Gender Neutral Baby Gifts Australia

You have two weeks until the baby shower, the parents either do not know the gender or have asked people not to make it the theme, and every gift guide you open is sorted into blue and pink.

Good gender neutral baby gifts are not a compromise. They are usually the better buy, because a piece in sand, sage or a stripe gets worn on more days than a novelty outfit does. The rule is simple: choose a colour or print that works on any baby, buy one size up from newborn, and pick things that get used daily rather than displayed.

This guide names real pieces at today's prices so you can plan a gift without guessing.

What makes a gender neutral baby gift work

Three things, in this order.

The colour has to be wearable. Not beige by default, but tones that suit any baby and any photo: sand, ecru, sage, matcha, balsam, clay, sea foam. These are the colours parents reach for when they are tired and dressing a baby in the dark.

The print has to be about something other than the baby. A crab, a mountain, an acorn, a bear. Prints that describe the world instead of assigning a personality to a two-month-old.

It has to be used, not kept. Bibs, muslin, bodysuits and hats are in rotation every day. A single keepsake outfit is worn once for photos.

Most of the printed pieces and almost all of the plain ribbed and pointelle pieces are unisex in practice, without ever being planned that way.

Buy 3 to 6 months, not 0 to 3

This is the single change that makes the biggest difference to whether a gift gets worn.

Yes Mila sizes baby pieces 0-3M, 3-6M, 6-12M, then 1Y and 2Y. Almost everyone buys 0-3M, and almost every baby is out of it within about six weeks. By the time a gift is unwrapped and washed, the window is closing.

Buy 3-6M as your default. If the baby is due mid summer, think about what size they will be when the weather turns and buy for that instead. A 6-12M romper given in November gets worn in autumn. A 0-3M one may never come off the hanger.

If you want the full first-wardrobe picture before you choose, our newborn essentials guide for Australia covers what parents actually run out of.

Unisex newborn clothes: prints and plain colours that suit any baby

The signature prints that read neutral

Several of the prints were never gendered to begin with.

Sea Friends is the easiest print to give. The Printed Short Sleeve Henley Onesie in Sea Friends is $29.99, and a onesie needs no matching. The Baby Printed Short Sleeve Tee in Sea Friends is also $29.99 if you want a second piece in the same print.

For cooler weather, the Cosy Bear, Mountain View and Meadow Friends prints run across one pieces and sweatshirts. The Printed Long Sleeve One Piece in Cosy Bear Ecru is $34.99 and the Baby Printed Sweatshirt in the same print is $29.99.

The plain colours that do the heavy lifting

Plain pieces are the safest gift in the range.

The ribbed and pointelle bodysuits and onesies come in matcha, sand, sage, aloe, clay, ecru and sea foam. A Henley Short Sleeve Bodysuit in Matcha or Sand is $29.99. A Ribbed Long Sleeve One Piece is $34.99 in Matcha, Aloe, Sage, Clay or Balsam. A Pointelle Crossover Bodysuit in Ecru is $34.99, and the kimono-style fastening means nothing goes over a newborn's head.

These are soft cotton jersey, not muslin, and they keep their shape and colour wash after wash, which matters when a piece goes through the machine three times a week.

Baby Ribbed Leggings in Sand, Sage or Balsam are $24.99 and pair with any of the above.

Muslin is the neutral gift nobody gets wrong

The 100% organic muslin range is genuinely unisex, breathable enough for an Australian summer, and softer every time it is washed. It is also the category parents never say they have too much of.

The Muslin Romper in Light Green Stripe is $34.99 and is the piece pictured at the top of this page. Baby Muslin Shorts in Light Green Stripe are $29.99 and Baby Muslin Pants in Sand are $34.99. The Bandana Bibs 3 Pack in Mountain View Ecru or Autumn Harvest Ecru is $24.99 and is the gift most likely to be in use the week it arrives.

It also handles the thing Australian parents deal with constantly, which is a baby going from outdoor heat to an air conditioned room and back within the hour.

Bibs, hats and socks: the safe picks

These are the gifts to choose when you know nothing about the parents' taste, the size, or what they already own.

