How to choose your ManyMonths grow-with-me clothing?

Comment bien s’équiper en vĂȘtements ManyMonths Ă©volutifs ? Maison de Mamoulia

Where to start?

What quantities to plan for?

What are the essentials, according to age and season? And based on what you already have.

You'll finally have clarity.

Personally, it all started in 2012
 with a single ManyMonths bodysuit/shirt.
Out of simple curiosity.

At the time, I knew neither the ManyMonths grow-with-me brand, nor the concept.
And above all, I couldn't imagine a pure wool garment, worn directly on a baby's skin, a baby due in August no less - the full experience!

I already had a 4-year-old child.
A few years of experience as a mom
 where I thought I was doing my best.

Cotton, sometimes organic.
Velvet pajamas (cotton blend
 and polyester - did you know that?).
Rigid jeans, completely unsuited to a child's morphology.
And on top of that: with cloth diapers, I had to size up all the pants, but they were otherwise ill-fitting.

A disaster.

He wasn't really comfortable.
But he looked like a miniature adult.

And those nights of crying - too hot, too cold, the "polyester potato sack" sleeping bags, neither useful nor practical for rocking...

And then there were all those gifted clothes.
The ones you wear "to please," not to offend.
Because they're cute too.

But it was neither practical nor durable.

My first child was, without me realizing it at the time, the guinea pig for all my clothing experiments.

And even today
 I regret it.

There was no content, no feedback on ManyMonths, no blog like this one.
Just standard product descriptions
 and a lot of unknowns.

I tried.

And very quickly, that first bodysuit/shirt was followed by other pieces.
My baby wasn't even born yet.

Why?
Because as soon as I touched it, I understood.
That softness.
That different material. Different from anything I had put on my eldest.
And above all, that intelligent design: grow-with-me, adjustable, practical, durable.

I felt that I wasn't wrong.

Well
 I went far. Very far.
I ended up having probably the largest ManyMonths collection in Europe within 3 months.

This is clearly not the most economical example.
And that's precisely why I can now guide you to avoid this excess.

Even if
 I can't guarantee you won't get a little addicted too.

A year later, in 2013, I opened my shop and my blog.
Since then, my two children have gone through all sizes and almost all models (apart from dresses and skirts, okay).

And most importantly: I have supported several thousand families.

Today, I am therefore sharing a clear, concrete, and field-tested vision with you.
Not a theory. A lived reality.

These recommendations are based on:

  • my personal experience,
  • years of observation,
  • and feedback from many families.

These are not strict rules.
But they are reliable benchmarks that you can adapt according to:

  • your budget,
  • your child's age,
  • your needs and what you may already have at home

Wool: Layering

Contrary to popular belief, wool can be worn all year round.

Yes, really.

(We'll just add mittens and balaclavas for the period from October to April.)

Above all, wool allows for intelligent layering.
That's where it becomes unbeatable.

But where it often seems most complicated to you is in having enough layers of wool.
The famous "3-layer method" that I often talk about (especially in my book "Ultimate Guide to Wool").

And yet, there's something I find quite curious.

Many parents dress their children in synthetic clothes

without ever asking themselves the same questions:

Is there enough? 
Is there too much?

Perhaps because visually, these clothes seem thick, "reassuring."

Whereas wool, whose natural job is to regulate temperature, raises more doubts.
We are wary of it.
We don't really believe in it


At least, not until you try it.

For cold periods (around 0° to 15°C), you can build a complete outfit with:

  • a wool-silk base Cosilana (bodysuit or t-shirt)
  • a merino wool thermal layer ManyMonths or Disana or Reiff, consisting of one or two garments (e.g., bodysuit/shirt or t-shirt + cardigan/sweater)
  • an outer garment in boiled wool Disana (jacket or jumpsuit)
  • pure wool socks Hirsch Natur

Where to start concretely?

This is often where everything gets complicated.

You see the collection
 and you don't know what to choose, or in what quantity.

So, to simplify things for you, in this article I will offer you:

‱ typical bundles / packs
‱ simple basics according to age
‱ truly useful essentials (not superfluous items)

The goal is not to have a lot.
But to have just enough - and for everything to work together.

Sizes

Regarding the choice of sizes, I cannot stress this enough:

do not try to "over-capitalize" on ManyMonths clothing.

They are already designed to last a long time: grow-with-me, adjustable, and covering several classic sizes on their own.

The sizes follow and overlap very well.
It is therefore preferable to move to the next size at the end of the current size - not in the middle.

And above all:

base your choice on your child's height,
and not on their age.

Even less on benchmarks like:
"I take a 2-year-old size in this brand even though my child is 12 months old."

These comparisons do not work here. Only the child's height in centimeters matters.

"Maternity" Pack (average 3 days):

    ‱ 3 kimono - body/shirts

    ‱ 3 longies Miracle/Newcomer size

    ‱ 2 knitted jumpsuits (Disana) 

    ‱ 2 wool or wool-silk hats Cosilana

    ‱ 1 knitted blanket (Disana)

    ‱ 2 pairs of Hirsch socks

     

    For babies/toddlers from birth to around 3 years old or 44-98 cm (Miracle, Newcomer, Charmer, Explorer, Adventurer sizes).

