Affordable School Style with American Living {Giveaway}

by Kate on September 6th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School, Giveaways

Have you noticed the cool American Living widget on the right side of the blog? If you haven’t clicked around over there, you really should! Not only do you get to see a cute shot of my son rocking American Living finery, but you can also see other American Living stylish back to school looks, share your child’s back to school goals and read those of other children. (My son is already doing great on his first goal!)

Rocking American Living Boys Clothes

In my post introducing American Living I shared these photos of my son sporting the brand. He looks so great in the classic polos, khaki shorts and modern denim. He’s worn the clothes several times since these photos were taken (other than the jeans because it’s still too hot), and they all look just as good now as they did the first time he wore them. You really do great quality for the price point.

American Living Girls Fashion

If you’re shopping for a little girl you won’t be disappointed with the clothes from American Living. In addition to classic pieces, there are some really modern finds that are just too great. I’m particularly smitten with the Autumn Sweater Vest. Available in this green and a warm white, the sweater is $25.99 and available in sizes to fit girls 7 to 16 years old.

And can we discuss this Denim Bubble Skirt for $16.99? Love.

For younger girls, I love the Stripe Dress ($19.99).

Shop! American Living is available exclusively at JC Penney, both online and in stores. American Living for kids is available from size 4 through 16. The selection for older kids (7 – 16) offers more variety than for the smaller ones (4 – 6x), but the whole collection shares a cohesive style and all-American appeal.

Win! A $25 American Living {JC Penney} Gift Card to Help with Back to School Clothes Shopping!

How to Enter: Check out the American Living collection and leave a comment with a piece of clothing you’d like for your child.

Earn Extra Extries: valid only after completing first mandatory entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

Giveaway ends September 16. Open to US residents only.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for participating in the American Living Made for Back to School campaign. As always, opinions are my own.

Back to School with Crocs {Review} #CrocsBTS

by Kate on September 4th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School

Crocs is synonymous with the summer season, and the company has expanded their collection to include many styles that are perfect for back to school season. My kids both love Crocs and spend a lot of time in them during the summer. But, many styles with the aren’t exactly school friendly. The new Crocs back to school shoes include 13 new styles for boys and girls from Kindergarten through 8th grade are school-approved – and luckily, also mom and style approved.

Summer On the Inside…

Crocs motto for back to school is “School on the Outside, Summer on the Inside” – and I love it. It’s the perfect description of shoes that are up to the standards of school and look the part, but they are also 100% Crocs which means they’re light and comfortable on the inside.

This cute Summer on the Inside video from Crocs is a great way to get a sneak peek at all the back to school shoe choices. You can even click on the animated shoes in the video to get more information about the style.

Did you see the fun Easter egg hidden in the video? No? Here’s a hint for you…

You should definitely find the Easter egg, click on it and see what happens!

Crocs Sneak Slip On Review

Weighing in at just a few ounces, the Boys’ Hover Sneak Slip-on will have kids feeling like they’re walking on air. Part of our uberlight Hover line, lightweight comfiness doesn’t get any better than this.

I’ll admit I wasn’t sure what to expect when the new Crocs arrived. We’re used to the typical Crocs-shoe material and I couldn’t imagine how that would translate into a slip on sneaker for school. The Hover Sneak Slip-on is truly a hybrid, mixing materials for ultimate comfort and function.

  • Lightweight, durable canvas upper.
  • Croslite™ material footbed for Crocs’ signature comfort.
  • Non-marking Croslite™ material outsole.

The canvas “upper” – or the main part of the shoe – is reminiscent of Keds or another lightweight slip-on. But, on closer inspection you notice how utterly light the shoes are and that the bottom is not typical sneaker plastic. Rather, the sole of the shoe and the inside where the foot rests are made of Croslite, the material you’re used to on other Crocs shoes.

The Hover Sneak Slip-Ons are perfect for a clean, tailored back to school look for boys. I just these shoes and my son loves them, too. I like them because they look great and go with almost anything. My son likes them because they are so comfortable and he can slip them on and off by himself.

“Sneak Summer into School” Sweepstakes

Crocs wants your summer vacation to last a little longer so they’re giving away an awesome family getaway to San Diego. Up for grabs: a trip for four to San Diego including accommodations at an oceanside, family-friendly hotel, San Diego Zoo or Sea World tickets, $200 play money, and a rental car. Click for more information and to enter!

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Light I said, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from the Crocs sneaker style shoes, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The shoes are lightweight, which is great for a busy kid making a million steps a day. The style is clean, good looking and will go with a lot of clothing.

