The Shopping Mama

Neon Kid Style: BOYS

by Catherine on May 22nd, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping

I’m back with my favorite neon clothes for boys this Spring. Don’t you just love these bright colors! I can’t wait for my little boy to get here so I can dress him in some of these cute styles.

In case you missed it, be sure to check out our favorite neon girls clothes too!

1. Robot Tee (HappyFantastic Etsy $20.00)
2. Sunglasses (Gap, $9.95)
3. Striped Onsie (Carters, $8.40)
4. Monkey Onsie (Old Navy, $9.94)
5. Canvas Shoes (Reef, $45)
6. Giraffe Baby Hat (Not On The High Street $17.35)
7. Bowtie (J.Crew, $19.50)
8. Colorblock Board Shorts (J.Crew, $45)
9. Flip-flops (Old Navy, $3.95)
10. Star Pajamas (Little Sunflowers, £45.99)
11. Striped Tank (Carters, $9.60)
12. Personalized DJ Shirt (Not On High Street, $36.35)
13. Shark Tee (Boden, $20)
14. Cargo Shorts (Carters, $18)
15. Neon Bike Onsie (Pigeoncameradesigns Etsy, $11.70)
16. Yellow Watch (Gap, $12.95)
17. Surf Tee (Gap, $14.95)
18. Brain Tee (Old Navy, $9.95)
19. Pirate Tee (Gap, $12.95)
20. Shorts (Gap, $23.99)
21. Hi-Top Sneakers (Gap, $27.99)

Gandzee: One Stop Children’s Wardrobe Shopping

by Kate on May 1st, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping

I make no secret about the fact that my children have better wardrobe’s than I do. I spend too much a lot of time trying to find fun and original clothes that reflect their personalities. But, I will admit that shopping for them has become infinitely more difficult since we moved overseas. Don’t get me wrong, Europe has amazing clothes for kids, but unfortunately I don’t have the time or energy to scour the boutiques and local stores with a baby in tow. Do any of us really have that kind of time? The short answer? No. And that, my friends, is why Gandzee is such a genius, genius website.

Gandzee offers complete wardrobe sets for children ages 2 to 6. The wardrobes contain fun, fashionable clothes your child will love – with a quick and painless process for you.

How Gandzee Works & Why We Love It

1. Buy a season’s worth of fashion-forward kids clothes with the click of one button.

Find a wardrobe that fits you and your child’s style, select the size and BOOM, your child is for the preschool runway. Wardrobe Collections are 8 pieces including tops, bottoms, layers and accessories. Starter Collections offer 4 pieces of mix and match clothes.

2. Everything in a wardrobe collection mixes and matches.

One of the hardest parts about shopping online is not knowing if things will actually match when you get them home? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself wondering “Does Seafoam Green match Springtime Green?” while browsing some big name children’s brands online. Gandzee wardrobes are hand-picked so that everything coordinates.

3. Save trips to the mall and multiple shipping fees.

Gandzee has FREE shipping and when the season’s wardrobe arrives, you’re all set! No need for harried trips to the mall with multiple kids in tow.

4. Follow our styling suggestions to take your child’s wardrobe even further.

Gandzee offers suggestions to work staples (like jeans and khakis) into your clothes to create even more stylish outfits.

Gandzee Style

We love this season’s Wardrobe Collections for boys and girls. Which is your favorite?

Shop! Gandzee.com is obviously committed to style, but they also stand behind the quality of their fashion picks so you can shop with confidence. 8-piece Complete Wardrobe Collections range in price from depending on the brands and pieces included.

Gandzee.com is a sponsor of The Shopping Mama. As always, opinions are our own.

Grommet Style: Summery Looks For Your Little Dude

by Maureen on April 22nd, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping

A few days ago we posted a collection of adorable surf wear looks for teeny wahines, so it’s only fair that we round up some great beachy looks for boys as well. Some of these are surf fashion classics from way back in the day.

