Children's Clothing

There are plenty of mommy/daughter aprons out there but it’s tough to find a set that doesn’t make you look like Holly Hobbie and, and, um…who was Holly Hobbie’s mom? Half Pint and Ma. You don’t want to putter around in your kitchen looking like a couple of sister wives just off the compound. Instead, what you want is the Carly Mother/Daughter Aprons.

The two ruffly, fluffy things are sweet enough to be adopted by little girls, yet, with their simple styling and vintage-look fabric, not too ridiculous for Mom. It’s an over-the-head style, so it catches more spatters and drips, and tie in the back, so the daughter version will last a nice, long time.

One quibble: each could use a pocket. But they’re cute enough that we don’t mind all that much.

Carly Mother/Daughter Aprons, $32-39

These days, it seems like practically every product has an eco-friendly version, from lap-top computers (bamboo, no less) to baby wipes. But back in the 70s, the age of polyester and Marcia Brady, that wasn’t the case. The children’s clothing company Le Top was one of the exceptions.

Le Top, a staple in boutiques and specialty department stores across the country, has been using natural fabrics since the brand was started in 1978. Now the family-run company known for its spirited playwear is launching its first online store. Le Top offers dresses, leggings, pants, jackets, sweaters and practically every other item you need to clothe Junior. Le Top Baby consists of all the basic layette pieces. Style-wise, Le Top is not over the top; the clothes are refreshingly free of sequins, tie-dye, studs, “gems” and other bling. Understated basics that let kids look kids.

An antidote to today’s Lady Gaga aesthetic.

Shop at www.letop-usa.com. FREE ground shipping through 8/22/10.

Some kids just can’t tolerate pointy, jabby, pinchy plastic and metal hair doodads. You’ll know you have a kid like that when she runs away when she sees you coming with the hair accessories. But Goody’s new-ish line of Ouchless hair products are made just for these sensitive kids, and as the mom of a particularly sensitive little girl, I can avow that they work beautifully.

Basically, any poky surface is made soft and flexible. Headbands have smooth rubber tips instead of pinching hard plastic. Bobby pins have rounded edges; elastics have no metal parts that snag hair. There are a range of ponytail options; put ‘em up with fabric holders or ribbon-wrapped elastics or super-soft scrunchies.

The Ouchless line also includes a detangling comb with soft-edged, smooth, non-pulling teeth, and several brushes with widely spaced soft bristles. My sensitive daughter, who used to dance and whine during hair-brushing, will sit still for brushing now. And when I send her to school with an Ouchless headband on in the morning, it actually comes home with her in the afternoon.

Goody products are available in most grocery and drugstores; prices vary but range from about $3 to $12.

Yes, Sex and the City 2 did disappoint on the cinematic front. But the 146-minute montage of over-the-top clothes and shoes is still the kind of eye candy we can appreciate. Hey, it’s escapism. And Junior may want in on the action.

Time to check out Glory Chen’s Children’s Collection. San Fran avant-garde shoe designer Joy Chen Kolterman, who already has Glory Chen (pictured) and Joy Chen lines for women, just launched a kids’ division. It includes preppy-chic sneakers, loafers, sandals and Mary Janes. Not as funky as her women’s counterparts, Kolterman’s children’s shoes are still well deserving of a place on your kids’ feet. They’re stylish without going the Lady Gaga route. (The sneaker is also available in women’s sizes.) The shoes come in European sizes 21-27 (U.S. 5-10, which covers kids ages 1 - 5, approximately), and at $70-$90 aren’t priced out of the stratosphere.

Happy feet.

Available soon online at glorychen.com and at Glory Chen boutiques.
New York: 121 Greene St. (bet. Prince and Houston Sts.), 212-677-2938.
San Francisco: 134 Maiden Lane, (Union Square), 415-788-8168.

Eco-minded parents make many a trip to their local baby consignment shop, particularly in baby’s first two years, when he’ll fly through clothing so fast it’s like there’s a trail of onesies from here to the moon. But who likes that big bag o’ clothes falling over in the closet every time you put your shoes away? thredUP has a better way. Describing itself as like “Netflix for clothes,” thredUP connects parents across the country who have clothes to give or needs to fill.

New members go on and create a free account. They can then offer up boxes of clothing to other parents, which ship free. Or they can sort through the offerings from other parents. Need tops, size 18 months? Or bottoms for your two-year-old? You can claim such boxes, which are sent to you for a $13 shipping charge by other threadUP members. Those who get addicted to the service can upgrade to thredUP Pro for $30 a year. These members can get a lot more information about the clothes available (brands, colors) and build big circles of trading friends so they’re alerted when favored clothing-senders have a new box of outgrowns ready to go.

Visit thredup.com/urbanbaby for more information.

Even parents who shell out for organic cotton rompers and unbleached diapers usually fall down in the dress-up department. Yes, when a plastic pirate sword or sparkly cape your kid clamors for costs $7 at Target, it’s tough to say no–unless you realize that gorgeous, eco- and labor-friendly versions of the same items are online. The extra money is worth the lowered guilt. And the Earth, and the people on it will thank you for playing green.

