Category: clothes

Spring Fun with Paul Frank Kids Apparel

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Paul Frank is brightening our spring days with a fun selection of graphic tees for the kids.  This line embraces Paul Frank’s emphasis on fun and being carefree.  Ideal for spring and summer days, the tees feature Paul Frank’s eclectic graphics and friendly faces, like our pal Julius! 

Biggie is trying to be a ninja here.  Don’t be afraid. 

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I checked out the girls’ tees online, and as expected, they’re super cute.  I always love though, how Paul Frank caters to both boys and girls. Tees like the ones my guys are enjoying can be found at retailers such as Nordstrom.com, Macys.com, Amazon.com, Lord & Taylor, Bon Ton and Belk.com.

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In addition to fun kids apparel, you can share your Paul Frank love on your iPhone case.  On GetUncommon.com, you can customize a variety of iPhone cases with pics complemented with Paul Frank graphics.  With the Dot Julius, Happy Julius or I Love Julius styles to choose from, not only can you share the Paul Frank love, but you can also show off your loved ones’ faces too. 

 

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I ordered the Dot Julius case, and I can’t wait to see how it turned out! I love these cases!

 

Full disclosure:  As a Saban Brand-bassador, I received samples to facilitate this review.  As always, opinions on NKT are my own.

  

 

Kardashian Kids Debuts at Babies ‘R Us

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Kim and Kanye may be making waves after their recent Vogue cover reveal; however, we’re totally focused on Kardashian Kids, a new baby girl (k)collection featuring sparkly, animal print and ruffly motifs.

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Now available at select Babies ‘R Us, Kardashian Kids, a collaboration with Jupi Corp, is the latest brand extension for the reality family and first foray into their own children’s clothing line.  Kourtney used her own daughter, Penelope, as the inspiration for this first collection. With cream and gold as the dominant color scheme, butterflies, stars, and of course, animal print round out the Kardashian take on “affordable high fashion” for babies.  

“Since becoming a mom, I’ve been so inspired to create Kardashian Kids with perfect prints, heavenly fabrics for a baby’s skin and to bring fashion to the baby world that is affordable,” said Kourtney, mother of Mason and Penelope.

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Kardashian Kids line includes baby essentials such as onesies, caps, blankets, as well as two-piece sets, jackets and dresses in sizes ranging from newborn to 24months. Prices for the new baby line range from $15-30. Here’s a look at a few of the new pieces:

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Kourtney, who was said to lead the way for Kardashian Kids, is hosting a blogger event with Babies ‘R Us.  I had to decline because of my schedule, but am definitely interested to see how this line does.  I know quite a few people who like the Kardashian line for women at Sears, so I’d like to see if this gets the same response.  My first impression, though, it seems pricey for being dubbed “affordable.”  Looks like some people who submitted reviews over at BRU feel the same.  

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The pieces are absolutely adorable, and much more subdued than what I was picturing.  Though not practical for everyday outings, these outfits look ideal for Easter gatherings and such.   Also, I would have liked to see boys clothes included in the collection.  Obviously, I’m a boy mom and personally love boys clothes; but I love the way Kourtney dresses her son, Mason, so I’m bummed that boys clothes didn’t make it into Kardashian Kids from the start.

What about you, mommas?  Would you invest in the new Kardashian Kids?

Children’s Place Summer Emphasizes Bright, Bold and Fun(ctional)

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Just in time for our trip to see the Mouse last month, our friends at The Children’s Place once again invited us for their Media Shop Day, this time to check out their latest in summer styles. SummerPlace at the Children’s Place is all about bold, beautiful and fun patterns and graphics, with a whole lot of functionality thrown into the mix. The baby and I had a fun time perusing the bright racks in the Union Square store, stocking up on the great baby and big boy pieces for our trip, but to also last us through our busy summer.

Among my favorites from the Summer 2013 line are the swim coordinates for boys; athletic wear and the cute jumpers for girls. Bright aqua tones for boys were a common sight and we noted lots of orange and pinks for the girls.

According to Michael Giannelli, lead designer, “For summer 2013, the trend we’re seeing everywhere is clothes in bold colors and prints with blazingly bright, neon accents. This style is perfect for kids who love fun, cheerful looks and great for parents who want to keep track of their little ones. With our bright collection, you’ll never lose sight of them.”

