Maisonette: Buying Children's Clothes Without Wasting Money

Maisonette is a curated marketplace for children's clothing and goods, carrying many independent brands at premium prices. The premium is real, so the question worth answering is which pieces justify it.

Size ahead, but only just

Children outgrow clothes faster than they wear them out, which is the central economics of this category.

Buying a season ahead in the next size up is sensible. Buying two sizes ahead is how a wardrobe of unworn clothes accumulates — by the time it fits, the season is wrong.

Because Maisonette carries many independent brands, sizing is not consistent across the site. European brands in particular tend to run narrow and long compared with American sizing.

Check the brand's own size chart on the product page rather than assuming an age label means the same thing everywhere. An age-labelled garment is the least reliable measurement in clothing.

Which fabrics survive real use

Cotton and cotton blends take repeated hot washing, which children's clothes need. This is the default for anything worn regularly.

Linen looks lovely and creases immediately. Fine for a photograph, frustrating for a day at nursery.

Wool and merino for base layers is genuinely warm and odour-resistant, but needs careful washing and a hot cycle felts it permanently.

Delicate trims — smocking, hand embroidery, ribbon — are what make these pieces beautiful and what makes them hand-wash items. Be honest about whether that will happen.

Check the care label before buying, not after. A dry-clean-only toddler garment is a decorative object.

What is worth the premium

Outerwear. A good coat is worn daily through a season, handles weather properly, and survives to be handed down. Cost per wear is low and quality shows.

Shoes. Fit and construction matter for developing feet, and this is not the place to economise.

Occasion pieces if you want them to photograph well and be kept.

Not everyday basics. Leggings, T-shirts and pyjamas are stained, outgrown and destroyed. Buy those cheaply and often.

The useful rule: spend on what lasts a season of daily use or gets handed down. Do not spend on what will be covered in paint by Thursday.

Marketplace mechanics

Maisonette lists items from many brands, which means an order can ship in several parcels from different places at different times.

That matters if you are buying for a birthday. Check estimated delivery per item rather than assuming one arrival date.

Returns on Maisonette can vary by brand. Check the return window and who pays return shipping before ordering multiple sizes to try.

Toys, nursery and gifts at Maisonette

Maisonette sells more than clothing: toys, nursery furniture, bedding, decor and party goods from independent brands sit alongside the wardrobe.

For toys, check the age grading on each Maisonette listing and follow it. Small parts and strings are the usual reason a toy carries an older age range, and the grading is a safety guide rather than a skill level.

For nursery furniture and bedding, check dimensions, assembly and whether the item ships separately. Large Maisonette pieces can come from the brand directly and take longer than clothing.

Maisonette is a popular place for gifts because the brands are less common. Check whether gift wrap or gift messages are offered on the items you choose, since on a marketplace that can vary by seller.

Reading a Maisonette product page

Each Maisonette listing names the brand, and that brand name is the most useful thing on the page. Look up how that brand sizes and whether you have bought from it before.

Check where the item ships from and the delivery estimate. Maisonette pieces from overseas brands may take longer and can have different return arrangements.

Read the fabric and care details on the Maisonette page before adding to basket, not on the label after it arrives.

Where the Maisonette savings are

Maisonette discounts modestly, mostly through welcome and sitewide codes:

A 15% Maisonette code is roughly the ceiling outside clearance, which reflects the margins on curated independent brands.

End-of-season sale is where the real reductions are, and children's clothing bought at end of season for next year is the single best value in the category — provided you size for next year rather than this one.

Several codes are single-use welcome codes and may be spent. Test a couple at checkout.

Use a 15% code over WELCOME10 unless the 15% codes are refused. Maisonette codes may exclude some brands or sale items, which is common on a marketplace, so check the basket total before paying.

Common questions

How far ahead should I size?

One size and one season. Two sizes ahead means the season will be wrong when it fits.

Is the sizing consistent?

No — it is a marketplace of many brands. Check each brand's own chart.

What is worth paying up for?

Outerwear and shoes. Not everyday basics that will be ruined.

Do Maisonette orders arrive together?

Not always. Maisonette items can ship separately from different brands, so check the delivery estimate on each.