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

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.

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.