smudgetikka

American Outfitters winter 2012 children’s trends preview – preppie and punk influences

smudgetikka — Mon, 28 May 2012 08:05:48 +0000

I am loving the big striped handknit looks in this new kids collection from American Outfitters.

Part punk and part preppy, the label has its influence in the classic US preppie styles but it can’t help but add some European quirky touches in there too. Shearling jackets are looking like a huge trend this year for kids, whether they are in real skin or fake and the skinny jean is still the trouser shape of choice.

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Such a sweet kids shot, love those party nails too.

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Hey ho it's another check shirt!

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Shearling jackets are a very strong trend for kids this year

American Outfitters Winter 2012 boys faux shearling pea coat

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Supercool girls look with punkish giant striped sweater

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Interesting to see bold stripes for the winter, its more usual in the summer childrenswear collections

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Textured fabrics with boucle knits and fake fur jerkins for girls

American Outfitters Winter 2012 Charlie Chaplin introduced to the new generation of kids

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Stunning children’s portraits by Ian Winstanley for World Vision

smudgetikka — Sun, 27 May 2012 09:05:25 +0000

Ugandan children in the camera sight of Ian Winstanley whose project was commissioned by World Vision.

Compelling portraits from as Ian says, the toughest conditions he has ever seen to grow up in.

Ian Winstanley Ugandan kids portraits for World Vision

Ian Winstanley children's portraits from Uganda for World Vision

Ian Winstanley portraits from Uganda for World Vision

Meresine, another Playtime Paris regular with a cute stylistic collection for winter 2012 kids fashion.

smudgetikka — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:05:31 +0000

From interiors to fashion is a path not usually trod as most designers seem to go the other way round, starting on interior collections once they have an established designer fashion line.

However it’s worked out very well for Sandrine Ziegler-Munck designer of Meresine whose cool shapes with quirky graphic details in cotton jersey and fleece work brilliantly for a kids fashion collection thats simple and easy to wear.

Ballet shoes, masks and skulls are favourite symbols that are appliqued in metallics and vinyl onto her relaxed cuts for children in subtle colour shades and the website has a great range of Moms and children’s jewellery too.

Meresine winter 2012 cute styling from the French label

Meresine winter 2012 powder blue and chocolate shades

Meresine winter 2012 I love the happy rainbow print

Meresine winter 2012 cute and wicked for toddlers too.

Next, 30 years of fashion on the High St, kids fashion preview fall/winter 2012

smudgetikka — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:34:33 +0000

Next celebrated its 30th anniversary with a party at Somerset House in London last night.

It’s amazing to think that this company was born 30 years ago and at the time revolutionised the home shopping catalogue with an upmarket hardback format that used the world’s best fashion photographers and even included fabric swatches in the first few seasons’s runs.

Now it is a staple of most of the high streets in the UK and has a highly successful online operation too. For winter 2012 Next childrenswear has some very special limited edition pieces which celebrate the 30th anniversary.

Animal prints run through the kids collection for winter 2012 at Next

Accessories play a key part in the Next kids fashion ranges for winter 2012

Great leopard desert boot style and a 30th anniversary product at Next for Fall 2012

Boys have retro style chunky handknit look sweaters and trad plaid USA workers shirts

Sweet Aztec print babygro at Next for fall / winter 2012

I love this Lucienne Day homage print retro dress

Abstracted animal print cozy cropped knit from Next for winter 2012 kidswear

Interesting tweed and waxed cotton boys jacket for Fall 2012 at Next

More distorted animal inspired prints for a great cotton jacket at Next childrenswear

Tweed 60's inspired children's dress for fall 2012 from Next

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Crash, Bang Wallop, my ceiling fail nightmare last night! What a danger.

smudgetikka — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:22:40 +0000

Sitting on the computer last night, 11pm or so, house is all quiet and I hear an almighty bang. Thinking my new kitten has knocked something major in the kitchen I rush downstairs and a view of devastation greets me.

For all of you with slightly cracked lathe and plaster construction ceilings take this as a warning. They are old and can fall at any time and the consequences if someone is underneath them don’t bear thinking about. Just a smallish piece of the old plaster weighs a ton and would crack a head open in an instant, it is very dangerous and as you can see below some of the pieces that fell down in my room are very large.

I am truly grateful that nobody was injured but I will never look at a slightly cracked and patched up Edwardian or Victorian ceiling again in the same way, especially if it’s above a table I am having dinner at!

I am also appalled at my insurance company’s attitude which is Gresham via Barclays Bank. Because there is no obvious sign of water damage I am apparently not insured for this, not only that but because I didn’t tick the box that asks if I wanted Additional Accidental Damage cover as well as the standard Accidental Insurance cover I cannot claim for any of the other damage to the furniture, carpet etc. Well they won’t be getting my business next time, that’s for sure.

There's a hole in my ceiling!

Some of the plaster chunks are quite sizeable, look at the back of the sideboard.

Well that would have stopped the dinner conversation!

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Handmade details on clothing to personalise kids fashion at Mamas and Papas for winter 2012

smudgetikka — Tue, 22 May 2012 09:05:27 +0000

I was interested to see developments at Mamas and Papas for next winter’s children’s and maternity fashion offering. They are offering a limited edition range on baby and kidswear which has a quirky sensibility and many handmade looking details for a more vintage and personal appeal.