    These sizes each last on average 1-1.5 years, unlike any other classic garment.

    "Test" Pack 

    Enough to make you want to discover these clothes.
    And an excellent birth gift idea.

        ‱ 1 bodysuit/shirt or 1 kimono-bodysuit/shirt (if for newborn)
        ‱ 1 reversible longies

    "Basic" Pack:

    The ManyMonths clothes that will be essential and truly useful for starting out, without excess - especially if you already have classic clothes that you wish to continue using as long as they last.

    "Comfort" Pack:

    And you'll be worry-free: never short of wool clothes, even when some are being aired out or washed in rotation.
    With only a few classic clothes on the side, for "emergencies" - or to please those who gave them to you.

  • 1 jumpsuit
  • 2 cardigans (choose between hooded cardigan, Henley Hoodie, Sweater, according to your preference)
  • 1 sleeveless cardigan
  • 1 pair of carrier booties lined with fleece (even if you use a stroller)
  • 2 balaclavas (useful from cool September to around April)
  • 2 pairs of mittens
  • 1 dickie collar
  • 1 bandana

    • "Royal" Pack:

    The name says it all: with these pieces, you can dress your child from head to toe, without buying other clothes for 1 to 2 years depending on the models.
    You simply don't need to add classic clothes alongside them.

    I consider the products in these packs to be essential basics.
    Then, depending on your taste, your preferences - and of course your budget - you can complete, adjust or replace certain models with others, for example:

     

    For older children, from about 3 to 7 years old or 98 - 128 cm (Conqueror, Innovator sizes):

    "Test" Pack

    Enough to make you want these clothes - and for your children, even older ones, to discover them in turn.

    "Basic" Pack:

    The ManyMonths clothes that will be essential and truly useful to start with, without excess - especially if you already have classic clothes that you wish to continue using as long as they last.

    "Comfort" Pack:

    And you'll be set: never short of wool clothes, even when some are airing out or being washed in rotation.
    With just a few classic clothes on the side, for "emergency" situations - or to please those who gave them to you.

    "Royal" Pack:

    The name says it all: with these pieces, you can dress your child from head to toe, without buying other clothes for 2 to 3 years depending on the models.
    You simply don't need to add classic clothes alongside them.

    I consider the products in these packs to be essential basics.
    Then, depending on your taste, your preferences - and of course your budget - you can complete, adjust or replace certain models with others, for example:

     

    For pre-teen children aged 8-13 years approximately or 128-158 cm (Enthusiast, Lionheart sizes) :

    "Test" Pack

    Enough to make you want these clothes - and for your children, even older ones, to discover them in turn.

    "Basic" Pack:

    The ManyMonths clothes that will be essential and truly useful to start with, without excess - especially if you already have classic clothes that you want to continue using as long as they last.

    "Comfort" Pack:

    And you will be at ease: never short of wool clothes, even when some are being aired or washed in rotation.
    With only a few classic clothes on the side, in "emergency" mode - or to please those who gave them to you.

    "Royal" Pack:

    It's all in the name: with these pieces, you can dress your child from head to toe, without buying other clothes for 2 to 3 years depending on the models.
    You simply don't need to add classic clothes on the side.

    I consider the products in these packs to be essential basics.

    You can of course add a few pieces to vary the colors.
    Since these clothes last 2-3 years, you might want to renew them a bit... if only for souvenir photos of this period.

    Beyond Lionheart size - teens and adults, from around 160 cm

    For children who have outgrown Lionheart size and adults who also want to discover "good" wool - or for parents who finally want to understand and test for themselves the comfort their children feel, and have matching outfits - here are my suggestions to get started.

    Fortunately, the Babyidea brand has developed, in response to growing demand from parents, ranges dedicated to adults: MaM (Me and Mummy) and MaD (Me and Daddy)

    A logical next step... once you understand, there's no going back.

    "Test" Pack:

    Perfect for feeling and understanding how this wool really works:
    it takes the temperature of the body and the environment in a few minutes, then is forgotten on the skin, while providing just the necessary warmth.

    • Multi-tube: very versatile, it serves the whole family. Everyone can choose their color in the morning, as desired.
    • Leg warmers: An extra layer of warmth on the legs
    • 1 pair of Fingerless Mittens: practical, simple, and quickly essential for daily use.

    "Basic" Pack:

    The pieces that will always be useful all year round, the base.

    "Comfort" Pack:

    When you realize that no other brand offers such quality in pure, untreated wool - almost impossible to find for adults -
    and that you can no longer wear anything else for your basics...

    "Royal" Pack:

    When you've given away - or resold - everything you thought was "real wool"...
    when in reality it was just blends with synthetics, or Superwash treated wool (plasticized, like a large part of so-called "machine washable" wool).

    Don't forget Monsieur: he'll want his Multi-tube too - essential, especially on a motorbike. But also the MaD t-shirt, the Lounge Jogger and the hooded cardigan are unisex too.