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.

high style from across the pond

For anyone who loves European childrenswear lines half as much as I do, but is daunted by the prices, now is the time to act.  I'm all about buying ahead or buying last season's lines on sale, especially if the clothes have enough edge and style to withstand the test of time.  Right now, two of my absolute favorite lines are IKKS and Kenzo.  IKKS reliably delivers beautiful, grown up clothes that even a picky tween will be happy to wear.  The colors are generally sedate and conservative, but the clothes are all style.  Kenzo, on the other hand, delivers prints like no one else.  Takada Kenzo is truly the master of beautiful floral patterns in exquisite color combinations.  Years later, as I look back over my daughter's wardrobe, the Kenzo pieces are favorites that continue to stand out.

Many online boutiques have now put their spring/summer collections on sale.  Even if your

child doesn't need any more clothes this season, it can be nice to buy ahead for next summer and know you have a really special outfit waiting.  Izzy and Ash (www.izzyandash.com) has spring/summer IKKS items on sale for 50% off.  The abolutely stunning funky type dress is $38, and can be paired with leggings ($23), or makes a perfect flowergirl or formal dress (on Izzy and Ash this is called the girl's basikks white sleeveless dress).  Also check out www.smugbaby.com, www.achildscloset.com and www.trendytogs.com.   

I'm dying to snap up the Kenzo turquoise striped sundress - the garden party striped collared dress - at www.trendytogs.com for $45.  It is simply and comfortable, but breathtakingly beautiful.  You can find some summer Kenzo pieces for a modest discount at www.achildscloset.com or www.zandino.com.  There is a terrific selection of Kenzo at www.littleskyechildrensboutique.com, however, it is not yet on sale.  Check in with them, because they have a number of great lines. 

Or you can get a jump on fall shopping by buying last fall's collection on sale.  Peach and Plum (www.peachandplum.com) currently has IKKS' pink denim skirt and shirt with puffed sleeves on sale ($28.40 for the skirt and $26.80 for the shirt).  Zandino (www.zandino.com) hasn't put the spring collection on sale yet, but has some great fall items at a discount.  Naturino Los Gatos (www.naturinolosgatos.com) has a great fall Kenzo sweater dress and matching tights on sale.

Apologies ... I got so excited about the girls' clothes, I completely left out boys.  Check back next week for European boys' designers (IKKS has an AMAZING boys' collection).

gwen stefani rocks out celebrity style

I am always surprised to find a celebrity clothing line that I really like.  I don't know why the whole concept seems so inherently wrong to me.  But of course some celebrities are in fact multi-talented, or at least have good taste and know how to work with the right collaborators.  Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson's women's line, Elizabeth and James, has some great pieces, and I really think Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. is fabulous. So it's no surprise that her Harajuku Lovers collection is as good as it is.  I just love the kids' tshirts.  The Japanese inspired graphics which feature "Gwen" and her back-up dancers (Angel, Love, Baby and Music), are cute and fun, and for those who care about these things, absolutely on trend right now.

This blog is a bit shorter than usual, since I think the clothes (primarily t-shirts) speak for themselves. The line is pretty focused and consistent.  I have liked some of the past season collections a bit better than the current one, so you may find it worth digging around on ebay.  The online selection otherwise is a bit thin, so I'm offering a fairly thorough list of websites that carry the line.  The selection is most extensive in sizes 2-6, or if your daughter fits in junior sizes.  Admittedly, at full retail the collection is on the expensive side but, as always, there are certainly bargains to be had.

Perhaps best of all, the same tshirts are available in women's sizes.  This is one instance in which I'm willing to do the mother-daughter thing ... however, I draw the line at actually wearing the same shirt at the same time.

Find online at:

www.tuttibella.com

www.theretrobaby.com

www.shopkitson.com

www.trenditikes.com

www.cutelittleclothes.com

www.izzyandash.com

www.jenklairkids.com

www.plumdenim.com

www.twirlkids.com

www.lalaling.com

www.maddiescloset.com

www.shopbabytrends.com

and a few pieces are online at Macy's and at Bloomingdales

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

living the high life -- with tropical style

The unseasonably brutal temperatures that hit the northeast -- even my energizer bunny of an 11 year old son refused to go outside, declaring that it is too hot -- have made me unable to resist talking about Wati.  

