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November 17, 2009
Check out this super fun, lightweight MP3 “balloon speaker” – perfect for turning your iPod time into family time when you’re out for a jog or a stroll. Ear phones are great when you’re alone, but why not share your tunes with your little one when you’re out together? I ran across this awesome portable speaker in the market late last Summer and have been so excited to launch it among our giggle “holiday picks” this year. It’s on my holiday shopping list for sure! (My brothers are so lucky…)
October 29, 2009
I love our latest addition of holiday toys, these traditional craftsman wooden animal toys. What makes them especially lovely is that they pull off traditional baby design without losing any modern day sense of fun or responsibility! Fabulous yet exceedingly simple animal shapes, great bright colors, functional hand carve-outs – not to mention eco-friendly and healthy!
Made of 100% post-industrial recycled wood residual (plus sustainable solid wood wheels), this toy collection is handcrafted in the United States and painted with non-toxic, no-VOC paints. And for any of you that aren’t parents out there, the simple handle carve-outs are “grasps” incorporated into each animal’s design to make these easy for little hands during playtime. We used to see this wood design in early century toys all of the time. I’m seriously tickled to see traditional done so contemporary. My vote is that these toys are heirloom quality and will be passed down for generations to come. Hats off to this great collection; perfect for holiday gift giving this year – and beyond!
October 24, 2009
Great bicycles are my kind of design – art that functions. In recent years, many have argued that great strollers have been inspired by great bicycles. An amazing company out of the Netherlands is arguing – “why not be both?”
Introducing Taga. The winner of the 2009 Red Dot Award, their “be moved” tagline delivers on the promise. Part bicycle, part uber-modern stroller (not to mention for an infant, a toddler, perhaps two – or even in a wagon vs. a bicycle seat?!), Taga is the definition of great design.
Check out this so-called “multifunctional urban vehicle uniquely designed to suit the needs of today’s parents and children” ( www.taga.nl ). The only part hard to love is the price – at least for now will keep this smart solution the lucky privilege of fewer urbanites than I hope we’ll see in months and years to come.
October 19, 2009
Susan Lazar is back. Well, actually she was never gone. A well-known (and very well respected) women’s fashion designer, Susan has been spending most of her time in recent years designing the lovely Egg Baby line. Our giggle customers’ favorite for years now has been her adorable cable hat & bootie sets. But now she’s also back at women’s clothing, and debuting her first-ever maternity line.
As a fabulous designer of women’s fashion, Susan is known for her amazing silhouettes, gorgeous fabrics, and perfect colors. And now, she’s bringing all those same qualities to her maternity line. She’s always been known for clothes that flatter, and her new debut doesn’t disappoint.
The best part? Susan has managed to bring a Garanimals-like security to making sure your look is flawless! Her 4-Piece Maternity Starter Kit is a must-have to get you through your pregnancy in style. You absolutely cannot get it wrong, and every piece builds with just about anything else you can add to your maternity wardrobe. The colors are right on, the cuts flattering, and the pieces are all truly essentials.
Kudos to Susan Lazar for bringing her best to maternity – and welcome back to women’s fashion! We missed you.
October 13, 2009
So we all know that there are color trends. But the popularity of purple right now is going beyond “purple trend” and is more like “purple crazy.” Don’t get me wrong, I personally love the color purple. In fact, my favorite dress of all-time is a beautiful plum wrap dress I bought in Germany 5 years ago that I still put into rotation each winter. But this current purple craze has gone a bit overboard.
I just came back from a few weeks of shopping the market in the US and Europe and purple was everywhere, from strollers to bags to bedding to bibs. But what I couldn’t help but notice was the number of head-to-toe purple outfits grown women were wearing!
My favorite (and oh, how I wish I had snagged a photo – darn!) was the one I saw walking the streets of Milan, Italy, before catching a train to Genova. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m usually a huge fan of the fashion I see in France and Italy. Key pieces, great forms, and subtle accents. Classy, sophisticated, grown-up.
