Ooh La La... Frilly Clothing for Fall 2008

I have two girls, and I found that even though they are both girls, they both do not love the frilly fun clothing, we all surmise young girls would love to wear. I have one that is more like a “Tom Boy” who loves her pants and shorts, and would not wear a dress to save her life! I have another that would wear her princess costume to school every day with her crown and wings and ballet slippers if I let her! So how do you satisfy both personalities? It can be difficult, especially when there is so much to choose from out there in the boutique world.

I did find a great brand that does satisfy the princess in my older daughter, and that is Ooh La La Couture. This boutique brand was started by two women who were childhood friends. As childhood friends, they had always shared a love of fashion and shopping. Now inspired by their own children, they set out to create a line of fun and funky, yet sweet and girly clothes that are comfortable enough to go with their active lifestyles. Ooh La La couture has created a fun and frilly line of clothing to satisfy the princess in all of our little girls.

Founded in 2004, they quickly began selling at local boutiques and are now available nationwide. With sizes available from Newborn through 10, your little fashionista is sure to find something exciting from Ooh! La, La! Couture.

We picked up this great brand for fall, and it is fun, colorful, and the closest to pettiskirts that we will ever carry. I love the fact that you can pair the poufy skirts with leggings to create a new look, and they are comfortable and soft, and are easy to care for. They have great colors, which consist of toile designs with browns and pinks, which we all love and adore, and hoody dresses to create a completely different and sporty style that will even satisfy the more “Tomboyish” little girl. Now both my girls can wear these and get plenty of wear still showing their own individual style. You can visit our store now and preorder yours for Fall 2008!!!!

Small Paul by Paul Frank coming Fall 2008

We are really excited to have picked up Small Paul by Paul Frank collections at Dragonflies and Ladybugs Boutique. They have been a innovative and popular brand since the early 1990’s in the children’s fashion world.

In 1995 a small Huntington Beach garage was buzzing with activity. Friends were busy hand sewing wallets and handbags with scraps of Naugahyde. Characters with whimsical names like Julius and Skurvy were created to decorate these accessories, originally made as gifts. Little did this small collective know, the unprecedented excitement and interest in these adorable characters would soon thrust their little company to overnight success.

Born out of the need for a fun outlet celebrating creativity and individuality in Southern California, Paul Frank Industries (PFI) was formally incorporated in December of 1997. With its bright color palette and unique sensibilities, the company has attracted an almost cult-like following of all ages that love PFI’s witty take on every day objects. Take, for example, their use of Naugahyde. A vinyl that is more commonly associated with mid-century automobile seats, was hard to come by and completely unique to fashion accessories in 1995. Years later, Paul Frank still incorporates it into key pieces each season.

This fall we have added a great variety of products to our collection… hoodies, underwear, pajama’s, backbacks, and umbrella’s. We are really excited, and they start shipping to us in Late June.. so stay tuned for more of this great collection, as we know you will love it.

Coco Bonbons Fall 2008 Collection

We are really excited this season to have added some really great designers to the store both online and in Reno, NV. This fall we are excited to announce that we will be carrying Coco Bonbons a fun and colorful and just all-around “yummy” children’s fashion line.

The first line presented by coco bonbons was for the Fall 2006 season, and it was an instant success! Over 100 stores chose the children’s clothing initially and that number has quickly multiplied.

Using a bright color palette and clever design features, coco bonbons has taken some of the universal loves of children and brought them to life on coats and separates. Parents will appreciate the quality fabrics and detailed embroidery of these wearable works-of-art while children will treat the clothes like a favorite toy—they won’t go anywhere without them.

The Founder, Coco Kyriopoulos, holds an MBA from University of Chicago, a BA from Vanderbilt University and a “MOM” from Charlie (4 years) and Phoebe (2 years). After 12 years in investment banking and business, she decided to combine her creative skills, business acumen, and love of children to start coco bonbons™. Inspired by her friends’ children and her own, Coco names each one of her designs after them and draws upon what they love most.

