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

ready for a swim? (part 2: boys)

It is certainly easier to find boys' swimwear that is suitable and provides coverage than it is to find girls'.  But by the same token, it can be harder to find boys' swimwear that is particularly cute and stands out from the crowd.  Gap and Old Navy are generally reliable and affordable, as is H&M, but you may have difficulty distinguishing your son from every other boy on the beach in his Gap swimsuit.

If you want your son to stand out, Charlie Rocket offers some fun swim trunks that are widely available in children's boutiques and online.  These can be paired with a t-shirt and your son is ready to go.  But I'm a big fan of the boys' board shorts paired with a rashguard top.  Let's face it, surfer and skate punk style is entirely on trend right now, so you can cover your son from neck to knee while he looks impossibly hip.  

Chasing Fireflies (available by catalog and online at www.chasing-fireflies.com) has some cute and unusual boys swim trunks and tops, but most of them are quite pricey.  If price is not a major impediment, I encourage you to check out the site (the eyes see swim trunks, pictured below, are $44 and are really too stinkin' cute).  Personally, I find that sometimes boys' swimwear is worth a little extra money since it's likely to last for a couple of seasons.

For a more moderate sum, Garnet Hill and Mini Boden are perfect.  Chances are you're not putting a fitted swimsuit on your older son, but for a toddler, Mini Boden's surf suit is absolutely adorable, and for $48 you get both the bottom and the top (and Boden is currently offering an additional 25% off).  While you're at it, why not get their towelling throw-on, simultaneously cute and edgy in a skull print. For an older child, Boden's rash vest ($26) and panel boarders ($28) come in three coordinated color ways.  Garnet Hill carries a very classic and handsome rashguard and swimtrunk set by Sun Busters (the top is currently on sale for $24 and the trunks are $29).  Or match the blue rashguard top with Speedo's graphic flame board shorts on sale at Garnet Hill for the low low price of $14.  But my absolute favorite of the boys' swimwear this season (available at Garnet Hill for $58 for the set) is the Cabana Life striped ship swim set.  The picture (above) does not do it justice.  With a zipper down the front of the rashguard top, sophisticated and very wearable colors, and a terrific graphic of a ship on the side of the leg, this set is truly fabulous.  In fact, although my youngest has plenty of hand-me-down swimwear for this summer, I think I have to cave in and buy it right now. 

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 ....  

not so basic basics - jeans

the building blocks of a wardrobe (part 2)

Jeans.  Jeans.  Jeans.  Such a wardrobe staple, yet I think many of us are tired of our children wearing them every day.  Hopefully, but stocking your

child's closet with the right pieces, you might see another pair of pants, shorts, a skirt, or even a dress sometimes.  But the reality is that your child will want to wear jeans.  So you might as well make sure

the right couple of pairs are there so that he or she still looks clean, put together, and even stylish.

As much as I obsess about my own jeans, and am willing to indulge, I don't think it's worth spending a fortune on your child's jeans.  Gap, Old Navy, H&M, Zara and Boden all offer stylish and flattering jeans at pocket-friendly prices (online at www.gap.com, www.oldnavy.com, www.bodenusa.com and in stores).  If you can't resist going the boutique-line route, I highly recommend Tea Collection (www.teacollection.com). 

So many washes.  So many embellishments.  Where to begin?  For starters, I think it's worth sticking with a dark wash and avoiding embroidery or other embellishments.  That way you have jeans that always look clean, put together, and match everything in your child's closet.  If your daughter has been blessed with long legs, embrace the skinny jean trend.  At 6, 8, 10 or 14, a girl can really rock this look.  The Gap has a good looking dark rinse pair for $29.50.  

Mini Boden's slim fit jeans flatter a variety of figures, and are available in several fun colors.  They are $36, but Boden is frequently running 4 for the price of 3 or 15% off offers.  If a slim cut doesn't work for your child, try a flared leg.  They are stylish, fun and flattering.  Ironically, classic cut jeans don't tend to do any little girl a favor.

For boys, a dark wash is still a good idea - or a so-called "dirty" or distressed wash -  but generally a wide cut is best.  As the mother of an excessively skinny boy, I am all too familiar with the tendency to try to by narrow cut jeans.  Suffice to say, not a good idea.  It is definitely worth buying Gap or Old Navy slim fit jeans, with an adjustable waist, but in loose cut or carpenter jeans, he will be totally cool.  Stock up at Old Navy on Boys' Loose Fit Jeans in a slim fit in Nelson (a dark wash) at $14, and Boys' Painter Jeans in a slim fit in Astro (dark dirty wash) for $16.50.

Another slightly out of the box jean for spring, in a cut that promises to fit almost any child, comes from Tea Collection.  The girls' Sora Denim Digger Pant is adorable, perfect for spring, and on sale at www.teacollection.com for $39.50.  Tea also offers a full length version in the Sora Denim Slim Fit Pant which is not so terribly slim that most kids can't wear it. Unfortunately, Tea only runs through size 8 (although their size 8 is reasonably generous).  For boys, Tea's Sora Denim Relaxed Fit Pants and Sora Denim Regular Fit Pants are adorable and wear nicely.

Buying Options:

Gap and Old Navy jeans can be found online and in stores.  With combined flat rate shipping, I find it tends to be worth it to just order a bunch of pairs in several sizes and see what fits.

Mini Boden can be found online at www.bodenusa.com.  They are frequently offering free shipping free returns promotions.

H&M and Zara can currently only be found in stores.  If you haven't already visited their children's departments, I highly recommend making a habit of it.

Tea Collection is available in boutiques and on their site at www.teacollection.com.  

As of this writing, the following sales were available -

www.cocotierkids.com - Boys' Sora Denim $35

www.thekiddiecloset.com - Girls' Sora Denim Slim Fit $38

www.thesillywagon.com - Boys' Sora Denim $34.77 (sizes 2-8)

www.madeleineboutique.com - Boys' and Girls' Sora Denim $25.20

www.teacollection.com - Girls' Sora Denim Digger Pant $39.50