The Return of Handmade?

I’ve noticed that when I type “handmade” in the search box, whether it be Google, bing, or Yahoo, I get a whole list of stores selling handmade clothing for children. The only thing I don’t understand is why the results include pages and pages of stores selling designer children’s clothing. Immediately I’m disappointed, because when I think handmade, I think of some mom or grandmother sitting at home on her sewing machine stitching away on some unique design dreamed up in her head alone. I see art and colors and ruffles and lace, sewn together as a masterpiece and serged with love!

How dare designer children’s clothing stand in the gap as handmade items! As a matter of fact, I tend to be quite a bit biased toward custom made clothing, and I begin to wonder why designer clothes are designer. What’s so special about a pair of baggy pants with big pockets, or a t-shirt with ruched sides and a logo on the front? Couldn’t I buy Fruit of the Loom and duplicate that?

Perhaps what makes it designer is the quality of the fabric. Is it because it’s kona cotton or soft knit jersey? Most home designers can get their hands on these kinds of material if they simply visit the local fabric store. You can even buy imported Japanese fabric online.

Why have people gone back to handmade? Could it be because of the hard recession we've all endured? Actually, unless you're making the clothing yourself, it's not actually cheaper to buy handmade. You pay for the one of a kind individuality of each seamstress, and the time they devote to the construction of each garment, and that alone can come with a hefty price!
So is it really a recession, or just a passing fad that has begun to send massive amounts of people to the handmade market? I think it’s a personal sense of pride, to be unique in every way, including fashion. Many of us no longer want to be a carbon copy of the person next door. We don’t want to have the same outfit as a hundred other people because we’ve pulled off a rack of mass production.

It’s no wonder stores like Etsy and Artfire have become so popular and well searched. Nothing says “you” like a one-of-a-kind dress or shirt that has been made especially for you. I pledge allegiance to handmade clothing, and I’m sure you wouldn’t be disappointed if you did the same!

The New Girl

It's been a long time coming, but we have finally added our new model to the Munchskinz family!




Meet Miss Bella Mae! At the ripe old age of three, she has accomplished so much! Not only is she a mainstay online, but she has graced nationally known magazines and sported outfits by some of handmade's best designers! In these photos she is wearing an outfit from the Munchskinz Color Me Whimsical line.




Bella's mom Brooke is an awesome photographer who knows just how to capture Bella at her best. Brooke and Bella make a great team, and Munchskinz is honored to have them as part of our family! Check out Bella's success at www.bellamaecouture.blogspot.com