Category Archives: Cardigans

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chic hoodie

Mini Club Boys Knitted Hooded Cardigan (6 months-6 years)
Good old Boots has done it again! How great is this cardigan? I love chunky knitted cardigans like this, and find them incredibly useful. Last Saturday I had to bring Tabarlow back in the car from their grandparents and they were dressed in their pyjamas with cardigans similar to these (one from Gap and one from Mini Boden) over the top, and they were so warm and cosy (and less stiff than their coats). And the hoods came in very handy when I had to get them out of the car and into the house single-handedly in a freak hail stone storm. This one is 100% cotton (pretty incredible considering the price). And don’t forget, your Boots Advantage card will get a boost at the till (sorry, I know it’s naff to admit it, but I do love my Boots card…).
£7.00  boots.com 

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spots

Mini Boden Spotted Cardigan (1.5-14 years)
This is going to my last sale post of the season. To be honest I’m a bit over the sales now (I’ve seen too many gorgeous things for Spring/Summer – it’s time to look forward (and get excited!), despite the snow… But I couldn’t resist this fab cardigan. There aren’t many sizes left, but you never know, you could get lucky (or buy a larger size for next year?). I just love the grey and yellow combination (I think my yellow obsession is definitely growing…), and there is something about a large, graphic spot print that always feels a bit Marni-esque (i.e. expensive) to me. This would just look so great with the trusty jeans and desert boots combo…
£23.80-£27.20 (was £28.00-£32.00)  boden.co.uk

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peter rabbit: style icon

If you follow me on Twitter, I apologise, because you’re probably sick to death of me gushing over this collection already… Peter rabbit is 110 (and looking good on it!), and to celebrate Gap have collaborated with Beatrix Potter with this completely adorable collection for babies. I have to confess, I was slightly sceptical when I first got wind of it – how would such a collaboration even work? It just sounded a little gimmicky to me, and I suppose I just didn’t ‘get it’. How wrong I was. I first saw the collection on Tuesday in the Oxford Circus store when I dashed in to check it out quickly (in the name of research) on my way home. I was instantly smitten, and promptly scooped up two rabbit face jumpers (one with pink trim, one with blue) and his and hers packets of socks in the most gorgeous colours (I always find it a struggle to find good socks for toddlers…). Officially the age range is 0-24 months, but I wasn’t about to be defeated that easily, and on inspection of said items, endevoured to squeeze my two (who just turned three) into them. Bingo! Both jumpers (age 18-24 months) fitted, and the socks are perfect. Where there’s a will and all that… Fast forward to the official press launch breakfast this morning, and I arrived feeling like I had already seen the collection in its entirety. Wrong again. I had barely seen anything – this collection is huge! The colours are spot-on – lots of grey (oh yes!), navy, dusky pink, pale blue, saffron (which I’m loving at the moment – so easy to work into a neutral-ish wardrobe, and so chic) etc. It’s just the perfect mix of whimsical and cute. Stylish and so, so sweet. Here are my favourites (including the jumpers I bought for Tabarlow, and Marlow’s days of the week socks), but I also particularly loved the days of the week bodysuits for little babies (up to six months). They would make the lovelist gift for a newborn. The blue shawl-neck cardigan (or possibly jardigan?) is based on Peter Rabbit’s own ill-fated jacket (how cute is that?). Love, love, love…
from £7.95  gap.eu

ps: available online and in-store now.