Or Not to Buy… These styles aren’t available in a half size. Crocs recommends ordering up if your child is in between as my son his. The result is the shoes are a tad big, but he’s worn them without issue. (And, hey, that means he’ll be able to wear them longer, right?)

Shop! Check out the entire line of Back to School shoes from Crocs – you won’t be disappointed. The Hover Sneak Slip-On shoes are $39.95 and available in three different colors.

This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media and Crocs. I received a pair of Crocs shoes for the purpose of this review. I was also compensated for my time investment and work on their Back To School campaign.  As always, thoughts are my own.

Tea Collection Back to School Fashion

by Kate on August 30th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School

One of our very favorite places to shop is Tea Collection, and back to school shopping is no different. Tea Collection has beautiful, playful styles that will please mom as well as the kids. This fall we are especially taken with the new arrivals inspired by the vibrant markets of Mexico. In the girls clothing collection, you’ll find bold stripes, floral prints and fun vests and ponchos. For boys, the clothes feature bright pop culture references, playful patterns and comfortable pants.

Here are some of our favorite finds from the new fall collection at Tea.


Bazaar de Flores Henley


Dulce Sarape Poncho


Ancho Androna 5-Piece Set


A is for Awesome 4-piece Set

And for the boys we adore these pieces.


Cinco Senses Hoodie


Tea Collection Diez Stripe Jacket


Viva Zacalo 5-Piece Set


Superstars 5-Piece Set

Mom deserves some new clothes, too. I am dying for these jeans!


Frida Wide Leg Denim Pants

Happy Back to School Shopping!

Enter to win a $100 Tea Collection Gift Card in our Best Gear for Back to School Giveaway.

American Living: Affordable Back to School Clothes

by Kate on August 24th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School, Clothes

American Living, available exclusively at JC Penney, offers a classic and stylish line of very affordable children’s clothes that are made for back to school shopping. Trust us, check out the pieces and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the stylish options that won’t break the bank. This is some back to school shopping you can feel good about.

As part of American Living’s Made for Back to School campaign, we received some clothes for my son and took some time to think about the upcoming school year. My son had to come up with his goals for this school year, and they are rather sweet, if I do say so myself. He wants to 1) Make New Friends and 2) Learn to Read. And, by learn to read, I assume he means other than just memorize books and pretend to read which is what he cutely does now.

But, let’s get to the really good stuff – the clothes! Check out my 4.5 year old rocking the American Living Collection.

Big Stripe Polo (reg. $24, on sale for $9.99) and Bailey Chino Pant in Navy (reg. $32, on sale for $15.99)

Big Stripe Polo & Straight Fit Jean (reg. $36, on sale for $19.99)

Polo (reg. $24, now $9.99) & Solid Cargo Shorts (reg. $34, now $16.99)

Shop! Check out the great clothes made for back to school from American Living. And, if you’re shopping for girls, you must take a peek at the Sweater Vest (I’m obsessed!).

Disclosure: I am being compensated for participating in the American Living Made for Back to School campaign. As always, opinions are my own.

Olive Juice Kids: Get & Give Fashion

by Kate on August 23rd, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Clothes, Reviews

Meet Olive Juice

Olive Juice offers a classic-inspired collection with a modern twist. All items are made with high-quality materials and unique detail and design, making everyday pieces like cardigans, polos, schoolgirl dresses and more as comfortable to play in as they are eye-catching and beautiful.

Olive Juice Fall 2011 Collection

The fall collection from Olive Juice can easily be described in a word: classic. But, don’t make the mistake of confusing classic with boring. The clothes are modern, easy to wear and darling. The clothes are just as home in the classroom as they are at church on Sunday or a birthday party. The girls clothes feature modern colors like Washed Wine and Caramel, as seen on the Penelope Cardigan.

The Cassie Blouse is just too cute. Love the ruffles and tie-bottom.

For boys fashion, the Olive Juice look is at its best when layering pieces – the sweaters and shirts are just begging to be paired! My son will be wearing the Lyon Tee, which is really a 100% cotton sweater. It’s lightweight (easy for layering), has detail buttons on the shoulder and fun stripes add a little fun. It will look great with jeans or cords once the weather cools of a bit.

If you’re looking for a more casual look, we love the Playtime Hoodie, available in several colors, for boys or girls.

Buy One, Give One Campaign

In a “buy one, give one” effort, Olive Juice will provide for one item of clothing for every item purchased through the special microsite www.olivejuicegives.com. These donated items will then go to a child in need with the help of Clothes4Souls – a division of Soles4Souls.

