all aboard with j. crew

I can't get over what great clothes J. Crew has been offering lately, and crewcuts is no exception.  Yes, it's a good resource for some high quality basic tees in interesting colors.  But visiting their swimsuit collection, I found a number of pieces there right now that I can't resist.  It's a little more subdued than some of the boutique collections, but is a great addition to any girl's wardrobe.

The knits are particularly wearable - both comfortable and affordable.  There are some terrific little jersey dresses for summer, and at $45 for the cotton flamenco dress, $42 for the stripe jersey halter dress and at $32 for the ruffle-neck shift dress, you can't go wrong.  Finish off the flamenco dress with the watercolor floral cardigan and you have a truly special outfit for any occassion.

For $29.50, the jersey ruffle skirt is one of my all time favorite pieces, comfortable, too stinkin' cute, and you can be sure she'll gladly put it on every day.  Pair it with any t-shirt, or top it with the short-sleeve cotton cardigan for a more polished party look.  Many of the t-shirts have subtle metallic embellishments, not too tacky but guaranteed to make them her favorites.  The sunflower tee features a little tulle skirt detail that is irresistible.

There are a couple of splurges at crewcuts this season that I find worth the money.  Personally I have never been a big fan of birkenstock style shoes, finding them too clunky to be cute, but when I found a fun floral pair broke down, and found they are every bit as comfortable as advertised.  J. Crew's nubuck sandals for girls with a flower embellishment have made them downright stylish.  By and large, the boys' collection is what you would expect.  It's cute and preppy, but by and large nothing out of the ordinary.  But the boys' utility jacket is so grown up and adorable, and looks even better on.  And your daughter can wear it too.  Paired with a girly skirt, it adds just the right casual and funky element.  Ok, it's $75, but if you can get at least two kids to wear it, I say go for it.

ready for a swim? (part 1: girls)

How the world has changed!  And as someone with painfully pale children, I am incredibly relieved to see it.  Finding a cute bathing suit is not terribly difficult, so I won't dwell on that.  Suffice it to say, if you haven't checked out H&M's children's bathing suit selection, it's worth a try.  They have adorable swimwear at very friendly prices.  But until recently, finding cute and fashionable swimwear that covered and protected your children, was difficult.  Parents have become increasingly aware of a need to protect their children's skin from the sun.  In response, the rash guard shirt and other protective swimwear have come a long way.  It is now possible to find swimwear that protects that delicate skin, while meeting the approval of the skeptical eight year old eye.  

I think one of the best sources of girls' swimwear (tune in next week for boys' swimwear) is Garnet Hill, either through the "growing up with Garnet Hill" catalog, or on their website at www.garnethill.com.  They have a fabulous selection of mix and match swimwear.  Best of all, it includes rash guard shirts, swim skirts, ... , the whole shebang.  So you can get your daughter a fun little suit, but also a matching rash guard shirt and cover-up so that she can easily transition.  And if you act fast, everything is on sale.  The Ruffled Halter One-Piece (SO CUTE, you really have to check it out), the Classic Ruffled Tank One-Piece, the Rashguard and the A-Line One Piece are all just $28 each.  The Boy-short Bikini is $24 and the Swim Skirt is $18.  You can also score last seasons styles of similar suits at even lower prices.  If you don't want to have to buy a suit and a cover-up, Garnet Hill carries Sun Buster's Rashguard and Bikini Bottom set on sale for $42 which is absolutely precious (and your daughter will love it).

Another good option for mix and match pieces is Mini Boden (www.bodenusa.com).  With the Hotchpotch Bikini, Applique Kaftan and Hotchpotch Surf Short, you are truly ready for anything.  And she can transition easily from beach to lunch and back again without missing a fashion beat.  And I have to admit, while I think at times that I have tired of Baby Lulu clothes, I can hardly resist their Makala - Forties Orange and White Stripe Swimsuit with matching cover-up (www.oliebollen.com).

If you don't feel the need to go the full nine yards in terms of sun protection, or you child agrees to wear the occassional white tshirt over a swimsuit, and you're simply looking for a more modest (but still absolutely stylish) swimwear style, I am all about the boyshort (or 50's) cut suit.  Submarine has some of the most gorgeous options around.  Some of their bikinis can be a little racy, but they have a number of fabulous styles, and their prints are truly stunning.  They do also making making dresses.  These suits can be a little pricier, but if you love them as much as I do, they may be worth it.  At full price, the 50's ruffle cut suits range from$59 to $69.  A good selection can be found at www.achildscloset.com.  Currently www.littlefashionsboutique.com has some on sale for as low as $45, as well as www.abellaboutique.com, www.girlygaloreboutique.com (try to ignore the coyly posing models) and www.izzyandash.com.  You can also contact Submarine directly through their website to find a store near you at www.submarinekids.com.br (again, don't say I didn't warn you, try to disregard the phenomenally sexy presentation of small girls on their website ... if you can look past it, they have some great suits). 

Now, if only I could look nearly as cute in my swimsuit ....  

something truly special

Oilily.  Personally, I love it.  The more over the top, the better. But it can be a little much for some people.  And as children's clothing goes, it tends toward the super expensive.  But if you are looking to add a little flair to your child's wardrobe, spring can be the perfect time to dabble in the brand.  A little jersey dress or a great skirt may be in your budget - especially when paired with a tee for just $9.50 from JCrew.  