But here I was in Milan (and yes, I forgive every nation a fashion disaster) watching a woman in a literal head-to-toe purple ensemble. And here’s the best part: it was all different shades of purple. Silk lavender pumps, eggplant hosiery, a skinny purple skirt with matching shirt – all very form fitting (which thankfully was the part she could pull off) and a plum looking scarf. Yep, I mean it. Purple crazy.
A fabulous purple leather bag – absolutely. An amazing plum scarf – for sure. After all, they say purple is a color for every type. But whether it’s purple, plum, lavender, eggplant, lilac, violet, wine, amethyst or mauve, my pick is just to not make it head-to-toe. (And if you do, forgive me if I whip out my camera phone and snap a picture of you!)
October 11, 2009
My favorite time of year to “gift” is Halloween.
Now don’t get me wrong – at least for my 13 nieces and nephews I’m very good about Christmas gifts too. (Admittedly, I can no longer keep up with holiday gifting to my 8 brothers and sisters; particularly in a large family, survival dictates moving to the next generation at a certain point!) But what I love about Halloween is that any gift is unexpected and every gift is nothing but fun.
I also find Fall is just a great time for new kids’ books. Something about Halloween in particular brings out all kinds of great stories.
My pick this year is “I’m Not Scared” by Jonathan Allen. Baby Owl is absolutely, positively NOT afraid of the dark. Well, maybe just a little bit. This fun book is not only perfect for Halloween – it’s also a great bedtime story for reluctant little ones at lights-out.
With so many great stories to choose from, spreading the happy of Halloween – for me – is simply irresistible!
September 27, 2009
Finding the perfect bag always reminds me of the Three Little Bears: “This bag’s too big. This bag’s too small.” And occasionally, if you’re lucky, you’ll find one that’s “just right.”
So many totes are close but just don’t quite work for one reason or another. But my Orla Kiely vintage fabric tote is definitely just right for me.
Unlike movie stars, most of us don’t change our bags to match our outfits every day. So my tote sees lots of use as the perfect solution for juggling work and motherhood in NYC. It’s a stylish workhorse with a little bit of a sense of humor that’s just my style.
These bags come in gorgeous colors (mine is kelly green), and I love their eclectic sensibilities. Orla Kiely uses daring combinations of patterns and colors that few other designers can pull off so stylishly.
Her brown & orange leaf pattern has become close to mainstream among stylish NY women. And while I’ve always admired the look and feel of her designs, my vintage fabric tote was my first. I had no idea that I would love her practical sensibilities just as much as her design aesthetic!
My Orla Kiely is my “just right”…I just wish I could buy another one exactly like it!!
September 16, 2009
There’s nothing I love to see more than a smart product that’s just a great value on all levels. That’s why I think the Infant Stim Mobile is such a find. Granted, it’s not a new discovery, but it is a customer favorite among parents who rave about how their baby is “mesmerized” by it, earning it a permanent place on my A-list.
The primary developmental value of mobiles is in the first six months when babies are lying on their backs and seeking visual stimulus. After that, mobiles become more about room décor or a temporary distraction during a diaper change.
That’s what makes the Infant Stim Mobile so smart: You start out with black and white images, which are easier for infants to focus on and recommended for early visual development. Then, as your child’s color sight develops, you can switch the cards out to high-contrast colored images, which adds an element of fun and a splash of color, while being more developmentally appropriate.
I love great design, which in the case of the Infant Stim Mobile is as much about practicality and function as it is about looks. Admittedly, it’s not my dream decor item, but I admire the design for being smart, simple, and honest. In other words, this mobile wasn’t designed to spruce up a room; it was designed to promote learning, and that’s exactly what it does.
Want one more reason to love it? I’m also impressed by its terrifically inexpensive price. At only $28, it’s a great value for this economy. Why pay more when simple and inexpensive is the best?
September 10, 2009
I’m busy getting ready to head to Vegas next week for the ABC Kids Show, and then on to Germany for Kind + Jugend — two of the biggest juvenile products trade shows anywhere. Part of my ritual preparations involves sorting through the growing stacks of product fliers, photos and samples that crowd my office. I have to make sure that I’ve made my list and checked it twice about the brands, collections, and new product concepts I want see firsthand while I’m out in the market.
