Choosing a Boy’s Baptism Gown

Your baby’s christening day is fast approaching! Now is the time to plan the celebration for this newest member of a family line that reaches hundreds of generations into history. Many families choose to use elements of ancestral baby traditions to celebrate their continuing heritage. Many, for example, bless their baby boys in gowns similar to what their great-great-grandfathers used as infants. Tuxedos, bubbles, and rompers are relative newcomers to the selection of boys’ baptism and christening clothes. Baby boys traditionally wore gowns simply because they were much more convenient than slacks, given the available diapering resources.

Traditional Boy Christening Gowns

Ryan Christening OutfitIf you’re a fan of vintage baby clothing, you know that finding the right baptism outfit in the right size can be difficult at best. Luckily for you, baptism gown companies tend to favor historical styles and usually offer gowns in all the sizes and styles you want. Best of all, many new christening gowns are as easy on your pocketbook as vintage gowns are. The boy gowns that are truest to vintage are made of natural materials like linen, cotton, or silk. If you can bring yourself to cheat a little on the vintage theme, you might want to choose a gown made from a synthetic fabric. These can make for stunning gowns that don’t wrinkle much or at all and that are often easier to clean than natural fibers are (and that’s a definite selling point for baby clothes).

Transitional Boy Dedication Gowns

William Silk Christening GownIf you love the idea of a traditional boy’s gown but you fear your in-laws will glare at you for putting their grandson in “girl clothes,” you might want to consider a convertible christening gown or a baptism coat. With a christening coat, you get the elegance and length of a boy’s christening gown, and you can remove the coat whenever you’d like. A convertible baptism gown might have a removable skirt that covers (for as long as you desire) a baptism bubble or romper underneath.

Traditional Baptism Jumper Overgowns

Another take on the transitional christening gown is the christening jumper. You fit the jumper over your boy’s christening romper, so it looks exactly like a boy’s christening gown. And for a less-formal look, you can easily remove the jumper whenever you’d like.

Christening Bodysuits

Pima Cotton Sleeveless Bodysuit 3-PackParents sometimes forget that in a gown, a baby really needs a bodysuit underneath. A bodysuit has two main purposes: it makes the gown more comfortable to wear, and (maybe most importantly) it keeps your baby’s diaper snugly where you want it to be. Baby’s christening day is no time for low-riding diapers. If your boy’s christening gown has short sleeves, you’ll want a sleeveless bodysuit—you don’t want the sleeves of a bodysuit to poke out of a baby’s splendid christening gown.

Baptism Day Remembrances

Boys Christening to Wedding BoutonniereWhatever baby ceremonial clothing you go with, may you find something that, like your new baby, you can remember with fondness forever. Your little boy is the newest member of a family line that reaches hundreds of generations into history. Many families choose to use elements of ancestral baby traditions to celebrate their continuing heritage. Many, for example, bless their baby boys in gowns similar to what their great-great-grandfathers used as infants. Tuxedos, bubbles, and rompers are relative newcomers to the selection of boys’ baptism and christening clothes. Baby boys traditionally wore gowns simply because they were much more convenient than slacks, given the available diapering resources.