Where have I been?? Shoe shopping!!!

Out of sight, out of mind - I hope not!!  I have been busy busy busy but still keeping up on the trends.  I had a BLAST shopping for both Olivia's and Asher's fall wardrobe but now that school has started and things are winding down, I figured I would update you on some of the fab things I have found.

First, check out these boots from Nordstrom.  I got Olivia a pair of Kenneth Cole boots last year at Endless.com and got more compliments than any other single item in her wardrobe.  I think these boots will be just as adorable.  They start in toddler sizes but didn't carry toddler sizes in the store - only online.  They may have changed that since I was there but definitely worth looking at (click on pic for link)!

Of course, Uggs are still around.  They have two new additions that I love.  One is the Bailey Button in Navy blue - GREAT for jeans so they will match probably half of your little fashionista's wardrobe.

Get some navy hair accessories and you are set!!  Check out our rectangle sparkle clips that come in the BEST shade of navy to go with denim (sold with silver and pink so you have a clip to match anything and everything).  Click on pic to get link to clips:

An ADORABLE modification to the baby style Bailey Bow, the toddler Bailey Bow in hot pink and black is one of my new faves.

You can find these styles of Uggs at your favorite department store and if you wait for the right moment, you can get them during a friends and family event for 20% off.  Bloomie's already had one but I am pretty sure Saks and Neiman's will be due for one!

I found these shoes over the summer and since then, have completely fallen in love with them.  Available in black, pewter (which is really a sparkly black), and purple, these go great with jeans, dresses, or leggings (click on pic for link to pewter and purple)!!

And of course, we always get a pair of Pumas for the sporty looks.  These are the perfect combo of style and function - the color matches anything pink, purple, black, denim, etc.  Click on pic for link.

As for Asher, he is currently sporting some ADORABLE socks until he actually needs some shoes.  Our favorites are Trumpette Bruisers.  We had them when he was a newborn but we also got them in the next size up.  If you have ever had Trumpettes, you know that even though they are labeled 0 to 12 months, most kids grow out of them by 6 months...so you need the "toddler" size (labeled 12 to 24 months but fit Asher at 5 months)!  Click on pics for links.

Whether you are a golf fan or not, Fore! Axel and Hudson is some of the CUTEST boys clothing and accessories.  I especially love these socks and Asher always gets compliments on these.

And one of the cutest trends for boys and girls is mismatched socks!  This brand, Blind Mice, are super comfortable (I have a pair myself) and so fun!

Dressing them is fun but for some reason, picking the right accessories is my favorite part!  So don't forget about them as you put on all of their cute new fall clothes!

You need accessories?? Check it out!!

Finally, a place where you can find all sorts of cute accessories online.  I know that as a mother of two, I try to do as much online shopping as possible.  It is NO fun trying to pick out cute hair bows with a crying baby and a toddler trying to hang from the displays.  Whether you need a gift or something for your own "littyle" fashionista, check out Littyle Accents (www.littyleaccents.com) for the hottest and trendiest accessories (click on logo below).

The best seller so far has been shorts for under dresses.  They are these adorable little shorts that are meant to be long enough to just cover underwear for those girls that like to run with the boys but dress like a girl.  Monkeybar Buddies are incredibly comfy and cute - a must have.  After buying one pair, most moms come back and buy them in every color!!  I got them in white for Olivia and found that one pair was not nearly enough.  So I got her pink, black, and navy!!  The material dries really fast so it keeps them cool on hot days.  Click on the pic below to see the options ($16).

One accessory that works great for the boys and the girls, are arm and leg warmers.  They are an adorable, inexpensive way to make any outfit have the perfect amount of style.  For $12, throw them over a pair of basic leggings for girls or with shorts for boys and you will have all the moms stopping and asking you "where did you get those?'!!  I put Olivia in the Raspberry Sherbet (click on pic below) ones for dance class with a pair of bermuda shorts and she just looked ridiculously cute!!

Asher rocks the guitar legwarmers (click on pic below) and a onesie...makes diaper changes sooo much easier and I will definitely keep him in legwarmers when he starts to crawl so his knees don't hurt (whole set is also available for under $50).

And of course, hair accessories.  There are WAY too many to list here but you definitely need to get some bling in your daughter's wardrobe with the rectangle sparkle barrettes by Bari Lynn.  Sold on other websites for $15 for ONE clip, you can get a set of three fab colors for $32.

As an avid online shopper, I HATE paying for shipping.  At Littyle Accents, there is free shipping on any order over $49 and with so many cute things, you will have no problem finding enough things to meet the minimum.