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scallops

French Connection Knitted Cardi-Jacket With Scalloped Trim (0-18 months)
Yes it’s another ‘jardigan’ (jacket/cradigan hybrid). Always so useful – I’m a big fan. Anyway, all you really need to know is that it’s super-cute and in the sale, so get your skates on if you want to bag one! Here’s the boring (but always useful to know) bit: it’s 100% cotton and machine washable. What’s not to like? Go!
£22.50 (was £45.00)  frenchconnection.com 

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pom pom

La Redoute Knitted Hooded Jacket (newborn-2 years)
This is such a great example of a classic French baby jacket. The ribbing, the pointed hood, the pom pom tassle… You can always spot the details. It’s just so chic. And so cosy and warm (check out the toasty sheepskin lining…). I love the chocolate brown and the sweet toggle buttons too. I found little cardigan/jackets (yes it’s a jardigan!) like this so handy when Tabarlow were babies. This is definitely one of the nicest ones I’ve seen. Would make a lovely gift (and a great price too).
£21.00 laredoute.co.uk 

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it’s a wrap

La Redoute Unisex Baby Organic Cotton Wrap Top (0-2 years)
When it comes to dressing babies, top of my list is how cute they look (obviously!). But practicality always comes a very close second. When the twins were babies, I was constantly changing one of them (clothes, nappies, you name it…), so although I wanted them to look stylish (sorry, call me superficial, but I am a Fashion Editor after all…), I also needed them to wear things that were easy and quick to whip on and off. Enter the wrap top. I had a few similar ones to this (all French brands actually – must be a French thing) for the twins and they always looked so sweet. They always look great layered over tights or leggings, and are perfect for boys and girls. And obviously I love the grey stripes! Stylish and practical is possible if you know where to look.
£11.00  laredoute.co.uk 

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fade to grey

Cyrillus Baby Cardigan With Raglan Sleeves (6-36 months)
I always love a grey cardigan (on babies, boys, girls, men, women…), and I just love the style of this one. The raglan sleeves, the mother of pearl buttons, the little flare at the hem… The perfect (chic-est), every day cover-up for the most stylish little ones…
£23.00  laredoute.co.uk

ps: how relieved are you that I managed to get through that post without mentioning ‘that book’?

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h&m & unicef

H&M’s ‘All For Children’ Collection
I loved it last time (I scooped up so many great pieces for Tabarlow), and it’s back again – H&M’s genius collaboration with UNICEF. These are just a few of my favourite things (how cute is that bow dress?), but there is much more (including a tent, wall stickers and magicians’ hats…). This time the collection is made up of cute fashion as well as fab dress-up pieces for both boys and girls (think Halloween costumes, but way cooler). The collection will be available from 18th October (tomorrow!) from around 300 H&M stores, as well as online. H&M will donate 25% of the sale price of every piece to UNICEF’s work in Bangladesh. Through this partnership, H&M and UNICEF aim to promote education and improve the health of children in slum areas around Dhaka in Banglasdesh. So you can shop up a storm and help a great, worthwhile cause at the same time. What’s not to love about that?
hm.com 

ps: sorry for the gap in posts, but I have had wifi issues in Miami. I hope all these lovely things have made up for it…

pps: please don’t buy everything! Leave some things for me! I’m not back in London until Tuesday…

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the perfect christening gift

Les Tricots De Margot Cashmere V-neck Cardigan (0-18 months)
Looking for a lovely christening/baptism/naming ceremony present? Look no further. This amazing French cashmere company is my latest obsession (well at least it’s not nursery-related for a change…) and I have now bought this exact cardigan for two babies for two christenings in as many months (I know – not very original of me, but I just love it). Both times I bought the largest size (12-18 months), so that the baby in question could keep it to grow into. So why the obsession? Well, the quality is fantastic (100% 2 x ply cashmere), I love the classic design – the v-neck and the little pocket, the colour (it does also come in other colours, but this is definitely my favourite), and last but not least, the fantastic price (I’m not saying that £48.00 is particularly cheap for a baby cardigan, but it certainly is for a gorgeous cashmere one). It’s also equally perfect for a baby boy or girl. If you had the time or the resources, it would also be a nice touch to have the baby’s initials embroidered on it (know anyone handy with a needle and thread?). It also come beautifully wrapped in tissue in a pretty box (I just wrote on the box and added a ribbon, and I was done). Anyway, both cardigans were very happily received (I would have been more than happy to unwrap one of these myself!).
£48.00  lestricotsdemargot.com 

