Lets talk about skin-protection!

The kid wears UV-rashguards on the beach
during the mid-day hours 11am-2pm,
even when its cloudy. And he wears hats.

Keep your kid safe

I heard something very scary this morning when I dropped the kid off at preschool. I overheard two mothers talking next to me and one of them complimented the other about her daughter's gorgeous tan. And I'm trying hard not to judge other mothers - I feel like women get judge enough, especially in their role as parents these days - but the kid in question is barely two years old and should not be having a tan at all!

So today's topic will be protection. Not protection against the sun because sun is good, we love playing in the sun. No, we're talking about protection against the bad UVA and UVB rays that sadly come with it. No matter if your kid is fair skinned or has a darker complexion, he or she needs to be protected from the damage that UV-light can do to the skin. It's as basic as putting a helmet on your child's head when he or she is biking or strapping your kid into a car-seat when you drive.

Sun screen

We wear sunscreen in our family. Some say that one shouldn't over-consume sunscreen but we spend a lot of time outside and both me and the kid have fair, typically scandinavian, complexion which means that we burn easily. And sunburn is not a good thing. Its important to me that my kid can play freely and the minutes it takes to rub that sunscreen into his skin are minutes well spent. However; I choose our sunscreen wisely after careful research and we don't use products that contain parabens or unnecessary chemicals.

Right now we are mainly using:

• EVY's products, either SPF30 or the one made specially for kids (which is also SPF30) 
• Organic Childrens' SPF30 from GreenPeople.  
• Eco Cosmetics, made especially for babies (SPF50)

I normally don't buy the highest sun protection factor because SPF30 works just as well as SPF50 but is much easier to rub in. For example SPF30 protects up to 97% and SPF50 protects 98%, so the difference is only 1%. According to dermatologists the most important safety factor is the amount of sun protection you use. Apply just half the amount of SPF30 you would normally use and you actually decrease the efficiency to around SPF5 when the sun rays are at their strongest . 

UV-clothing and Rashguards/Skins

So with sunscreen on your kid is protected, right? Well, if your child is anything like mine then he runs around on the beach or in the park all day and doesn't care much for the shadow.The easiest way to keep him protected is therefor with clothes and hats.

And the market is literally exploding with fun UV-protective clothing. So many brands have rashguards or UV-onesies nowadays so its easy to find good looking stuff. On a day at the beach I usually bring at least three different shirts with SPF40 or 50 just in case.

Below are just a few out of this season's pretty line-up:

Top: 1. Beach & Bandits  2. Munsterkids  3. Sunuva
Bottom:  4. Soft Gallery  5. O'neill  6. Molo

Remember the head 

Last but not least, remember to cover your kid's head. If everything else fails - maybe you are out of sunblock or you have a tired kid that suddenly refuses to wear clothes - at least put a hat or a cap on your child. Not only does it protect the face from the UV-rays but it also protects from sunstroke.

Two of the kid's favorite hats this Spring come from Munsterkids and the third from Scotch & Soda. I like the Trucker hat model because the mesh keeps the head cool while still protected but the palmtrees on the fitted one just had me at hello.

Conclusion:

Have fun in the sun with your kids but stay safe and protected. All of the above applies to mommies and daddies as well.


#sunprotection #sunscreen #sunblock #uvrays #uvclothes #rashguard #staysafe #keepyourhaton #kidsfashion #kidswear #barnmode #solskydd #uvkläder #behållkepsenpå #solkräm

Fifty shades of grey denim

The thing I love most about the denim fabric is that it's never just one color. Denim shifts, fades or keeps it's original color depending on its creases and on how much you wear it. It changes over time and with different lighting so that its color becomes an entire spectrum of shades.

This evening we took a walk around the neighborhood and I just couldn't stop taking pictures of the kid in this outfit. The grey Alabama jeans are amazing and the lighter grey in the wash just fits perfect with this season's Norton jacket. But the darker grey at the seams and in the creases picks up black brilliantly.  We all know that I Dig Denim are experts on blue jeans - I mean, we've known that for a while - but I'm telling you: I Dig Denim are freaking geniuses when it comes to the grey scale as well.

The outfit of the day is literally 50 shades of grey

I might be ridiculous - over-analyzing an outfit like this - but me and the kid? We love the concrete jungle just as much as we love the beach and the woods and these shades of grey just complement urban life so, so well.

The "I love Banksy"-tee from Hatch For Kids is a perfect match with the grey and then, this past weekend, the kid went and found this hat at a yardsale. He picked it out all by himself and he was so proud when he paid for it with money from his own piggybank. Money well spent, I say, because he looks so handsome in it.

