Gifts for the Well-Heeled Little Girl

Starting to scramble for holiday gifts?  Check out these gifts for the little girl who has everything -- including a fabulous sense of style.

The Momiji Message Dolls contain a small piece of paper in the base that you can use to write your special little girl a message or a fortune.  So sweet!  She'll treasure it.

And for the music lover - boy or girl - these headphones not only look great, but they have fantastic sound quality!

All items can be found on our Amazon store.

Dressing For The Holidays

As far as I'm concerned, there are two kinds of holiday attire kids need, both equally important.  We tend to worry about making sure kids have nice holiday clothes -- i.e., party clothes -- which is great and needs to be addressed.  But perhaps more importantly, for the winter holidays it seems to me to be crucial to have some really good pajamas to hang around the house all snugly in.  The fact of the matter is, the Gap pjs are quite cute, and you can never go wrong with a good pair of plaid flannel pajamas, but if you want something a little different, there are a myriad of great options out there.  Here are just a few.
(In a strange turn, I think pajamas may be one of the few contexts in which the boys' options may just be cuter than the girls'.  That's nice for a change, no?)

My personal favorites:
1.  Garnet Hill reindeer pjs
2.  Garnet Hill striped pjs
3.  Mini Boden skull set
4.  Mini Boden birdie set
5.  crewcuts boys' striped long johns
6.  crewcuts red union suit
7.  Tea boys' koi pajamas
8.  Tea girls' hummingbird pajamas

Excuse Me, But I Think Your Child Has a Raccoon on Her Head - Winter Hats

Usually I try to steer my children toward clothes I think are cute (or cute on them). But you have to pick your battles, and sometimes you have to give in. I have finally accepted that when it comes to winter accessories, I will let my children pick out whatever makes them happy. So, even though it is a trend that I will absolutely never understand, I have bought my children those ridiculous hats with strings that come down by their ears.

These hats are the trend right now. Believe it or not, even with adults. Anna Sui showed them on her runway and all of the celebrities are being photographed in them. The adult version of the trend strikes me as truly ridiculous. But on kids, they're maybe a little bit cute. If you have a tween or a teenager, these hats are all the rage. Want to buy a hat you know your child will wear? This is the way to go. Trust me. Actually, from a practical perspective, these hats are terrific. The ear flap covers your little one's ears and keeps him warm. As I send a sniffly toddler off to school, I feel a little better knowing his head is being kept good and warm in his silly yet adorable hat.

Target has a pretty good selection of hats for your preschool son. Go with his favorite movie or the classic monkey. The most popular version of these hats seems to be those made by DeLux. They so make a children's size, but if your child is about 9 or older, the adult hat seems to work just fine.  And they make a hat for pretty much every animal in the book. My ten year old has the penguin one. I can barely get her to take it off.  That hats can be found at gift shops as well as boutiques, or at the Children's Fashion Stylist Amazon store.  This is one trend I would give in on.  They're actually really quite cute on.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Dancing Feet - Toddler Shoes from Livie & Luca and See Kai Run

The scene for infant and toddler shoes has changed radically in the past 6 years or so.  When my daughter was a toddler, there were cute shoes available.  But if you wanted good quality shoes that you could feel comfortable were supporting your new walker's feet, while being flexible enough to handle a kid's active lifestyle, you were pretty much looking at European brands.  We had a closet full of shoes from Primigi and Naturino.

Now there are many more players on the market, and my favorite two lines are domestic.  See Kai Run and Livie & Luca  have the cutest stinkin' shoes I have ever seen.  They are particularly playful when it comes to boys' shoes, which is hard to find.  Move over Stride Right.  These shoes are comfortable enough for a kid to live in, and durable enough to hold up long after your child has outgrown them.

Both brands are available on their own websites and retail for about $40-45 (both also offer a slightly cheaper first walker line, but I like the toddler ranges a lot better - the shoes just look better - and I've generally found that by the time your kid needs to be in shoes the toddler range works just fine).  They can also be found at all of the usual suspects, Zappos, Shoes.com, Endless, Piperlime, the Children's Fashion Stylist on Amazon store, and your neighborhood boutique.  They rarely go on much of a sale, so if you see some you like, I would just go ahead and get them.  (I've even been known to buy the same pair in two or three sizes, since a toddler's foot tends to change sizes every three months or so.)  If you do see them marked down, please let everyone know!

