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When you purchase baby clothes, it's recommended to stick to one color scheme. Bright colors are the best, since they aren't easily soiled like pastels, more easily seen, and are unisex. They are also great for babies' outerwear, since it's a lot easier to see a child wearing a bright red jacket in a busy supermarket than one wearing light pink.

Be practical. Babies aren't neat, so getting machine-washable clothing will be invaluable. Fancy clothes aren't practical at all. They often interfere with movement and aren't usually comfortable. Clothes made of cotton and other natural fabrics are more comfortable, especially in hot weather.

Speaking of the weather, your layette purchases should be influenced by the climate in which you live and the season in which your baby is born. If you're not sure what you need, you can talk to other parents and get some helpful ideas, or you can start observing how other babies are dressed. Newborn-sizes are only good for most infants until around 2 to 3 weeks. Overdressing your baby is a definite no-no, particularly when the temperature is hot. If you want a guide, put as many layers of clothing on the baby as you are wearing. So if you're warm, your baby probably is, too.

If you need more ideas about putting together your initial layette, here are some suggestions:

Underwear - Buy four to six undershirts in the three- to six-month-old size. These are generally made of cotton, which has a tendency to shrink to some degree. Undershirts with side snaps are easy to put on babies, so they're popular with parents. Undershirts typically come in white, prints, and solid colors.

Socks and Booties - You'll probably want four to six pairs of socks. Make sure they fit the infant's feet snugly. Get cuffed socks and booties made out of stretchy material, since babies often kick off other styles.

Sleeping Wear - You will need around 6 to 10 sleeping outfits initially. Stretchy, footed, or gowns all work great. Blanket sleepers, which are heavier than stretch garments, are good for colder climates. Parents like sleeping gowns because it makes diaper changing easier, aside from allowing more freedom of movement for the older infant. If you do select sleepwear with feet, forget about putting socks on your baby. They will cause the baby's feet to become too warm, and this may cause a condition known as sweaty sock dermatitis.

Hats and Caps - Buying 2 hats or caps should suffice. Baby hats and caps come in all sorts of styles and made out of a variety of fabrics, lightweight cotton stretchable caps to acrylic. Again, the climate where you live in should be your guide in choosing what type of hat to buy. When buying caps or hats, check to see that they are small enough so they stay on and so you can place them well away from the baby's face, so he can't turn his head and suffocate in them.

Julie Vega is a researcher and writer working for http://www.gobohemian.com, where you can get all your infant and children's clothing at the best prices. Visit us for all your against designer babies.