The Perfect Holiday Dress from Baby Graziella

Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas party, church on Christmas, New Years Eve... this dress is perfect for all holiday occasions. It is a wonderful combination of wool and cashmere, combining all sorts of textures from the ribbed top to the sequin bubble skirt to the soft satin bow belt. I love dresses that you could pair with both white or black as far as tights, shoes, and accessories go. This dress falls right into that category. This hat by Ciccino would be an adorable addition to the outfit:

And maybe pair them with these little black patent shoes from Early Days:

Why am I all of a sudden excited for the holiday season? Why am I wishing I had a baby in my life (umm not necessarily my own) to buy these things for? Almost too much cuteness to handle. Find all of these at my all-time favorite, Children Salon.

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.

Peel and Place Christmas Tree Wall Decal!

Happy December! Hard to believe it... how is it that the time between summer's end and the holiday season flies like it does? Oh well... my favorite time of year has arrived! So in the spirit of Christmas, let's talk about some fun kid-friendly decor. Is it ridiculous that I kind of want one of these? By Oopsy Daisy Fine Art for Kids, these canvas wall stickers will keep your child busy for potential hours decorating and re-decorating this tree! 140 pieces in all, a full set of letters and numbers are also included for personalized messages and even a little education. Guaranteed to be a hit, this can be yours for $129.00 (and free shipping!) at Posh Tots.

A Very Fancy Christmas Stocking

Well... wouldn't this be perfect for any of the blossoming mini-fashionistas in your life? From Boutique Brands, here we have a dramatic and fun take on the traditional Christmas stocking: why not make it a high heel boot?? This thing has just about every feminine embellishment you could think up: satin, pearls, flowers, ribbon, ruffles, tulle... it would be great for little ones and adults alike. Give it as a gift and fill it up with girly accessories or toys. It's simply fabulous. Find these for $39.00 at Children Salon.

Bewitched Halloween Dress

Has anyone been to Michael's arts and crafts store lately? That place is amazing to begin with (I went to art school and have the artsy fartsy gene for sure, so Michael's is like my Nirvana), but their Halloween decorations and displays make me want to turn my condo into a complete haunted house. Halloween is just fun, no matter how old you are. You get to dress up like someone you're not, there is free candy galore, and who doesn't love hayrides and pumpkins and being scared?? Okay maybe a lot of people, but I am a fall holidays freak. Starting now, I will most likely annoy a lot of people with my enthusiasm for the next few months! Kids get insanely excited to wear their new costumes every year. I still remember that feeling of anticipation. So leading up to the big event, how about a bunch of Halloween-themed clothing to get the ball rolling? Teacups and Mudpies, I cannot say enough wonderful things about this place, is always a great source for themed clothing. I am loving this dress because of the vintage witch print on the top and the fun double rubble skirt. You could get really obnoxious about it and do some pumpkin-print tights or put a long sleeved black and orange striped shirt underneath. Why not?? It's all about fun. This dress is $68.00, and there are a couple more to choose from too!

Halloween Clothes Sale at My Baby Clothes Boutique!

Just a heads up, here are a few of the adorable outfits that are on sale right now!

If only we could wear outfits like this as adults, especially the black and orange leggings! I love Halloween, love everything about it. Check out My Baby Clothes Boutique for discounts on these fun and festive items!

An Autumn Tutu Dress from Baby Bling Things Boutique

Although this could be a potential Halloween costume (add some wings and a magic wand and you have an instant autumn fairy) I cannot stop thinking about fall/Halloween photo ideas that would work great with this. Some scenarios:

1) Photos in a pumpkin patch

2) Surrounded by fall leaves

3) Walking in the autumn woods barefoot, a sort of natural dreamy photo

4) Various farm scenes like barns, fences, and hay

5) Simply surround with candy and take photo against an all-black background

Sometimes I think that when I have children, I am going to spend more money photographing them than I am on buying things and caring for them. I will certainly be one of "those moms" and I am okay with that. Find this fabulous dress (and one for pretty much every occasion too) at Baby Bling Things Boutique.