You can participate by making a purchase from the website OliveJuiceGives.com. For every item sold on the website, Clothes4Souls will distribute one piece of clothing to children in unfortunate circumstances who have gone through life changing events, live in extreme poverty, or are in need of help. The donations will include items for girls, boys and infants ages 12 months to 16 years in everywhere from North America to South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. To help jumpstart this giving website  OliveJuiceGives.com is offering free standard domestic shipping on every order placed.

Shop! Head over to OliveJuiceGives.com to shop for classic fall clothes for kids. You can also browse the latest collection at Olive Juice Kids website.

BabyLegs Back to School Sale – 50% Off Sale is Back!

by Kate on August 22nd, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School

BabyLegs is celebrating back to school with a huge sale – 50% off everything!

As you know, we love this year’s new Hello Kitty BabyLegs. The Apple a Day (reg. $15, now $7.50) pair is perfectly cute for back to school!

I can’t get enough of the Bake Shop BabyLegs (reg. $12, now $6), which feature ruffle trim and ribbon detailing. There’s an awesome Time for Pie Gift Set that includes 3 pair of the Baby Shop BabyLegs for only $15 during this sale.

Now is  great time to build a stash of Newborn BabyLegs for new baby gifts. They are regularly $10 and now only $5 a pair! The smaller size is perfect for wee little legs and any new mom would love this practical and cute gift. (For more information on BabyLegs Newborn, including a comparison with traditional BabyLegs, check out our Newborn BabyLegs review.)

While you’re stocking up on leg warmers for fall and winter, check out BabyLegs’ collection of socks and tights! We love the colorful Spectrum Socks set (regularly $10, now $5).

Shop! The BabyLegs sale ends tomorrow has been extended through September 6! Use code HALFOFF for 50% off your entire order. Plus, get free shipping on orders over $30. Happy shopping!

Back to School Shopping Guide

by Kate on August 17th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School

Find our top picks for back to school shopping – everything from the best backpacks for preschool to fun handmade finds to mom’s sanity savers in The Shopping Mama’s Back to School Shopping Guide.

Click to see all our favorites.

We’re celebrating the launch of the Back to School Shopping Guide with an awesome giveaway of our must haves for back to school. Make sure you enter to win this prize package worth more than $275.

Best Gear for Back to School Giveaway!

by Kate on August 15th, 2011  |  5 Comments  |  Back to School, Giveaways

As we brainstormed and prepared our Back to School Shopping Guide, there were a few brands and items that immediately came to mind. We knew we had to include them because they offer the best of the best in the vast market of back to school gear. The good news for you? Our favorites have partnered with us to offer you an amazing giveaway of the Best Gear for Back to School.

Best Back to School Clothes: Tea Collection. We simply adore the quality children’s clothing from Tea Collection. The styles are modern, the clothes are made of the best materials and we love that every season’s collection is inspired by a global locale. The latest fall collection, called Modern Mexico which playfully mixes “contemporary kitsch with Mexican folk art and layering floral and plaid patterns and textures with embroidery.”As always, we love each piece more than the next and think the collection is perfect for back to school.

In the boys clothing, check out the Viva Zocala 5-Piece Set ($149).

For girls, we love the Ancho Androna 5-Piece Set ($125).

Best Kids’ Shoes: pediped. We love that pediped offers support for little feet from birth through age 8. The new fall and winter collection is adorable – lots of sparkle for girls and an expanded Adventure line of eco-friendly shoes for boys and girls. pediped are the next best thing to bare feet and you can’t find better kids shoes.

Best Backpack: Stephen Joseph. Oh how we love Stephen Joseph backpacks! From the Quilted Backpack for little ones to the Rolling Backpacks for grade school. Featuring the fun and colorful patterns that epitomize Stephen Joseph, the Go-Go Backpack is a great option for preschool and beyond.

Best Lunchbox: yubo. The yubo kid-friendly lunchbox system is just the best. The design is simple with various size food storage containers and a custom built icepack to keep the food at a safe temperature. The most unique feature is the interchangeable face plates that change the look of the lunchbox in an instant. You can even personalize your faceplate with a photo of your little one!

Best Labels: Emily Press. Moms know it’s easy to misplace things, particularly when they’re out of your watchful eye. The best solution? Label. Label everything. The Emily Press Cool 4 School pack is the perfect combination of 140 labels to stake your claim everything from pencil labels to no iron clothing iron labels.

Win! The Best Back to School Gear Valued at $275!

  • $100 Tea Collection Gift Card
  • $75 pediped Gift Card
  • Stephen Joseph Go-Go Backpack
  • yubo Standard Lunchbox Set
  • Emily Press Cool 4 School Pack

How to Enter: Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or RSS.

Earn Extra Entries – valid only after the first entry. Please leave a comment for each you do.

Giveaway ends August 31.

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