I’m sure I’ll reemerge in October with so many “A List” additions that we’ll be busy talking well into the holidays. But the process of preparation always reminds me of a few favorites that, for whatever reason, just can’t work in our giggle world but continue to be crushes of mine. Greenplay furniture is a great example.
Greenplay furniture is a self-described “creative, adaptable children’s furniture component system crafted from environmentally sustainable materials.” Their products are durable, attractive — and responsible. Made from only recycled, renewable and low-impact resources, finished with only low- or no-VOC paints, easily disassembled and recycled for reuse, Greenplay furniture is playroom equipment to love – whether it’s because of their smart, fun design or the comfort of knowing that they represent the safest, healthiest environment for our youngest generation…and for generations to come. What’s not to love, right?
Well, as a green enthusiast (not to mention parent) myself, I certainly applaud Greenplay’s responsibility. And one look at their Yellow Submarine (below) should tell you why I love the look of their line. Sadly, the catch is price. Simply put, smart engineering with green responsibility is still expensive today. At least too expensive for us, and, in most cases, too large for our giggle store floors. I keep thinking I can and will figure out a way to make them part of our beloved “giggle picks.” Their absence is certainly not for lack of love!
So, for those of you who happen to have a playroom construction project – or are a school or playroom with a budget surplus (!) – and are looking for more than just “kids furniture,” I cannot recommend Greenplay Furniture more. Check them out today.
Meanwhile, back to my piles in hopes of finding the next best giggle pick in the market next week…
August 30, 2009
How much do I love the Alma Crib? I found a reason to buy one even though our only child is heading into the second grade this fall!
Now, as my husband will be the first to tell you, a second grader doesn’t need a crib. Nor does he need most of the baby products that end up in our house in the name of product testing (never mind all the in-depth reviews, product tests and consumer reviews that we do for every product.) But the super-compact Alma takes up hardly any space, and it folds when not in use, so we can pull it out whenever we have visitors with a baby in tow. And what better excuse than a little bit of good, old-fashioned hospitality!?
Alas, my good intentions have been put on hold. Even as the founder of giggle, I’ve had to wait for the back-ordered inventory to arrive so my order could be shipped. (Well, to be honest, our head of merchandising politely asked me to please hold off on my personal order until our inventory could catch up with the great demand! Okay, okay…)
So what’s all the fuss about? If you haven’t seen this great crib from bloom, check it out now. Could it be any cuter? (Sure, maybe it would look great in other cool colors someday, but you didn’t hear that from me.) It’s wonderfully petite, perfect for grandma’s house, a second home, or a city apartment where the baby’s room is a converted closet. It’s also amazingly easy to set up and put away — easier than a lot of popular travel cribs, in fact! And it’s beautifully made (hats off to bloom, who is really doing a nice job on so many fronts!)
I have to confess, I was a little hesitant about the concept when I first looked at it with Simon, one of the founders of bloom. Of course I loved how it looked right away. But while European parents tend to take bassinets and cradles more seriously as a long-term sleep option, American parents typically think of them more romantically as a nice-to-have but not an essential. Would our customers think of this as just another temporary solution? Or would the fact that it’s designed for use up to 24 months make it more like a miniature crib designed for use when a full-sized crib just isn’t as practical?
In the end, I voted with my love affair. I knew our customers would have the same instant attraction to the smart design and equally smart looks. And with fewer and fewer of us owning (or even wanting to own) huge houses with three-car garages, I knew the concept of space economy would translate. Much to my delight (and to bloom’s delight I’m sure!) that was definitely the case, and the Alma has been a huge hit.
So, after two months of waiting, while every Alma Crib we got in stock immediately went to a waiting customer, my Alma is finally shipping next week. Just in time for Labor Day weekend, when we’ll have a baby visiting — the perfect excuse to add a baby product to our home!
Ali Wing is more than just the founder of giggle — she's an advocate for today's new parents. By offering smarter solutions, providing information and building a parenting community, Ali has made giggle a resource destination... Bio »
