‘Twinning’, ‘matching’, ‘mini-me’, ‘mama and mini’, whatever you call it, the trend for wearing the same clothes as your kid is ever-growing. Not content with myriad Christmas options, this year we’ve even seen retailers offer matching Valentine’s Day pyjamas. Anecdotally, I grabbed ASDA’s heart-print set the day they were released, and just a few days later sent the link to a friend – they were already sold out in most sizes.
Clearly twinning is winning for many of us. But if you find yourself rolling your eyes at the thought, I *beg* you to reconsider. I’m fairly certain your little one’s eyes will light up when they realise you’re matching – my daughter’s certainly do (followed by lots of pointing and unintelligible garble, but she’s 19 months old, so we’ll forgive her for that!).
Here, we’ve rounded up 15 entirely non-cringe matching outfits for you and your little, including pyjamas, jumpers, and special occasions, plus a set of made-to-order leggings and the stretchiest, comfiest playsuit I’ve worn in forever. For the skeptics, we’ve included a few more subtle options, including super-comfy dungarees and a white t-shirt with a little birth-flower motif. Cute, right? Get ready to get converted.
Pyjamas
The OG option. Pyjamas are a great starting point for shy matchers as you can ease yourself in at home.
Chelsea Peers printed pyjamas
Mum:
Child:
Chelsea Peers pyjamas just never miss, and this set from its organic cotton range is blissfully soft. The cream background and delicate ladybird design is subtle, and the child’s version – available up to age 14 – has the same button-up shirt with little pocket design as the grown-up style. There are loads of other family sets from them too, in designs ranging from jungle prints to sea creatures. There are short and long options, as well as some in curve, maternity and men’s designs.
Their Nibs pyjamas
Mum:
Child:
The founder of Their Nibs was head of womenswear at Laura Ashley before she set up on her own, and these Secret Garden-themed pyjama sets definitely echo those classy, lady-like vibes. The pink background is somehow bright without being aggressive (so a thing), and the tigers peeping out from behind the foliage make the design feel super-considered and artistic. As well as the full-length set, there is also a shorts-and-cami option for adults. If tigers aren’t your thing, other family-matching sets include foxes, peacocks and hummingbirds.
Read more on maternity style:
- The ultimate guide to maternity trousers
- Stylish winter maternity outfits: The 8 pieces you need in your wardrobe
- The comfiest pyjamas to wear when you’re pregnant
- Postpartum fashion: re-discovering my sense of style after having a baby
Zipster pyjamas
Mum:
Child:
Zipster pyjamas are made from super-soft sustainable bamboo, with a bit of stretch, which helps them last the kids that bit longer (plus the adult version can work for maternity too). This emerald green design comes in three sizes: adults, with a button-down shirt; children 2-7 years, with a t-shirt, and babies. The littlest ones get the classic Zipster design, with the brand’s trademark (and genuinely very handy) two-way zipper for quick nappy changes. Well, quick-ish- we’re not promising the moon here.
Leggings, dungarees and jumpsuits
Here are three very versatile options to design an outfit around, and to work in multiple ways on multiple days.
Dotty Dungarees
Mum:
Child:
Dotty Dungarees is an indie-brand making dungarees that have a classic-but-cool vibe that will never date. Thanks to their super-soft material, they’re exceedingly comfortable too – I wore my pair three days on the trot when they arrived. The new Faded Denims collection features two plain options, plus two striped designs in pink and blue (think classic deckchair), starting from six months. The adult and kids’ versions are very similar, save for handy zip access to change nappies in the smallest sizes.
Eddie and Bee
Mum:
Child:
These super-comfy leggings are made-to-order by a fellow mum here in the UK. They come in lots of adorable designs and this clementine print is my favourite. Despite being cream, they’re totally opaque (impressive) and like all Eddie and Bee’s pieces, are made from a soft and stretchy material. Other matching designs include birds, blueberries and bananas, and they’re available from newborn up to age seven. The only downside? You’ll have no excuse for not getting properly stuck in at soft play – sorry about that.
The Simple Folk
Mum:
Child:
The Simple Folk creates ethical and sustainable clothing made in Portugal, and this organic cotton jumpsuit with stretch is just so comfy – when I tried it, it was almost like I didn’t have anything on at all. It comes in four muted colours and kids’ sizes run from newborn up to age 10. It’ll work all-year-around; wear alone in the warmer months, and layer up with t-shirts or sweatshirts in winter.