Halloween Costume Ideas from Posh Tots!

If you are looking for an amazing over-the-top girly Halloween costume, and not just the kind that come in the plastic bag from Target, look no further than Posh Tots. Their tutu/poof costumes are simply amazing, and you know your little girl will still be wearing it around the house months (years?) after Halloween is over. A lot of them could even be used again for a fancy photo shoot. Costume prices range from about $50.00 all the way up into the $500.00 dollar area, so there will be something for every budget!

Designer Baby Turns the Big O-N-E!

Kind of hard for me to believe that I started this little operation an entire year ago (it was actually one year ago Saturday, but I was celebrating the weekend and unable to blog). It began as something to break up my day at my newfound desk job:something to do while I was on hold or attending a pointless WebEx or to just break up the monotony. Now it's actually a fun little habit and obsession of mine and I have made a few great friends while doing so. It makes me wonder what this next year will bring! I had to pick an appropriate item to go with this post, so naturally I chose one of the birthday outfits from Baby Bling Things Boutique, which is one of the best places to go to find crazy fancy "occasion" outfits for your little one. Happy birthday to us!

Fabulous Blumarine Red Tartan Skirt!

I apologize for the obnoxiously large size of this picture (which is a bit too big to even fit across the page) but I just had to so that everyone could see the close-up details of how simply amazing this skirt by Blumarine is! It is a combination of a gorgeous wool tartan with red tulle underneath. Then to top it all off, it is covered with another layer of embroidered tulle which is covered with red roses. Oh, and we must not forget the little red bow and embroidered "B" on the waist band. I am in love. Children Salon shows this being paired with a white long sleeve t-shirt with a puppy on it, which I am not a fan of at all. This skirt needs something way more sassy, like a black leotard and then a fancy necklace. Very holiday-esque and out of season, but I am guessing they wanted to roll this one out early knowing it would most likely fly off the shelves. At $142.00 each, someone is going to capitalize on this!

A Fun 4th of July Hat by Monnalisa: On Sale!

I mean come on, what's not to love about this hat? Granted the "blue" flowers are actually black, I still think this could pass as a very cute hat for the 4th of July. Which, by the way, who can believe is coming up in the next week? Where has time gone. In any case, I stumbled across this hat while browsing around Lavish Kids and I honestly do not know if it is on sale because it is from last year or for some other unknown reason. Point being: it's on sale. Originally $95.00, this sweet little hat is now a whopping 50% off, taking it down to $47.50. Come on, who cares if it's last year's. It's adorable. Don't be one of those people. Just buy the hat. 

Tutu Dresses from Trixi Lou Couture

Okay, everyone needs to stop what they are doing and go visit the many, many pages of tutu dresses at Trixi Lou Couture. I am 1) a very visual/imaginative person and 2) a lover of having pictures, of everything. So with every single one of these precious dresses that I see, I am imagining photo themes and opportunities: birthdays, Halloween, spring, glamor shots, etc. There is something for pretty much every single occasion. These are a must-see, especially for the very reasonable price range: from around $40.00 to $150.00. Too cute.

Fancy Birthday Hats from Teacups and Mudpies

How great are these? Teacups and Mudpies is one of my favorite online stores to poke around in because they just have such a huge variety of things to drool over. I have been on a birthday kick, maybe because mine is quickly approaching, but I am really into all of these unique little things that you can find for a special birthday. And hats like this would be a great item to keep throughout the years. Selling for between $30.00 and $33.00, be sure to check out the other designs not pictured here!

