Vintage Baby Clothes as Heirlooms for a New Mother

A writer who wears vintage exclusively and has made a career out of old clothes turns her gaze toward baby clothes after becoming a mother. Lacking hand-me-downs from her own infancy—her mother having an anti-stuff instinct—she begins hunting for vintage pieces dating to her own childhood, her mother's, and her grandmother's. A friend, Alessia Fendi, launches a vintage children's venture, Le Fefi, and invites her to choose a dress. The writer acquires several dresses from Le Fefi and shops online, solving the hand-me-down problem. She reflects on the deeper meaning of these garments as heirlooms she never got, choosing things made for endurance to be passed through more than one childhood. Her daughter will be baptized this summer, and she is hunting for a christening gown in handmade lace and pearl embroidery to begin the tradition of passing down. The essay is part of Vogue's Hand Me Down series, with a new essay appearing each day through Mother's Day.