Guest Post: Baby Fashion, Summer style!

Rounding out the week for me is Meredith! She's basically a super-mom in my eyes because she has boy/girl TWINS...they are stinkin' adorable and have THE best style! She's sharing some of her favorite shops and stores with y'all today! And yes, we should totally be friends in real life some day, Meredith! ;)

****

Hello everyone!  It's Meredith from A Work In Progress.  :)  Katie is currently on a gorgeous beach drinking adult beverages with tiny umbrellas.  I'm stuck in Dallas with zero beach, zero fruity beverages, and 1,000 degree temperatures.  Regardless, I was really excited when she asked me to write a guest post.  Katie and I have never met but I've enjoyed getting to know her beautiful family through her blog and Instagram.  Maybe one day we'll meet in real life.  :)

She told me the topic was "Summertime with Littles" and it took me approximately three seconds to decide I'd write about baby fashion.  Let's be honest, next to politics and religion, baby fashion is all the rage.  As I mentioned above, we live in Dallas where you'll break into a sweat retrieving the morning paper at 6 am.  My twins (Jude & Sloane) are 7 months old and while both would rather be nudists, I know that somewhere deep, deep down they long to wear the latest trends.  Jude especially.

When I'm out shopping for these two I keep three things in mind: expense, comfort, and practicality.  Oh and cuteness.  Can't forget cuteness.  When we found out there was not one but two babies in my belly we decided I would stay home with them for the first few years.  Frivolous spending might as well be considered the "F word" around these parts and therefore I do a lot of website stalking, constantly looking for sales.  I very rarely pay full-price for anything the twins (or I) wear.  Patience is a virtue, blah, blah, blah.

Along with expense, I now realize how important comfort is for these two.  I've made the mistake of buying ridiculously cute items that looked uncomfortable on the hanger and even worse on the twins.  They HATED it.  I would dress them and they would look at me like I had 10 heads.  Oops.  Along with comfort, practicality is huge.  I once purchased a romper for Sloane that didn't have snaps on the bottom.  Meaning, each time the girl needed a new diaper I had to take the ENTIRE OUTFIT OFF.  No amount of preciousness is worth that struggle.

I don't think I need to explain "cuteness" but I will mention a few things.  I love when they coordinate. I love unique items that will not be seen on every child in their playgroup.  And most of all, I love clothes that aren't so in-your-face that you can't see the baby wearing them.  Babies are cute--why do people feel the need to make clothes with 50 bajillion items/animals/jewels in colors that are so bright you feel like you're staring at a miniature sun? 

So with that in mind, I wanted to share a few items I've found that (I believe) match the criteria listed above and are perfect for summer.

For HIM:

Jude wears t-shirts.  Lots and lots of t-shirts.  This is mostly due to the fact that he has no neck and can look a little ridiculous in collars.  My favorite t-shirts for him are from Peek (peekkids.com).  They are made of the softest fabric and typically have verbiage that is either funny or insightful.  I like to believe people see his shirts and think he is either hilarious or brilliant, depending on the content.  I find him to be both.  :)

I will be the first to admit that Peek is EXPENSIVE.  However, they have dang good sales (in store and online).  Their clothes are extremely well made and wash beautifully.

 

Another favorite baby store is Zara (zara.com).  Cute, affordable tops! 

Below are some of my favorite casual boy tops from Peek and Zara right now!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

For HER:

Sloane spends most of her summer days in dresses.  Some of my favorites are from Tea Collection (teacollection.com).  The patterns are so much fun and the cotton is durable but isn't heavy.  I've washed them multiple times and the color doesn't fade a bit.  Tea is a little pricey but has regular sales.

 

I also love the Liberty of London dresses and tops from Peek.  Talk about lightweight and great for summer!  These are perfect for the hottest days!

H&M has adorable clothes for babies that are trendy but cheap!  They also carry great basics.

Below are some of my favorite summer dresses and tops from Tea, Zara, and Peek!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

I find Old Navy and Children's Place to be the best places for baby accessories: shoes, hats, etc.

On Jude: Top - Polo; Fedora - Old Navy; Sunglasses - Children's Place

On Sloane: Dress - Tea Collection; Sunglasses - Children's Place

While I could spend all day writing about this, I have a sale to catch! ;)

(In case you're curious, the sale is Hanna Andersson!  While their pajamas aren't specific to summer, they are the most durable pjs your children will ever own!  Right now they are also selling Hanna Andersson jammies at Costco.  Do yourself and your baby a favor and get a pair!)