Zara Kids: Girls, Boys and Baby Pieces From a Name That Was an Accident

In May 1975, Amancio Ortega opened the first Zara store at number 64-66 Juan Flórez Street in A Coruña, Spain. Inditex's own history page frames it as the moment his work expanded from maker to retailer. The name was a happy accident: Ortega wanted Zorba, but another business already held it, so Zara it was. I love that a whole company grew out of a name nobody planned.

 

The kids' side has a sweet echo of that start. One account of the early days says Rosalía Mera and her sister-in-law Primitiva Renedo sewed the first baskets of baby clothes. So when I shop Zara kids now, I do not feel I am wandering far from the beginning. The brand works in small, wearable pieces, and the girls' rack is the easiest place to see it.

 

I would start with the dresses. The Plaid A-Line Dress is a purple and brown check with a pleated skirt, and it is the one I would put under a cardigan for school photos. The Ruffled Romantic Dress in burgundy has tiered ruffle appliqués and a teardrop button at the back, which is just right for a holiday table. The Button-Front Denim Dress is sleeveless and light wash, so it takes tights and boots with no fuss, and the Combined Organza Dress in pastel pink is for the party invitation that arrives with no warning. The Pleated Detail Dress in black and the Contrast Collar Dress in navy are the quiet ones, the Striped Raglan Sleeve Dress in fuchsia is the loud one, and the Gingham Flower Frog Fastening Dress asks you to check its frog fastenings before the first wear.

 

Then the layers. The Cropped Puffer Jacket in white and the Faux Fur Jacket in ecru are the two I would pair with those dresses, and the Double-Breasted Denim Jacket sits over anything. The 100% Cashmere Sweater in dark anthracite is the quiet one. Before you buy, do up every snap and zip once, because a child will test them on day one.

Boys' clothes get a lot of abuse, so I check the closures first. Zip a jacket up and down five times, and tug the pockets. The Hooded Zip Sweatshirt in gray marl and the Fade Out Label Zip-Up Hoodie in light gray both have ribbed trim and a front zip, and the first one has a soft, brushed interior that I would want for a cold bus stop. They are the two I would buy for every day.

 

Outerwear is where it gets practical. The Water Repellent Puffer Hoodie Jacket in black has fleece-lined zip pockets for cold hands, and the Fleece Jacket in red, with its navy piping and high collar, is the one a kid can spot across a playground. The Denim Overshirt With Detachable Fleece Hood in indigo does two jobs: leave the hood on in November, and unbutton it in spring.

 

For the in-between layers, the Corduroy Collar Overshirt in chocolate brown has a chest pocket and snap buttons, and it looks sharp over a plain tee. The Text Print T-Shirt in pale yellow has graffiti-style lettering on the front and back, so I would keep everything around it quiet. The Relaxed Barrel Jeans in mid-blue have an interior adjustable waistband, which matters more than any wash.

 

The Quilted Patch Bomber Jacket and Hooded Denim Jacket have front snaps and zips, so I would test them first, and the Colorblock Water-Repellent Kangaroo Jacket is the rainy-day pick.

 

What I would skip: buying both gray hoodies unless your child really wears one every day.

Baby clothes are about the fastest way into a bad morning, so I look at the openings before the look. Check where the buttons sit and whether the bottom half is easy to reach. The Knit Peter Pan Collar Bodysuit in light pink has button closures at the bottom and back, and the Embroidered Collar Knit Sweater in light beige has a lace hem and a teardrop button at the back. Both are sweet, and both are soft enough to wear all day.

 

The sets are the easy wins. The Terry Patch Sweatshirt And Jogger Pants Set in ecru has a snap-button shoulder and an elastic-waist jogger, so a diaper change does not turn into a wrestling match. The Gingham Dress And Bloomers With Peter Pan Collar in butter is a picnic outfit, and the Denim Ruffle Pinafore Set in mid-blue has ruffle-trimmed straps and matching bloomers. The Denim Romper has hidden snap fasteners at the hem, which is the detail I would look for first.

 

Then the cold-weather pieces. The Faux Shearling Hoodie Jumpsuit With Ears in ecru has a polar fleece lining and bear ears on the hood, and it is the one I would pick for a first winter walk. The Floral Shearling Jacket in ecru is the dressier idea, with a button front and an all-over floral print. Put it over the gingham for a photo and take it off before the stroller.

 

The Plain Hoodie and the Star Patch Hoodie are the easy extra layers, and the Heart Print Newborn Set and Pouch is the one I would wrap as a gift.

I would begin with what the child wears every day, and buy two things from that pile. Then I would add one dress, jacket or overshirt for the days that matter, and one baby set that closes easily and looks good in a photo.

 

Last, I would check every closure once at home before anyone wears anything. A snap that gives up in the first week is the one you remember. Ortega wanted Zorba and got Zara, and I think the best kids' wardrobes work the same way: you plan one thing and the better thing turns up.