I just fell in love with the collection when I viewed it for fall, and I just loved the bright fun colors, and great mix and match pieces. I just thought it was really sweet and fun. I am excited to offer this to our customers, as I think the prices are great and the quality of the clothing is phenomenal.

The Phenomenon Know As Lemon Loves Lime

This Spring 2008, we boutique shoppers were introduced to a fantastic new brand called Lemon Loves Lime. We fell in love with their bright fun colors, great applique tops and the frilly shorts and tutu skirts! I had the opportunity to interview Joy Cha, the creator and founder of the explosive brand known as Lemon Loves Lime.

Joy started Lemon Loves Lime by making clothing for her own daughter. It was through making these clothes that she realized that a lot of the designers clothing are made with perspective, but none that made clothing for the ages 2 through 8 that fit nicely with room to grow, have a fun mix of mix and match wear for little ones to create their own style, and affordable for moms to have wardrobes that their little girls can use for both casual and special occasions. Joy also believed that boutique clothing should be designed with comfort and practicality in mind, as well as maintaining the couture like quality. Clothing should be colorful and inspirational and make our little girls smile and giggle.

Dragonflies and Ladybugs Boutique picked up this great brand for Fall 2008, and we wanted to ask Joy what she was going for in creating her fall collection. “My fall collection is based on a little girls imagination, which leads her to have time in the Fairytale Land, Woodland, and Cozy Garden. The concept behind each group is for them to be mixed and matched to bring comfort to each little girl’s childhood“

To prepare for each season, Joy conducts a lot of research to come up with new themes by going out into the markets and shopping around for more inspiration. “I have been collecting things that inspire me throughout my professional years. Various trimmings, fabrics, buttons, pictures, and just being inspired by specific places”. Joy continues by describing her Summer 2008 collection, “This past Summer 2008 season, the name of my collection was the Ocean Group, this was inspired by my travels to the Bahamas and who couldn’t be inspired by such beautiful things from the ocean and white sandy beachs.” Joy has already started working on her Spring/Summer 2009 designs, as he is quite dedicated and likes to start designing her lines 10-12 months ahead.

We are really excited to be able to introduce this brand to you both online and in our store here in Reno, NV. We have had a great response so far, and we hope that you stay tuned for more to come from this professional and unique designer Joy Cha creator and founder of Lemon Loves Lime

Do A Little Dance With Cakewalk Spring

I love watching both of my girls twirl and jump and dance; especially when they wear fun and vibrant clothing that twirls and moves with their cute little forms. Cakewalk clothing is the perfect type of clothing that is fun, fluid, and fits my little girls personalities!

I have always loved the Cakewalk Clothing Line, it makes me giggle whenever I see the fun colors and patterns on girls or even online. They have such a great storyline each season, and I find that I love buying Cakewalk clothing for all occassions.

The Cakewalk clothing line was launched in the Netherlands thirteen years ago, since that time they have grown into a worldwide label that everyone loves. Cakewalk timeline has grown in the following ways:

In 1997 they presented their first collection for boys. By 1998 the collection was due for a complete re-styling that resulted in immediate success. *In 1999 Babywalk was launched.

The objective of the Cakewalk brand in the world of children’s wear is to become a brand loved by children around the world.

In this new millennium Cakewalk brings collections that have so many good qualities that you cannot evade them.
First of all, the quality of the fabrics, the finish, the delivery reliability and the service provide great value for money.
The collections are designed in three strong groups, coordinated and delivered at the right time during the season. The Cakewalk price level lies in the medium to high segment.

Our Cakewalk Spring has been a HUGE hit both in the store and online! We are excited to bring it back again this Fall 2008! Our spring collection is currently on sale for Spring 25% off and FREE Shipping over $100.00 spend… so shop now before some of these cute styles disappear!

Why You Should Have Oilily In Your Closet

Why should you have “Oilily” in your child’s closet? I will tell you…the eclectic Oilily clothing brand was launched in the early 1960’s. Oilily is a premium worldwide fashion label, whose fresh approach to fashion has continuously renewed itself with artistic liberation, bright colors, and extreme originality.

