Mar 9 2016

Characterful kids clothes from The Enchanted Company

Posted on March 9, 2016 by admin

Far and away my favourite things to review on this blog, are clothes for my mini mes. Dexter gets very excited every time he pops on a new jacket or shirt, and both he and Heidi love a good photo shoot.

HeidiandDex

So of course when I was recently contacted by a kiddies clothing and knick knack business, The Enchanted Company, I eagerly grabbed the opportunity. I’m simply blown away by the things Heidi and Dexter received so would definitely recommend checking out their easy-to-navigate and beautifully presented website. My two look absolutely adorable in their new bits and the quality is nothing short of brilliant either.

Who are The Enchanted Company?

Created by husband and wife team, Bernie and Mariessa, The Enchanted Company is a new venture inspired by the arrival of their beautiful daughter Róisín. Bernie and Mariessa have over 10 years experience creating early learning nurseries and actively encouraging preschoolers to use their imagination, create friendships and well… have fun. When Róisín arrived in 2014, the pair realised that she had a natural affinity for soft toys, and witnessed the start of a beautiful friendship between their daughter and Bun Bun, a soft bunny that travels everywhere with her, and this quickly became their inspiration for creating The Enchanted Company.

QUOTE

This made me giggle as Heidi is definitely a soft toy lover too. Every night she’ll line her bed with all her teddies and we can hear her talking to them for at least an hour after the light is out. It brings back memories of my own childhood too. I went so far as to hold regular business meetings with my soft toys - even taking imaginary minutes in a notebook! - it’s exactly this imaginative play that Bernie and Mariessa hope to capture in their new range of fun, practical and characterful range of children’s clothes and knick knacks - things that children are proud to wear and own, and inspire them to have fun and enjoy simply being children.

The Girls Collection

EnchantedCoGirls

Featured: Bun Bun Sequin Top £15 / Forest Friends Hoody £14 / Country Quilted Jacket from £26 / Forest Friends Wellies £9.99 / Bertie Tunic Dress from £14 / Forest Friends Tunic Top £11 / Bun Bun Backpack £15

There’s something for every mini fashionista, with pops of vibrant colour and too-cute-for-school characters that little girls will quickly fall in love with. Bun Bun adourns many of the pieces, but also Bertie Blue Tit, Humbellina Bumblebee and other Forest Friends - all of which perfectly encapsulate a child’s love of the outdoors. With strategically placed girly bows, lots of embroidery and textured applique, the collection is instantly recognisable and a great choice for youngsters expressing burgeoning personalities.

I love how Bernie and Mariessa haven’t been afraid to play with colour either. Yes there’s traditional pink, but also bright yellows, navy and greys too. Everything appears to be designed so a child and can mix and match leggings with different tops, tunics and tees to create their own look.

The Boys Collection

EnchantedCoBoys

Featured: Woodland Suitcases £20 / Check Shirt from £14 / Forest Friends Fox Frame £6.50 / Zed Varsity Sweatshirt £15 / Zed Fox Pyjamas (2 Pack) from £26 / Fox Friends Bookends £11 / Forest Friends Hoody £14 / Woodland Lunch Bag £4.50

I say “boy’s collection” but actually think this is a little unfair to The Enchanted Company, as Heidi would be equally comfortable playing in lots of the boys bits too. In fact, there’s cohesion across the entire collection, opening it up to children of both sexes ages 1.5yrs to 5yrs.

This time, it’s Zed Fox who takes centre stage, with pyjamas, hoody’s, tees and jackets all designed with this cheeky fellow in mind. Like Bun Bun and the other Forest Friend’s, Zed Fox also features on range of coordinating accessories from drinks bottles, to pencil cases, to bookends and more - allowing your child to personalise their bedrooms with their favourite character.

Dexter’s Zed Fox Padded Jacket

DexJump

Get ready to swoon over this jacket. Dexter gets comments ALL the time at nursery and it’s the first jacket he’s owned that he’ll request to wear himself.

Why is it such a hit? First up, the colour is vivacious and really pops making it fun for him to wear (with an added bonus of being easy to spot in crowded places). We love the coordinating sports cuffs and bottom seams too, making it more akin to a American baseball jacket. This, when twinned with the super soft polyester lining, keeps the heat in and is super comfortable for him to run about in. On this note, I’m also really impressed with the sizing (Dex is wearing age 3-4 years) and it perfectly covers his midriff and wrists when he’s jumping (as in the pic above).

DexJ

For additional detail, we have the Zed motif on his sleeve, an E.F (Enchanted Forest) logo on his right breast, and some star prints on the shoulder. There are also deep pockets for him to stash a tissue, some sweeties and small toys - or indeed snail shells and stones (thanks Dexter!) - and all the zips are nice and chunky and easy for him to move up and down himself.

Get this though… it’s currently reduced to just £17 from an already very resonable £21 (buy yours here: Zed Fox Padded Jacket). I’d pay close to double this as it’s just so beautifully made and really appeals to Dexter. It’s just such a relief I no longer have to wrestle him into a jacket.

