LilSugar

Little Soles: Not Your Mama's Mary Janes!

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:00:40 -0800

The cold weather is coming and open-toed shoes, sandals, and crocs just won't do. The Canadian company, Little Soles, offers up some sassy alternatives to your mama's Mary Janes ($45) that will have your daughter kicking off her current shoes. The bright-colored and bold-styled leather strap shoes come in traditional styles that offer strong foot support for growing feet and look terrific when paired with tights.

Simple or Swank: Mary Janes

LilSugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:36:02 -0800

Nothing reminds me more of classic childhood attire than patent-leather mary janes. The sturdy and stylish shoes have put a skip in many a lil girl's step once she's been decked out in fancy duds. While black and white are Winter and Spring staples, red remains the classy way to go sassy.

Simple: Azale Red-Patent Mary Jane by Primigi ($66) has a patent-leather upper, removable and washable, soft insole and hook-and-loop closure.

Swank: Prada Linea Rossa Toddler's Patent Mary Jane ($175) in red has a patent upper, rubber sole, and Velcro closure.

Simply Fab: Mary Jane Sock Set

FabSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:00:22 -0700

So your little baby girl is too young too start wearing fancy Mary Janes, but she can get ready for the real deal by wearing Mary Jane Socks, $23 for 6 pairs. Before you know it, your baby will outgrow her stylish socks and move on to Mary Jane platforms. And hopefully, like her mommy, she'll be a Fab devotee!

Are You a Crocs Mom?

babysugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:00:53 -0700

Love 'em or hate 'em, they're everywhere! Crocs have taken tot toes by storm and are still growing and gaining popularity and not just in America. The Japanese are infatuated with the porous rubber shoes as are other cultures. The initial design suited gardeners and the like just fine but the business got sassy and added Mary Jane and ballet flat styles to the mix. Easy to slip on and keep clean, they can also be hazardous in certain situations. They are slippery when wet and they have been known to cause some trauma on an escalator or two. So tell us, are you a Crocs lovin' mom?

School Year's Resolutions: The Athletic Mom

babysugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:00:15 -0700

Wooork iiit, wooork iiit. Oh yo! Mama's got her rear in gear for the beginning of this school year, but she may not have the outfits to show off her best assets. Do something philanthropic and donate the threadbare gym attire and stock up on a new exercise wardrobe for Fall.

Forget the run-of-the-mill black yoga gear and suit up in a pair of sailor-style pants complete with paneled buttons. Stock up on flirty but inexpensive tees that can suit mommy's jog and Pilates class. When she needs to leave the sweat behind, she can throw on her Mary Jane Nike kicks and a comfy yoga wrap hoodie. Tame the post-workout hair frizz by pulling it back in a sassy headband. Mum will go from fit to fabulous in just enough time to say, "Carpool!"

Enter to win a $1,000 wardrobe for your child from Tea Collection!

Approaching Adoption: The International Option

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:00:32 -0700

Every child deserves a place to call home and loving parents to raise it. Sometimes the parties must travel thousands of miles to meet each other. International adoption is a process which can take anywhere from nine months to several years depending on the child's country of origin. Unlike domestic adoptions, international ones usually involve children that are placed in orphanages or have been made legally available by their parents.

Each country has its own set of guidelines and having an understanding of the culture can help before bringing the child into your home. Most families interested in international adoption work with an agency to help them through the process. Among the most popular countries Americans adopt from are Russia, China, Taiwan, Ethiopia, Vietnam, South Korea and Kazakhstan. Last year, 17,438 children were adopted internationally.

Qualifications: Like the domestic adoption process, families register with an agency and attend information sessions. They then go through the home-study process, which involves criminal and medical background checks, fingerprints, a safe home and stable living environment inspection, a financial records review, references, interviews with adoption counselors and monitoring of marital status. The family must then receive approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before submitting their paperwork to the country they are interested in adopting from.

To see the rest of our look at international adoption, read more.

Timeline: In the past, international adoptions from countries such as China were popular due to their fast turn around, but new restrictions have lengthened the process considerably. Once the family receives a referral for the potential child, they must then review the child's health information with a pediatrician specializing in international adoption, such as Dr. Jane Aronson who has worked with Angelina Jolie and Mary Louise Parker. These doctors review the medical history to help a family determine if the child is healthy enough to be adopted. The family then prepares for travel to the country to pick up their child, including immigration forms and vaccinations and travel arrangements.

Costs: International adoptions range from approximately $13,000 to $51,000, depending on the country's program fee and the agency's fee, and not including travel expenses. Some, like Spence-Chapin, base their fee on the couple's income (usually 7 percent of the income) while others, like The Cradle, charge set fees.

