This Bib Is for Mom, Rather Than Baby
Question: Now that maternity clothes finally have some quality and style, when will it dawn on the people who make nursing tops that there is life after a smock with slit seams? Please help me find some fashionable clothes to be worn during breast-feeding.--J.J.
Answer: Because she shares your views on clothes for nursing mothers, Sharon Baldoni came up with the idea of Bibbs for Mom, the label in the outfit illustrated here. This mom from Santa Monica has designed a basic bib--a tunic-like garment--which forms the basis for her entire collection. It can be worn over almost any outfit and will drape over your baby during breast-feeding. It’s made of a natural cotton mesh, which allows air to flow freely, and it coordinates with other mesh knits in the collection as well as cotton interlocks and cotton twills.
Extra-long, snap-front openings on the coordinating tops, sweaters and dresses allow you to open your clothes with one hand and pull them aside easily for nursing access. All waistbands are elasticized to accommodate your changing figure. The outfit shown here consists of the shawl-collar bib ($66) over the long, snap-front cardigan ($102) and matching knit four-panel skirt ($80), all pulled together with the narrow scarf/sash ($20).
The fabrics are available in one color only--natural. To order, write to Bibbs for Mom, 1653 Stanford St., Santa Monica 90404. Allow two to six weeks for delivery. Add 6.5% sales tax in Los Angeles County, 6% in other parts of California, plus $2 per item for shipping.
Q: I’m trying to locate a tie with a heart design in time for Valentine’s Day. Can you help?--S.C.
A: You can have your choice of six different heart patterns from Alynn Neckwear. In addition to the classic randomly spaced hearts in red on navy, there are open hearts, little man with a big heart (little men in white carrying big red hearts), mini-hearts (smaller than the classics), lovebirds (a little white bird has heart-shaped feet that leave red footprints in diagonal stripes) and a message tie printed with a reversed mirror-image design of the words Hello Handsome. All ties are made of 100% polyester. They’re $17 each. It’s getting late, so you’d better call the toll-free number, (800) 252-5966, to make sure they’ll deliver in time.
Q: Where can I purchase cotton half slips? The stores here only offer nylon.--E.M.G.
A: Cotton batiste half slips with lace-and-embroidery trim are available for $20, white only, at J&N; Naturals, P.O. Box 3361, Arcadia 91006. This company, which specializes in all-cotton clothing, offers the Lady Lynne half slips in petite, small, medium and large. Matching camisoles are $17.50 each. Full slips of 100% cotton batiste by Hanky Panky are $29.95, white only, petite, small, medium and large. All Clotheslines readers looking for 100%-cotton-broadcloth pajamas for women might consider writing to the folks at J&N;, pointing out their sexist approach to pajamas.
Two styles of all-cotton pajamas are offered for men; none for women. (It seems only fair to report, however, that all-cotton flannel pajamas are offered for women but not for men.)
Marylou Luther welcomes questions from readers. Mail to Clotheslines, Fashion85, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.
