The colours are fabulous: a rich pink contrasting with a deep shade of orange — colours that instantly remind you of India. The dress is made from soft cotton and because of its full skirt it twirls and twirls endlessly (or until she gets really, really dizzy).

I have been layering it up with a long sleeved T-shirt underneath, but I cannot wait for it to be warm enough so my daughter can just slip it on and go play in the sun.

Masala Baby are kindly offering a 20% discount to Babyccino Kids readers, just use the discount code: friends.

Oh, and we are also giving away one of Masala Baby’s Pure Cotton Wrap Tunics!  Just leave a comment by Sunday, March 21st and we’ll pick a winner at random.

- Emilie

If you’re interested in the concept, please send an email to Alicia at info@bastidasolutions.com.

xxx Esther

- Natalie

I guess now, with time being what it is, those young men and women with the complicated haircuts and ironic t-shirts are getting older and having kids of their own.  And thank goodness they are because the children’s stores there are really just so darn cool!!!! If you have not been, you must go.  Make a day of it as there are so many amazing shops and little places to eat.

Mini Jake – is kind of like the Brooklyn version of the popular Giggle chain. It’s a huge space filled with all things modern and cool — strollers, cribs, bedding, feeding stuff… you name it.  In a nutshell, it is a modern parents dream as it is chock full of all those eco-fashionable brands that they go gaga for (Oeuf, Stokke, Bloom etc;). The store also has a huge selection toys (think Plan Toys and Playmobil) and a book nook with all the classics.

Sweet William – an absolutely gorgeous store carrying brands that I simply can’t find anywhere else. I am obsessed with under the radar brands like Makie and Talc and they carry both. The well edited selection caters mainly to the younger set — newborn to 5 yrs and has the type of stuff that you will hold on to for years just because it’s all too beautiful to part with.  A perfect place for gifts for a newborn.

Flying Squirrel – One word:  GENIUS.   Flying Squirrel is a consignment shop for gently used kid’s clothes, gear and toys. I bought an amazing fleece jacket here in perfect condition for $10 dollars which retails for like $100. There is a small selection of new items as well but that is not the draw here. Although you have to sift through the racks a bit, all of the clothing that they carry is “higher-end” stuff in perfect condition. When I stop hoarding all my girls’ clothing I might go here to unload.

Smoochie Baby – Another lovely modern store with a well edited selection of clothes and shoes. I was happy to find the tunic top that Emilie wrote about here and it was on sale! I also picked up an adorable dress (pictured) from an Australian line that they carry there called LittleHorn. So cute right?

-Dina

The collection was designed by two very clever Aussie mothers who are quick to concede that whilst their clothes are indeed ’special’ they are not ’special occasion’ wear. The materials are durable and robust, to be worn… because let’s face it, little girls may like getting ‘dressed up’ but they love getting ‘grubbed up’ too (oh, indeed they do, especially mine).

I have a feeling this is a brand to watch out for. The Winter/Autumn range (pictured) is available through stockists listed here.

-Sara

The Rev is not your usual man of the church — he used to work in A&R (artist and repertoire) for an indie record label but had a background in graphic design.  As all his mates started to have kids he found it difficult to find really cool ‘new-baby’ gifts and so started to design some t-shirts and bibs.  It grew from there and since then Nippaz has gone from strength to strength.  The designs are reminiscent of record covers but have a great sense of humour — very much from the child’s perspective but playing with references familiar to grown-ups. We’ve all heard from our parents and probably said to our kids “it will end in tears” but when that is on a kid’s t-shirt as “its gonna end in tears” it’s somehow funny — that the child knows it already themselves!

I’m not usually a fan of slogan-tees but NWA always raises a smile.  Both my children have tickled me wearing their designs (as can be seen in the pics)! As a Dylan fan (my son’s middle name is Dylan!) “Time I need a changin’” was a must for us.

I always recommend Nippaz to my guy friends who are struggling over what to buy as a new baby or birthday present for their god-son, niece or friend’s child. But I don’t think Nippaz is just for boys — it’s for anyone with a youth spent watching bands or at festivals or even anyone who just enjoys a laugh.