ps: while we’re on the subject of christenings, I would love to know where I can buy a decent, tasteful christening card? I have literally scoured dozens of shops (some well-known and some small, independent ones), searching and searching. Of the few that I did find, they were either too religious (sequinned crucifix? Not today thank you) or just plain naff. So I simply didn’t give one for the last two christenings. So any leads, gratefully received. One idea I did have though (after the event – really helpful!) for the next one is a card with a single initial on (Liberty stock them). Thought that could be a cute option? Any thoughts?

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little deer

Cath Kidston Deer Baby Cardigan (0-12 months)
How sweet is this little cardigan? I don’t normally like pictures on clothes, but this is far too cute to ignore. Wear it with everything!
£22.00  cathkidston.co.uk 

ps: my eagle-eyed sister, Caroline noticed a mistake on yesterday’s post. The John Lewis baby cords are in fact £12.00, not £22.00 as advertised. Sorry about that. I’ve amended it now, so all is right with the world again.

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classic baby cardigan

Château de Sable Chunky Knit Baby Cardigan (18 months)
I just love a classic knitted cardigan, and this one is spot-on. Château de Sable (sandcastle to you and me) do some lovely, timeless (and super-chic) pieces for babies and toddlers. I love the handmade feel and the cute pockets. Such a lovely design. It’s made from a cotton, angora and cashmere mix, so feels lovely and looks lovely. Unfortunately this particular one is now only available is age 18 months because it is in the sale (for a bargain £17.99!), but I really love it, so still wanted to share it with you. It would make a beautiful present for a new baby to keep for later (I always like to buy things in larger sizes for presents otherwise new mums get swamped with newborn sized things that often don’t get worn).
£17.99 (was £28.99)  chateaudesable.co.uk

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a taste of things to come at mini boden…

I literally cannot wait for the new Mini Boden Autumn/Winter collection to hit their website. This is just a small selection of some of my favourite pieces – in order of ‘baby’, ‘girl’ & ‘boy’. I went to the press preview a few weeks ago (with Tabarlow), and was instantly smitten. It was such a gorgeous collection. I am already a fan of Boden for kids, and buy a lot for Tabarlow, but it has a very different feel for next season. Firstly, there is a new designer at the helm (Tara, a fellow twins mum as it happens), and it just feels, well, different. It just has a more whimsical feel that I love. The colours are more muted (plenty of my favourites in there – grey, navy and dusky pink amongst others), there are less bold pictures on things (although having said that, I am obsessed with this fab raccoon jumper!), the prints are sweeter, and it just has a bit more of a ‘French’ vibe. This is just a tiny taste of what’s to come, but trust me, the collection is literally brimming with beautiful things for your little ones. You are going to love it (and be surprised too I think). The collection will be available online from 31st July. Put it in your diary now! I have.

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christening chic

I am often asked what to dress a baby in for their christening (or baptism/naming ceremony etc). Everyone will have different opinions on this one, but I will base my answer on how I dressed Tabarlow at their baptism. As you know I am quite traditional, so I always knew I wanted them to wear a full-on christening gown, and I initially started looking for vintage Edwardian ones. But I quickly discovered that most of them were either too fragile to actually be worn, or too tiny, or both. Now Marlow was diplomatically described as a ‘bonny’ baby, but the truth is he was just a bit fat, so I ditched the Edwardian idea pretty quickly (it’s not about the christening gown ripping at the seams in the middle of the service). Then one day, I was in John Lewis and just happened to spot their selection of christening outfits. I immediately homed in on this one (this is the very one that both Tabitha and Marlow wore) because it was simple enough to be worn by a boy and a girl, and traditional enough to satisfy my vintage craving. I loved it. You can’t see all the detail in this picture, but it’s ivory, 100% silk, has a lovely Peter Pan collar, pintucking, little puff sleeves, a sash ribbon tie and is very long! It also comes with a hat, but these weren’t worn. It’s really beautiful, and a great price. I then bought lovely cashmere cardigans from Chinti & Parker (sadly they are no longer making childrens’ clothes) in grey and oatmeal and had their initials embroidered on to each one (I think this is a really sweet idea, and such a lovely thing to keep). I love these ones from Les Tricots de Margot (you’ll be seeing more of their pieces coming up), and I think they are a great price for good quality cashmere. It was a December christening, so they also both wore cashmere knitted tights under their gowns, and cashmere bonnets for extra warmth. But even if your service is a Summer one, a cashmere cardigan is always a chic and useful thing to have for before/after the service, or it’s a drafty old church… Anyway, I loved their ‘look’. Hope you do too.

