Baby Corduroy Overalls: Fit, Layers and Care

Pull out the clothes your baby actually wore this week and there is usually a pair of overalls in the pile. Not the special outfit, not the one with the fiddly buttons at the back. The overalls.

Corduroy overalls, sometimes called baby dungarees, are a bib-and-strap trouser made from ribbed cotton. There is no waistband to ride up when a baby is on all fours, the knees stay covered on hard floors and decking, and the whole thing goes on over a bodysuit in one movement. The ribs in the fabric, called wales, give corduroy extra thickness in the places that take the most rubbing, which is why it survives the crawling stage better than a flat woven cotton of the same weight.

That is the short version. Here is what actually matters when you are choosing a pair, sizing them, and keeping them looking decent after twenty washes.

Why overalls suit the crawling and toddling stage

By 12 months, Whānau Āwhina Plunket notes that most babies crawl, bottom shuffle or walk, and pull up to stand. Every one of those movements is hard on clothing, and most of them are hard on the knees in particular.

Overalls handle that better than separates for four practical reasons.

No waistband. A crawling baby spends most of the day folded at the hip. Elasticated pants ride down at the back and up at the front. Overalls hang from the shoulders instead, so nothing digs in and nothing needs hoiking up every ten minutes.

Covered knees. Carpet is forgiving. Lino, timber, concrete patios and the bark chips at the local playground are not. A trouser leg that stays in place is doing real work.

One layer over a bodysuit. A long sleeve bodysuit underneath and overalls on top is a complete outfit. The bodysuit stays tucked because the straps hold everything down, so you do not get the bare-tummy gap that happens with a tee and pants.

Straps that stay put. Shoulder straps do not slip the way a bib or a loose jumper does when a baby is reaching, twisting and pulling up on furniture.

What the ribbed weave is doing

Corduroy is a cut pile fabric. The raised cords sit above the base cloth, so the surface that meets the floor is thicker than the fabric underneath it. On a knee that spends hours on the ground, that extra depth is the difference between a piece that thins out in a season and one that keeps its shape.

Wide-wale corduroy, the kind with chunky visible ribs, has fewer and deeper cords. It feels soft, it drapes well on small bodies, and it is noticeably warmer than a plain cotton twill without being bulky.

Every piece in the Yes Mila corduroy range is made from 100% organic cotton, including the Corduroy Overalls. Fabric is listed on each product page if you want to check a specific piece.

Sizing and fit

Yes Mila Corduroy Overalls come in 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 1 year and 2 years, in Balsam and Clay, at $59.99.

A few things worth knowing before you pick a size.

Adjustable straps. The straps adjust, which is what lets a pair carry a baby through a growth spurt rather than being outgrown in six weeks. Start them shorter and let them out as your baby lengthens.

Concealed domes for nappy changes. The Corduroy Overalls have concealed domes so you can get a nappy off without taking the whole outfit apart. This is the single feature worth checking on any pair of baby overalls. Without it, every change means straps off, arms out and a cold, annoyed baby.

Leave room for the nappy. Overall sizing has to account for what is underneath. If you are using cloth nappies, size up rather than sizing to your baby's height alone.

Measure rather than guess. Age labels are a guideline. Two one-year-olds can be four centimetres apart in body length. Our guide to baby clothing sizes in New Zealand walks through how to measure and what NZ size labels actually mean.

One honest note on the search term "toddler overalls": the Yes Mila corduroy overalls stop at 2 years. From 2 to 8, the corduroy range carries on as Corduroy Pants with an elasticated waist and deep patch pockets, and as the Corduroy Pinafore Dress, which keeps the adjustable straps.

Layering overalls through spring and autumn

New Zealand spring and autumn are the seasons overalls were made for. Mornings that need a jacket and afternoons that do not, in the same outfit.

Plunket's clothing guidance is a useful baseline: babies usually need one more layer of clothing than you do, and clothes made from natural fibres like cotton help keep a baby's body at the right temperature. To check whether your baby is warm enough, slip two fingers down the back of the neck between the shoulder blades. If their back is warm, so is your baby, even when their hands feel cool.

In practice, the overalls sit in the middle of a three-part system.

Underneath. A long sleeve bodysuit is the best base layer for overalls because it does not untuck. There is a full range in baby onesies and bodysuits, and a printed one under a plain cord gives the outfit its colour.

On mild days. Overalls and a bodysuit on their own, with bare feet inside and socks out.

On cold mornings. Add a jacket or a knit over the top rather than bulking up underneath. Our layering pieces are cut to go over a base layer without pulling the straps out of place.

For a wider view of how to build a changeable-weather wardrobe, we have covered dressing a baby for spring in New Zealand in more detail.

If you are building out the rest of the bottom half, the overalls sit alongside the other options in baby boy pants and shorts and baby girl leggings, pants and tights.

Looking after corduroy

Corduroy is easy to wash and easy to flatten, and the difference is mostly in how you dry it.

Turn them inside out before washing. This protects the pile, which is the raised surface that gives corduroy its texture. Washing inside out on a cool cycle keeps the cords standing up and the colour even.

Skip the hot dryer. High heat is what flattens the pile and makes cord go shiny at the knees and seat. Shake the overalls out while they are damp, smooth the legs straight, and hang or lay them flat to dry. They come off the line with the texture intact.

Wash with similar weights. Cord in with a load of heavy denim will rub. Cord with other cotton pieces is fine.

Done this way, a pair of corduroy overalls keeps its shape and colour wash after wash, and still looks like something you want your child photographed in at the end of the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age are corduroy overalls best for?

They come into their own from around six months, when babies start spending real time on the floor, and stay useful through early walking. Yes Mila Corduroy Overalls run from 3-6 months to 2 years. Before six months a simple bodysuit or onesie is usually easier for frequent changes.

Can you change a nappy without taking corduroy overalls off?

Yes, if the pair has domes. The Yes Mila Corduroy Overalls have concealed domes for exactly this, so you can open the leg area for a change without undoing the straps or taking arms out of a top layer.

What do you wear under corduroy overalls?

A long sleeve bodysuit in cooler weather, or a short sleeve bodysuit or tee when it warms up. A bodysuit is better than a loose tee because it stays tucked under the straps.

Are corduroy overalls warm enough for a New Zealand winter?

On their own, not usually. Corduroy is warmer than plain cotton but it is a mid-weight fabric, not outerwear. Through winter, wear them over a long sleeve base layer with a jacket or knit on top, and follow the one-extra-layer rule.

Do corduroy overalls shrink or go stiff in the wash?

Cotton corduroy can stiffen if it is dried on high heat, which flattens the pile. Wash inside out on a cool cycle, then shake the piece out and air dry it. The fabric softens again with wear rather than going rigid.

Browse the full corduroy range and find a pair that will get worn every week.