Wati is at her strongest with her spring/summer collection, and it always brings to a perpetual resort getaway or a Mexican siesta.  The fabrics are compulsively light, floral and colorful.  Perhaps Wati's most distinguishing feature is the wonderful embroidery which gives the clothing a little extra something.  And for frustrated mothers of tween girls everywhere, the collection goes up to a size 12 (and the sizing is fairly generous).  Every girl needs the Talia dress in a couple of colors - it is an easy, light and pretty dress, in a flowing cut that every girl can wear.  It is comfortable enough for everyday, but nice enough for a party.  And it retails for just $44.95.  Wati also offers a simple dress with spaghetti straps, the Suzanne dress, in a grey flower print and an orange polka dot print that my daughter just lives on on hot days.  Again, the price is right, just $40.  

This season the collection includes a cute plaid shorts in a couple of lengths and some great floral skirts, which you can pair either with Wati's tops or with some simple t-shirts.  Some of the most beautiful tops Wati designs are her tunics.  They are easy, fashionable, flattering, and work with shorts, jeans, leggings, or even on their own.  Once you get your daughter started on Wati, I think you'll find you want the whole collection.  While most of the colors in the collection are sweet pastels -- light blues, bright oranges, pinks and yellows, lavender and white -- the tunics can have an edgier feel just by paring them with the right bottom or shoe.  In these clothes, your budding preteen can be, on alternating days, both a sweet little girl and much more grown up and hip, with just the slightest tweek of her outfit.

Check out the entire collection at www.watidesign.com.  The offer a list of local retailers or you can contact them to find out who carries the styles you're interested in.  You can find the Talia dress and the Suzanne beach dress online at www.trendytogs.com, as well as the Juliet and Sofia skirts and the Molly pink plaid shorts.  They are also available at www.cutelittleclothes.com, at www.honeysandheroes.com and at www.MyLilDarlingsBoutique.com currently for 20% off with code SAVE20. 

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

not so basic basics

the building blocks of a wardrobe (part 1)

If you haven’t finished compiling your children’s wardrobes for spring, there are some great finds

 to be had.  Check in every Wednesday as we help you navigate the world of children’s fashion.  It’s like having a personal stylist.

Don’t want your kid to look just like everyone else?  But don’t want to break the bank on clothes that are likely to last 6 months either?  The key is mixing affordable basics with a few standout pieces.  The result can be a distinctive and personal style at the right price.

For those of you who hadn’t noticed yet, JCrew has become fashionable again.  And their crewcuts division can be a terrific resource for some quality basics at a range of prices.  The item not to be missed this season is the Chelsea tee for girls available in a number of bright

but sophisticated colors.  And now they’re just $9.50 each.  Crewcuts also has some adorable tank tops.  If your child likes to mix it up a bit, Junk Food tees are another great option. 

 

Once a strictly boutique brand, Junk Food now produces a line of kids tees with retro graphics for the Gap.  And if you’re quick, they’re on sale for another 10 hours at www.hautelook.com.  So you can indulge in a special skirt or pair of printed trousers, and with a couple of basic tops to match, you know you’ll get your money’s worth.

 

she's a real spring chicken

If you haven't finished compiling your children's wardrobes for spring, there are some great finds to be had.  Check in every Wednesday as we help you to navigate the world of children's fashion.  It's like having your own personal stylist.

For stylish little girls, nothing beats leggings and a dress for transitional spring attire.  Pink Chicken has some of the cutest dresses around (www.pinkchicken.com for stores).  The line offers leggings too, so she can put on that sleeveless dress she’s dying to wear now, and it will carry her into summer.  While Pink Chicken dresses are ideal for the under 4 set, add not just leggings, but a great pair of boots, and maybe even a thermal top underneath on cool days, and the outfit has just the edge your tween needs (while still being entirely age appropriate).

Who can resist the Sasha dress in the big tulip print?  White cotton is covered in giant tulips in gorgeous shades of lavender and peach and tied in the back with a fabulous bow.   Gap’s paisley leggings, just $12.50 or two for $20, in white with gold dots, look like they were made to go with this dress.  My daughter throws a natural waffle knit shirt underneath on cold days (Indera Mills’ basic thermal shirt and pant set available at www.essentialapparel.com for $9 works perfectly - and can act as long underwear or pajamas in the winter).  Pair it with cowboy boots, or even black biker boots, and she’ll be the coolest kid on the block.

Suggested stores:

www.chichibean.com - an extensive collection of Pink Chicken spring dresses through size 6

www.mybeautifulsophia.com - a couple of styles of Pink Chicken in sizes 2-6 are currently on sale 

juicekidscouture.com - carries some Pink Chicken styles all the way through size 8

www.gap.com - for great leggings at the right price

Girls' boots should be their own topic, but as of this writing www.endless.com had a few styles of Geox boots on clearance.  Frye and Dr. Marden can be pricey, but they're classics!  And www.cavenders.com is a great spot for cowboy boots.