Bright Summer Patterns from Kenzo!

Ugh, why is it only mid-January?? The only silver lining I am seeing to this situation is that it means I still have about four months to get "bikini ready" as they say. The holidays once again caused me to loosen my belt a notch... but that's what it's all about right? In any case, I am loving the colorful sunny patterns that Kenzo is showing for their spring/summer 2013 collection. My favorite is definitely the strawberry print headband pictured at the bottom. Also in this print you can find dresses, hats, you name it. So so adorable. Tons of bright bathing suits too, both one pieces and bikinis. Now all we need is some sun. Get ready for it and find these and more at Children Salon!

Leopard Print Love

Something about Cavalli's leopard print never gets old. My favorite thing about the collection's use of this print is that it's not the typical cutsey pink/purple babied-up version. It's chic and realistic, just like you would see on a scarf for an adult. Babies should be allowed to be chic too! To dress your chic baby in this onesie, it will cost you about $90.00. Find it and more at Children Salon.

Roberto Cavalli's Fall 2012 Floral

Roberto Cavalli floral onesie

Roberto Cavalli floral zip-up jacket

Roberto Cavalli floral baby changing mat

Roberto Cavalli floral infant's bubble dress

Alright, so we all know I went a little ballistic over Roberto Cavalli's peony pattern this past spring. But then again, who didn't? It was such an amazing and refreshing break from their usual (but fabulous) leopard print and ruffles. For fall 2012, Cavalli has done it again with yet another amazing floral pattern. The colors are so rich and warm, and I love the gold-toned ornate details that is tangled up among the flowers. Like the peony pattern was, you can find this pattern on everything from baby bags to rain coats and you can find them ALL at Children Salon.

Gucci High-Tops!

Truthfully speaking, I never thought high-tops would come back. I remember my favorite outfit when I was little: Reebok high-tops, jean shorts (knee-length, rolled cuffs), aand a white t-shirt with a green waist-tied shirt over the top of it. Oh, and a side ponytail. Cannot forget the side ponytail. The 80s and early 90s were a very strange time fashion-wise, but apparently some elements were a good enough idea to bring back. Fashion is fascinating because it is very circular. If something was once a trend and that trend dies, it will come back in good time. So high-tops. Not the most comfortable shoe, and not something that will ever be fashionable on adults ever again in my opinion, but pretty adorable for babies (example 334324523 of the "Babies Can Pull Off Anything Rule"). From Gucci, these Coda high-top sneakers are made from soft pink leather with durable rubber soles and sweet pink laces. Find them for a nominal cost of $235.00 at Neiman Marcus.

Warm and Wonderful from Juicy Couture

Cannot lie... the softly-colored embroidered onesie and bib are by far my favorite. Have you been to Saks lately? If not, open a new tab in your browser right now. Even if you are at work. Keep a half-finished spreadsheet handy in case your boss walks by. But you have to go to Saks' website and check out all of the adorable winter baby items... then spend the rest of the day shocked that you are excited for SNOW.

D&G's Ugly Sweater Party

Okay... I don't know if I'm in a particularly opinionated mood or what, but this sweater is just... yikes. Not really sure what Dolce & Gabbana is going for here, but it doesn't seem to be working for me. Something about the combination of the knit flowers paired with the brown remind me of a pillow my grandmother made back in the 80's. It was a beautiful pillow perfect for the 80's, not material for a sweater in 2012. Vintage is all the rage nowadays and I'm guessing that is what D&G is going for here, but I'm just not digging it. Made of 100% wool, this unique gem is sure to keep your baby warm. Find it for a nominal cost of $450.00 at Neiman Marcus.

Fancy Fur Baby Booties

Well... it doesn't get much fancier than this: fuzzy leopard faux fur, pink velvet ribbon tied into bows on the sides, and a rhinestone logo. Under normal circumstances, if I read a description like that I'd turn up my nose. It just sounds like too much, doesn't it? But... in this case it's not. It's not at all. Let's call it "Monnalisa Magic," because everything they touch is just pure gold. These are fantastic. If I was out somewhere and saw a baby wearing them, I'd stop and inquire. They almost even make me excited for winter. Almost. These are sure to sell out quick, so get them while you can for $101.00 at Children Salon!

TOMS Mary Janes! With Glitter!