Bibs. Jersey Bibs 2 Pack in Summer Time is $24.99. The muslin Bandana Bibs 3 Pack is $24.99. Both are used daily and neither can be the wrong size.

Hats. The Baby Muslin Sun Hat in Green Stripe and the Baby Bucket Hat in Sea Friends are both $29.99. A Baby Knot Hat in Sand is $14.99 and a Baby Ribbed Beanie in Ecru is $29.99 for cooler months.

On hats, it is worth getting the shape right. Cancer Council Australia recommends a broad-brimmed, bucket or legionnaire style hat so the baby's face, neck and ears are covered, and notes that sunscreen is not generally recommended for babies under six months, so clothing, a hat and shade are doing the work instead. Their sun protection and babies fact sheet sets out the full guidance.

Socks. Baby Socks 3 Pack in Acorn is $24.99. Unglamorous, constantly lost, always needed.

The full accessories range is where most of the under $30 neutral gifts sit.

How to build a small set from two or three pieces

A set reads as more thoughtful than a single item and costs less than people assume.

The everyday set, around $55. A Henley Short Sleeve Bodysuit in Matcha at $29.99 plus Baby Ribbed Leggings in Sand at $24.99. One outfit, both pieces wearable separately.

The summer set, around $65. The Muslin Romper in Light Green Stripe at $34.99 plus the Baby Muslin Sun Hat in Green Stripe at $29.99. Same fabric family, made for the season ahead.

The practical set, around $50. Bandana Bibs 3 Pack at $24.99 plus Baby Socks 3 Pack in Acorn at $24.99. Nothing to size, nothing to return, everything used.

If you would rather see what other people are buying, the best sellers skew neutral already.

Gender neutral baby gifts by budget

Under $30. A Baby Knot Hat in Sand at $14.99, Jersey Bibs 2 Pack at $24.99, a printed tee at $29.99, Baby Ribbed Leggings at $24.99, Bandana Bibs 3 Pack at $24.99, Baby Socks 3 Pack at $24.99, or a Pointelle Singlet Bodysuit in Sea Foam at $24.99.

$30 to $60. A Ribbed Long Sleeve One Piece at $34.99, the Muslin Romper at $34.99, Baby Muslin Pants in Sand at $34.99, Baby Dungarees in Sand Stripe at $39.99, or a Baby Cotton Cardigan in Sage or Ecru at $49.99. This is the tier where one piece feels like a real gift.

$60 to $120. Build a set from the tiers above, or go to one larger piece. A Baby Twill Jacket in Salt ($44.99) with a Henley Short Sleeve Bodysuit ($29.99) makes a $75 gift, and the Printed Pram Suit in Cosy Bear Russet is $119.99, which is the kind of thing a group of colleagues can go in on together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best gender neutral baby gifts?

Muslin, bibs, plain ribbed or pointelle bodysuits, and a sun hat. They suit any baby, they are used every day, and none of them depend on knowing the gender. If you want one item, a muslin romper or a set of bandana bibs is the safest choice.

What size should I buy if I don't know the gender or the due date?

Buy 3-6M rather than 0-3M. Babies grow out of the smallest size in around six weeks, and gifts are usually opened after the baby arrives. If the baby is due in summer, consider 6-12M so the piece fits when the weather suits it.

What colours count as gender neutral for baby clothes?

Sand, ecru, sage, matcha, balsam, clay and sea foam, plus stripes in any of those. They photograph well, they hide the reality of daily wear better than white, and they work under almost anything else in the wardrobe.

Are unisex baby gifts a safe choice if the parents have not announced the gender?

Yes, and it is usually the preferred option. Parents who have not shared the gender tend to be given a lot of yellow and grey. A considered piece in a wearable colour stands out for the right reason.

What is a good neutral baby shower gift under $30?

A Bandana Bibs 3 Pack at $24.99, a Baby Socks 3 Pack at $24.99, or a Pointelle Singlet Bodysuit at $24.99. Pair two of them and you have a set for under $50 that will be in the wash by the end of the first week.

Browse the 100% organic muslin range to find a gift that suits any baby.