Presenting two collections per year, Oilily’s designs integrate all elements or artistic creativity, combining painting, photography, illustration, and classic textile patterns inspired by Eastern Europe. Oilily has over 70 flagship stores and distribution deals with a plethora of better retail locations throughout Europe, Japan, the United States, and Korea.

In carrying this colorful and innovative brand, I have found that customers love the originality and mix and match styling of each piece offered in their lines. There is literally a huge following of customers that know more about the brand than I do sometimes. I have always believed that the most important qualities in a line is how well made it is, its longevity, resale value, and how it displays online and in our physical store. Oilily has captured all of these qualities.

If you have not shopped Oilily in the past, it is a good time to start. We offer a wide variety of both toddler and big girl fashions, and our Spring collection is too die for. There are a variety of other online boutiques, as well as, the Oilily-World online store that offer even more as far as boys and women’s fashion clothing.

A New Rising Star

In our business of children’s fashion, boutique owners are always on the lookout for what is new, hot and “in style” each season for their store (s). Of course, we have our staple, long lasting brands that have continued to do well for us each season, that we continue to carry throughout the years, but there is always one that stands out each season, that comes across as a “must have”. This Spring season, I believe that I have found that “must have” boutique clothing item that in my opinion, tops all others.

Misha LuLu (pronounced: “meesha” lulu) is a family owned business founded by Joe and Karen Salazar. Karen Moran-Salazar is a native of El Salvador, came to the United States to study fashion design in Long Beach, California. Karen and Joe now live in Pasadena with their newest addition Isabela, who is their “muse” for the Misha LuLu Line. They started Misha LuLu as a T-Shirt line, which has now grown into a complete fashion line known to us as Misha LuLu. Misha LuLu is not only a clothing brand, but a result of love, culture, and style.

I discovered Misha LuLu through a customer of mine, who told me that I had to see this new brand. She directed me to some online stores that carried Misha LuLu, and I was “floored”. It is not often that you can look at a line with this much creativity and style and say “Wow! That is not only very boutique, but very affordable!” With our growing economic pitfalls in the United States, families are really tightening their belts and cutting back, and this is a line that is not only adorable, but affordable, so one can obtain the best of both worlds of having boutique stylish clothing for their kids and saving money in the process.

I purchased the line for summer, and I could not believe how quickly it flew out of our store… I mean it was “crazy” people just “oodled” over the colors, how well it was made, and the price point. I had to reorder this collection at least twice this season alone… and no one has even began to think about Fall 2008 yet! It is even BETTER!

Some of my favorite pieces this season is the Nautical skirt set, which is just a simple ribbed tank with a matching blue and white polka do skirt, and the Whale Jumper dress… so cute!

Winning Customer Article on Catimini

Catimini (Noun) French word meaning: on the sly or on the quiet.

Why would someone choose the word Catimini, to represent a child’c clothing brand? After my initial confusion, it came to me. Catimini clothing is gorgeous without ever being overdone. The attention to detail is subtle yet powerful and the colors are engaging without being obnoxious. It does have a way of quietly stealing your attention.

Catimini, has always caught my eye. A city girl at heart, Catimini, satisfies my urban cravings while adding in a touch of earthiness. Bold flowers, delicate embroidery and bright colors adorn the dresses, shirts and pants they create. Most importantly Catimini has mastered doing this in a way that does not overpower the child or make them look like a cartoon character.

We used to buy our Catimini, clothing from a local boutique, Fritz and Gigi’s in Concord, MA. It is a quaint store situated in an old historical building in the center of town. While I usually like to see the merchandise in person before purchasing, with two children and now a dog, I have shifted primarily to online shopping. Catimini is one of the few brands I feel comfortable with buying sight unseen. Its reliable beauty and high quality never disappoint. Thank you Catimini, for being so predictably gorgeous and for allowing me to shop from my home during naptime!

Thank you Amanda! And Congratulations for winning our Article Contest!