 

 

This is a perfect example of the many grey shades in the jeans

Get the outfit: 

Grey Norton jacket - I Dig Denim
Grey Alabama jeans - I Dig Denim
Black "I am Banksy" tee - Hatch For Kids
Sneakers - Vans Original
Grey checkered hat - Old H&M model from a local yardsale

#idigdenim #alabama #norton #grey #hatchlingsworldwide #hatchforkids #iambanksy #vans #ootd #kidsfashion #kidsoutfit #barnmode #yardsale #concretejungle

Someone who loves me used to wear this

I need to tell you about something really cool. Not long ago I found Picketfence.se, run by Cecilia from Malmö, and she has taken recycling to a whole new level.See, she makes kids clothes from adult shirts - calling the concept "Someone who loves me used to wear this". It's just amazing on so many levels! 

 

Willem adores his grandfather and he was so pleased when I told him that his shirt was made from one of grampa's big ones. He loves to match his hero and this makes it possible in more ways than one. Below are a few photos from this afternoon. We took a walk to get ice cream and the kid was so proud to be wearing grampa's clothes.

On top of the emotional value of this shirt, it's also a very nice craftsmanship. I love the collar and the way it is slightly longer in the back. Plus, it looks amazing with his lightblue Newark jeans from I Dig Denim and his ocra-colored Bundgaard shoes. 

 

Photo bonanza from Easters past

Willem after finding the big prize at last year's Easter egg hunt.

I love it when Easter rolls around in mid April or even later. Because on those occasions you can almost guarantee that Spring is there to stay. And the last couple of years we've been lucky - the weather has been great and it's been warm enough to have the Egg Hunt and the Easter lunch in my parents garden. I'm hoping for that this year as well, of course, but Easter is rather early this year and the weather in late March and early April is just so unpredictable. A few years ago the garden was still covered with deep snow the first week in April.

This winter has been mild and it's felt like "almost spring" for weeks now but then this past weekend brought snow and low temperatures and now I'm worried. It's only a little more than a week left and on most days the kid still wears his winter overalls. Lets all keep our fingers crossed that its just a small setback and that Spring will be back as soon as possible. 

Oh, and by the way... I can't decide if I should cut the kid's hair. He is so cute in the first pic inthis post but I love the fact that his long hair can be tied into a topknot or pony tail. Decisions, decisions...

Now; as a preparation to the upcoming holiday I've dug around in the archives. The poor kid has been exposed to my camera basically since the minute he was born, which means that I have plenty of gems to choose from. This is what our Easter photo shoot looked like three years ago. The kid was about 4,5 months old and I was enjoying maternity leave, hence had all the time in the world to catch beautiful indoor sunlight. The group pic further below (with his two oldest friends) still makes me laugh so much. It really doesn't get cuter than that.

He might hate me when he's older, for putting him in a chicken outfit when he was tiny and defenseless, but look at him. How could I not?

Last year was all about painting eggs and finding the big egg at the end of the Easter egg hunt. He finally had a concept of what the egg hunt meant but his patience was still lacking and he got frustrated easily. This year I'm looking forward to finally being able to hide the eggs for real. I'll post photos from that, of  course, and of his Easter Sunday outfit.

I can't even with this outfit!

You know that perfect outfit on your kid? The one so cute that you wish you could wear it yourself even though you would never pull it off half as well as he or she does?

One of those outfits happened today. 

I mean, seriously? The greatness of I Dig Denim's Norton jacket and Leon beanie, the amazing Tiger-pants from Bonni & Bo, a pair of retro Hummel sneakers and its a fact; the whole getup is a match made in outfit-heaven.

And I can't even with the bag. He can rock the man-bag like no other kid I know.

I WISH that I was this cool but my three year old beats me in that area so easily it's ridiculous.

There is a reason that I Dig Denim takes up the biggest part of the kid's closet. The clean look of all their stuff is what really makes an outfit and the grey Norton jacket is absolutely one of their masterpieces. The yellow tigerpants from Bonni & Bo (with a superb drop-crotch) just makes the grey pop even more.

Instead of spamming Instagram with endless pics of this outfit I'm putting up a bunch here. I just need to get its greatness out there.

 

That's all for now, folks. We're off on more Saturday adventures. Peace out.



#perfectoutfit #favoritebrands #scandinavianfashion #idigdenim #norton #jacket #leon #beanie #lo #sweater #bonniandbo #tiger #haremleggings #hummel #retro #sneakers #skankstreetwear #handbag #ootd #barnmode #barnklädesinspo #kidsfashion #kidswear

Breakfast at Things We like

Things We Like - agency for several popular kidsfashion brands - held a breakfast event this morning.