1.  Christening Gown (3-12 months)  £70.00  johnlewis.com
2.  Cashmere Cardigan (3-18 months)  £46.00  lestricotsdemargot.com
3.  Cashmere Cardigan (3-18 months)  £46.00  lestricotsdemargot.com 

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it’s a breton, but not as you know it…

The Little White Company Stripe Breton Hoodie (0-24 months)
Ok, so it’s another Breton – what can I say? Guilty as charged. I just can’t get enough of them for little boys (and girls). I’m all about the cardigan/lightweight jumper, cover-up at the moment due to this ridiculous Monsoon weather we are currently experiencing. It’s not necessarily cold, but you definitely need a little something to keep the chill off when you leave the house. Hello Breton hoodie! So easy just to chuck on over anything. Cute done up or just left open and worn like a cardigan/jacket. And you know the quality is always going to be great with The Little White Company. I love that they just stick to the classics too – no gimmicks/naff surprises when you give something the once over (as I always do of course – searching for the nasty, hidden surprise – be it a ‘fun’ lining or a Peppa Pig/Thomas the tank engine emblazoned across the back or something equally alarming) in the store. This is just one of those ridiculously ‘useful’ items, that still happens to be cute and stylish. So you need to get one!
£24.00  thewhitecompany.com 

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cosy cardigan

John Lewis Shawl Neck Cardigan (3 months-3 years)
I know I can be quite old-fashioned, but I always love little boys in cardigans. They always look so sweet. This one is great because it’s a bit more substantial than some, but still looks really lovely and chic. Great for layering over a long-sleeved t-shirt/top. Buy a bigger size and wear it with the sleeves turned up initially, then it will last you a good while. And a great hand-me-down for little sisters too.
ps: unfortunately I don’t have time to post all the stylish things I find for little ones, so I am going to start tweeting things too. So follow Little Spree on Twitter for a little extra chic, petit, style for less…
£16.00-£17.00  johnlewis.com 

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jardigan

La Redoute Baby Knitted Cardigan (1 month-2 years)
This is such a gorgeous little cardigan. Lovely and cosy, and looks expensive. I particularly love the colour, and the handmade feel. And it’s a multi-tasker! It can be a cardigan or a chic little jacket (does that make it a ‘jardigan’?), depending on the weather. And is it just me, or could you see Harper Beckham wearing this?
£19.00  laredoute.co.uk 

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baby cardigan

Mothercare Chunky Knit Cardigan (tiny baby-12 months)
I bought this gorgeous cardigan for my new nephew, James (who is equally gorgeous I might add). It’s so stylish, and looks really expensive. In fact, Tabarlow had cardigans very similar to this that I bought for them to wear when they came home from hospital (after a long two months in the neonatal unit), but they definitely did not cost £16.00 (closer to £60.00 if I remember correctly). Naturally, I love that it’s grey, but I like the hood and the fact that it’s double-breasted, and has a slightly hand-knitted feel. Would also double up as a little jacket in the Spring. A brilliant gift, or something to buy for your own baby if you’re pregnant.
£16.00  mothercare.com