10 Piece Winter Wardrobe For Boys 2-6

A ten piece wardrobe for winter for boys sizes 2T through 6 .  All items can be found in the Children's Fashion Stylist Amazon store.

Kids, get ready to head to Target - Harajuku Mini

Target has done a number of collaborations with boutique childrenswear lines which have more or less flown under the radar.  This one is less likely to go so quietly -- or at the very least, it shouldn't be.  And you shouldn't miss it.  Gwen Stefani happens to be one of my heroes.  She is one of those rare rock stars whose venture into fashion actually merits being taken seriously.  The only other instance of a strong celebrity venture that I think is comparable would be the Olsen twins.  Harajuku Lovers has been one of my favorite children's lines for a while.  I own a bunch of their shirts, my daughter owns a bunch of their shirts (and a few sweatshirts, and a mini skirt ...), and on November 13 an irresistible collection from Harajuku Mini will be available to Target customers.

Target previewed the launch with a selection of bags for back to school which are now sold out.  On November 13 a much broader collection arrives.  In addition to bags, there will be sneakers, an infant line, and even a complete toddler/tween line.  The lookbook can be found online at lilsugar.com.  I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the styling of the lookbook.  I would suggest focussing, rather, on the individual pieces.  But there are some really precious items.  At Target prices, there should be plenty worth scooping up.

10 Piece Winter Wardrobe for Toddler Girls

A ten piece wardrobe for winter for older girls (approx sizes 5-12).  All items can be found in the Children's Fashion Stylist Amazon store.

Boys - not just Gap jeans anymore

I don't have anything against Gap jeans.  In fact, I've been really impressed with the cut on the 1969 jeans.  They're very cute.  But you don't need me to tell you how to go to the Gap or Old Navy and buy your son some jeans.  That's the uniform.  I can't count the number of times, on the other hand, that I've heard moms and store owners complain that there are no cute pants out there for boys besides this uniform.  It's something of a mantra among moms.  While it's true that the options for boys are more limited than those for girls, I still feel like there are some fun options out there.

I'm all for getting truly funky with boys' pants, but I'll save that for the next post.  The reality is, parents tend to be more conservative when shopping for their sons.  So let's start with the basics.  Color has become the watchword for basics of all sorts recently, and boys pants are no exception.  If you feel most comfortable with your little man in jeans or cords, you can still play with color.  I am blown away by the amazing and rich colors of cords available.

My absolute favorite pants for boys are Appaman's carpenter cords.  The corduroy is phenomenally soft, the cut is adorable, and the green ... come on ... shut the front door.  The more teal green of JCrew's slim fit cords is also really nice, without being too out there for a boy to feel comfortable in them.  If your budget doesn't allow for $42-46 cords, my favorite fall back, as always, is Zara.  Zara's 5-pocket cords have a great fit, and are only $29.90.  I don't love the fit of H&M's cords quite as much as Zara's, but they're even less expensive and the colors are really fun.

Who says color is only for cords?  If you -- or your son -- are feeling a little more daring, Zara also has twill trousers in some pretty great colors.  The blue is an incredible shade.  For a break from Gap jeans, Zara is a terrific resource for jeans in general.  The slim cut jeans are particularly cute.  Lately my littlest one has not been a big fan of skinny jeans, but if your child will wear them, Zara's jeans are absolutely rock star!  Not to be forgotten, I've seen a big resurgence among the boys lately of good old Levi's.  For something really out there - and it's all the rage with the teen boys - Levi's has skinny jeans in absolutely outrageous colors (think bright purple).

So step away from the Gap -- there really are other choices out there.

10 Piece Winter Wardrobe for Girls

A ten piece wardrobe for winter for older girls (approx sizes 5-12).  All items can be found in the Children's Fashion Stylist Amazon store. 

Note:  When discussing my recommendations and the clothing possibilities available on the market, I include all the brands that I think may be of interest, and any stores where they can easily be found.  However, since our Amazon store does not have the capability of showing pairings or outfit suggestions, I will also include on the blog suggested wardrobes using merchandise from the store.

Not So Everyday Everyday Dresses - Kit + Lili

As brands go, I have discussed a lot of European brands without mentioning any American brands.  I do love the European clothes, but there are some great little American lines out there that deserve mention and should be in every (in this case) little girl's closet.

Kit + Lili does basic, and does it extremely well.  But with a twist, since what Kit + Lili is really about is bold, brightly colored, fun and splashy prints.  They're a little reminiscent of Marimekko prints, but more current.  The prints, and particularly the colors, this season are wonderful.  Kit + Lili has picked the most exquisite shades of purple and lavender.  Just delicious.