-Mo.x

The design and quality of the clothes is great, but above all they’re functional: they’re playful clothes made for playful children.  I really like the originality of the pieces and the easiness to wear, without becoming grungy or cheap.
And I really LOVE the little baby dresses — let the baby come and the summer begin (another 10 weeks to go)!

xxx Esther

Rebecca (who used to write for us from Washington and who has, luckily for me, moved back to Paris) and I went to the opening and had a blast. The Prosecco was flowing, there was a huge counter full of hams and cheeses and little sandwiches. It was a great way of discovering the shop and the new Bonton summer collection.

Oh, did I mention that they also have one of those old-fashioned photo booths with a bucket full of dressing up hats in front of it? We also took advantage of that, though we were the only grown-ups queueing up for it in a huge line of kids…

- Emilie

BONTON
5 boulevard Filles Du Calvaire
75003 Paris
Open: Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 19:00

Scruffy Dog’s aim is to produce good-quality, stylish children’s shoes which are also affordable and comfortable (no easy feat!). The brand is growing rapidly too — one of my favourite American shops, Sweet William, is now stocking the Buddy sandal (pictured). Perfect for summer…

-Courtney

To view their stunning collection and for online orders, click here!

-Sara

xxx Esther

I’m a huge fan of Swedish kids clothes shop P.OP (Polarn O Pyret) which sells playful and colourful kids clothes and a small selection of maternity wear.  Think lots of stripes and lots of colour.  They have 4 shops in and around London (Brent Cross, Westfield, House of Fraser (Oxford Street) and Kingston) but a further 10 or so stores around the rest of the UK.

Next up:  Zara Home (no, not Zara Kids):  A very small selection but I love their quilts and blankets for kids and they always have a tiny rail with really sweet sleep-wear/snuggly-wear. I have had some great finds there.

I find so many good kids birthday presents from Paperchase particularly these children’s writing sets, which are so sweetly designed. They often do melamine plates and trays and sets of fun snackpots, which are perfect for kids’ dinner time and eating on the go.

Long before having children I had a bit of a Muji-addiction.  I always find something there — it certainly indulges my stationery habit.  It is also a great place to head for souvenirs as they do these sweet little bags of miniature wooden cities and London transport (black cabs, red buses) in a bag (but I’ve only seen these in-store not on-line).  What some may not know about Muji though is that they are great for (what I like to call) ‘fat-tops’ — cleverly designed tops that fall over your bump during pregnancy or, as in my case, my post-baby chocolate-bump. Note there is usually more of a selection in store then online.

On this subject I do love Comptoir des Cotonniers – very flattering clothes! Quite a bit pricier then Gap but really very lovely (also have a tiny ‘girls’ collection from age 6 — I’m seriously wishing the years away so my daughter is old enough for it, cute! cute!)  Feel a bit of a cheat with this one though as it’s originally a Parisian brand.

A great stop for well-designed toys and kid’s furnishings is Habitat.  Their wooden London Bus is a long-running classic but I also love some of their newer toys like the Tito (pictured here).  They also do fab bits and pieces for a kids room — we recently got a bright red wagon for storing toys in, which we love.

Last but not least, if you happen to be passing The White Company (or The Little White Company) then it’s always worth popping in.  I particularly like their pyjamas but they also do cashmere baby cardies and classic toys and nursery decoration.

All that shopping might make you hungry and on a London High Street you are never far away from a Carluccio’s (Italian), Wagamama’s (Japanese) or Giraffe (International) — which are all well set-up for kids.  If sushi is your thing, then I adore Itsu, but it’s not so buggy /high-chair friendly.  For a sandwich-on-the-go … you can’t beat Pret-a-Manger (who now do cute kids bags).

Enjoy. Mo. x

In anticipation of our big trip ‘down under’, my siblings gave each of my boys a children’s T3 Tilley Hat for Christmas, and it’s the one thing we ‘don’t leave home without’. I think these hats have got to be the best sun hats on the planet. They’re UV-protected (with the maximum UPF 50+ rating), rain-proof, they don’t shrink and won’t get floppy if wet, they have two different drawstrings to keep the hat in place, and they’re machine-washable. And like I said, they’re guaranteed for life (even insured against loss!) – you just can’t beat that! They’re made in Canada, but available internationally.

