When I think of Burt’s Bees, I immediately think of the sweet smell of their milk and honey lotion, or of the lip balms I have tucked in my purse, my nightstand, my car…  We’ve got their products stashed away everywhere.  Even our kids like to carry around tubes of their lip balm.  We’re big fans of their products in this house, especially because it can be tricky to find baby products that don’t contain harmful chemicals.  Did you know they have a new clothing line?  I’ve got to admit, I was really excited when they contacted us for a review.

We were sent a very sweet little outfit-a white ribbed bodysuit with ruffles on the bottom, and a pink tee that snaps up at the back of the neck and drapes gracefully when baby moves, allowing plenty of mobility and letting us see the adorable ruffles on the bum of the bodysuit.  Clothes that allow room for movement are a must, as our little model likes to scale any and everything she sees.  The organic cotton is soft and comfortable, great for babies with sensitive skin.  The bodysuit is a bit thin, so if it bothers you to see your baby’s diaper, you’ll want to put a onesie on underneath.  The little details made a big impression on us, particularly the ruffle butt, the utterly adorable poofy sleeves, and the drape of the little pink overshirt.  It fits large-something we appreciate as kids grow out of clothes so quickly.

Burt’s Bees didn’t disappoint!  If you need your own, you can buy it through Target.

With Henry starting school this fall we’ve been stocking up on the essentials- tees, new shoes, backpack, etc, so when Rich in Clothing asked us about reviewing their new line of kid’s tees (coming soon) it was a no brainer.  On top of that, Todd, one of the owners, was kind enough to include a men’s pack as well!  Unfortunately I wound up being behind the camera on this one, so I didn’t get the matching shots I wanted.

Little did I know that upon opening the package I would be treated to the most comfortable and best fitting tees we’ve ever worn.  It’s little wonder, if you read the story of how Rich in Clothing was started- the desire to have a set of tee shirts that are environmentally friendly, that just fit, and aren’t outrageously expensive.  They felt that the usual staple tees were falling into two camps- either they came in a plastic bag with atrocious fabric and poor fit, OR they fell into the American Apparel camp, slim fit only, often with ridiculous plunging necklines.  And thus RIC was born, and wow did they ever knock it out of the park!

Each 3 pack comes in a bag made from the waste from their t-shirt making process, and from the moment you touch it you know you’ve ascended beyond what you thought you knew and discovered a truly wonderful product.  I’m going to have to be a little gushy here, but the care put into making the t-shirts and packing is obvious before you even put them on.  And once you put them on…

As you can see here, the shirt just fits.  The v-neck line they use is a little bit broader and deeper than your average Hanes, but without plunging into the realm of “ummm…”.  That little deviation really sets them apart and makes them look and feel fabulous with your favorite pair of jeans or khakis.  Each cotton shirt is individually dyed, resulting in the super-soft hand that stays with the shirt from wash to wash, unlike some that are soft when you first buy them but quickly start to pill and stiffen.  We wore these religiously on vacation, through sand and lake and they held up even better than expected.

They come in 3 packs of black, white, salt n pepper, or mixed, and at $39 per bag they’re a better deal than the cheaply made graphic tees available at most retail stores!  The luxurious fabric has stood up to numerous washings, impressing us with their durability.  We recommend buying a pack for back to school, and make sure Dad gets a pack too!

Before summer’s over we’ve got one last chance for you to win some amazing swimwear from chic label Sunuva!

Go to their entry form here and enter to win!  Good luck, you have until August 31st to submit entries!

With a fresh take on children’s fashion by-parents-for-parents, One Jackson crowd sources kids’ fashion designs based on idea boards developed by their in-house creative team.  Based on their initial inspirations, the parameters for the design contests are posted, and anyone is free to submit designs.  Members of the website then vote on the designs, which are then produced.  By only producing what there is a clear demand for, One Jackson creates an efficient and cost effective marketplace where parents can find high fashion for prices that are easy to swallow.

what we’re loving

Well aside from the “give the people what they want” approach, we adore that One Jackson is giving anyone a chance to get their work in front of fashion-hungry parents.  And because the designs are democratically approved, they are uniquely practical and accessible.  Affordable, practical, with fresh design sensibilities every collection?  J’adore.

the facts

Collections:

• Between 8 and 10 collections per year.
• Each collection will have between 10 and 12 styles. Each style comes in several colors and 5 sizes.
• Collections are a limited run. They’ll typically be available for between 4 to 8 weeks depending on how quickly they sell out.

