Feature

Child Things

Small Change
964 Lexington Avenue, near 70th Street; 212-772-6455.

You may find yourself wishing you dressed as well as these kids. A small store, with loyal customers, Small Change offers beautiful European brands for uptown tastes. There is no layette department, but the shop outfits newborns up to size 14 and its coat selection is awesome -- highlights include an Italian Magli wool girl's coat for a toddler ($220) and an adorable raincoat with a Dalmatian print on the inside by Wippettes ($38-$64).

Kidstown
10 East 14th Street; 212-243-1301.

It's that place that pours out onto 14th Street with the $1 sunglasses for kids and bins full of jellies, the store you've avoided for fear of never escaping. Well, it's actually worth a visit, sans enfant, to shop for supplies and some basics. (The layette department is upstairs and the boys' department is downstairs and there's no elevator.) It's a discount store, so you'll have to do some rummaging, but Fuji jeans ($9.99), tights ($.99-$1.99), PJ's, Carter's onesies, and bottles at rock-bottom prices are worth the effort.

La Petite Etoile
746 Madison Avenue, near 65th Street; 212-744-0975.

This small Upper East Side shop is as quiet, calm, and subtle as the clothes, which include layettes and outfits from one month to size 14. Sleeveless silk dress sets, fully lined with hand-embroidered piping for your sophisticated girl at a mere $294, are perfect for evening affairs. It also has Sonia Rykiel, Cacharel, and European labels, like Pomme d'amour boys' cotton and alpaca sweaters ($89).

Julian & Sara
103 Mercer Street; 212-226-1989.

A tiny space in SoHo with fun European clothes that stocks well for both girls and boys, which can't be said of everyone. As the saleswoman notes, "You're not allowed to dress boys in America, but Europeans do." In the window is a fake-mink coat for girls ($355); it looks real. Two great discoveries: boys' PJ's by Arthur that look and feel just like Dad's, complete with piping -- except that they're adorably decorated with penguins and polar bears; and Jean Bourget's linen outfits, a white dress for girls ($54) and boys' matching pants and shirt ($96) -- sweet, subtle, and yet hip.

Mommy Chic
235 Mulberry Street; 646-613-1825.

This is the owners' first retail store, but they've been designing and selling to maternity and baby stores for four years. The maternity clothes are all designed in-house (and there's hardly anything maternal about them -- they're hip, colorful, and sexy), but about half of the children's collection is by Molli. Try five-ply-cashmere stroller blankets ($550) and, for the matching chic mother and daughter, two-ply-cashmere tieback dresses for girls ($125) and Mom ($190). For spring, don't miss the fantastic tennis-sweater dresses ($65) for girls and tennis-sweater vests for boys ($59), and, yes, there's a matching dress for Mom.

Oilily
870 Madison Avenue, near 71st Street; 212-628-0100.

These Dutch designs are unique and recognizable -- bright, playful, patterned clothing meant to be mixed and matched. There's a girl's pink poncho raincoat with a bug motif ($43) and a matching umbrella on a strap ($44), and crazy-patterned tights ($40-$50) and socks ($16). The riot of colors and patterns make these truly "play" clothes.

Lilliput
265 Lafayette Street; 212-965-9201.

This store needed more space, so the owners built an extension across the street, at 240 Lafayette. Both shops are packed with clothes for newborns and toddlers up to size 18. We liked a pair of first booties by Bobux ($25-$35), red sequined girls' shoes (think Dorothy -- there's no place like home; $50-$60), and sea-themed ottomans ($170). When it comes to colorful play clothes, whether cashmere or cotton, you'll find it for your little one here.

ABC Carpet & Home
888 Broadway, near 19th Street; 212-473-3000.

On the third floor, there's a baby boutique complete with cribs and Designers Guild bedding. But it's the knits that pull you in. Here, you'll find more beautiful, luxurious knits than you'd ever need for your little angel. Sweaters, blankets, mitts, and hats from makers like Flora and Henri, Malina, Le Guignol, and Fifi & Romeo (cashmere blankets, $360) are stacked throughout the store.

Old Navy
610 Sixth Avenue, at 18th Street; 212-645-0663.

This is warehouse shopping at its best. The inventory at Baby Gap's discount sister store is well-made, inexpensive, and frequently updated. Blue-striped cotton receiving blankets are only $12.50, onesies $10, and the "Item of the Week" is always a steal.

Lord & Taylor
424 Fifth Avenue, at 38th Street; 212-391-3344.

Most people think of Grandma when they think of this store -- and you do see a lot of them here -- but on the seventh floor there's a big kids' selection. It's traditional and a bit staid, but don't be dissuaded, because besides the usual brands, it also has quality house labels. We liked a two-piece ensemble made up of a chenille jacket and velour pants ($36); a reversible hooded spring jacket, with a floral motif on the outside, plain denim on the inside ($26). For boys and girls, the 100 percent cotton sweaters ($38) look just like the ones Grandma used to knit.

Daffy's
111 Fifth Avenue, at 18th Street; 212-529-4477.

Troll the racks at Daffy's and you'll find brands like Little Me, Absorba, and a whole section devoted to Italian imports that includes boys' linen suits by Zuchero Filati ($35.99). The girls' department is sizable, and a great place to pick up trendy handbags and backpacks like the Trendz sparkle bag ($5.99). But it's the shoe department that needs to be discovered, filled as it is with Italian-made Naturinos at great prices (leopard-print girl's shoe, $21.99).