Jack Rogers Navajo Sandals

Flip flops are a staple of summer.  The classic flop is...

The Navajo sandal by Jack Rogers

We love our Jack Rogers Navajo sandals and wear them all summer long. We both have them in multiple colors. They are classic, versatile, comfortable, well- made and not to mention tres chic! In fact, I once sat right next to Brooke Shields at a shoe store in the Hamptons, and we bought the same pair!

The Jack Rogers Navajo sandal has a deep history that is fascinating.  The sandal was first made by small, independent cobblers in and around Palm Beach.  Jack Rogers expanded production in 1961 and the Navajo sandal became an essential part of summer for fashionable women all over America. The Jack Rogers Navajo sandal is still hand made in Florida. To read their full history click here.

Jack Rogers even has the Navajo sandal in college colors and sorority colors. To shop their entire collection, click here.

Put a little summer in your step!

Ava Rose

We're back!!!

I want to share with you my new best kept secret-  Ava Rose Designs.  I absolutely love this "Made in the USA" line.  I found Ava Rose Design's just after I had my baby this past January.  Since then, I have filled my wardrobe with many of her classic summer looks!  The clothing fits many body shapes, is unique, and best of all affordable.  Ava Rose's creator, Melanie, found her passion for the fashion industry at 9 years old!  Read her inspirational story here. Melanie has a women's line and a children's line- both equally fabulous! Here are a few of my recent purchases and a few I plan to add to my closet:

Add a few new summer looks to your closet!  To shop Ava Rose Designs, click here.

Stay-On Mittens: Review

Winter is back once AGAIN and it's time to get everyone's cold winter gear organized.  One piece of outdoor clothing that always seems to cause a little more angst for us than others are the mittens/gloves.  I can't tell you how many times I have come home from the store with what I think will be the perfect pair for my kids but once we get them on they don't fit right, they aren't warm enough, I can't keep them on my little one's hands or they end up being made out of cheap material that quickly tears... 

When I found out about a company called Cozy Tots that makes what they call the "Stay-On Mittens,"  I was very excited to give them a try!  Cozy Tots generously sent us a pair of  their Toddler Mittens to try with my one year old.

First of all, before we even put the mittens on, we fell in love with this company.  Cozy Tots was started by a Mom in Massachusetts who saw a need for warm mittens that would stay on her children's hands (read her story here).  Not only are the products made from fleece Made in Massachusetts, but (this is the best part) Cozy Tots has paired with MoJo Manufacturing in Massachusetts, a company that trains and employs single Moms in the USA to manufacture products giving these women benefits and child care!  Their slogan is "Helping The American Family Get Their MoJo back."  We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea!!!

So, I was already rooting for these mittens and as soon as I actually tried the mittens on my 1 year old, I fell in love with them again!

First great thing about these mittens: they are made from super-soft, stretchy microfleece.  It's not the thin, cheap kind you can sometimes find on kid's clothing, but rather the thick, plush, high-quality kind.

Next great thing: the stay-on mittens cleverly have elastic at the wrist and then more elastic at the end of a longer sleeve.  Believe me they live up to their name...they stay on!

The design was perfect...easy to put on a child's hand because they are pliable and soft but once on they stay put.  The other thing I really appreciated was that the thumb portion of the mitten was appropriately sized for the child.  The pre-school size has a little bigger thumb area and a velcro finger pocket so fingers can come out to eat snacks, etc.  The toddler size has a small thumb pocket perfectly sized for a one year old's tiny hands (see above picture).  And from looking at the website, the infant size are very smartly thumbless.  Seriously, who wants to be trying to get an infants thumb into a mitten.  Bottom line is Cozy Tots has thought of everything in terms of making these mittens functional and easy to use, but oh so cute!

Last but not least because this could be the best part of the whole design, the mittens are ingeniously made with an extra layer of fleece sewn into the fingertips to keep little fingers extra warm.  The entire part of the mitten above the decorative stitching you see in my pictures is double layered.  What a fabulous idea!  On our walk, not only did the stay-on mittens keep my little one's fingers toasty warm but my heavily teething baby also enjoyed biting on the extra layer of fleece too.

The mittens come in cute colors with various contrasting colored stitching, which adds some extra detail.

We give Cozy Tot's Stay-On Mittens two (very warm) thumbs up!  We will most definitely be buying some extra pairs (because some always get lost as winter carries on) and look forward to trying their hats (they are also double layered with fleece).  We think they would make great gifts too.

Thanks Cozy Tots for sharing your fabulous Made in the USA product with us!

32 Degrees Hats

It is downright blustery in the Midwest today.  A wet, windy chill is in the air reminding us that winter is just around the corner...ugh!  That means getting out all the full-blown winter garb...hats, boots, gloves, etc.  All these scattered pieces of clothing will soon take over front and back hallways everywhere. 

Well, here's a little good news to balance the cold weather...we found the cutest hats EVER made by a company called 32 Degrees.   They are soft, cozy and adorable!  The material is high-quality and some of them (including the one I have for my infant daughter) are adjustable in the back.  We love that it is a company started by a mom in her kitchen in Massachusetts and that she continues to be committed to manufacturing in America!  They make hats for kids but also a OSFM (one size fits most) size so adults can join in the fun too. 

Here is the one we bought but in aqua:

Here are some others we love:

You can shop their website here or look for a retailer here

Stay warm out there!!

Bear Feet

Is there anything sweeter than shoes for babies and toddlers?  We have to say, buying shoes for our littlest ones is almost as fun as finding the perfect shoes for ourselves...well, almost!  In looking for children's shoes that are Made in America, we came across Bear Feet Shoes. 

We think you'll agree they are ADORABLE!

Here are the ones I ordered and they are well-constructed, simple and oh so baby-stylish:

Here are some of the other styles and colors we love (there are many more on their website):

These shoes are handmade in the USA of mostly US and some European materials.  You can read more about Bear Feet Shoes here.

A New Balance

Whether we're running after our kids or trying to lose post-baby weight, a good pair of athletic shoes is a must!  One of our favorites is New Balance's 993.  They are simple, not too flashy and by far one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn...the cushioning and support is awesome.  

And, one of the best parts is New Balance still manufactures a portion of their shoes in the USA.  Not all of New Balance's shoes are Made in The USA, but they have made a commitment to American Workers (you can read their statement here) and according to their website they employ 1,300 workers in New England who manufacture approximately 7 million pairs of shoes each year.   Click here to find which New Balance shoes are produced in the USA (the 993's are!)

Here is the pair I own:

They also come in pink, which is a cute option:

Get out there and get moving!

Wearable Cupcakes

We discovered these leggings last spring and have since fallen deeply in love with them.  Little girls we know covet them and all the moms ask where they came from.  They are called Bon Bon Cupcakes.  These microfiber leggings have ribbon ruffles on the bottom, come in all different colors and they will even custom make a pair for you.  And, they come packaged up just like a cupcake...so cute!  They are made in the USA by two cousins who started the business (read their great story on their website). 

You can buy them at your local boutique- click here to search for retail locations in your area.  Or you can purchase them online by clicking here.  These are a few of our favorites.

Double Layer Leggings- Light Pink and White Dot

  

Holiday Leggings- Candy Corn

Cream Puff Leggings- Hot Pink on Pink

Hope your daughters love wearing these adorable cupcakes!