Guest Author - Kris Bigalk

When people ask me if I've ever dressed my twins in matching outfits, I usually say, "Yes, and it lasted about an hour before a food stain or diaper accident."

Instead of matching outfits, I found that dressing the twins in complimentary outfits was easier. That way, people could identify which twin was which more easily. Also, when my favorite stores had a "two for the price of one" sale (my favorite kind), I just bought two of the same item in complimentary colors or patterns. The one exception I made was in the case of soft leather baby shoes. I always bought two matching pairs in the same size. That way, if one shoe got lost, we still had a pair.

When babies are small, you can often find coordinating layette items in green, yellow, blue, and pink (Baby Gap and Hanna Andersson have especially cute ones). But as the babies get older, the coordinating outfits become a little harder to find, especially for boy/girl twins.

Same sex twins can take advantage of the tendency of clothing lines to stay within a color family during a particular season. Most lines of clothing, such as Carter's, OshKosh, Gymboree, The Children's Place, and Baby Gap sell "sets" of clothing made from the same pattern, but in different colors or prints. My boy twins spent the past summer wearing a variety of Carter's rompers and Target's Circo brand of onesie t-shirts in different shades and combinations of red, white, and blue.

One option for all combinations of twins is denim. Oshkosh sells pants, overalls, skirts, shorts, and more, all made out of their signature striped denim, as well as different solids and prints. Levi's also makes jeans, skirts, and overalls for both girls and boys. Pair the matching denim with a pink ruffly shirt for the girl and a solid color for the boy, and you've got easy coordinated outfits.

For dressy occasions or family photos, Hanna Andersson is a good bet. This unique company offers coordinating clothing for the whole family, from baby to adult. Whether it's their signature striped pj's or their beautiful winter sweaters, you're sure to find a quality set of coordinating outfits at their store or in their catalog. Also, for high-quality clothing with a more formal look, try Dapper Lads and its sister site, Dandy Lasses.