Sunday, May 2, 2010

“Kids have keen fashion sense when it comes to shopping - Regina Leader-Post” plus 2 more

“Kids have keen fashion sense when it comes to shopping - Regina Leader-Post” plus 2 more

Kids have keen fashion sense when it comes to shopping - Regina Leader-Post

Posted: 02 May 2010 12:56 AM PDT

Time was, little kids wore what their parents put them in. These days, even kindergartners are right on top of each season's trends and guiding use of the parental wallet.

"I can tell you one of my employees has six-and four-year-old daughters," Kevin Meloche, Zellers' general merchandise manager for children's wear, said in an interview. "She had to meet them at the mall yesterday.

"They have an opinion. They were walking by, and one little girl saw these rubber rainboots -- chocolate brown and pink polka-dots -- grabbed them and had to have these, and she's six. That's real young," Meloche said. In case you are among the uninitiated, chocolate brown and pink is as hot as you can get.

Wired kids have up-to-the-minute knowledge of the trends and are more fickle than ever, Meloche said. As a merchandiser, there is no room for error.

"You better have the right trend on the floor, because if you don't, it's not going to sell," he said.

While adult runway fashions used to take a year to appear in the children's market, they are now appearing in the same season, he said.

This spring, think '60s love, peace and flower power mixed in with '80s high colour penetration. Think citrus bright, acid-washed and tie-dye, he said.

"The graphics are '80s-inspired. They are vibrant; they are bright ... In girls it's all about butterflies and small floral prints. Lots of peace signs."

You'll see colourful leggings beneath casual tunics reminiscent of the movie Flashdance, and plenty of that aforementioned brown and pink, Meloche predicted.

Boys' clothing is all about extreme graphics with skulls and crossbones, iron crosses and eagles. It's a skateboarder feel, Meloche explained. Even the polo shirts have extreme graphics across the shoulder or on the bottom of the shirt.

Also big this spring is nautical styling -- wide-legged sailor pants, with a crisp red, white and blue colour palette, said Stefanie Missler, an owner of Dandelion Kids in Vancouver and Port Moody.

Vans has created a boat shoe with a "cooler, skateboard-y thing going on. It's got lacing and is in navy," Missler said. "The traditional deck shoes are the domain of preppy teenagers. This is a bit edgier and not as literal. It has a thicker sole and the tread is really flat.

"We're seeing lots of jumpsuits, which I love," Missler said. "We have one in particular, with beehiving and balloony pants. It's a voluminous and comfy, funky little outfit they can still climb trees in for ages one to nine years."

For girls, she's seeing little tunics with tiered ruffles in small floral prints and punchy '80s colours.

At the top end, Laura Spencelayh, manager of Babes on Fourth said Burberry is their most popular line this season.

"I think it's because there's a real big trend of parents wanting to show off their kids," Spencelayh said.

"It's only our second season with Burberry, and we are just amazed at how popular it is. It's a very traditional, classic look. . . . We have a fabulous white, yoked girl's raincoat ($300). It's one of those you could buy now, put your kids in it and save it for your grandkids."

Other popular items this season are, for girls, polo tops with puff sleeves in the traditional Burberry plaid with white Bermuda shorts, and for boys, black cuffed shorts in both Hugo Boss and Burberry with orange, blue, red or white polo shirts.

Babywear reflects trends in children's wear, said Lisa Malcic of Beba Bean, which sells baby gifts and apparel in Coquitlam. Pantone, the colour company, has chosen turquoise as its colour for spring-summer 2010. In baby wear, it translates into soft turquoise, and for tweens, it's almost fluorescent.

Lisa Will of Stonz children's outdoor wear, which makes its product at Venables and Commercial in Vancouver, said plaids are so big she's had trouble finding them for her boots. Parents might choose conservative tans for themselves, but they are adventurous with kids' clothing.

"Dark brown with dusty rose or denim blue is still our bestseller," Will said. "Brown with lime green is also hot."

Vancouver Sun

jennylee@vancouversun.com

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Nicole Richie Is Great At Scheduling - Musicrooms.net

Posted: 02 May 2010 06:25 AM PDT

02/05/2010

Nicole Richie's friends always come to her for "scheduling" advice.

The TV-star-turned-fashion-designer has two kids with her fiancé Joel Madden, and is also busy with her Winter Kate clothing collection. Her hectic lifestyle means she has learnt the importance of good organisation, something she is trying to teach those close to her.

"It may sound silly, but I'm great at scheduling," she laughed. "I really take pride in that. If my friends are feeling overwhelmed, I'm good at breaking things down for them."

Nicole thinks it's important to learn ways to relax so life isn't always about work. While many go to the cinema or for a leisurely stroll with family, she likes to drive to the supermarket when it's time to wind down.

"I love grocery shopping. My whole life, I hated people who walk up and down every aisle, but now I like to do that! I like the whole experience," she told the British edition of Elle magazine. "I'm not very domestic but I'm a really good cook."

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How to Remove Play-Doh Stains from Clothing - Associated Content

Posted: 26 Apr 2010 10:22 AM PDT

I love Play-Doh and was a huge fan of Play-Doh for kids before I became a parent. In fact, I gave Play-Doh as gifts to my nieces, nephews and godchildren and could not understand why my friends and family would complain when it was so obvious that the kids loved Play-Doh. No that I am a parent, I understand why other parents hated the site of Play-Doh - - the stains. Play-Doh is a wonderful tool to spark a child's imagination; however, it makes a huge mess and creates stains that are difficult to remove. Determined not to limit my daughter's imagination or creativity, I learned how to remove Play-Doh stains rather than hiding the Play-Doh from her.

I always try the easiest solution first before moving to a more difficult remedy for Play-Doh stains. Gently brush away any excess Play-Doh from the garment first; however, do not use a brush to rub the Play-Doh as this will only make the stain worse. Dilute ¼ cup laundry detergent in small plastic bucket with one gallon of cold water. Soak garment in the mixture - - use a glass if necessary to keep the stain completely submerged for thirty minutes. Remove garment, launder according to the manufacturer's washing instructions and allow to air dry. If the Play-Doh stain remains, try another method to remove the stain.

Check the garment's washing instructions for any warnings about using bleach. If no warnings against using bleach, soak the stain in color-safe bleach for approximately fifteen minutes (color-safe bleach with a stain removing agent is best). After soaking, launder as normal and allow to air dry. If the stain remains, repeat the process and allow the stain to soak for up to thirty minutes before laundering. WARNING: Before applying any harsh detergents, bleach or stain removers, read the laundering instructions to avoid damage to your clothing.

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