Usually Oilily is all color and frivolity.  This season, the collection has taken a turn toward the 70s.  For older girls, the Tigra-K skirt is the standout pieces, but their best skirts are for  toddlers.  Each one is cuter than the last.  The Twixy skirt with a horse applique is too stinkin' cute, and the print on the Tircle skirt is just gorgeous.  The Derit pants for babies make me want to have another one all over again.  If you don't have an Oilily location near you, a good selection can be found at www.littlelunablue.com.  If you are discouraged by the current season prices, some great past season items can be found online.  No one will know the difference.

Or try Oilily's offspring -- literally, the line is designed by the daughter of the Oilily founders -- Room Seven.  Room Seven is my go to line for fantastic spring skirts.  The fabrics tend a little more to the conservative side, but they are absolutely beautiful and can be dressed up, down, or downright offbeat, with the right top.

Room Seven is available on a number of websites:  www.mybeautifulsophia.com has a small selection from the current collection available at 30% off, and www.chasing-fireflies.com has last year's absolutely adorable bubble skirt on sale for $29.99 paired with gorgeous Room Seven tank tops at $24.99.  The only problem is deciding which color to pick.  That's where your child's coloring is a good guide.  I'm always tempted to pick my favorite, rather than remembering that with my fairskinned redheads turquoise and lavender are generally safe bets ... pink, no so much.

Stores:

www.everythingbuttheprincess.com - good Room Seven assortment on sale

www.littlelunablue.com - fairly extensive selection from Room Seven spring 2009 collection

www.babyskyeboutique.com

www.forgetmenotkids.com - some beautiful Room Seven skirts and blouses on sale

www.dragonfliesandladybugs.com - Room Seven on sale

www.room7usa.com - see the official website for a list of stores

boys, boys, boys

It seems there is an eternal struggle within mom's of boys, between the feeling that boys always wear tshirts and jeans and therefore it doesn't make sense to spend money on their clothes, and the desire to find a different, cute wardrobe for their sons.  Even while exercising fiscal restraint, it is absolutely possible to find wonderful clothes for your little man.  

The reality is, that with some exceptions, the more interesting part of your son's wardrobe will most likely be his shirts.  Take a good pair of dark jeans from Gap, Old Navy, or perhaps Tea Collection, add a great tshirt, and I guarantee you will receive complements galore on your stylish boy.  Some terrific brands for boys include Kingsley, Mini Fine, Appaman and Glug.  (As an aside, O.D.C.Y. was a short-lived fantastic skate punk inspired line.  As far as I can tell, it is now defunct, but a few styles are available at a steep discount at www.theboysstore.com.  If I were you, I would rush there and snap up a couple of things.)

I am a huge fan of Kingsley.  Simply put, their shirts are impossibly cool.  I'm pretty sure no one messes with a boy in Kingsley.  The prices, however, tend to be pretty steep.  If you can swing $40+ for a t-shirt, by all means go for it.  But if not, it's absolutely worth searching around for a shirt or two on sale, or picking up a couple at clearance at the end of a season.   A number of styles are currently on sale at www.shopjuicebox.com  including the "wuz dat" tshirt on sale for $27 available in sizes 4, 5 & 6.  Looking ahead to fall, www.tuttibella.com has a fantastic "king of rock" long sleeved tshirt available now in a number of sizes for $25.99.  Several other cute fall styles are available at www.pureboyclothes.com.  And www.sonsanddaughters.com has a number of shirts both long and short sleeved on sale.  Be advised that Kingsley runs REALLY small, so order a size up.

Mini Fine tshirts are slightly less edgy and less expensive (somewhere between $20 and $30 at full price), but extremely wry.  Www.tuttibella.com has a fairly broad selection.  The shirt with Pigpen (you remember, from the Peanuts) that says "conserve water stay dirty" is absolutely adorable.  If you're in the market for something less commercial, Glug and Appaman are worth a look.  Both offer simple and original graphic designs with themes that appeal to young boys like animals and transportation for around $30.  Appaman's bulldog and motorcycle shirts have become classics.  (Their retro windbreakers and track suits are also absolutely precious!)  This season Glug is offering some great robot shirts.  However classic Glug styles, their animal and bug tshirts - the spider, ant and tiger - are particularly charming.  See www.appaman.com and www.glugbaby.com respectively for a list of retailers.  But if you go right now to www.theredballoon.com you might still be able to grab the red ant, eagle or spider tshirt for just $15!

Suggested stores:

The Boys Store - www.theboysstore.com (Appaman, ODCY)

Petit Patapon - www.petitpatapon.com

Juice Box - www.shopjuicebox.com (Kingsley, Mini Fine)

The Red Balloon - www.theredballoon.com (Glug)

Tuttibella - www.tuttibella.com (Kingsley, Mini Fine)

Pure Boy Clothes - www.pureboyclothes.com (Kingsley)

Sons + Daughters - www.sonsanddaughtersinc.com (Appaman, Kingsley)

Little Fashions  Boutique - www.littlefashionsboutique.com (Mini Fine, Appaman)

Little Boy Chic - www.littleboychic.com (Appaman, Kingsley, Mini Fine, Monster Republic)

Small Concept - www.smallconcept.com (Appaman, Kingsley, Monster Republic)

Moxie Kids - www.moxiekidsonline.com (Appaman, Glug)