The Perfect Party Outfit: Armani Junior Pink Bubble Dress

A child's first birthday is a pretty big deal, and as we have seen on the various reality shows depicting the rich and famous (or sometimes just rich and wishing to be famous...), people tend to drop some bucks on the party. So naturally, with an expensive party must come an expensive party outfit. Armani Junior's pink bubble dress just screams "party dress" to me. It's vibrant pink satin is embellished with ruffles and a little bling: the Armani logo in glitter on the chest. Pair those with the Oilily Cupcake Purse, Dolce & Gabbana floral shoes, and a cute party hat from My Baby Clothes Boutique, and you have the ultimate birthday outfit. See more details of this $165.00 dress at Nieman Marcus. 

Cutest Easter Photos Ever:The Chickee Poof

Although I fear that baby photos with huge tutus and giant embellished headbands have become so popular that they are bordering cliche, there are still some very interesting and unique tutus or "poofs" as they are often called. The Chickee Poof from Teacups and Mudpies is a prime example. First of all, I have seen grown men coo like babies when in the presence of baby chicks. I, as a grown woman, angered many children at the state fair this past year because I was hogging the front row at the chick cage for a bit too long. So, need a unique idea for Easter photos? Look no further: you can create your own little chick in the grass. Surround with colored eggs and bright flowers and voila: a masterpiece.This set includes the skirt and headband for a very reasonable $50.00. 

Valentines Day Dresses from My Child Clothing

Remember making Valentines Day mailboxes out of shoe boxes and wrapping paper when you were little? I was always very competitive in this area, because I have a very crafty mother who always made sure that my mailbox was, well, over the top. I remember to this day what each of them looked like. Kind of an odd tradition, but a fun one. Nowadays, being a still-single woman in my late 20's, I go out with a close friend of mine (also a late 20's girl flying solo) and we have cakes and cookies for dinner at our favorite bakery, then see a "chick flick." This year we are seeing No Strings Attached and I am pretty excited. Anyway, I also got excited when I saw that My Child Clothing had a special section for Valentine outfits. I wasn't blown away, but there were a couple of fantastic dresses, like this chiffon dress by Biscotti. I love the patterns and ruffles and bows. The cardigan is actually not attached, so you can go with it or without. And for just $72.00, this is a very reasonable purchase for your little cupid.

Baby Dior Christening Gown and Hat

This has been the worst day at work. I love when other people don't pay attention and make sure all their bases covered and I get blamed for it. Nice. So... trying to counteract my sourness, I tried to find the most beautiful baby item I could. So far, I am still feeling sour. However, this christening gown by Baby Dior is just stunning. The gown is pure cotton, embellished with tons of eyelet and embroidery; same with the hat. So delicately beautiful. Ready for the prices? Gown: $1335.00. Hat: $138.00. Available at saksfifthavenue.com.

Cupcake Christmas Stocking!!

So I may mention every two minutes or so that I love cupcakes. Like actual edible cupcakes and any item depicting pictures of cupcakes. Now a cupcake Christmas stocking? I am bowled over. Cupcakes, bows, pearls, lace, and glitter... I am adding this to my Christmas list. See this fabulous stocking for $40.00 at childrensalon.com.

Adorable Christmas Elf Outfits!

Okay so these are kind of tacky but since I love anything and everything that has to do with Christmas, these La Top Adorable Elf Outfits get a free pass into the genius category. I love everything from the thin candy cane stripes down to the pointy little elf shoes. And there is a his and hers version, Christmas-tastic! Turn your baby into a Christmas elf with these $44.00 outfits, from mychildclothing.com.

BonPoint Gold Christmas Dress

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting oh so patiently for BonPoint to show their Christmas holiday collection. When I checked today I had to wait no longer. It's everything I expected: simple and elegant and classy and chic. Lots of silvers and golds and a few sequins thrown in here and there. I am not a gold fan AT ALL when it comes to jewelry; I think I may have one gold ring and that's it. Gold for the holidays however I am all about. This festive little dress is Jacquard-printed and would look stunning with a black cardigan or bolero. Oh and staying true to BonPoint's steep prices, it costs $300.00.