True story: I always dress my boys in orange shirts when out and about in large crowds since most people dress their boys in blue and girls in black. Orange is one of those hard to miss, but super fun colors!

Here are a few great finds we spotted at TCP!


It’s been a month since we picked up our selections from TCP and as expected, we’ve been getting the most wear out of the athletic shorts and the coordinating swimwear. Because Biggie plays in various sports, the athletic shorts have been a great to have onhand. I only wish I’d picked up some of the matching sports shirts. The swimwear for baby are all fun, yet durable for frequent washes.


And, in case you don’t get TCP emails, it looks like they’re having a big sale right now. Head on over to stock up on summer essentials before the school clothes hit the racks.

Disclosure: I received a giftcard to purchase clothes to facilitate this review.

Rollin’ with The TODAY Show and FamilyFun Magazine

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Like my morning cup of coffee, I always start my day with The Today Show. Day in, day out, I rely on Matt, Savannah, Natalie and Al to get me going. And then, there’s Kathie Lee and Hoda. While the baby naps, these two hilarious ladies keep me company as I work at home.

Their segments are often lighter and sometimes wine-driven, but every now and then, there’s a topical subject for me, specifically something kid-related. In the past, Biggie has made appearances on the fourth hour to help KLG and Hoda with kid-friendly segments.  Yesterday, in fact, marked J’s third trip to the show to help with another timely FamilyFun Magazine segment.

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FamilyFun’s Deputy Editor Mary Giles shared several Easter activities and games to keep the kids entertained while mom and dad gorge on Honey Baked Ham and wine. Wait…

The activities overviewed on the segment included glitter, feathers, jelly beans and egg rolling with “Chinese sticks,” as J calls them.  I will definitely list which activities were highlighted after the segment airs, but in the meantime, for fun, I thought I’d share J’s outfit that he picked out.

What Did he Wear

If you know me, then you must know I have a sickness that involves buying cool clothes for my boys.  Way too many clothes. The outfit we agreed upon for his Today Show appearance was comprised of some fun pieces that I bought at a few of my favorite stores: a mix of big box, discount and boutique stores.  Here’s J’s best Zoolander montage:

Jack is geeky cool

I knew I wanted him to look playful, yet somewhat dressy since it was for an Easter segment.  I’m so glad we settled on the very Springy yellow button down and accessorized with a striped bowtie to assuage his current accessory obsession.  Can 5-year olds have signature pieces?

1. PD&C yellow button-down

In a sea of black and gray t-shirts found at my local TJ Maxx’s boys’ section, I spotted this super cool Paper Denim and Cloth shirt.  It was hard to miss this soft yellow and textured cotton shirt.  I almost put it back, but I’m so glad I ended up picking this one up.  It’s actually one of my favorite shirts of his right now.  The details on this shirt have an Americana/Cowboy vibe without being too Woody from Toy Story.  The color yellow is a total departure for us.  The shirt included in this Polyvore set obviously isn’t the same one, but I grabbed it as a visual.  I can’t find much information on PD&C, but I did read that this line just recently relaunched.  At $15 at TJ Maxx, you can’t beat this boutique-worthy and very versatile PD&C cotton shirt.

2. Levi’s Slim Fit Jeans

I’m one of those parents who puts my kids in skinny jeans and don’t think twice.  As long as it’s comfortable, durable and looks good on them, I’m all for it.  I found this specific pair of Levi’s at a new favorite boutique in Nolita in the City.  First turned on to Piccolini from my friend Brianne of Stroller in the City, I stumbled upon the store myself while taking my niece around downtown NYC during a recent visit.  There’s so much to love about this great shop, but beyond baby friendly baubles and onesies, Piccolini also sells must-have staples like this find.
The wash on these jeans are quite different than what we usually buy, but I’m definitely digging the brownish-orangish tint.  I have a feeling we’ll get a lot of use out of these jeans this Spring. (p.s. Brianne has a coupon on her blog for Piccolini!)

Today Show: Easter segment

3. The Children’s Place bowtie

When one of the producers told me that style guru and Today Show Style Editor, Bobbie Thomas, loved J’s bowtie, I sort of gushed, not because I dressed him, but because the bowtie is all him.  He looked sort of geeky-cool with his contrasting bowtie, but it definitely suits his quirky style. This Children’s Place bowtie is all of $5 right now.  If you haven’t picked up the kids’ Easter outfits yet, be sure to take advantage of their ongoing sale, including many of their Spring styles.  The gingham tie isn’t the same exact style that Jack picked out, but it’s quite similar.