Yes yes and YES. After overcoming my anti-hipster attitude-induced distaste for TOMS shoes, I have all but fallen in love with them. I especially love their "One for One" motto: for every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is donated to someone in need. So the hipsters had the right idea... this time anyway. Red glitter shoes are fabulous and fun for any little girl, even if they are not familiar with the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy's famous ruby slippers. Sometimes about them just makes you feel like dancing around. And with their super durability, your little girl can dance until she drops. Find these for $36.00 at Neiman Marcus.

Big News and Fall Approaches!

Umm so once again, Designer Baby disappeared off the radar for a while. The reason is something that I find to be pants-wetting exciting, but does not involve some great magical mystery.

I quit my day job. I did. Finally. I put in my notice on Monday, and believe my boss thought I was having a stroke. I walked into his office, said I needed to talk, sat down, and no words came out. Then tears came out. Lots and lots of tears. Typical chick move! But I did it, gave a month notice. Four weeks from now I am going to be HOME FREE.

Here is my small soapbox speech: if you are not happy with something in your life, change it. You choose nearly everything you do and you absolutely choose everything you feel. Yes, hard times and tragedies cannot be avoided, but you choose how to react to them, how to deal with them. This life is so precious and so beautiful, and every single person deserves to be happy every single day.

Now, onto the good stuff. Since I have been so preoccupied with quitting and figuring out everything surrounding that, I have barely kept up on the new clothes coming out for fall. Just did some browsing and WOW have I been missing out. Now there's a treasure trove of things begging to be talked about. First up, this tartan dress by Fendi:

Maybe my Scottish roots have something to do with this, but tartan makes me go crazy. I think I wore the same tartan skirt to church every Christmas when I was younger for like four years in a row. It can be so versatile. Like this dress... you could do white tights, you could go super-sleek and do black tights, then a fur jacket? A black bolero? Or how about a white cardigan? It's fantastic to have so many options, especially if you are someone like me who gets bored easily. Oh, and how about the little bow below the peter pan collar? It has the Zucca print pattern on it. Thank you Fendi for being consistently awesome. Find this dress (and some accessories too!) for $262.00 at Children Salon.

Very Expensive Onesies.

Oooooh what it would be like to have disposable money. Sometimes it is difficult to read about celebrities who spend five figures on one piece of clothing while sometimes I find myself eating Hot Pockets for dinner because they were on sale two for $3 at the grocery store. Oh well. Again, I feel like if I could always afford to buy everything, I would probably get bored and not appreciate things as much as I do now. That being said, how about $250.00 onesies? The pretty top one is a soft cashmere from Burberry, classically adorable with pearly button closures. The bottom belted onesie is from Gucci, complete with a peter pan collar and little embroidered teddy bear on the chest. That one is actually a bit more pricey, at $265.00. I can understand the price tag (kind of) on the cashmere one, but that much for a cotton onesie?? Madness. It is pretty cute though. Find both at Saks!

Cute Adorable Baby Headbands!

Baby Dior

Sonia Rykiel Enfant

Catimini

Monnlisa

Young Versace

What is it about babies in headbands? They are just so cute... hair, no hair, some hair, who cares? And who cares if they are pulling it off their head every few seconds? Start them young and you are sure to have a hair accessory addict in training. There are endless options nowadays as far as headbands go... and these are the best of the best from the brands you love. Find them all at Children Salon!

Hello Expensive Fendi Baby Dress!

Okay first of all, happy best part of Friday to my fellow M-F 9-5ers!! How great does it feel on an early Friday evening when you have the entire weekend in front of you? And when it is a beautiful evening (in the midwest it is anyway) AND the first weekend of summer? Bliss. What a magical evening. Aaaanyway, let's go over the top right now and talk about this new dress from Fendi's baby collection. Talk about classic: soft satin with a Peter Pan collar and organza overlay with simplistic flower embroidery. It's beautiful... although despite the color it honestly reminds me more of a holiday dress. IE pair it with black tights and shoes, add a black bolero or cardigan, and voila: instant hit. But I suppose at the same time you can add some cream colored open toed sandals and have a sweet summer look as well. Oh, and the price? How about $356.00, at Children Salon.

Adorable Top & Bloomers Sets from Stella McCartney - ON SALE!