New products are always arriving so after completing any last minute summer items (like sunglasses with 100% UV protection for only $10) you may need, you MUST check back for fall items.  Check out the Facebook page, too.  What I have come to realize is that as much fun as it is to pick out their wardrobe, accessories are the icing on the cake!!

Pick out your Sunday best and say "CHEESE"

Jade

Like all of you, I LOVE capturing those special moments of Liv and Ash on camera.  I do my best and get a cute shot here or there but when you have someone taking pictures who actually knows what they are doing, there is such a huge difference.  So after you have gotten some cute items for spring - something bright for the girls and maybe a plaid button down and jeans for the boys (and you live in the NJ/NY/PA/CT area), you must hire my favorite photographer.

Asher

Her name is Jamie Meier and she has an amazing eye.  Even though she has been my best friend since we were little kiddies in fluorescent Hotdoggers and slip on Keds, I truly stand behind what I say about her as a photographer.  She is so creative and will get that shot that will leave you speechless.  She shoots babies, kids, families, etc and likes to work outdoors.  Check out her blog or her facebook page to get a sense of her style.

Hayley and Lexi

livelovelens.com

or

facebook page

If you want pricing, packages, or to just get some other info from her, you can email her at jamie@livelovelens.com.

Summer

If you trust my sense of style, trust me on this - you will NOT be sorry if you get this talented lady to photograph your kids.

Liv

It's never too late - Mother's Day is here!

I am sooo not on the ball these days but I couldn't let mother's day pass without telling you all about a GREAT gift idea.  Literally since Liv was born, I was on the hunt for a charm that was a simple disc and had the letter "O" on it for Olivia - maybe with a birthstone, maybe not.  I wanted real gold so I didn't have worry about it changing color or anything.  Finally, I saw a friend of mine with it on and couldn't get home fast enough to order it for myself.  With mother's day literally around the corner, I wanted to share.  For yourself, your mom, even grandma, you must check out these necklaces (www.helenficalora.com).

Helen Ficalora took something so simple and made it fantastic!!  Her charms have been featured in magazines and seen on tons of celebrities.  There are initials, birth stones, ones that say "MOM" and "XOX", some for charities, and more.  The initials come in yellow gold ($145), white gold ($155), pink gold ($155), and silver ($50).  The birthstone charms are $130 for yellow gold and $150 for the white or pink gold.  For my push present, I got an "A" and an amethyst charm for my little man.  I get compliments on my necklace all the time.  It goes with everything and it is a nice way to keep my little cuties close to my heart (I know, I am a mush).

I wear the "O" and the "A" on the same necklace and have the birthstone for each of them.  I am contemplating getting an extra chain a little longer than the current one I have and splitting them up but either way, they look great.  The customer service people that answer the phones are incredibly helpful and I got both of my orders within a day or two after ordering them.

Here is another pic I found that shows you two different charms and a birthstone charm.

So for your mom or better yet for yourself, send the link to this post to whoever is buying you a mother's day present and I promise, you will love wearing your Helen Ficalora necklace just as much as I do!!

Asher the Smasher

With a full head of spiked hair and hitting almost 12 pounds by his 1 month visit, Asher's style is more of a rocker look than a sweet baby look - hence the nickname, Smasher.  We don't do puppy dogs or trains.  We do guitars, skull and bones, and camo.  A lot of mom's I know want to have girl so they can have fun dressing them but I have to say, I LOVE shopping for Asher.  It is a challenge but so far, I haven't had any problems building a wardrobe for my little man.

And that is exactly what I love to do...dress him like a little man.  I have SOOOO much to blog about with his clothes but I won't overwhelm you in one post.  So let's start with his newborn wardrobe.

Layette - as I have blogged about before, there are a few brands that you should incorporate into your layette or for a gift.  I love Baby Steps and Mish Mish (nice cotton pieces, cute prints, matching beanies and blankets, made in Israel), Petit Lem (beautiful stripes, great color combos, good for when you want to show him off), and a few Gap stretchies.  The last brand I recently discovered and LOVE is called Kicky Pants.  I got a couple of pieces on diapers.com and after receiving them, immediately went back and ordered a whole bunch more!  Their Bamboo Basics are soft, functional, and a must have.  The blanket I got is one of the best swaddle blankets I have found and the PJ's for your little one will keep them comfy.  I want a couple of pieces for myself!!  The piece below (coveralls in Twilight $26) is good for PJ's or playtime and it is such a great shade of blue!

As I plan for spring and summer, I have been checking out Nordstrom, Gap, Denny's (the usual suspects) for influence.  There is a lot of music inspired prints - guitars, headphones on t-shirts, etc.  I found an adorable onesie ($28) from Nordstrom by Mini Shatsu.  Great for playdates or visiting the grandparents when you want to wear something cute.

