I'm Shopping for Fall!

Fashion buying runs a couple of seasons ahead, so last month I went “To Market” at the Kids on 6 event in San Francisco to shop for Fall 2012. Yes, it's odd to be thinking about autumn clothing when we are just heading into spring weather! We head up 4-6 times a year to see all the new items from the designers and lines that Kool Kids carries. It can be pretty overwhelming sometimes, but I love to see the latest apparel and gear. I think the best part is seeing the reps that I talk to all year long over the phone. We catch up in person, like a little family reunion! This year I spent a day and a half buying for Fall.

Market is set up so that buyers and shop owners make appointments, going from rep to rep, placing orders for the upcoming season. My favorite designers that I bought this time were Eliane et Lena and Omega. I was also happy to see that Deux par Deux had some really cute stuff in boys! The trends I noticed for Fall were lots of gray and black with pops of color. Bari Lynn had some adorable hair bows, so you can look forward to those in a few months!

This Dress is a STAR!

Kool Kids Couture has the Starlet Dress! This oh-so-perfect dress comes in many colors and is wonderful for all those upcoming spring events. Easter, weddings and spring photo shoots--what else can you think of for this cutie? The sizes are infant to 16 so your girls can be twinsies, or, mix and match the vibrant spring hues! Choose from lavender, light pink, navy, ruby, ivory, fuschia, turquoise and sky.

Photo credit

What is your FAVORITE?

Kool Kids Couture is going to feature our customers' ten favorite things. What do you love? Do you have a favorite hand cream? Your favorite cookbook? How about your favorite chocolate? What is your favorite kid’s item? Let us know, and we may put it in our Ten Favorite Things section at Kool Kids. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a kid’s item, but those ideas are certainly welcome, and you can list as many favorites as you like. Please leave a note in the comments below, or stop in the store and tell Cathy. We will publish the final list next week!

I want that outfit for me!

Just in! Check out this new outfit from Luna Luna Copenhagen:

Previously a designer for Jones New York Dress and Tahari, Luna Luna Copenhagen's Heidi Maria Schwark knows her stuff. She teams amazing design with comfort and style to create some of the cutest clothes around. She's a mom, so she knows that kids' clothes need to be easy-care, machine-washable with little or no ironing. 80% made in the USA!

Here's her website.

Silhouette Artist coming to Kool Kids!

Did you ever get a silhouette portrait from Disneyland when you were a kid? That was the first thing I thought of when I saw this video. What a classic way to represent your family on the hallway picture wall. Grouped together in a symmetrical composition, they will look modern yet playful. Or split them up and display each in your child's room. I love that one of the families in the video got portraits of mom and dad too.

On October 16th, from 10-2, silhouette artist Karl Johnson will be here at Kool Kids Couture! Please call the store to set up your appointment. (You must have an appointment.) Watch this video, he is amazing.

Riley Roos are such cute shoes!

Just got in some super stylin' Riley Roos for baby boys, in newborn to 24 month sizing. Riley Roos are flexible, lightweight, with a rubber padded sole and are a great choice for developmental footwear. Read more about Riley Roos on their website.

Do you want to keep the Avenue thriving?

As our friends at Baby Buzz left Willow Glen for Los Gatos, we started really thinking about what gives a downtown area a feeling of community and a unique character. How do we keep independent, locally owned businesses in business? Is it important to you that your downtown have a reciprocal relationship with residents?

It does take more effort for our local residents to shop on the Avenue, rather than online or at the mall. Maybe parking isn’t as convenient. Maybe you can find a better price online. But think about some of the benefits of checking out your shops here first.

When you shop at locally owned, independent businesses, more money stays in the community. The chart below gives an example of the same $100 spent at an independently owned shop, and at a non-locally owned business. 68% of money spent stays in the community with a locally owned business, as opposed to 43% for a non-local business.

From: the Andersonville Study

Cinda Baxter from the 3/50 Project, a group committed to supporting independently owned businesses writes: ”States are gasping for air as their sales tax revenues drop. Commercial property tax roles shrink as brick and mortars go dark. And our quality of life, directly connected to emergency services, sidewalks, streets, state agencies, school programs, park systems, etc. suffer.” The 3/50 Project Blog

The success of locally owned businesses is essential to keeping benefits of the community that can’t be measured by dollar signs. People who own the shop you walk into, really care about YOU, and care about the town. They want to make a profit, yes, but usually the bottom line is customer satisfaction and community enrichment.

“Local owners with much of their life savings invested in their businesses have a natural interest in the long-term health of the community. Community-based businesses are essential to charitable endeavors, frequently serving on local boards, and supporting a variety of causes." reclaimdemocracy.org

Think about your favorite locally owned, independent businesses here in town that you would not want to lose. Take an extra minute to stop in and support them FIRST, before hitting the freeway or the internet.

POSTED BY: Kimberly Wassenberg Hull