Jack on the Today Show 3/28

4. Old Skool two-toned Vans

My children have more shoes than I do, and that’s not just because they’re growing out of their shoes almost daily, but also because boys have some super cool shoes (see: shopping problem above.)  We get new Vans almost every Spring, mainly because they’re inexpensive but they’re also practical for street-wear in the Spring and Summer months.  Growing up at the beach, I remember always wearing Vans with shorts, except back then, we did the checkered slip-ons.  But these Old Skools are a perfect complement for the warmer weather that is finally arriving!  I loved the contrast of this bright green and navy style, and would actually love the checkered pair for myself.

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It was another fun day visiting Studio 1A to roll some eggs with KLG and Hoda.  What made it even more special was that J got to bring along his friend, and so they experienced something so fun together.  A special thanks to FamilyFun Magazine and to my friends at 360 for inviting us to “roll” out.

Back to School with The Children’s Place: Mom Knows Best

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Ready or not, here it comes!  As summer starts to wind down, the back to school frenzy begins…just like that.  All summer however, I’ve been checking out the latest and greatest in back to school trends.  I’ve seen a lot of looks ranging from retro, classic and edgy.  But of everything that’s new for the season, the best look we’ve found, ultimately, is the one that lets kids be kids.

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A brand that gets it right by offering a myriad of styles while remaining age-appropriate and affordable is The Children’s Place.  And so, when TCP, one of my favorite retailers, asked me to take part in a back to school promo that involved styling Biggie, it was a no-brainer.

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As I studied their back to school lookbook, I couldn’t help but get nostalgic about The Children’s Place.  I remember my mom perusing the racks when shopping for our back to school outfits.  And so, being tasked to style my soon-to-be school age son for a promo for TCP, I must admit, it was supremely surreal, considering I wore their clothes as a kid and a vast majority of my childrens’ basics are from this same brand.

Back to school looks for everyone

The back to school looks, as I mentioned, seem to assuage all tastes, shapes and kid sizes.  The girls’ pieces, though strikingly pink, retro and sparkly, also offer classic and more subdued styles as well.  As a mama of boys, I usually have tunnel vision for the more rugged and edgy styles. The Children’s Place tasked me with styling my boy for some back to school looks.  They gave me about a $150 price range to work with, which was more than enough to pick and create many looks.

I had a fun time picking out styles that I thought suited Biggie.  He’s an outspoken four-year old, and one who just happens to have a penchant for clothes.  It doesn’t matter what it is, this kid loves clothes.  He’s obsessed with cool pjs, wearing sporty clothes for playing outside and even, getting “fancy” when we go out.  This could be my doing, but hey, you can’t fault a boy who appreciates being well-dressed.

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The pieces I chose were a mix of preppy and classic, with navy blue as the dominant hue.  I try to buy timeless and durable clothes that would potentially be in style and in great shape four years later for baby bro.  I like to layer because the weather in northern Jersey is very unpredictable in the fall and because he’s a boy. Hello, ketchup on the top shirt.  Thank goodness for that undershirt! As for accessories, I went with items that Biggie loves: a skateboard bookbag since he loves skateboarding; a striped tie because they make him feel “fancy”; and classic navy sneakers.  The sneakers, by the way? They look like they’re regular laces, but they’re not! They’re actually elastic, which makes them easy to slip-on–perfect for kids who can’t tie their shoes yet!

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I love the way his looks came together!  Biggie was such a great sport, considering it was 80 degrees on the day I took these pictures, and according to Biggie, he had “too many clothes on,” yet he still managed to cheese it for every photo!  We shot these pictures at this tiny red school house in Florham Park, NJ, as suggested from a friend.
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Getting him all dressed for this mini photo shoot got me all excited and anxious for the first day of school!  Do you guys like this time of year as much as I do?  What sort of clothes do you buy?

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As part of their Mom Knows Best back to school campaign, Biggie will be featured on TCP’s FB page!  If you feel so inclined be sure to vote for us and the styles I chose!  I’ll be sure to link when it goes up.

The Children’s Place Spring Styles for Babies to Big Kids

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With Easter and Passover right around the corner, bulky winter gear is thankfully being replaced with snazzy Spring outfits for the kids.

