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.

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