1. Original Baja Hoodie (Amazon, $17-19)

2. Volcom Yo Gabba Gabba t-shirt (Volcom, $10)

3. Original Rainbow flip flops (Rainbow Sandals, $32)

4. Quiksilver Boards trucker hat (Zappos, $22)

5. O’Neill Hyperfreak Bonus boardshort (Amazon, $48)

6. Rip Curl Classic rashguard (Rip Curl, $29.95)

7. Quiksilver Flash Surf button down (Quiksilver, $38)

8. Quiksilver Principle belt (Quiksilver, $12)

9. Volcom Limestone shorts (Tillys, $35.99)

I had fun looking for pieces inspired by my childhood growing up on the San Diego beaches in the 1980s. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any corduroy OP shorts for kids. What comes to mind when you think of classic surf style?

Tea Collection Spring Break Styles {Exclusive Discount Code}

by Kate on March 27th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

When spring break (finally) rolls around, we’re hitting the road and heading to Italy. It should come as no surprise if you’ve browsed the What They Wore blog that my kids’ suitcases will be FULL of Tea Collection. Our favorite kids clothing brand has a Spring Break Shop for boys and girls loaded with styles perfectly suited for travel in mini style. And, for the first time ever, they even have swimwear!

Tea Collection Clothes for Spring Break

We were lucky to receive a gift card to shop some spring styles at Tea. When shopping, my singular goal was to put together some outfits for my kids to wear on our vacation. Now, I know it’s a little silly but I wanted the clothes to coordinate. My theory? We’ll be taking lots of photos on vacation and you never know when you’ll snap this year’s holiday card. The kids might as well be dressed for the occasion, right?

Hammerhead Tee ($19) & Safari Print Cargo Shorts ($39) || Colorblock T-Shirt Dress ($27), Mini Stripe Leggings ($18.50) & Peppercorn Scarf ($25) || Hippo Heaven Tee ($19) & Patch Pocket Shorts ($22)

I fell in love with the adorable Colorblock T-shirt dress and picked outfits from there. My daughter has already worn her dress and coordinating scarf and the outfit is just as fabulous as we imagined.

Unfortunately, it’s been far too cold for the boys to wear their cool tees and shorts, but my six year old is stoked his shirt has hammerhead sharks.

Tea Collection Spring Break Sibling Outfit Inspiration

With our upcoming travel in mind, I put together some more spring break sibling styles from Tea Collection.

Tea Collection Spring Break family dinner

Venda Fish Polo ($29) & Surfer Plaid Cargo Shorts ($39) || Floral Smock-Neck Mini Dress ($35) & Saltwater Original Sandal ($34) || Dance Print Shirt ($39), Two Oceans Sweater Vest ($45) & Safari Cargo Shorts ($39)

Muizenberg Beach Tee ($29) & Cape Point Surf Shorts ($28) || Wild Hibiscus Tee ($29) & Paperbag Shorts ($30) || Ubuntu Striped Romper ($25.50) || Woodstock Ruffle Bubble Romper ($30)

Colorblock Explorer Tee ($19) & Billabong Muted Board Shorts ($45) || Rainbow Waves Tankini

($45)
Shop! We are excited to share an exclusive Tea Collection discount code. Use PRSHOPMOM213 to save 15% at checkout once between now and April 16. The code is valid on sale items, cannot be stacked and is valid only once per person.

Thanks to Tea Collection for providing samples. This post contains affiliate links.

Limited Edition Peter Rabbit Collection at babyGap

by Kate on February 12th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping

Obviously, over here in Germany we don’t have a babyGap store to browse in person, but I fell in love with the limited edition Peter Rabbit collection when I saw it online. The Gap family of stores has awesome APO shipping so Max’s Beatrix Potter-inspired clothes arrived shortly after my purchase – and I was not disappointed. Everything is absolutely darling! I purchased several pieces from the collection and photographed two outfits, but everything can easily mix and match.

Golden Boy

Long-sleeve chambray shirt ($24.95) | Henley bodyall, gold plate ($12.95) | Straight-fit colored jeans, gold plate ($24.95)

Bunny Ears

babyGap Peter Rabbit Sweater

Peter Rabbit garter-stitch cardigan ($34.95) | Long-sleeve chambray shirt ($24.95) | Peter Rabbit graphic bodysuit ($19.95) | First five-pocket jeans, gray (no longer available)

Want to See More?

