Just between you and me ... I love red shoes. When I wear my Mary-Janes in all their 'red-ness' I'm sure people don't take me seriously .. after all, I'm wearing red shoes. So with this in mind, I'm prepared to gear up my children's feet with the most colourful shoes for the duration of their childhood. Because let's face it - you can get away with wearing any colour shoe when you're a kid!
Enter the Eleven collection of children's shoes. Honest to goodness I couldn't believe my eyes at the variety in style and rainbow of colour... what a feast for the eyes! Eleven are the sister company to the ever popular See Kai Run line of shoes for early walkers and tots, so there is no doubt of the superb quality and finishing!
Eleven shoes are designed for the older toddler and young child - each shoe is uber-cool in style yet remains sensible and practical. The weight of a shoe is important on little legs and feet so it's wise to mention that these shoes are reportedly light as a feather - so no more excuses for children dragging their feet! All shoes in the range are made from quality leather and have Velcro type fastenings, so are quick and easy for any parent and child to get on and off. I suspect though with these cool shoes, there won't be many arguments with kids to get their shoes on!
Sizing for Eleven shoes starts at a size 9 and goes all the way up to a size one. Prices start at US$48 and are available online from Tiny Soles, where shipping to Australia is welcomed! I wish you luck in choosing just one pair - this shop is gorgeous. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Bargain hunters beware - you could make a serious dent in your wallet this month if you happen upon US designer Clothpony's summer sale on Etsy.com.
Clothpony (the junior version of "clotheshorse") designer Brooke Davies says strong women who influenced her formative years were the inspiration behind her modern-yet-nostalgic debut range for girls ages two to 10, which features gorgeous mix-and-match organic cotton separates with a twist of the Oliver Twist about them.
I love the Annie vest that reflects the iconic style of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. Another fave is the funky floral and polka dot Loretta dress named after country singer Loretta Lynn. Single-tone pieces in oatmeal and chocolate can be paired with ginghams, polka dots, and custom-designed prints by graphic company Blinth to make beautifully bold outfits with a feminine twist. I'm a sucker for details and really love the big bright buttons.
"I spend a lot of time trying to find the balance between wearability, novelty and sustainability - translating beautiful children's clothing into a common language without compromising the garment's magic," explains California-based designer Davies, who started her own business after years on the New York fashion scene.
So if you want to grab a bargain, you better get in quick - the Etsy sale is on during July.
Designer friends Teresa Ok and Meg Hoberman have struck gold with their
Kit + Lili range
of children's wear. Cool cottons in hand silkscreened prints with cute
owls, gorgeous spots, flying birds and retro waves are sure to be as
comfy as they are beautiful. The designs are Scandinavian-inspired with
bright colours and contrasting trim. I was hoping I'd find a romper to
fit my 8 month old, but he's already wearing size 1 and the Kit
+ Lili rompers and onesies are avaliable in sizes 3-6 months and 6-12
months only.
Next port of call when the onesies aren't an option is the t-shirt
range - Kit + Lili offer some of the loveliest tees ever! These are
available in a variety of
toddler and child sizes - from 1/2 right up to a 9/10 in some designs.
The cityscape and tree prints have caught my eye in a big way,
but hey, I'd have the entire range if I could!
Parents of girls, you must check out the divine skirts - they're
begging to be teamed with the luscious range
of Kit + Lili leggings for maximum twirlability! Some are actually
reversible - oh how I wish more children's clothes were made this
way so if a spill occurs, you can get them looking great again in a
flash.
If you easily fall prey to beautiful bags and soft furnishings like
I do, then stay well away from the positively charming
reversible totes and floor cushions. You might lose a child or two
under a stack of those if they're dressed in the co-ordinating gear.
Kit + Lili welcome international orders. Email for a shipping quote.
When it comes to saving the environment, my toddler isn't just talking the talk, he's wearing the T-shirt - literally. Okay, so he didn't really need any more quirky T-shirts emblazoned with cute slogans... but who could resist these eco-themed organic cotton tops and onesies from Little Green Star?
With groovy messages like 'My Other Ride is a Hybrid' and 'My Dad Recycles More Than Your Dad', this organic baby clothes range that promotes green living is aimed at "inspiring little ones to learn about the world around them and to develop their own ideas on ways to care for the environment", according to San Francisco-designers Kelley O'Rourke and Victoria Holland. And, hey, they make your babies look pretty cool too. (Given my two year old’s obsession with all things bee-like at the moment, the 'Bee Green' shirt is sure to impress!).
I love the fact that these clothes are not all talk and no action either. For parents (and children) set on reducing their environmental footprint, then these hand-printed T-shirts - made with environmentally-friendly PVC, phthalate-free ink and 100 per cent organic cotton are a sensible and stylish buy. Plus the T-shirts not only feel divine but the water-based inks have excellent washability.
Check out the website too for colouring-in pages, books about nature and the environment and heaps of useful information on 'going green'.
As the Little Green Star co-founders (who met while working for an environmental consulting company and discovered they both had childhood rock collections "as in geology, not music") admit, their goal is big but they reckon they can make a difference with their little shirts. And it's nice to know that you can help too...
Gone are the days of durable but boring children's shoes. Shoes should be fun and playful so kids want to wear them and of course well made and durable so parents want to buy them. Chook Leaf make simply stunning shoes for both girls and boys that are sure to turn some heads and have people asking where you found them!
The Chook Leaf range of children's footwear is hand made (yes made by hand!) using beautifully soft and bright leather - for both the upper and inner shoe adding to that, non-slip rubber soles so your children can run around and climb about safely. Sizes run for little people as small as nine months to bigger girls and boys aged up to ten.... go on you know you want to have your daughters or sons in matching shoes !!
Whilst matching shoes won't be an issue, choosing might be because the range is vast and each shoe begs to be worn. My own six year old daughter is partial to the Crown shoe that's pictured here but she's struggling to pick a favourite colour. I'm voting for the red - I couldn't think of a better way to cheer up the coming winter outfits than a bright and bold shoe!
Chook leaf shoes are available online from Ten Little Indians and currently onsale with prices starting at a low $34.00.