For special family visits when you want to be casual, Splendid Littles is always reliable.  While definitely on the pricy side, one outfit per season is worth the money.  The material is so soft and the styles are always on the mark.  Splendid can be found in your favorite kid's boutique but also at a lot of department stores (and a less expensive version can be found at Target).  Another piece found at Nordstrom ($66):

For a fun, trendy brand, check out Charlie Rocket.  They make clothes for boys and girls.  Olivia's FAVORITE hoodie is from CR but hands down, they are one of the cutest brands for boys - infant sizes and up.  Charlie Rocket can be found in a LOT of stores.  The colors are bright and the styles are fun - plaid shirts, funky graphic tees, etc.  I got Ash a fun, plaid shirt for the summer and as he leaves the layette stage and enters the button down and jeans stage, you can be sure he will be sporting some CR.  Google it to find some cute stuff but if you live near Denny's (and probably Lester's but I am not sure) you can definitely find something cute for the spring/summer.  I contacted the company and they never got back to me as to where you can find a good assortment but contact me if you are interested and I will get more info.

Well mommies, now you get it all...I have one of each and you know me well enough by now to know I will not be stopped.  I am determined that Asher's wardrobe will live up to or even exceed Olivia's.  Since he is only 6 weeks old and already has 5 pairs of shoes, I think this will be a cinch!!

Neon BRIGHTS and Army Trends

Sorry it has been a while but I have been kind of busy having a baby!  Lucky for my readers who have boys, I am now up for the challenge of dressing my son just as well as I have dressed my daughter.  So stay tuned for more posts for the boys.

As I was looking for something in Denny's this week, I was literally drawn into the toddler section for girls by the bright colors for spring...not the usual hot pink and bright orange.  There were neon colors and it took a lot of strength to walk away and stay focused on Asher's wardrobe.  Using neon pinks, yellows, etc., I am reminiscent of my two tone neon Umbros.  But OMG...Flowers by Zoe has hit it out of the park this time.  I couldn't find a lot of images but if you can get into your local FBZ retailer, definitely check it out.

This romper from Bloomie's retails for $78.

The other trend for little girls is not really new but kind of fun...I will call it posh army - keeping with the military trend of the past couple of years but adding a more girly flair.  I swear that there was an entire wall of military green at Denny's...but very cute stuff.  FBZ does it again - taking the military colors but making them fun and flirty.

The dress ($82) and top ($84) below were also found at bloomingdales.com but I am sure Neiman's, Nordstrom, Saks, etc all have the full spring line.

Gap has picked up on the neon trend with a whole line.  While a little sweeter in styles, they keep with the yellows, pinks, etc shown across the board of this new trend.

I know you wouldn't splurge on these pieces for camp, but every little girl needs a few items to wear to parties.  So as the warm weather begins and you start getting out of the house, hit the stores and check out these styles.  You will definitely see Liv strutting her stuff in neon dresses and some army gear.

I miss my Farlows!!

If the skinny leg jean trend has not made you reminisce about your younger days, you must have never owned a pair of Farlow jeans.  Remember the tie-dyed ones...paired with a matching tie-dyed Champion sweatshirt and tie-dyed EG's??  Well, the Gap is bringing our childhood back into style with flare.  Check out these tie-dyed skinny jeans for baby, toddler, and little girls ($29.50 for baby and toddler, $34.50 on sale for $24.15 as of 1/9/11 for little girls).  They are available in blue and pink for baby and toddler and add on purple for little girls.

I want the light blue ones for Liv in the picture above - adorable for spring!  They also have denim tie-dyed jackets available in pink and blue ($34.95) for baby and toddler and only in blue ($36.50) for little girls.  I think Liv will look so adorable and so eighties in the pink one (below).

Grab some cute slouchy boots ($34.95) and ruffle top ($16.50) and your fashionista will be starting out the new year in style.

I can't seem to pay full price at the Gap any more because there is always some sort of sale or coupon so I am holding out a little to buy these but you can be sure her mama has started planning her spring wardrobe.  (If you shop at any of the three stores, Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic, I highly recommend looking into a credit card at one of them.  I get TONS of coupons, free shipping and alterations, and other things with my Banana Republic card).

If you can't even think of warmer days ahead, the cure is spring shopping!!  The stores are starting to put cruise wear and winter merchandise on sale to make room for the new stuff...my favorite time of the year is when all the styles start coming out for the new season so even 8 months pregnant, I am on top of the trends!