As the company expands – it was impressive to see a team of Japanese journalists over for the press preview where the stores have been very well recieved – and looks towards export with a possibility of opening in China soon too, they are expanding the fashion offering with both the maternity and the kids fashion ranges showing a retro influence.

Have a look at the new styles below.

Simple retro styling on maternity dresses at Mamas and Papas for winter 2012

Vintage look print for maternity dresses at Mamas and Papas for winter 2012

Handmade details on a baby print dress from Mamas and Papas for winter 2012

More handmade with a tapestry stich on a cotton baby cardigan at Mamas and Papas

Retro details and handmade looking badges on a boys shirt at Mamas and Papas for Fall 2012

Close up button detail and sweet dog print on baby boys shirt at Mamas and Papas

Quirky tromph'loeil sweater at Mamas and Papas kidswear for winter 2012

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Elfen Couture, wonderful summer silk and crepe designer kaftan dresses for children from Germany

smudgetikka — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:05:23 +0000

This high end designer kids fashion label always presents an interesting lookbook and the summer collection is no exception.

At the very top end of childrenswear Elfen Couture has a limited run of dresses and separates in wonderful pure silk, Crepe Georgette and Crepe de Chine fabrics with such sophistication that I would love some of these for myself.

With a theme inspired by Morocco and the artist Sonia Delaunay the models are seen both still and in blurred movement throughout a wonderful historic salon in Berlin.

Elfen Couture summer 2012 a tableau of retro styling for this children's designer fashion label from Germany

Elfen Couture summer 2012 black and white dresses in Crepe de Chine

Elfen Couture summer 2012 Wonderful bright summer Kaftan dresses with a 60's vibe for kids

Elfen Couture summer 2012 still and in movement

Elfen Couture summer 2012 The children move faster...

Elfen Couture summer 2012 captured in motion, children's fashion from Germany

Have a look at their showroom too, that’s a pretty cool set up!

Elfen Couture showroom in Berlin

Elfen Couture showroom, alternate view

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Monsoon and Accessorize show off their shed style for kids winter 2012 fashion preview.

smudgetikka — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:05:12 +0000

Flowers, wildlife and fairies at the bottom of the garden feature in Monsoon’s children’s fashion ranges next winter with their shed style display showing off intarsia knitted animal motif sweaters, heritage floral prints, great British tweeds and glam tea dresses for the party season.

There is a fab feather tiara, a multitude of glitter shoe choices, patterned knit earmuffs and a great glitter hooded wool coat for the girls. While pinstriped suits, fairisle slipovers and floral print shirts ensure boys are not left out either.

The party dresses are the jewel in the crown here though, every mum’s first choice for the affordable price and variety and ideal for weddings and christening too, with antique look lace trim details or sleeves, both fine and chunky allover sequin styles and delicate fan pleated dresses in soft coral and flesh tones.

Shed chic, Monsoon winter 2012, heritage style

Sweet bunny cardigan and folkloric deer embroidered skirt at Monsoon winter 2012

Woodland fairisle slipover for boys at Monsoon fall 2012, note the floral shirt with collar detail too.

Bandit Fox and Monkey mitts, Monsoon kidswear winter 2012

Through the shed window, mixed up patterns for Monsoon children's fashion fall 2012

Sequins, vintage look lace and sunray pleats, Monsoon girls party dresses for Xmas 2012

Stunning retro supersized sequin dress at Monsoon kids for winter 2012

All sorts of sequin slippers, Monsoon fall 2012 kidswear

The feather tiara every young girl will want this winter , Monsoon for Xmas 2012

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Boys styling, the clothes are classics but the attitude is cool, Timberland winter 2012

smudgetikka — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:05:00 +0000

Boys fashion is so tricky, the majority of companies play it pretty safe but then so do the majority of boys.

Timberland is a children’s collection you cannot fault on quality but it has a very staid signature style, however these shots show how with just the addition of some twisted scarves and a little bit of attitude you can give some cool to classic shapes.

There are a couple of nice touches in the collection too, such as the plaid trims on the turn up jeans and the furry lining to the hooded baseball jacket.

Timberland winter 2012 nice touch with plaid on the jeans turn up for boys

Timberland winter 2012 Like the superlong cabled scarf

Timberland winter 2012 lumberjack plaids still a key item

Spot the furry lining to the hoodie baseball jacket for the Timberland Kids winter 2012 range

Timberland winter 2012 a cool attitude gives this kids shot style

Timberland winter 2012 boys classic collection

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Gucci kids fall/winter 2012 fashion preview, Italian children’s chic.

smudgetikka — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:01:49 +0000

Great shots today from the Gucci children’s designer collection showing their super luxe take on kidswear for next winter which is now available from baby up to age 12.

Take note of the knitted covered headphones/ earmuffs, they are in all the top collections in childrenswear for next season, designers are expecting a freezing winter, or maybe its just for the snow bunnies lucky enough to have that winter vacation!

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 crop fur jacket and silk print dress for girls

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 Modern trad with bow tie and cardigan for boys

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 Love that sweater for the kidswear range!

Gucci Fall : Winter 2012 The Ski sweater with the double G symbol for kids

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 Black leather biker jackets for little hipsters and check out those boots!

Gucci Fall : Winter 2012 Retro styling with this knitted red children's cape coat

Fall / Winter 2012 Watch for the knitted ear muff everywhere this winter in kidswear.

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 Logo printed rain cape and wellies in this designer children's collection

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 This is one designer kids range with a well represented boys line too.

Gucci Fall / Winter 2012 classic items reduced to boys sizes

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012