Baby Boy Special Occasions

The history of christening gowns can be traced back to the 2nd century AD. At that time, infants being baptized wore swaddling bands—long strips of cloth wrapped around the baby. The Bible's Gospel of Luke 2:7 mentions Jesus being wrapped in swaddling clothes at birth. This tradition continued until the 17th century.

Before the 18th century, infants had to be fully immersed in holy water during baptism. Clothes had to be removed before the ceremony and quickly put back on afterward—churches had no heating in winter, and there were concerns about babies catching cold and getting sick.

In the mid-18th century, doctors began opposing swaddling bands, saying that binding the limbs affected infant development. During the same period, the Catholic Church abolished the requirement for full immersion baptism, and christening gowns began evolving toward long robes.

Victorian-era christening gowns were made of silk and satin, with multiple layers of petticoats underneath. The outer gown extended well below the infant's feet. The V&A Museum has a collection of 18th-century satin fringed christening gowns.