I recently had the opportunity to visit several of Washington DC’s loveliest, locally owned and operated children’s stores and baby boutiques. I had so much fun perusing these charming stores, meeting some of the owners, and documenting my favorite finds to share with you!
As a photographer offering family and newborn sessions, I love being familiar with local resources that are valuable to my clients! Whether you are soon-to-be new parents looking for the best spots for newborn clothing, or you’re in search of a baby gift, or you’re hoping to find that perfect outfit for your little’s photoshoot, here are my top picks for locally owned businesses selling newborn clothing!
Locally Owned Baby Boutiques in Washington DC
Three Littles (Union Market)
Three Littles is a baby boutique located in a wonderful shopping area near Brentwood Hamilton Park. This locally owned store was founded by Elizabeth, a former nanny of three children – the store’s namesake! Elizabeth saw the need for stores that offered quality, sustainable children’s goods and her goal was to provide only the best items for her customers!
The store itself is absolutely perfect. Often at department stores or major-brand retailers, the volume of selection can be overwhelming. But at Three Littles Elizabeth has created a space where the selection is perfectly simple and each piece is beautifully curated. And the newborn clothing selection was just too, too good!
Yinibini Baby (Brookland)
One of my favorite things about visiting these locally owned baby boutiques was learning the stories that inspired these businesses, the details, and the designs. Yinibini Baby is owned by Soyini who grew up in Guyana, South America. Soyini describes from an early age watching her Great Aunt Jean, who was a seamstress, create the most beautiful clothing styles with effortless grace and skill. Soyini’s designs are all made from organic cotton and hand-screen printed.
She draws her inspiration for her colors and patterns from her Uncle Reggie’s garden, which she remembers as being full of vibrance, patterns, texture, and care. Soyini has won multiple awards for her designs including Washington City Paper’s Best Handmade Products for Kids, and BEST of DC, Best Local Crafter. If you’re able to stop in Yinibini Baby in Brookland, or if you are able to peruse her goods online, I promise you will fall in love with her newborn clothing collection, baby blankets, and wonderful selection of children’s toys and gifts! She is also at Eastern Market every Saturday!
HoneyMade (Capitol Hill)
This absolutely delightful, locally owned boutique is located in the heart of Capitol Hill on Barracks Row. The name HoneyMade comes from the founder’s commitment to well-designed, handcrafted items, and incorporates their last name – Honey! Viboonrattana “Moo” Honey maintains a rotating selection of products from her favorite local artists and designers, which makes this shop such a gem celebrating DC artisans! Her newborn and children’s clothing are so adorable – featuring unique designs as well as Washington DC tributes and emblems. I loved getting to stop in HoneyMade and meet Moo, and would absolutely recommend this beautiful baby boutique to all my DC locals!
Mirasa Design (Eastern Market)
Not only does this incredible, locally owned children’s store have the most vibrant selection of baby-basics, but its founder is also dedicated to giving back to children’s education! Mirasa Design is owned by designer Aashumi Shah who grew up in Mumbai, India. “Mirasa” is the Hindi word for “Heritage,” and Aashumi carries the heritage of her upbringing, and her role as a mother to every piece of newborn/baby clothing she designs.
When her son was little, she wanted to create items of clothing for him that would be easy-to-wear, and ready for every adventure her little one would have! Her designs are colorful and fun, and her products are of the highest quality organic materials. Aashumi is dedicated to sustainability, social responsibility, and fair trade in her business. For every purchase made at Mirasa, a portion of the profits goes to Room to Read, a non-profit organization that supports girls’ education in India! Located just blocks away from the United States Capitol and National Mall, Mirasa is a must-visit!
Pink and Brown (Alexandria)
At Pink and Brown, the founder and owner Lan Le can often be seen at front-of-store – assisting customers and sharing details about the shop’s beautiful selection of items. Lan Le started Pink and Brown out of the desire to create breathable, organic baby clothing made with natural ingredients and dyes. When her son was born, he developed severe allergies and eczema, and Lan Le had difficulty finding newborn clothing for him that wouldn’t cause a reaction.
The commitment at Pink and Brown to the healthiest, safest items for children is absolutely next level, and store employees or Lan Le herself are always ready to provide information regarding their quality products and vendors! If you have the chance to visit this lovely and whimsical children’s boutique in historic Old Town Alexandria I would highly recommend it!
I always feel more connected to my city when I get to meet the owners of locally owned shops, and visiting these lovely baby boutiques a learning about their stories was such a special experience! If you are looking for more DC-specific resources please don’t hesitate to reach out! And if you’d like to book a family or newborn session with me you can find the link here!
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