My friend Nadia at Child Mode is showing off another great outfit from the collection. Her son looks adorable in the Shawl Collar Sweater and giving me a bit of buyer’s remorse. Remorse that I didn’t buy more.

Laugh Brand: Stylish Children’s Clothes for a Cause {Review}

by Kate on February 11th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

Laugh Brand was founded with a purpose: not simply to outfit kids in adorable, high quality clothes, but to make a real difference in the lives of children around the world. 30% of the brand’s profits are donated to fight child trafficking and exploitation around the globe. That’s an easy cause to get behind, and the fact that the clothes are fashionable? Consider it a bonus.

Laugh Brand Denim & Tees

The foundation of Laugh Brand’s clothes is simple: quality denim and fun shirts with flair that your kids will actually want to wear. The t-shirts feature kid-friendly designs, like ballerinas and bikes, with details parents appreciate. The shirts are more thick than a typical t-shirt and have thoughtful details like slightly puffed sleeves, 3D tulle tutu, and overlock stitching.

On him: How I Roll BMX Tee & Relaxed Straight Leg Jeans
On her: Parisian Ballet Tee & Super Skinny Jean in Rinse

The denim is full of design details, too, like stitched pockets and “diamonte” buttons. Here’s a true story: my daughter hates jeans and she’ll tell you any day of the week that they’re ugly.When the Laugh Brand Super Skinny Jean showed up, she initially scoffed at them and wasn’t interested. And then she got a closer look at the sparkly buttons and soft pink stitching and changed her tune. “These are the only cute jeans I will wear every day, mama!” she said. Then a miracle happened and she wore jeans without a fight.

The whole family is tickled with the Laugh Brand clothes now in heavy rotation in my kid’s wardrobe. The fact that the brand is dedicated to donating profits to protect children around the world is an amazing bonus that makes us feel good about recommending these clothes. You will certainly feel good about your purchase, too, knowing you are supporting such a great cause.

Laugh Brand Home Dressing Room Experience

Laugh Brand has a unique way for you to try their clothes with the super smart Home Dressing Room program. Here’s how it works: The basic idea is this, you can select a size for either boys or girls (or both) and Laugh Brand will ship the full line to your home.

There would be a small deposit of $25.00 and you can have the clothes for 21 days. You are not billed for any of the items shipped.
You keep what you want, ship the box back to Laugh Brand for free, and they will charge them for the items you want to keep. There is no requirement to buy anything, but if you do the $25 deposit is applied to your order.
All items can be returned as long as they are not washed and the original tags are still attached.
It’s a risk-free way to try Laugh Brand clothes – all of them! – at home.

Shop! Laugh Brand clothes are available on the website. T-shirts are $38.50 and jeans are $58.50. If you’re on the fence about a purchase, consider the Home Dressing Room experience. Keep up with Laugh Brand on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Thanks to Laugh Brand for providing samples.

Tea Collection Discount Code

by Kate on February 10th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping

You know we love sharing news of Tea Collection sales. Tea is, without a doubt, our favorite place to shop for kid’s clothes and sales and discounts make the clothes ridiculously affordable, particularly considering the quality.

From now until February 14, Tea Collection is offering 15% off sitewide with promo code GOTHERE15. Shop the hottest spring looks inspired by Tea Collection’s travels to South Africa or take an additional 15% off already reduced sale items. Hurry, don’t miss your chance to shop this great sale from Tea!

Here are some of our top picks:

Skinny French Terry Cargo (reg. $35, with code $29.75) – seen below on our sweet little model in Sicily

Flower Petal Sunset Outfit: Flower Petal Top (reg. $29, with code $24.65), Polokwane Zip-Front Hoodie ($39, with code $33.15), Sunset Stripe Twirl Skort (reg. $30, with code $25.50) & Peppercorn Loveable Necklace ($12, with code $10.20).