Heidi’s Forest Friends Hoody

Heidi

Heidi’s seriously cute Forest Friends Hoody has become an equally appreciated wardrobe staple for our little toyboy. At the age of 22 months, Heidi has just begun experimenting with clothes and is very forthright with us about what she wants to wear, and when. Luckily for us, she’s yet to refuse her hoody.

We put this down to the fact it’s the most colourful hoody she owns and has all her woodland favourites to point out. There are also no irritating seams on the inside of this garment (as there is on some of her other hoodys), and it’s a comfortable mix of polyester and cotton so is nice and elasticated as she runs, jumps and explores.

As you can imagine, with any little lady of Heidi’s age, it’s had a fair share of trips back and forth from the washing machine, yet the colour has stayed bright and vibrant, with no shrinkage or lifting of the print. Once again, zips and chunky for diddy fingers, and the cuffs are robust so have withstood lots of tugging and rough play.

Overall, I’m really impressed that the Enchanted Company have managed to create such a fun and vibrant range at such accessible price points. Heidi’s hoody is just £14, so on a par with that we’d pay from any of our preferred high street brands. It means The Enchanted Company’s clothes and knick knacks shouldn’t simply be regarded as a treat or gift, but parents can shop there all year round - great stuff!

Check out the The Enchanted Company yourself at www.theenchantedcompany.co.uk, or say hello on social media for more on their mid-season sale, inspiration and new lines:

Twitter: @TheEnchantedCo / Facebook: @TheEnchantedCompany / Instagram: @TheEnchantedCompany / Pinterest: @TheEnchantedCo

Apr 10 2015

Melijoe Boys SS15: Beach looks for toddlers

Posted on April 10, 2015 by admin

Choosing beachwear for the little man in your household can be tricky. The high street is packed out with neon slogan tees and cotton shorts which can look a little like pyjamas and aren’t very breathable under the glare of the sun. Equally, if a tee gets grubby, mixing another with bright shorts often looks uncoordinated.

The trick to getting toddler style right, is choosing miniature outfits that dad would wear. Jean or canvas bermuda shorts that stop below the knee will protect against the sun and are more hardwearing than a cotton mix - wear them long in the cooler evenings, and roll them up in the afternoon heat. They also look seriously cool with just about any tee making mixing and matching much easier. A few good quality pairs will see you through the entire summer so it’s worth making the investment now the weather is picking up.

Here are my favourite boys Bermudas from Melijoe, (Europe’s leading online designer emporium for children’s wear):

Left to right: Armani Junior white linen £74.03 / Burberry stone-washed blue stretch denim £74.79 / Timberland striped denim £52.13 / Scotch & Soda chino twill £52.88 / American Outfitters stone-washed denim £54.39 / Timberland twill £44.57 / Paul Smiith Junior electric blue cotton twill £60.44 / Replay&Sons stone-washed denim £56.66 / Pepe Jeans stone-washed blue £45.00 / Moschino yellow cotton and lyocell twill £77.06 / Petrol chino bermudas with elasticated braces £33.24 / American Outfitters beige Stretch cotton twill £50.62 / Tommy Hilfiger cotton £48.35 / Ralph Lauren Striped seersucker £41.55 / Aston Martin stone-washed blue £52.88 / Boss poplin bermudas £49.10

Teaming these with polo tops will ensure a classic look suitable for both day and night. Keeping logos and insignia small won’t irritate your little one when they’re on the move, and will ensure you can cross-match brands. Bright colours also mean you can better spot your little tearaway on a packed out beach, and will better reflect the sun. Ralph Lauren get it so right when it comes to polos but this little lot from the Melijoe Boys SS15 collection are equally cool for chilling out on the beach:

Left to right: 3 Pommes cotton piqué polo £22.66 / Moshino cotton piqué polo (yellow) £55.15 / Hackett cotton piqué polo £45.33 / Lacoste cotton piqué polo £46.08 / Ralph Lauren cotton piqué polo (green) £49.10 / Tommy Hilfiger cotton piqué polo £37.02 / Ralph Lauren cotton piqué polo (yellow) £49.10 / Hackett cotton piqué polo £58.17 / Armani Junior cotton piqué polo £50.62

For those of you who prefer a smart casual look, you won’t go far wrong with a loose cotton shirt. This is the best possible way of ensuring the air can still circulate around your little guy’s chest, and has the added bonus you can simply undo the buttons if they’re sweating too profusely, or even pop on a cheap white tee underneath for a more grown-up look.

Left to right: Petrol stone-washed oxford cotton shirt £26.59 / Tommy Hilfiger short-sleeved shirt (turquoise and red checks) £38.68 / Levi’s printed cotton poplin shirt (dark blue) £45.33 / Tommy Hilfiger short-sleeved shirt (navy and turquoise checks) £38.68 / John Galliano Kids light denim shirt £94.43 / Pepe Jeans striped poplin shirt £42.00 / Burberry denim shirt £86.88 / Guess blue and red checked shirt £32.03 / Scotch & Soda fancy poplin shirt £39.28

Finally you can add a healthy dose of your child’s own personality through their choice of accessories. Let your child choose and you’re bound to end up with a bright, vibrant and irrevocably fun hat or pair of sunnies to make their outfits pop. Caps are fab for active and style-conscious kids, whilst panama hats teamed with shirts works every time and shelter delicate skin from the harmful rays.

