Special Occasions
Children's Clothing

More than half of Toronto's population was born outside of Canada. This number directly affects the children's clothing business. "Special occasions" means completely different things in different ethnic families. Italian baptisms, South Asian weddings, Chinese first birthday parties—the dress requirements are vastly different. For a single children's clothing store to cater to all ethnicities is impossible.

Gerrard India Bazaar is another world. The lehengas and sherwanis that children wear at South Asian weddings can be found in the stores there. A South Asian wedding can easily span three or four days, with different outfits for different ceremonies—children change too. A children's lehenga ranges from seventy to eighty up to two hundred Canadian dollars; the more complex the embroidery, the more expensive. Shop owners say peak season is May to September when weddings cluster, and people start ordering two to three months in advance. The off-season is sustained by Diwali.

Children's clothing stores in Pacific Mall target the Chinese market. Red-themed items, qipao-style dresses, tangzhuang jackets—the shelves are full of them before Lunar New Year. Zhuazhou ceremonies for first birthdays have become popular among Chinese families in recent years—boys in little suits with bow ties, girls in puffy dresses. Shop owners say the marketing effect from Douyin and Xiaohongshu is obvious; whatever styles are trending in China, people come asking about them two to three weeks later.

First Communion is a big deal for Catholic families. Girls wear long white dresses, some with veils—like mini wedding gowns. Boys wear white shirts with dark dress pants. Specialty stores like Little Angels do this business, concentrated near Catholic churches in North York. A First Communion dress ranges from eighty to three hundred Canadian dollars—the cheaper ones are ready-to-wear, the expensive ones have handmade lace. Peak season is April and May every year, and measuring and ordering starts three months ahead.

Secondhand does have buyers. Searching "communion dress toronto" on Facebook Marketplace brings up a pile of posts. White dresses worn once, original price over two hundred, selling for fifty or sixty. Sellers are mostly parents whose children have outgrown them; buyers are either stockpiling for when their kids grow into them, or buying to use once for photos and then reselling.

The rental route hasn't worked well in Toronto. The reason is simple: children get clothes dirty and damaged easily, leading to many deposit disputes. Parents also have a psychological barrier—dressing their children in clothes someone else has worn for a special occasion doesn't sit well in terms of face.

Price-conscious consumers go to Winners to try their luck. The children's section occasionally has formal wear from Carter's, Calvin Klein, with original price tags still attached, actually paying half or even less. There's a lot of luck involved, sizes aren't complete, but those willing to spend time digging can find bargains.

The problem with online shopping is sizing and color. What looks ivory white on screen turns out yellowish when it arrives. The dress length listed as below the knee ends up at the ankle when worn. Returns are a hassle, and special occasion clothes have time pressure—there's no time to exchange. Old-school parents insist on buying in physical stores; younger parents are used to online shopping and accept going through a few returns.