How does “found-in-a-cabbage-patch look” look?

Question

There was the phrase “found-in-a-cabbage-patch look” in the article of Time magazine (October 3, 2011) titled “Playing Favorites,” that dealt with the results of recent researches on the prevalence of parents’ favoritism toward particular one of their children.

The author, Jeffery Kluger writes;

“I was the second of four in an all-boy brood, and by almost any measure, the third in line, Garry, should have been the favorite, simply because he was gorgeous, born with extravagantly long eyelashes, absurdly perfect features and platinum blond hair that completed his ‘found-in a-cabbage-patch look.’”

I can vaguely imagine how a cherub-like boy with ‘found-in a-cabbage-patch look’ looks with the association of “Cabbage-Patch Kids” dolls. But I don’t think the author is referring to “Cabbage-Patch Kids” character here.

What do ‘the baby found in a cabbage patch’ and ‘found-in-a-cabbage-patch look’ mean? What is the origin of the word, “found in a cabbage patch”?

Answer 1

In France specifically, when kids ask where babies come from, people say "les filles sont nées dans les roses et les garçons dans les choux" ("girls are born in the roses, and and boys in the cabbages").

It's also a French term of endearment to refer to someone as mon petit chou -- "my little darling" -- which, depending on who you believe, means "my little cabbage" or "my little cream puff" (from mon petit chou à la crème).

So you can say that someone having a "found-in-a-cabbage-patch look" is cute, darling, or, perhaps, baby-faced.

As to the origin of the phrase "found in a cabbage patch," the imagery in Lisel Mueller's poem "Found in the Cabbage Patch" is suggestive.

Answer 2

I think it has to do with fairytales you tell children.

Q: Daddy, where did I come from? A: A stork brought you – or – We found you in the cabbage patch.

But the reference you give is surely to Cabbage Patch Kids, as you state; so simply a metaphor for “cutsie” (albeit a weak one IMO.) Had the brood been girls surely the reference would have been to “Barbie”. (“Ken” itself doesn’t work.)

But all that is just how I perceive the example given.

(Oops – I see same info in the [Feedback] area – but I’ll add this anyway since the question is still unanswered.)