Fairy Finery should be on your bookmark list for pretend play. Costumes and accessories are made in the U.S. by an ethical company that uses quality materials. Particularly choice: Fairy Finery’s soft toy sword, a cushy version of the plastic staple of pirate, knight, and “bad guy” games. Let the kids whack each other all they like with these soft swords, which have gorgeous, comfortable handles and natural wool blend felt over a sponge interior.

A Toy Garden is another bookmark to hold onto, with an inspiring collection of fairy costumes, princess hats and dresses, and capes, including this gorgeous dragon cape. Like all of Toy Garden’s wares, this cape is sewn by manufacturers certified by the Fair Trade Federation, and shipped in recycled packaging. The work-at-home mom who runs A Toy Garden even admits to dumpster diving to get packing materials. Many of Toy Garden’s goods are bought directly from the artisans who make them. This one is made in Sri Lanka, but you can be assured that it was made by workers making a fair wage and working fair hours.

Nova Naturals has a selection of stuff from the usual suspects (Sarah’s Silks, who makes a very popular line of princess wear and play silks), as well as more unusual accoutrement. Like this hand-crocheted “chain mail” hood, constructed of cotton yarn by artisans in Nepal. It’s soft and cozy yet looks fierce and warlike. That same kid you got the soft sword for will be over the moon.

Because baby play clothes can be so much more than discount-store duckie dresses, two stylish options for the modern infant.

Built for super-soft scooting, Paige Lauren’s Classic Shortpant Shortsleeve Romper is made from organic cotton, grown without any pesticides. It snaps at the crotch for easy diapering, and it’s so buttery soft that you’ll practically want to eat it. It comes in sizes from 0 to 12 months. It holds its shape beautifully through washings, and there will be a lot of them, because once you feel how soft it is, you’re going to be snapping this one on Baby several times a week. $48.

The You’re Such a Baby Cowboy Guitar Slinger Snapsuit goes in a different direction, with a charming vintage graphic on a classic white onesie. The front is a li’l cowboy singing his heart out, the back is a campfire sending up whorls of smoke. Put this one on your little cowpoke for a guaranteed yee-haw. It comes in sizes 0 to 12 months, and in short and long-sleeve versions. $20.

Is it a federal parenting law that toddlers have to wear Robeez? They’re soft and flexible and all, but they sure are fug: Shiny and decorated with graphics that put me in mind of that horrible whiner Calliou. Shudder.

Simple’s Infant’s Weegee is a lot like Hanna Andersson’s popular Swedish moccasin, an all-in-one shoe-and-sock combo for the colder months. But to my eye this particular model is a lot more subtle than any of Hanna’s, which are all afflicted by the Hanna Andersson Eye-Watering Color Combo Syndrome. Simple’s Weegee, like Simple’s adult shoes, is made from eco-friendly materials, in this case suede from an eco-certified tannery, recycled plastic and natural latex, and a soft, plushy organic cotton fleece lining. They’re washable, comfy, and almost as soft as your infant’s tiny feet.

Simple Shoes Infant’s Weegee, $34

Their break-ups surpass our national divorce rate. Commitment is a huge issue for them; one mate always seems to be disappearing on the other for no apparent reason, which makes for a singles scene like no other. This is the world of baby socks.

With baby’s tendency to kick off a sock just about every time you leave the house, and the Bermuda Triangle action known to take place in just about every washer and dryer ever built, you’re left with a lot of tiny socks flying solo. A spare or two per set would be nice. Blindmice socks has got you covered. Their socks are sold in packs of three or five, come in 21 different color and pattern combos (for infants and toddlers) and are meant to be mismatched. (So the odd one out still gets plenty of action.) The soft ankle band won’t impede circulation and is designed to prevent the sock from falling off. However, if reality intervenes and one mate does abandon the other, it’s nice to know you’ve got a back-up.

As Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld once said, “Change is the healthiest way to survive.”
(BusinessWeek.com, 5/30/05)

Available at blindmicesocks.com.

When you have a baby in the dribbly stages, it seems like the purpose of bibs is to provide a clean circle to contrast with the rest of the splatter. You can get bibs that cover the whole front of baby’s shirt, but there’s still everything that lands in his lap, over his shoulder, etc. etc.

Modeled on vintage aprons that kept schmutz off women who logged in some serious kitchen hours, the Bibbie is capacious, covering the child’s entire front and back. Since it ties in the back and covers the body, baby can’t get it off. And since it’s structured and stiffened, when baby sits to eat, the Bibbie covers his whole lap, holding spaghetti and strained carrot drips. Another plus: the split-back construction grows with your child, so the Bibbie can go smoothly from infant feedings to toddler art projects to preschooler cooking projects.

Oh, and did I mention it’s pretty? It’ll stay that way too: it’s reversible, and washable. When it gets wrecked, throw it into the washing machine. There, it’s pretty again.

Bibbie, $35