soft shoes was a preference by my wife. I would just put socks on him. We would send him to the day care in pajamas as well. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/31 "2010-11-01T19:19:42Z")
Count me as “why would I possibly care what baby wears?” I’m fine if they are butt naked. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/32 "2010-11-01T19:26:16Z")
A crowning moment of personal glory was when I had to take my sick son to CVS one summer day. Him: Snotty nose, wearing only a diaper and a dirty cammo T-shirt. Me: Uncombed hair, pajama bottoms and grubby tshirt. Yeah, I looked like **that mom.** Anyway I agree with everyone above, clothing should be weather appropriate and beyond that it is all just style. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/33 "2010-11-01T19:48:23Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Another vote for “weather appropriate”, but with the mention that what I see more often than not in error with this is babies bundled up \*too \*much. According to my doctor, a healthy full term newborn needs no more layers than Mom. A preemie needs one additional layer. Why, oh why, do people smother their kids in a diaper, onesie, blanket sleeper, coat and then a blanket…in August? :smack: Stop overheating your kid! I have often wondered about this. I mean, what the heck do I know, so it’s not like I say anything, but I often see kids bundled up severely on what is a cool fall day - I am talking 50 to 65 degrees or so. The mother is wearing a light sweater and socks. The kid has piles of blankets, a hat, gloves, booties, and can barely move. But, I think, better that than the alternative, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/34 "2010-11-01T20:12:13Z")
Pre-walking infants don’t need shoes. If it was chilly, or if we were going someplace where ‘dressing’ might matter, I put socks or booties or some such on my little ones. Otherwise, their feet don’t touch the floor and they just kick the socks off anyway. As for visible diaper, I prefer a onesie or something like that to just shirt and diaper, but dress and diaper? Not really a problem. My little girls usually wore matching panties or tights or something similar, mostly because by the time I was taking them anywhere it was a little cooler and I was putting more clothes on them anyway. My son generally had something on his bottom half, for the same reason. (I think this new ‘babylegs’ thing is fantastic.) Again, it depends somewhat on where the baby is going. But something on the top half, definitely. Pajamas? How do you differentiate them from regular baby clothes? Sleepers come in all sorts of designs, as do onesies, which makes me think they were designed to be worn anywhere. Gowns don’t work in carseats. For the most part, baby clothes should be comfortable for the baby and easy to deal with for the parents. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/35 "2010-11-01T21:06:55Z")
I think a diaper is enough. OK I am assuming you’re taking measures to prevent sunburn. I lived in Florida and my boss bought all new baby clothes. I told her, “Look this is Florida, the only thing that baby needs is a diaper.” Really she probably spent $2,000 on clothes for that baby that will outgrow it in 10 minutes. Yes, they look cute but not worth the money. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/36 "2010-11-01T21:35:09Z")
For feet: if a baby can walk, toddle or otherwise put their weight on their feet, then they need protective footwear. If they can’t, they merely need enough to keep their feet warm. For diaper: doesn’t matter if it’s visible or not. Clothing should reflect weather conditions. That includes temperature, sunniness, windiness, etc. Whatever keeps the baby comfortable is appropriate. For clothing vs pajamas: I’m not aware of any distinction between the two for babies. Dress them according to conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/37 "2010-11-02T02:56:44Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Babies should have some reasonable cover for the conditions, even if it is just pajamas. If they’re not going to be on their feet at all, however, **shoes are entirely ornamental**. (bolding mine) That’s the way I feel about baby shoes. Until they start walking, you don’t need them. It’s just extra money down the drain. I think babies can get away with exposed diapers… especially little girls. Sometimes a skirt won’t cover a diaper, especially if you have a squirmy baby. As far as pajamas, I think babies are fine with that in public, especially newborns. Most newborns’ clothes are pretty much just glorified pajamas anyway. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/38 "2010-11-02T03:23:11Z")
Babies who can’t walk don’t need shoes or socks if the weather is warm enough. We use oneies for our baby, and usually panties over the skirt for our two-year-old, but it’s not a do or die question. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/39 "2010-11-02T06:06:29Z")
Whatever keeps them warm and safe from the elements ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079/40 "2010-11-02T09:03:45Z")
I do actually think that just a disposable nappy in most public places looks a little trashy. Otherwise, babies should wear whatever suits the weather. Some people do seem to dress their babies waaay too warmly. I did have a pair of baby shoes for my daughter; they were as soft as socks but unlike socks didn’t need washing every day and didn’t come off so easily. Plus, they looked cute. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-baby-wear-in-public/559079.md?page=3)