Although Kit + Lili has some cute tops, skirts, etc., the real standout category in this collection is the dresses.  So great.  So easy.  Comfortable, simple dresses that are easy to wear but look truly special.  The Emi Dress might be my favorite.  It is so simple.  Just a solid jersey dress.  But in unusual and very wearable colors and with a beautiful cut.

So many of the print dresses are cute that I really just want a closet full.  I want the Natalie Dress in grape flora, the Chiara Dress in violet lattice, the Hanna Dress in silver pansy, the Lucie Dress in pink pansy and the Jane Dress in ink big circles ... just for starters.  To get a feel for the choice, the entire collection can be viewed (and purchased) on Kit + Lili's website.

This season Kit + Lili has some great contenders in the special dress department too.  All of the dresses can really be worn as everyday dresses (paired with Kit + Lili leggings) or as fancy dresses with some tights, dress shoes and combed hair.  But I'm in love with metallic silver and metallic bronze dresses.  Girls will go gaga for them.  But the simple and understated design keeps them from being flashy or kitschy.  The ideal party dress.

Items from the current collection are available at Kit + Lili, Garnet Hill, Chasing Fireflies, Twinkle Star and Little Luna Blue.  Some past season items can be found on Arte Bebe, Lil Swanky and The Pajama Squid.

Four Funky Flavors

Just ran across a fun collection I hadn't seen before at Ollypop.  I had forgotten how great that site is!  They carry the most beautiful clothes.

Children's Fashion Stylist Store

Exciting News!  In addition to providing links to boutiques that carry the products we suggest, you also have the option of shopping our recommendations all in one place.  The "Children's Fashion Stylist on Amazon" box at the right brings you to our Amazon store.  Here we have gathered all of our favorites from Amazon in one place so that you don't have to go hunting.  Obviously Amazon does not carry everything we love, so it is definitely worth visiting the stores and boutiques mentioned in the blog as well as visiting us on Amazon.  Happy Shopping!

Bold, bold, bold and fabulous - Agatha Ruiz de la Prada

I have to begin this post with a caveat: this is going to be a REALLY annoying post. I love Agatha Ruiz de la Prada. I love all of her products. But above all, I love her girls' clothing. There's really nothing else like it. Therefore I simply can't resist talking about. Even though it is extremely difficult to find in the United States (even online here). Sorry. Her children's shoes are adorable and those can be found various places (including Zappos, Amazon and Naturino Los Gatos). But the clothes are trickier. So first - a plea. If you have a boutique you love, ask them to carry this line! If not, anytime youhave a friend or family member going to Europe, make sure you hand over a shopping list.

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is a Spanish designer. At this point her empire includes everything from office supplies to washing machines. But her clothing is at the core. Bright colors. Simple bold designs. Certain basic shapes like hearts, stars and clouds. These are the mainstays of the design. This season, she also uses a lot of owls. I have to admit, I have a thing for owls, and these are as cute as any I've ever seen. The sweatshirts are absolutely irresistible.

You can find the collection on a number of international websites. Check out Agatharuizdelaprada.com. Also, Modekids.at and Poppydoll.co.uk have most of the current season items. Closer to home, some past season items are on sale at Smug Baby, YOOX, Babyme.cc and Caramel Sucre. And there is a small company store in Manhattan at 466 Greenwich Street in Tribeca.

Not So Basic Pants for Girls

The bottom line is that Gap, Old Navy, Target, Kohls, are probably going to be your cheapest resources for a cute pair of jeans. And paired with a great shirt from Catimini, these pants are more than sufficient and will look adorable. But if you want to move beyond jeans to some nicely fitting pants, in great colors, that be can coordinated specifically with the special tops you've found for your daughter, there are some fun choices out there.Skinny jeans, slim cords - there are amazing vibrantly colored choices available. If you're reluctant to try the brightly colored pants that are on trend right now in your own wardrobe,embrace it in your daughter's wardrobe. That's the great thing about dressing kids after all. Perhaps the richest colors can be found at J.Crew. The twill pants, made by JBrand, come in the most fabulously outrageous purple, but at $100 ... maybe you want to wait until they go on sale. The various styles of J.Crew cords are half that, at prices around $40 or $50 depending on the style.