Left to right: Archimede sunglasses £7.55 / Souris Mini panama hat £16.62 / Ralph Lauren cotton twill cap (orange) £22.66 / Stella McCartney printed cap £30.00 / Petrol bi-material cap £9.07 / Tommy Hilfiger yellow gabardine cap £14.00 / John Galliano Kids bi-material cap £39.00 / Scotch & Soda raffia panama hat £35.00 / Little Eleven stone-washed blue cap £18.00 / DSquared2 military style camouflage cap £46.00 / Boss cotton twill cap £29.46 / Petrol cotton twill cap £9.07 / DSquared2 panama hat £70.00 / Lacoste cotton twill cap (green) £27.20 / GF Ferre cotton twill cap £31.73 / Archimede sunglasses (red) £7.55

To check out Melijoe Boys SS15 collection for yourself, head to melijoe.com/uk where you’ll find children’s wear from 0-16 years from all Europe’s top fashion houses. With clothes, shoes, swimwear and accessories you’re bound to find the perfect outfit for your little dude. Also on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Mar 13 2015

Adorable summer outfits for mini fashionistas

Posted on March 13, 2015 by admin

Heidi is fast approaching her first birthday. Perhaps strangely, she’ll be celebrating this on her very first family holiday in Lanzarote. We won’t be packing any pressies for her as we’re at the mercy of Thomas Cook’s strict luggage allowance, but I will be getting her the perfect birthday girl dress so she can look extra cute on her special day in the sun. In fact, given her days of bloomers, frills and cotton blouses are numbered, I’m determined to make the most of them and make her the envy of every baby girl on our holiday.

Thankfully the stores are now welcoming in their SS15 collections and they perfectly encapsulate care-free summer days. Checking out the trends on Melijoe (Europe’s leading fashion e-commerce site for children’s wear), the main thrust of this year’s designer baby girl collection is whimsical & romantic. As Melijoe stock the most couture of European brands such as Kenzo, Catimini, Tartine et Chocolat, Monnalisa and Rykiel, you can get a good feel where the leading fashion houses have hung their hats this season - and unfortunately for Craig’s bank balance, I want it all!

Left to right: Monnalisa sleeveless crepe voile dress £117.10 / Catimini sleeveless cotton voile dress £46.84 / Monnalisa flowing printed silk dress £81.59 / Lili Gaufrette sleeveless cotton and polyester jacquard dress £61.95 / Miss Blumarine organza dress with flowers £141.27 / Catimini printed percale sundress £49.10 / Miss Blumarine lace dress with taffeta details £99.72 / Monnalisa flower-shaped printed cotton dress £85.37 / Monnalisa light pink daisy dress £60.44

With pastels punctuated with bright details and loose Boho cuts, this season’s dresses are exactly what I’d envisioned Heidi in. Skirts are full enough to cover her modesty yet allow in a summer’s breeze to keep her cool, with plenty of applique, pintuck and broderie anglaise detailing around the chest for structure.I’m also loving all the oversized bows and pleats this year which add an extra layer of femininity.

On the dress front Monnalisa and Miss Blumarine just have it so right with fun prints and clever cuts that are both practical and flattering on the littlest of women.

Left to right: Dolce & Gabbana signature print cotton poplin dress with smocks £147.31 / Rykiel Enfant tangerine butterfly dress and bloomers £57.42 / Paul Smith Junior flower-printed cotton dress and bloomers £69.50 / Rykiel Enfant cotton voile dress and bloomers £86.88 / Rykiel Enfant printed cotton voile longall £56.66 / Absorba printed cotton poplin dress and bloomers £34.75 / Stella McCartney Kids flower-printed cotton shortall £56.66 / Ralph Lauren flared flower-printed cotton satin dress and striped belt £71.77 / Petit Bateau short printed poplin coverall £32.48

There are also the cutest of cotton rompers and all-in-ones to match mummy’s tea dresses for an altogether more vintage look. Blouses and bloomers feature bright vibrant prints alongside the more traditional pastels and are just perfect for lazy days in the sand dunes. Cotton voile is a saviour in warmer climates, allowing the skin to breathe yet retaining the warmth when the sun goes down. For me Rykiel and Stella McCartney have pulled this off best with pops of colour to suit every skin tone.

Left to right: Billieblush terry shortall £26.00 / Armani Junior sleeveless striped cotton dress and bloomers £174.51 / Petit Bateau striped cotton jersey dress £21.91 / Catimini sleeveless dress with yarn-dyed stripes and stretch jersey leggings £52.13 / Tru Trussardi striped poplin dress with lace £74.03 / Armani Junior sleeveless pleated cotton jersey dress with a Peter Pan collar £69.60

Alongside these trends are timeless Parisian bold stripes, mainly by the masters of French chic, Petit Bateau. Their jersey dresses look adorable on Heidi and very grown-up for evenings on the town. They disguise ketchup mishaps with ease yet look altogether more sophisticated than powder pinks. Team these with patent red shoes to help your mini-me channel her inner Suri Cruise.