Considerations: Before deciding to adopt, parents must be comfortable incorporating someone from another culture inside their home. Most likely, the child will not look like them and this will raise questions for the rest of their lives. Future moms and dads should also consider how they will incorporate their adopted child's culture into their own – some opt for roots discovery tours or bi-annual trips to the country of origin, while others learn the native language as a family.

Heirloom Shower: Pick Up Some Celeb Hand-Me-Downs

LilSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:00:05 -0700

No one ever said a hand-me-down had to come from your cousin, sister or friend. As we celebrate an heirloom fete for babe, consider showering the mama-to-be with some of your favorite celeb's gently used baby gear.

Last year, 76 percent of lilsugar readers voted Nicole Richie their favorite new mama, and now the expectant starlet has teamed up with handmedowns.com to raise money for the Richie-Madden Foundation. Richie is auctioning off some of the items lil Harlow's been sporting around town, including her Maclaren Special Edition Lacoste stroller, a pair of Minnetonka moccasins, a Gymboree romper and Stride Rite Mary Janes. But, like any good auction you have to hurry, bids will only be accepted until April 17th.

Source

Celebaby Style: Violet Affleck Is Splendid in Stripes

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:01:00 -0700

Violet Affleck seems to be taking her role as big sister to baby Seraphina seriously. Checking her mama's BlackBerry for missed messages, the eldest Affleck daughter was the picture of casual cool on her way out of school earlier this week.

Pairing one of her wardrobe staples, an ultra-comfortable striped Splendid dress, with a pair of leggings, she finished off the outfit with a pair of versatile Naturino Mary Jane sneakers, which had the preschooler prepared to take on an arts and crafts project or the playground. Give your lil one similar comfort with the options below.

Splendid Littles Toddler Girls' Rayon Stripe Crossover Dress - $55.00	Thermal Gauze with Ombre Dress - $38.50
Navy Slub Shadow Stripe Dress - $38.50	Cienta Kids Shoes - 86-013 (Toddler/Youth) (Silver Sparkle) - $49.95
Simple Little Kid/Big Kid GT Janie Mary Jane - $44.95	Naturino Toddler/Little Kid 7703 Mary Jane - $58.95
Long lace-trimmed leggings - $12.50	Flowers By Zoe - Grey Leggings With Buttons - $45.00

Flynet

Pretty Little Booties For Your Pretty Lil Thing

LilSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:00:02 -0800

Bare feet may be best for lil ones learning to walk, but before they are toddling, those toes need to keep warm. Keep your tot's feet covered up in Pretty Little's felt and crocheted booties in either the classic Mary Jane style, or the adorable animal and motif-inspired designs ($22 - $36). Handmade by a former babysitter in Portland, Oregon, these beautiful kicks are custom made from merino wool yarn and feature velcro closures. Perfect for baby shower gifts or even for your own babe's twinkle toes, these booties are sure to be a hit with the stroller set.

Trendtotting: Rain Boots to Boot

babysugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:00:17 -0700

I don't much care for rainy days - the mud, mess, and mire keep me inside listening to the pitter-patter on the windows. Kids, on the other hand, rather enjoy the muck and muss as splashing in puddles brings an inexplicable high. If your wee one fits into that category, it's time to invest in another pair of rubber rain boots.

Let them jump, splash, wade, and plummet in the slush and sludge without ruining those glittery flats or fancy sneakers. Lil dudes can still keep their Western style with the rubber kickers and sweet girls can prance around in Mary Jane or paisley-printed footwear.

Kids' Uli Mary Jane Rain Boots - White - $7.50	Western Chief Toddler/Little Kid Anchors Away Rain Boot - $24.95
Juicy Couture 'Wink' Rain Boot (Toddler, Little Kid & Big Kid) - $59.95	Western Chief Toddler/Little Kid Cowboy Rain Boot - $27.95
Kids' Pinky Plaid Rain Boots - Pink - $14.99	Kids' Upton Fireman Rain Boots - Red/ Black - $16.99
Childrens Uriah Cherry Rain Boots - Multicolor - $14.99	Hatley Kids - Rain Boots (Infant/Toddler) (Aliens) - $39.00
Kids' Hello Kitty Rain Boots - Pink - $16.99	Western Chief 'Fireman' Rain Boot (Walker, Toddler, Little Kid & Big Kid) - $24.95
Kids' Uda Frog Rain Boots - Green - $16.99	Hatley Kids - Rain Boots (Toddler) (Bear Country) - $36.00
Kidorable Toddler/Little Kid Ladybug Rain Boot - $26.95	Western Chief Toddler/Little Kid Kid Camo Rain Boot - $27.95
Chooka Toddler/Little Kid Heart Bones Rain Boot - $39.95	Chooka Tossed Skulls (Infant/Toddler/Youth) - $40.00
Hunter Young Hunter (Infant/Toddler/Youth) - $60.00