It was a great event and I stuffed my face with the breakfast buffet, mingled and took a look at the spring collections from their different brands. Apart from the event's real purpose its always fun to catch up with other amazing insta-mamas and bloggers. Plus, all the cute babies makes me crave another kid.

Below is quick summary of all the great stuff from the event. Thank you so much, ThingsWeLike, for having me.

Fantastic breakfast and lovely company. Can a Tuesday start any better than that?

 Mini A Ture

As usual, Mini A Ture carries a superb range for spring and summer. The Danish brand know their colors for sure because the spectrum is perfect, not too bright but still playful and sunny, and I truely feel like summer is on its way when I look at their clothes. Breezy blouses and shirts and amazing summer jumpsuits. Corals, turquoises and lemon yellows in the kind of patterns that we know and love from this brand.

But my favorites from Mini A Ture have always been the outer wear. And their shell jackets are especially amazing. They come in so many styles and shades that it's impossible not to find one you like. If I have one wish for Fall-season, its that more Swedish retailers order the matching shell-pants.

The zig-zag pattern on the rain-jacket is pure love, as is the color match between turquoise and chocolate brown. Sadly, we already have rain gear for the spring, otherwise I'd get this set.

I fell in love with two of the shell jackets and I can't choose. We need a plain colored one (since I got him one with a killer whales print for preschool) and it's a tie between the Othmar in the color "Flint stone" or the Wagn in olive green. They are both just so pretty! I feel like the kid will like the green one better but I'm partial towards the pockets on the blue/grey one.

What do you guys think? Help me choose! Pleeaaase.

Othmar "Flint Stone" VS. Wagn "Olive green"

Hummel

Hummel's retro-style sneakers are right up my ally but I've never really looked closer at their clothing line. Bad choice on my account because there is a lot of great things there. I'm so much for sportswear on kids (unless they are practicing sports, of course) but their zip-up jackets are amazing. Just the right amount of sporty mixed with the retro-feel is a distinct red line in their entire range, as is the zig-zag details. The colors are mostly darker than the average sports-clothes brands but it works for them.

I've already stocked up with their white high-tops for the kid but seriously, check out these cute baby sneakers. Just imagine the possibilities for matching siblings...

HUTTEliHUT

This morning was the first time I ever came in touch with this brand. HUTTEliHUT, founded in 2003, is another amazing brand from Denmark and their knitted hats? Gorgeous! Earth-colors, soft yarn and such pretty styles.

Their stuff is handmade, knitted in Bolivia through a fairtrade production, and made out of alpaca wool.

One feature that I've actually asked for in the past is the detachable pom-pom and this brand has finally made it happen. Pom-poms in both real and faux fur, (fur, alpaca wool or viscose) attachable and detachable with a simple pushbutton. Genius!

The color-spectrum is off-white to dark grey, different shades of browns and purples and blues.


They've just launched their beanies for spring but I got stuck looking at this hat for a newborn below;

#thingswelike #kidsfashion #klädagentur #hummel #miniature #huttelihut #shoes #outerwear #kidsclothes #barnmode #barnkläder #skalkläder #frukostevent

Shoes, shoes shoes!

Do you know about Bundgaard? Have you seen their shoes or boots live? Tried them on your kids?

If not, then its time to rectify that immediately. Not only do the Danish brand make great shoes that look fantastic but they are functional as well. Win-win for all.

This morning I went to a Bundgaard/Plae event to get a feel of the upcoming collections from both brands (More pics below) and I was so pleasantly surprised by Bundgaards range. Their shoes come in so many different colors and and models, making it really hard to choose just one pair.

I had the opportunity to feel them and see them live. To check them out up close. Every shoe is more or less crafted into a work of art, I mean look at the colors and models in the pic to the right. The yellows, reds and oranges. Or the olive green pictured further below. Gah, I want them all!

There were summer sandals in so many beautiful colors. Along with boots for both spring, fall and winter. Tiny booties for babies in gorgeous dusty pink or sand, even rubber boots in all the colors in the rainbow and the amazing models in metallic colors like copper and silver.

 The event, hosted by Kidsagency, was great and I rubbed elbows with other Insta-mamas and bloggers that felt the same way I did. We were all amazed by the new collections from both Bundgaard and PLAE and I walked out of there with two pairs of spring-shoes for the kid. A pair of tan leather shoes from Bundgaard and the Camo hightop MAX from Plae.

And talking about Plae; their shoes were just as great as I had imagined, maybe even more so live. They really are the perfect shoes for active kids. Made for the playground and for exploring and I really cant wait to have Willem put them to the test.