National Park 5-Piece Set (reg. $119, with code $101.15)

Shangaan Ostrich 5-Piece Set (reg. $119, with code $101.15)

Shop! Use code GOTHERE15 to save 15% off everything – including sale items. Happy shopping!

Moxie Jean: Upscale Resale {Review, Winter Giveaway & Twitter Party!}

by Kate on January 28th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

Moxie Jean is an upscale online resale shop that makes buying and selling high-quality gently used children’s clothing easy. Moxie Jean takes the hassle and guessing game out of the consignment game and is built by moms for moms. With brands like Tea Collection, Janie & Jack, babyGap, Hanna Andersson and more, shopping is a breeze – and a bargain.

Meet Moxie Jean

Upscale Resale destination for “like-new” stylish children’s clothing newborn to size 8.
Moms save money and the planet without sacrificing style!
Earn Moxie Money or cash for your ‘like new’ and gently used kid’s clothing
Free shipping with orders $50 or more
100% satisfaction- if for any reason a customer is not happy with their clothes, a 100% refund is provided.
Free prepaid shipping bag to resale clothing
Earn cash for your gently used kid’s clothing
New inventory every Monday and Thursday
Built by moms for moms!

Moxie Jean Review

Selling to Moxie Jean

Time to clean out the kids’ closets? Moxie Jean makes selling clothes EASY. When you place an order, you automatically receive a a huge addressed, postage paid envelope. You can also request a mailer bag and it will be sent to you at no cost. I gathered up a bunch of my daughter’s clothes to send to Moxie Jean. The company emphasizes to only send your best things – and they mean it. Only about half of what I sent was purchased by Moxie Jean. I received an email explaining what was purchased, for how much, and also the reason certain things were not purchased. The pricing is straightforward and you can see the pricing sheet before you mail anything. You can use the money you earn towards your next Moxie Jean purchase or request a check.

If Moxie Jean doesn’t buy your clothes, they donate them to a local children’s charity in Chicago. I was surprised that so many things weren’t purchased as I thought they were perfectly good quality. But, of course, that means I can purchase with confidence knowing they’ve looked over every piece of clothing they sell with a fine toothed comb, only accepting the highest quality kids clothes.

Buying from Moxie Jean

Shopping Moxie Jean is easy and well organized. You can browse boys or girls and by size and by season or brand or Moxie Style (“Free Spirit”, “Tea Time”, “Prep School”, “Special Occasion”, etc). Another thing that makes shopping Moxie Jean unique is that the clothes are often sold in sets so you can buy an outfit knowing it will match. I ended up buying mostly individual pieces, but it’s not unusual to find a set with two tops and a pair of pants, for example.

My shipment from Moxie Jean arrived quickly and nicely packaged with a personal note. Love those personal touches! As you would expect, given their buying policy, each piece was like-new quality. And, of course, they were a fraction of the cost of new clothes.

Peg Perego & Moxie Jean Winter Giveaway

Moxie Jean and Peg-Perego have teamed up to for an awesome Winter Giveaway! They are are awarding 4 lucky Facebook Fans with 4 amazing prizes valued at over $1,600! Enter to win one of four prizes: 3 lucky fans will get the Peg Perego Book Plus Stroller and 1 fan will receive a $150 Moxie Jean Gift Certificate. Click to enter the giveaway now!

#MoxieStyle Twitter Party

Join us on January 30th at 12 PM CST/1:00 PM EST for the Moxie Jean Twitter Party with over $2,000 in prizing!

Twitter Party Details!

When: Wednesday, January 30th at 12 PM CST/1 PM EST
Follow hashtag #MoxieStyle
Follow @MoxieJeanKids
Visit for more details about the Moxie Style Twitter Party

RSVP for the Twitter Party – and “see” you Wednesday!

Shop! Moxie Jean is the online destination for children’s upscale consignment – shop with confidence with the 100% satisfaction guarantee! Spread the word about Moxie Jean and earn when your friends join: you get a $10 credit and your friend gets $10 off a $20 purchase. Keep up with Moxie Jean on Facebook and Twitter.