The Children’s Place, one of my longtime favorites for staples and dress clothes, has a great Spring line up filled with classic styles with plenty of details. This season has styles for everyone, from girls, boys, tots to babies.

We were invited to shop at TCP a few weeks ago to check out the latest offerings first-hand.  With a big boy and a newborn to shop for, my biggest dilemma was deciding which items to take home.  I have a weakness when it comes to shopping for kid’s clothes, which attributes to kids’ overflowing dressers and closets. We had a friend take family portraits shortly thereafter, which gave us a great reason to take the kids’ new clothes from TCP for a spin.

Boys clothes aside, TCP had the most beautiful dresses and outfits for girls, too.  Admittedly, I’m not a head-to-toe pink fan for girls, so I was glad to see that TCP had dresses beyond shades of pink. Most dresses and tops were adorned with bling or some other eye catching details. My favorites were the classic white and black dresses. But most importantly, TCP gets it right with age-appropriate silhouettes for girls.

From Baby to Big Boy

For my own kids, I was excited to find dressy clothes for both boys in one spot.  I haven’t been shopping for two kids that long, but based on my experiences as a kid, I was anticipating having to shop at multiple stores to accommodate different sizes and tastes.  At TCP, we found plenty of jolly roger, pirate-influenced clothes, something my four-year-old is crazy about.  He quickly snactched up some khaki shorts, a tie and collared shirt, all bearing small skull and cross bones details.  I also grabbed some undies, a t-shirt and a nice dress shirt for the big kid, all items that have been getting great wear thus far.  The dress shirt, I noticed, is a different quality from other dress shirts we’ve bought from TCP.  This plaid shirt that looks much like “daddy’s work shirts,” is classic, but soft to the touch.

For the baby, I stocked up on portrait-worthy dress clothes, perfect for Easter Sunday.  A Southern girl through and through, I always love dressing my boys in seersucker.  I was excited to find baby pants and a matching hat, all in seersucker.  I also picked up a dress shirt with anchor details and a few pairs of jammies for the babe.

Be sure to check out their latest in spring and summer clothes!  And before you go shopping, make sure you Google for coupons.  TCP seems to always have good coupons out there.

Full disclosure: We were provided a gift card to The Children’s Place as part of media shop day.  As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Ralph Lauren Gang: Meet the Class of 2012

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With Spring now in full bloom, it’s time to update the kids’ closets with warm weather clothes.  I’m always excited when we can finally replace the monochromatic shades of winter with a more colorful palette, full of weather-appropriate goodies.  And with Spring comes all the fun new fashion lineups, including those for the most fashionable kids!  Designers like Ralph Lauren have a penchant for outfitting the entire family with classic, yet versatile pieces, and that goes for the 2012 RL Gang Spring line.

Photo Credit: Momtrends

The line, which is out now, features classic pieces synonomous with Ralph Lauren’s Americana influence, and mixes it up with some edgy, girly or preppy flair.  Like many of the kids who wear these pieces, RL Gang reflects this diverse spectrum.  Whether it’s the tattered jeans, ruffled details or classic stripes that suits your kid, the expansive and super cute 2012 RL Gang Spring collection has it covered.

My favorites include the girl’s white blazer with pink detail and the boy’s dark denim paired with classic Polo stripes.

Because our entire family loves Ralph Lauren, I’ve mentioned RL Gang in the past; in fact, I posted about last year’s Spring debut. So, it was quite a treat to be invited to this year’s RL Gang Spring launch and video preview at Bloomingdale’s. The RL Gang Spring event was hosted by my friend, Nicole Feliciano of Momtrends, whom, I’m sure you know, is a style maven and fixture in the fashion front.

This was my first blog-related outing with both baby and big kid in tow, so it was quite fitting to preview this Spring line firsthand and meet some of the beautiful kids who comprise the RL Gang Class of 2012.  The precocious little girl, dubbed Willow and epitomizes Bohemian chic, approached the baby and me and made small talk.  I’m imagine she’s about four or five, and asked if she could carry the baby.  Even though I politely declined, I got a little chuckle out of it.

The big kid, who waxes poetic about being a movie star/model/rock star one day, enjoyed all the fun treats and rubbing elbows with his “peers” at the RL Gang Spring event; he even has his Flipbook to show for it.  To boot, one of the local tv news outlets, WPIX, was on hand to cover the event.  The boys and I made a super quick cameo at the very end!