Manufacturing:
Our amazing knits are fine Peruvian Pima cotton, being produced by some of the same factories that manufacture leading contemporary lines such as Tory Burch, Vince, Theory and Rag and Bone. Items will be manufactured in the U.S., Peru, and Asia.

Availability:
Pieces are sold as separates, but we’ll also be offering the opportunity for parents to buy a whole outfit at a great price.

One Jackson will be launching to the public in August 2012.

Pricing:
Prices range from $16 to $42 per item.

Boys and Girls:

• Our first two lines are for boys only. We heard from parents that they felt there was the least amount of choice and fresh design in boys clothing. As parents of boys ourselves, we completely agreed. So we started with boys, but are quickly expanding to girls clothing as well.
• Girls clothing will roll out with the Holiday 2012 collection.

Get all the details here:

Press Kit
Look Book

Cozy cords are a staple in any fall wardrobe, and you can’t go wrong with brown cords.  A brown cord jumper with rainbow dots?  Well, that’s a piece that can work well for the chill of the fall and is still lively enough to work when the snowy days become springy again.  Pair it with tights, Mary Janes, a simple long-sleeved tee,  and you have yourself a winning combination for your daughter’s closet.

plutokids, an Etsy seller based in Chicago, has some seriously cute tees for sale.  Since we’re submitting paperwork for preschool, our thoughts have been on the fall and making sure we have all the supplies necessary, including extra clothing to send with Henry to school. This funny little tee is high on the list.  Small kids perceive things in such a unique way, and this plutokids shirt embraces that sweet moment of time when “mice” are called “mouses”, when teachers appear to live at the school, and when the alphabet seems to be composed of many letters, including the really long letter of “elemeno”.

Also, this big brother tee is the cutest one we’ve seen yet.  I’m kicking myself for not seeing it sooner, back when the concept of being a big brother was first introduced to Henry.

Preschool

Pottery Barn has some ridiculously cute little backpacks this year, including the rocket (left) and the owl (bottom left).  Both are $29.50.  Keep in mind that as preschool bags, they are sized very small to keep kids from trying to carry too much and possibly harming their backs.  I’ve personally had a few chats with my two-year-old about how he really doesn’t need to bring fifty Hot Wheels with him, even if they do all fit into his backpack, so this make sense to me.

Skip Hop has their zoo pack collection, and frankly, every single one is so cute I want to bring ALL of them home with me!  Here we have the penguin ($20, below), but again, even the bee backpack is adorable (and I am terrified of bees).  The bags seem very durable and are sized nice and small to avoid back problems.  We also love the water bottle pocket on the side.

The Children’s Place has some sweet (and affordable) backpacks waiting to be filled with a change of clothes and a snack.  We really like the girly monkey (up, middle)normally $18.95, on sale for $11.99) and the friendly dog (upper right, also on sale, marked down from $18.95 to $11.99).

These Beatrix bags are sure to get a lot of attention for the cute appliques.  We especially love the hungry shark (bottom left, $37.79)

Grade School

Garnet Hill has a plethora of cute, highly rated backpacks to choose from (we especially like the blue plaid, bottom left) and you’ll receive a free lunch pack with every backpack purchased, through September 4th.  We love all the compartments-there’s a water bottle holder on the side, an mp3 player compartment, and plenty of room for colored pencils, markers, etc.  ($44.95)

High School

Okay, chances are pretty good your input on what kind of backpack to buy isn’t going to be readily accepted by a high-schooler.  However, if you’ve got a laid-back kid or you feel you need some say, here are some good options:

The Eastpak Pak’r Backpack is durable (most Eastpak bags have a 30 year warranty), meaning it’s a great value.  We love the bird print-fun without being cutesy.


