Don’t you just love the way stylish French mamas and papas dress their little ones? All those super-chic, mini-me outfits, which are just so, well, French and fabulous. And the most iconic and chic of all the French childrenswear brands is Petit Bateau, which has been providing high-quality, beautiful clothing for children for 120 years.

And now it’s your turn, because Petit Bateau makes its stylish debut appearance on the BrandAlley catwalk today and we’re absolutely thrilled. So too is our expert guest blogger and Petit Bateau devotee, Gillian Crawshaw from A Baby on Board, who blogs about London life as a new mum. She lives with her 22-month-old daughter Eliza and husband Alex in the south of the City.

Over to you, Gillian…

‘If you’re on the hunt for classic yet stylish childrenswear, look no further than Petit Bateau, the French fashion retailer. I’m a huge fan of the iconic brand’s children’s clothes. I love the subtle simplicity, unisex factor, and most of all the fabulous stripes. The quality is great; these clothes last and last. The designs are also proof that children’s clothes don’t have to be garish and covered in cartoon characters.

My toddler daughter obtained her first piece of Petit Bateau clothing before she was even born. Her – very stylish – Grannie bought her this pair of the blue striped trousers when on holiday in France. We’ve since added to her wardrobe with t-shirts, all-in-ones and pretty summer dresses.

The Petit Bateau sale is now on at BrandAlley; here are my top three picks from the children’s wear range:

My first choice would be this pair of classic denim dungarees. They look very cute but are also incredibly practical for active toddlers (I’ve written previously about my love of children’s dungarees). The durable fabric means they’ll last, and combined with the unisex style means they can easily be handed down to your next child. I would pair these with a patterned top, or just keep it really simple with a white long sleeved vest underneath.

As I can’t resist a good stripe, I’d also pick this Breton striped top – it’s classic with a twist. The added red and grey at the hem gives it that bit of extra interest, and it would look perfect with a pair of jeans or red leggings.

Although I do dress my daughter in a lot of trousers, I also like her in dresses, so I’d go for this navy and white striped number. It’s pretty without being too fussy. To mix things up, I’d pair it with some really colourful tights. What’s your favourite item of Petit Bateau children’s clothing?’

Over at A Baby on Board, Gillian talks about everything from baby clothes to beauty products. Click here to check out her lovely blog.

Merry Christmas