Be sure to check out the Spring RL Gang and the adorable Class of 2012 online.

DVF for babyGap and Gap Kids in Stores Today

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The day is finally here:  DVF for Gap Kids and BabyGap has officially launched.  It’s the day that many fashionista mommas, their mini fashionistas and Diane von Furstenburg fans alike have been anticipating.  Ok, so, the line has been seen online for weeks, and even hit Gap’s online site earlier this week, but today’s the day where we can pick up mini-wrap dresses for the smallest stylish set in-store.

The DVF for Gap Kids line ranges from $20-$85 and includes cute spring pieces such as rompers, dresses, leggings and assorted accessories.  DVF for Gap Kids features bold, whimsical prints in silhouettes that DVF fans already know and love. The adorable line for girls was created exclusively by designer Diane Von Furstenburg for Baby Gap and Gap Kids and is expected to be a hot seller. So, if you’re hoping to pick up a fun spring dress for your own budding fashionista, run, don’t walk, to your local Baby Gap or Gap Kids!

According to tweets that I’ve seen from my blogging pals who cover fashion, it looks like the line is a big hit, as expected.  Though I can’t see myself stocking my kid’s closet with $75 dresses that they’ll quickly grow out of, how can you resist an outfit or two when they’re this cute!  I love that they’re modern prints with classic appeal and age-appropriate pieces.  That romper (which as of this posting, I can’t find on the site,) that dress (same for this one pictured) and the bathing suits are so gift-worthy! Hello, cuteness! Thank goodness I don’t have any girls, otherwise I’d be even MORE broke! Ok, Gap, so what designer collaboration are we doing for the boys?

Judging from the fact that some pieces are already sold out online, from what I’ve seen, DVF for babyGap and Gap Kids lives up to the hype.  But as a sidenote (and as a mom to boys I would’ve never thought about this,) I’ve seen a few bloggers who have mentioned that the wrap dresses with attached shorts for toddlers may be confusing for the potty training set. Nevertheless, it sounds like DVF for Gap Kids is so popular, that these adorable dresses won’t be on the racks that long.

DVF for Gap Kids is available in stores and online now.

Harajuku Mini for Target Debuts in November

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Target’s become synonymus for partnering with a myriad of cutting edge designers to provide accessible, affordable, yet fabulous collections to the masses.  And kiddie fashion is no exception.

Announced earlier this year, rocker turned designer and fashion icon, Gwen Stefani, partnered with Target for her upcoming collection for kids, Harajuku Mini.  The collection, inspired by Stefani’s penchant for Japanese street-style, touts an eclectic, edgy, yet practical appeal for babies, tots and Tweens.  I love that this collection is edgy, yet not over the top.

The Harajuku Mini for Target lookbook hit the internet last week, but I just got around to checking it all out myself.  The collection is expected to hit stores next month and will feature cute items such as accessories, biker jackets, dresses, onesies and outfits that are totally Holiday worthy. While the animal print and plaid dresses for Tweens are cute, they don’t completely blow me away.  The baby items, little girl outfits (where the pink and black color scheme dominates ) and the boy clothes are super cute.  My faves are pieces that would be perfect for my guy and the new one on the way; at just $20 for both the Mayhem sweatshirt for boys and tuxedo onesie for baby!  And of course, the pilot case for myself!

I never hopped on board the Missoni madness from earlier this fall, but I’ll be the first to incite a little panic for Harajuku-Mini.  The clothes are THAT cute.  Expect the best of the Harajuku Mini line to go quick in stores!

Ranging from $4 to $30, the entire collection will be in stores November 13.  Check out more of my faves from the Harajuku Mini lookbook.

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Little Fan: Beastie Boys Five Boroughs Tee

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

One of the many wonderful things about being a parent is introducing the things you love to your kid. On that list of things we love, so far, we’ve shared travel spots, baseball, great books, delicious foods, and of course, good music.

I’m currently loving the latest release from The Beastie Boys, so as a longtime fan with my very own budding fan, I absolutely love this boy’s Beasties Tee spotted over at Axl’s Closet. The light blue Chaser Beastie Boys Five Boroughs tee is a nod to the beloved trio’s homage to their hometown. Currently available in 2t, 4t and 6, the Chaser Beastie Boys Five Boroughs tee is $24.

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