Oh my goodness... it's like a delicious combination of boho and eyelet and ruffles and patterns... These top and bloomers sets from Stella McCartney Kids are too cute for words. I am loving the all white Isabella set because there are about a million options for accessories and shoes... not to mention there is eyelet. Eyelet makes me crazy; I adore it. And with the Lorena paisley patterny colorful set just as much; anything boho also makes me crazy.And the best part? They are both on sale! The Isabella set is marked down to $101.00 while the Lorena set is just $47.00! Get yours while you can!

Cute New Sandals for Summer!

Baby Graziella

Kenzo

Monnalisa

Roberto Cavalli

I love how summer creeps up every years and somehow I seem to fall short of my springtime fitness goals... except this year I randomly decided to get back into running and am up to five miles a day. Even crazier yet, I have signed up for a half marathon in October. Goals are good to have, right? In any case, one of my favorite parts about summer is ditching the socks and shoes for painted toes and sandals. And why should your little one be left out of the fun? Especially with all of the cuteness popping up around Children Salon lately, wow! I went ahead and picked some favorites (pictured above) but there are soooo many more to choose from. This year seems to be about embellishments galore: ribbons, bows, charms, flowers... loving it all. I guess the only issue might be settling on just one pair or two that you like!

Beautiful Simplicity: Baby Dior's Tulip Print

I've said it once and I'll say it again: I love seeing the signature prints emerge from the big brands every season. How fun would it be to be the person who looks at the work of presumably hundreds of talented designers and pick their favorite to be used in future items? I'm sure it's as stressful as it is fun, but still. So far this season I'd have to say my favorite is Baby Dior's tulip print. It is so soft, sophisticated, classic, beautiful... the list goes on. I'm also loving the white stick detailing you can see in various parts (like around the edges of the pattern itself on the dress and romper). Reason #19829845 why I love Baby Dior. Find all of these and more at Children Salon.

I Pinco Pallino Makes Expensive Pretty Things.

It's so much fun to stumble upon a brand that I have never heard of and learn a little bit about the story behind it. Today a gorgeous dress caught my eye while I was peeking around Children Salon. A few clicks later I was falling in love with the brand I Pinco Pallino. Children Salon describes the brand, "Founded by Imelde Bronzieri and Stefano Cavalleri in 1980, I Pinco Pallino is a romantic brand with fairytale detailing that demands attention." I can definitely see the fairy tale quality in these dresses; they are just stunning! Maybe even a little Alice In Wonderland-esque? In any case, these are every girly-girl's dream. The only downfall one may find would be the huge pricetags... these dresses will set you back anywhere between $300 and $500! Oh the price we pay to be stylish.

A Couple Girly Things from Juicy Couture!

To me it seems that Juicy's baby collection just keeps getting better and better. Or maybe it's because the brand has slowly won me over with it's baby and kids collection, who knows. Who wouldn't want to be folding these into their baby girl's suitcase while packing for a summer vacation? They are so beachy and whimsical and just plain cute. It's hard to believe that summer is already here again. Everything about this time of year is just fantastic to me. If you have a fun vacation planned and need a couple of perfect outfits for one lucky lady, you can find these at Saks.

Bright Colors from Versace

I am a sucker for yellow. I cannot tell a lie... I have that olive skintone that can pull the color off very well and I wear it pretty often once the warmer months roll around. This little dress from Versace is obviously very yellow and thankfully the "Babies Can Pull Off Anything" rule can be called into play and skintone is no matter. The detailing at the bottom is just precious. Brighten up your favorite girl's wardrobe and find this for $325.00 at Lavish Kids.

Mixed Pattern Dresses from D&G Junior

So these are pretty genius. New for Spring/Summer 2012 from Dolce & Gabbana Junior, I am loving how these dresses use such different elements from D&G's arsenal of recognizable patterns. All three have denim zip-up backs and adorable denim pockets on the front to complete the look. It's never too soon to bulk up a girl's A-line dress collection! Find all three for $256.00 each at Children Salon.

Precious Patchwork from Janie and Jack

What is it about patchwork that just never gets old? I used to have this doll quilt when I was little. I don't remember where it came from or who made it, but every single patch on it was different. I had favorite patches, least favorite patches, and would never get tired of looking at them all. Perhaps I was a bit of a strange child... but now as an adult that love for patchwork is still there. Janie and Jack's colors and styles are always so cheerful, and their Spring 2012 things are certainly no exception. My favorite items are, of course, the patchwork ones. How can you look at these and not think of a warm Spring day? We are getting so close!