This North Face Borealis (bottom left, $89) in Asphalt Grey is attractive and rugged enough to last through high school all the way to pre-college backpacking.  It has a safety whistle on the chest buckle, a laptop sleeve, and it’s even endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

The Vans Axiom Backpack (bottom right) has a timeless style, and has several features that make it a winner, including the laptop compartment.  One of its most useful qualities is that it boasts an audio pocket with an audio port hidden underneath the handle.  ($100)

Stylish, soft, and unique onesies don’t necessarily mean spending hours at the store or nervously trying to create a DIY item with mixed results.   Wordsation has original designs on their onesies from artists around the globe, with a new artist each month.  They offer you the option of adorning your baby in wearable pieces of art…much more fun that a boring, plain-colored onesie.  This is an excellent place to pick up baby shower gifts, especially if you want to avoid giving duplicate gifts the mama-to-be will have to return.  Our favorite feature?  You can buy a year-long subscription for three designer onesies.  A newborn sized onesie is sent to you right away, in four months you’ll receive a 6 month sized onesie from the same collection with a new print, and eight months from now you receive a 12 month onesie with the final print in that collection.  We know very well how hard it can be to pack away a piece of baby clothing you’ve become attached to, but this gift ensures a new favorite arriving just in time to fill the void.

Wordsation contacted us to see if we were interested in reviewing one of their organic onesies, and let me tell you, when we saw how cute they were, we waited eagerly to see the product in person.  The Ginko onesie did not disappoint!  Designed by Annie Wilkinson, the fun print looks just adorable.  Not only is it unique, but the organic material feels so soft that we didn’t have any qualms about slipping it right on our baby before washing it.  Paired with a skirt, it’s a fun little outfit, very appropriate for blueberry picking and enjoying the outdoors.

Need your own? 

Another Wordsation favorite is the Cat & Mouse onesie.  Actually, it’s hard to pick one that ISN’T a favorite, considering how many sweet designs Wordsation offers.  Tea and cupcake onesies, anyone?  Sea creature onesies?

We’re looking forward to their toddler line and seeing what new artists will appear each month!

This Hanji Floral Wrap Dress ($45) is impossibly cute, and would look so sweet with some tights, mary janes, and little buns.

The Kasato Stripe Dress ($45) is a fun little top with a hoodie in the back.  It’d also be great with tights or leggings, and can even be matched with casual tennis shoes.

We love that Tea never forgets that boys deserve fashionable duds, too.  The Bjorn-bot layered tee ($30) will please both parents and kids.

This playful Cykel Hoodie ($49) has a neon zipper and boys will love the giant bicycle graphic.  It’ll go great over a striped tee with some jeans.

We recently had the pleasure of taking a pair of Shoemees out for a spin for a bit of blueberry picking!  Shoemees are a fun new line that takes all of the things we look for in a good pair of shoes- solid construction with natural materials (lovely breathable leather uppers) and comfy, grippy soles, and adds in the twist of including a plush character and “home” with each pair!  You can learn more about those here!  Every pair features a similar simple colored trim on the upper, available in a variety of colors sure to work great as a staple of your kid’s wardrobe.

How did they perform?

One of the big things that we check for when trying out a new pair of shoes is the “sprinting test”.  If Henry can sprint across the room without taking a fall, then we know that the sole of the shoe is fitting and gripping correctly.  We are happy to say that Shoemees passed with flying colors :)  The grip on the sole runs up the back and front slightly, offering a little bit better traction than other shoes we’ve owned.

The other big test is how well he can do the sprinting test outside!  Again, the fit was amazing and he was able to run up and down rows of blueberry bushes with nary a spill to be had!

Construction

We crunched em up, pulled on the tongue, and generally put them through the wringer to see how the seams respond when put under extra stress- and they did great!

Our favorite parts…

If you couldn’t tell, we really loved the fit and grip of these shoes!  They held up great outside and inside, keeping our little on his feet instead of his face.  Also the simple classic red and white trim in the design is easy to pair with his clothing, and is easily appropriate for play and special occasions!

Shoemees are $39.99 and you can buy them here and use code “shee3” for $5.95 off + free shipping!!