Dresses are the epitome of occasion wear. We have an exclusive range of kids dresses for ages 1-8 years. Our dresses are all made from a blend of beautiful natural fabrics, with an emphasis on pattern, neutral colours and drape. Wilderling dresses are expertly lined, to ensure all raw seams are encased and look just as aesthetically appealing inside as they do out. We pride ourselves on design features such as collars, pin-tucks, gathers and pockets. All those classic features that set our dresses apart from mass produced clothing brands.
As parents of girls, we love a dress. They are a symbol of occasions and paired with a matching bloomer short, they offer a complete outfit option for young girls. Whether it is a birthday party, special occasion or a trip down to the local park – there is always an excuse to put a dress on. All our dresses are made using natural fabrics, with a weight appropriate to the season. We have a love affair with detail and are known for our collars, pin tucks, gathers, smocking and patterned floral fabrics. Our dresses are age appropriate, with our smallest size being size 1-2 years. For younger children we offer a romper which is a more versatile option for crawling babies or those learning to walk. Layer our dresses with merino long sleeved tops in winter or wear them on their own in summer – Wilderling dresses will take kids through the seasons and grow with them.
Generous Sizing: our sizing for our dresses start at size 1-2 years. This is intentional, as we feel that while a dress for a baby looks ‘cute’ it is not practical. Instead we offer a Romper alternative that removes the skirt part to enable babies to move freely while learning to crawl and walk. Our sizing allows for growth, especially for the drastic height changes that occur in those first years of life. For our own children we know how quickly they can grow out of a dress, therefore our designs tend to be on the longer length of skirt to allow for such height changes. Please refer to our sizing chart for guidance and specifically the height measurements for each size.
Attention to Detail: we love details. When searching for dresses for our own children we constantly struggled to find dresses with classic construction details. Our appreciation for such detail led us to making our own clothing for our children, where we could explore with gathers, ruffles, collars and smocking. This attention to detail is often absent from ready to wear fast fashion lines – due to the extra time and complexity associated with manufacturing.
Natural Fabrics: it goes without saying that all our dresses are made from natural fabrics. Along with choosing a sustainable option for our clothing line, we also choose natural cottons and linens for their durability. Such fabrics are able to be machine washed and sew up really well, allowing us to add construction details and manipulate the fabrics successfully.
Designer: small production runs and limited colour-ways, as well as premium fabrics and skilled construction skills means that a Wilderling dresses are unique. There are very few around, but due to their bespoke tailoring and fabrics they always get noticed and commented on as there are not many options similar on the market.
Lined: we line our dresses for two main reasons. Firstly it removes raw seams and is therefore softer when next to the body. And secondly such attention to detail, makes the inside of a garment look just as beautiful as the outside. A lined bodice in a girls dress adds weight and a feel of luxury when handled and worn. All our linings are from natural fabrics – generally 100% cotton and are colour matched to the main fabric of the dress.
Natural Buttons: we are proud to say we only use natural nut buttons, sourced from South America by a local button supplier in New Zealand. Our buttons are Corozo Nut Buttons and are harvested once fallen from the tree. They are safe to manufacture and provide a thriving local industry to the people who source and create our buttons. Our buttons have that added attention to detail and are individually engraved with Wilderling.
Easy to Wash: through our high quality construction techniques and use of natural/durable fabrics, all our Wilderling dresses are able to be washed, while still retaining their shape. We recommend ironing of dresses and shirts, to remove creases and to keep the crispness of the design intact.
Easy to Wear: we have designed our dresses with busy kids in mind. Mindful of needing to be able to get over wide shoulders and chests, we have ensured that our button closures are long enough to slip on effortlessly. With our front and back yokes we have ensured adequate ease has gone into the pattern, so kids can still have a full range of movement and not be restricted by tight-fitting fabrics.
Wilderling dresses offer a premium occasion piece of clothing. They are beautifully crafted from the finest natural fabrics and have been made to last through high quality construction techniques. Attention to the details is our signature style, with a nostalgic nod to timeless features such as gathers, pin-tucks, collars and pockets. Pair our dresses with matching bloomer shorts to complete the look or wear with tights in those cooler months layered with a merino base layer top. Dresses can also become blouses once they come to the end of their life as longer dresses on growing girls. If you are looking for the perfect birthday gift, simply choose your dress and size and add complementary gift wrapping to your order.
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Our range of high quality baby products were designed for our own children and we love the fact that our customers feel as passionate about them as we do. See exactly what our customers think by reading a full range of reviews. If you are unsure about what to buy that special child for a birthday or special occasion, we offer a range of gifting options to take the stress out of making a decision. See our full range of gift packs, gift vouchers or baby shower gifts here.
