Child Style: Love for the Classics

classicsI've been on a nostalgia kick lately, not sure why, but maybe the coming summer has me thinking about my childhood days and the things that remind me of long hot days running through the sprinkler and magical nights catching lightning bugs (do people in upstate NY call them that or is it just "fireflies"?) and eating ice pops. Levy and I have been watching Annie and the old Muppet movies on a somewhat continuous loop too, adding to that nostalgia feeling, and every time we watch Annie I think the same thing, "Where can I find that blue dress she has on?!". No, not the red dress that everyone remembers Annie for, there is a point in the film, I think when they go to the movies, where Annie has this sweet little blue dress on with matching blue shoes and white ankle socks. I'm obsessed with it. Which doesn't come as a surprise since I'm obsessed with pretty much all vintage kids clothes right now. There is something so sweet about the old fashioned styles, not emblazoned with the current popular character on television or a brand name, they are just tried and true classics that haven't gone out of style. In a world where they make padded bikini tops for second graders (yes, that was really a thing) do you really blame me for wanting to find fashions from a gentler time? Things like hand smocked dresses and big old fashioned hair bows, little girl bathing suits that actually look like little girl bathing suits, and of course, of COURSE monogramming.

cdc208af4aabcb8c7685b43904eec438the pale blue Annie dress of my dreams

And it's not just for girls either, I've been getting a lot of questions about Finn and Jack's stuff, especially their swim trunks. I will admit their swim trunks are a little different than the other ones I've seen at the pool lately but are actually pretty normal in my eyes because they are actual swim trunks and not glorified capris made for swimming. Since when did boys swim trunks (and boys shorts in general) get so LONG anyway? Finn isn't short per se, but he also isn't that tall, and all of the swim trunks we were finding went all the way down past his knees almost, and he hated swimming with all that extra fabric (who wouldn't?). So I searched around till I found nice and neat little swim trunks, which he loves, from mini Boden. I also am loving the Jon Jon shorts for Jack, which are just adorable and such a timeless look. There's only a short time you can pull off the Jon Jons with a little boy and I plan on taking full advantage of it, especially with track season coming up.

stripesclassic stripes for girls and boys: Mitty James girls swimsuit, boys Boden swim trunks, girls saltwater sandals (they go with everything)

But, for now, back to the smocking. It's my favorite summer look for girls and it's disappointing that we don't have more of it around here. In fact, we have quite the children's clothing store drought here in general, so I find myself often going online to find classic girls looks (the two looks in the photo at the top of the post I found in the Etsy shop Smockadoo, lots of great stuff there) and I love Crescent Moon Children for monogrammed classics like the dress below (they even have a monogrammed bathing suit, it is beyond). Topping it all off with a big bow is of course my favorite, and I will admit I have a little bit of a bow problem when it comes to my daughter (I like 'em big too).

10155874_619846584752462_1396101901_n classicsl-r clockwise: Crescent Moon Children dress, Emily Lacey smocked dress, classic hair bows by Saratoga Bow Co.

Zulily is often a great place to get classics for the kids, I love Emily Lacey and Fantasie Kids, and I just picked up an adorable Laura Ashley (remember her?) dress for Levy the other day.

Vintage is also a know brainer when it comes to finding classic looks, but finding pieces in good condition (especially children's pieces, since we know how clean they can keep their stuff...) can be challenging but is worth it when you find the perfect piece. Lilly Pulitzer is one of my favorite brands to stockpile for Levy (and her soon to be arriving younger sister) because the brand's style remains constant and timeless, and the little a-line dresses will always be adorable.

vintagekidsLevy wearing some vintage Lilly Pulitzer and Jack in a vintage cherry suit fromSt. Louis Women's Exchange

Obviously I hope that dressing the kids in these timeless styles will somehow take hold and stay with them throughout the teenage years (HAHAHA!) and I will keep my fingers firmly crossed for that, but I do also hope that they will hold onto a little bit of the classic style because of the tradition of it, the same stuff that their parents wore, that their grandparents wore, it is a way of connecting us all and a way to hold on to things that are well made and unique, not mass produced and the same as everything else out there.

 

 

 

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