P.S. They also have a secret little pocket in the top of the hat. Tell me a kid who won’t love that!

-Courtney

Available through Alex and Alexa.

xxx Esther

And so, when I discovered a cute little pop-up store in King Street, Prahran that specializes exclusively in children’s jeans,  I couldn’t wait to spread the word.

Little Rivet Jeans is a gorgeous shop offering a seasonally relevant denim range for boys and girls aged 1-6 years where the focus is on fit, construction and quality – but without the ridiculously expensive price tag that we have come to expect from premium denim. The jeans are soft and simple, just as children’s jeans should be, in a really impressive range of fits and finishes — including a vibrant coloured range for the girls. And whilst they have a ‘vintage’ feel about them, they are still modern and trendy.

There are no itchy tags (a constant source of annoyance for my 4-year-old) or bothersome grommets (a constant source of annoyance for me!).  Just good, wholesome classic jeans. And they all feature adjustable waistbands, another reason to rejoice! These are definitely jeans that are meant to be worn and handed down.

-Sara

Through Musjes.com — they ship internationally.

xxx Esther

Getting them dressed and out of the door on time is a such nightmare that I have resorted to the following: I have started putting them to bed at night in a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved t-shirt so in the mornings I only need to pop a tunic over their head and voila — I have saved 15 very valuable minutes and a huge amount of my sanity!

There are some great tunic style dresses out there… Take the Sophia Dress by Pink Chicken which I got from the great e-shop Umberleaf! It really would not look out of place in my wardrobe. It’s made out of beautiful blue chambray cotton with a lovely little embroidery around the collar. Super cute and easy to wear — long live the leggings and tunic look!

- Emilie

The problem with pushchairs is that you cannot put a kid in a long coat in them. The straps squish them and the coat rides up and they look so uncomfortable. Which is why I love her little cape from Half-Dot Brooklyn, a lovely little new brand that is, as the name suggests, based in Brooklyn.  The cape is super practical, it is easy to put on and keeps her nice and cozy. She really looks like a little version of Sherlock Holmes in it — very cute.

- Emilie

My little boy started school a few weeks ago, and you can imagine how difficult I regard the teacher’s job of remembering 20 to 30 names in a few days time.  I decided to help her a little, and simultaneously boost my son’s confidence of course, by dressing him in a personalized T-shirt with his name (and a fire-truck) on the back. Although the teacher never said, I imagine she must have been immensely thankful for the help…

I got Pim’s personalized name T-shirt at Simply Colors, a good place because there are unlimited combinations of fonts, sizes, images and colours, and you can play with your design on-line and will see instant results.  Another good place to go is the designer’s collection of Stuck on You, where there are plenty of cute designs available and the quality of the T-shirts is really good.

I’m thinking, maybe the whole world should start wearing clothes with their names on it — how easy that would make life for me!

xxx Esther

Many cafes in Melbourne answer this need, providing crayons and butcher paper to occupy the kids. And that certainly helps! But Family Life Home & Café in Grattan Street, Prahran goes one step further. Not only is it a divine Balinese inspired space, incorporating a cafe and boutique, but it has a gorgeous imaginative play area for the children.

So… whilst you leisurely sip your cappuccino on a comfy couch, chat to friends, read the newspaper (without being interrupted every. single. sentence) and shop for hand-made toys, eco homewares, exotic recycled furniture and some great kidswear — the children are happily playing nearby in the enchanted forest or putting on a show in the gazebo! Happiness all around!

If you are visiting, be sure to check out the kidswear. Not only do they carry some great Aussie designers like Mill&Mia, Sudo and Jellyfish but they also carry a more obscure Balinese designer called Paul Ropp. His distinctive and vibrant pieces are truly amazing!

Family Life will also throw a fantastic kids birthday party, with every little detail taken care of!

- Sara