Casual dresses
Dresses to take you from baby massage to the local cafe and then via Tesco on the way home to pick up six packets of biscuits.
John Lewis
Mum:
Child:
John Lewis doesn’t have bundles of twinning options, but what they do stock is clearly considered and will appeal to a whole variety of mums and kids. This cotton midi dress features little red strawberries, with a tie-up back on the adult version and button-up back on the kid’s design. The dress is a little oversized, so stick to your normal size to avoid feeling swamped in fabric. Alternatively, if you’re more a jeans-and-nice-top kind of woman, there is a matching top option too.
Lindex
Mum:
Child:
If you’re a parent, you probably already know Lindex for its drop-dead gorgeous sleepsuit designs, but don’t overlook the other items when you’re browsing. For those of us proud to be seen matching with our little, this midi-length seersucker dress in spring-ready lime green is an obvious choice. The elbow-length puff sleeves on the adult’s version give a flattering silhouette, while the child’s design has practical longer sleeves. Both are made from lightweight cotton, so it’ll work through summer.
Tilbea
Mum:
Child:
Indie brand Tilbea was founded by two sisters and is named after their girls, Tilly and Bea. Their mission is to create clothing that blends functionality with style, and this leopard-print dress with an on-trend collar (with a matching child’s version) is a case in point. It’s super-chic and is very clearly designed by mums, for mums (and mamas-to-be); there’s concealed twin-zip access for breastfeeding and it’s bump-friendly . Already got too much leopard print in your wardrobe? The same design also comes in red, and there’s a shirt option too.
Formal dresses
Weddings, birthdays and special occasions give you the perfect excuse to twin.
Boden
Mum:
Child:
We love that these dresses from Boden aren’t a direct match but work cohesively together. The adult midi dress offers a super-flattering silhouette with ruched waist and scoop neck – Boden gets brownie points for doing many of its dresses, including this one, in petite length – while the kid’s dress (available from 0-three years) has a pretty rose print, high collar and lace detailing. There are other matching options, including swimwear for all the family in tropical prints.
Oasis
Mum:
Child:
Step this way for a go-big or-go-home option, mums. This party dress from Oasis has frilled sleeves on the child’s version and a halter neck on the women’s design, making this combo attention-grabbing/extra in all the right ways. Petition for Oasis to create some matching options for under threes, please!
Newbie
Mum:
Child:
This pair of dresses is part of Swedish brand Newbie’s latest collection. We’re talking muted colour palettes, cute details like frills and bows and a wide variety of complementary clothing options. In this design you can also get a sun hat and lace-trimmed socks, as well as shirts from two months up to aged eight, so siblings needn’t feel left out of the fun.
Sweatshirts & T-Shirts
Army-crawling your way through soft play? Distracting your toddler from puddles bigger than their whole body on a countryside walk? Easy-to-wear sweatshirts, jumpers and t-shirts are in order.
This is Nessie
Mum and child set:
Dipping your toe into the world of twinning? You really can’t get more subtle than this. These soft and comfortable plain white tees can be personalised not just with your and your little one’s names, but your respective birth flowers. My daughter, born in August, got a red poppy; my March birthday assigned me a yellow daffodil. While on the child’s t-shirt, the name and motif is larger and centrally placed, on mum’s version it’s much smaller and in a shirt-pocket position. Subtle, see!
Mini Rodini
Mum:
Child:
The oversized slogan-sweater trend shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon, and this matching design from Mini Rodini is absolute perfection. Available in small, medium or large adult sizes (I’m a size 10 and the medium was perfectly roomy without swamping me), and nine months through to 11 years in the child’s size. Both are made from 100 % GOTS certified organic cotton, and there is a red version and a t-shirt too.
Mini and Me
Mum and child set:
£66
Mini And Me and Not On The High Street
Matching Parent And Child Square Design Jumper Set
These muted multi-coloured knitted jumpers from Not On The High Street sellers Mini and Me are available in one to five years for kids, two sizes for women (cropped and fitted or relaxed fit), and you can message directly if you’d like a men’s version too. Baggy jumpers always take a good while to grow out for little kids, which is a major bonus, and this design is versatile enough for both mum and mini to throw over summer dresses, or just pair with jeans for a get-up-and-go outfit.
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