If you prefer to shop the smaller boutique brands, Appaman makes a great pair of pants. If you're willing to pay $64 for pants, you cannot miss with these. (Prices quoted are from the Appaman website. The price may vary slightly with other vendors.) If you're not, you may still be able to find some from last winter on sale. Tea Collection's Skinny Cord Cargos, $45, are also lovely. The purple is a beautiful subtle shade, and the olive green go with just about everything.

Both Tea Collection and Appaman can be purchased directly on the manufacturers' websites. Some other good resources are Cute Little Clothes, Lil Swanky, Psychobaby, and Pacifier.

But for inexpensive options that are stylish and fit well, one should never forget about Zara. Fortunately, Zara has recently launched online shopping. The colors this season are not as daring as the pants

from J.Crew, but you can still find a solid selection of colors. Purple seems to be the color of the season, and you can't go wrong with Zara's Elasticated Twill Trousers in purple. $29.90. So cute.

Coming up: basic bottoms for boys

Ooo, La La, let's have fun - tops from Catimini

Another great choice for colorful, fun, completely indulgent European childrenswear, is the french company Catimini. Without question, Catimini has some beautiful dresses and outfits, but this season I think the standout elements in their collections are the shirts and sweaters. If your kid slikes jeans or cords and a tshirt, and you don't like the more sophisticated, mini-me trend in childrenswear, Catimini has tops that will make a wardrobe feel truly special.

Personally I love some of the more sophisticated lines for kids, but I do think that one of the fun things about dressing children is that you can have fun with kids' clothes in a way that is sometimes hard to do with adult clothes. Catimini plays with bright, vibrant, gorgeous colors and patterns.

Many of my favorite pieces, shown here, are hard to find in the U.S., but if you hunt for Catimini, you're sure to find other great options. I think the charcoal peasant blouse (shown below), paired with just some regular jeans, is absolutely darling.

Another good thing about some of these European lines that are less focussed on trend and sophistication, and more on color, pattern and exuberance, is that the pieces are more timeless. I have saved all of my daughter's Catimini outfits imagining that she might hand them down to her own daughter. It seems to me that it's okay to buy trendy things for kids since, chances are, they will outgrow them after a season anyway. But the big benefit of these lines, is that you can generally buy last season's collection just as happily as you would purchase this seasons collection. If $78 for a blouse for your daughter makes you balk, the prices for past season clothes may be more palatable.

If you like buying online, selections from this season's collections are available at Izzy and Ash, Addy's Closet, Forest and Zoe, Everything but the Princess, Mon Petit Child, Zandino and Little Luna Blue. Forest and Zoe has a fairly solid selection of Catimini boys' clothes. Addy's Closet also has a terrific selection of spring/summer items on sale, as do Zandino and A Child's Closet. In fact, when I checked A Child's Closet, they were selling a beautiful white summer dress that originally retailed for $109, for $39.99. In addition to having summer merchandise, Little Luna Blue still has a few pieces left from last winter's collections. And Comfy Kid is even offering a slight discount on some current season pieces.

Coming up: where to go for basic bottoms

Something Special For Fall - It's a Cakewalk

For those of you who haven't really done your fall/winter shopping in earnest yet, I suggest starting out with a special purchase or two. It's always easy to fill in a wardrobe later with basics. If you start off with a few treasures, it will be easier to decide which basics you need to round out your child's wardrobe.

One of my all time favorite lines is back with a beautiful collection for fall. Cakewalk is a little expensive, but certainly not as pricey as it gets, and you're

sure to get good quality clothing that you can pass down so that you feel like you're getting your money's worth.

If your daughter is a pants person, they do offer

cute trousers to match their tops and sweaters, and they have some sweet dresses. Personally, I find the skirts and tights the most precious pieces in the collection. This season Cakewalk is offering tops in gorgeous and flattering shades of turquoise and purple, but if you're looking to save a few dollars, you can get the skirt, tights and perhaps the sweater (left) - Cakewalk makes wonderful sweaters - and pair it them with any shirt you want. A simple pink or white tee and you're pretty much good to go.

Cakewalk can be found online at www.littlelunablue.com, www.zandino.com, and www.everythingbuttheprincess.com, among others . Tights run about $30 a pair, skirts $76-$90 and tops $36-$52. The sweater shown above is $100. So, not cheap. But perhaps if someone is buying a special outfit as a gift .... Most of these sites have last season's collection on sale, so if you're willing to buy ahead, you might be able to score a good deal.