a little more salt water love

I own a pair of salt water sandals, actually I own two pairs one in red and one in brown. They are seriously comfortable, and I wear them all the time. I think my oldest daughter may be a bit annoyed that they look like kid's shoes (which they are), but for me comfort trumps everything! 

I was shooting a job for Billabong kids line, and I had on my red sandals, my little model had the exact same shoes on! We were twinsies, but she was so much cuter in her sandals!

vivi taking a break from shooting in her salt water sandals, www.mysaltwatersandals.com

Even big girls can rock some little girl wear!

lily in vintage romper and new sandals

Sx2....or sandals and socks

•• these are not my images

I love quirky, and I just put together a guest blog post for ThredUp, which will be out next week. But, the post got me thinking about spring. I love when people buck tradition, or uphold old tradition. Way back when, kids would wear sandals and socks. I know it looks questionable on grown ups, except on JCrew models! 

I stumbled across this image, and it made me think of Salt Water Sandals and some bright little socks. 

a little anklet sandal combo

a little salt water love

Salt Water Sandals are a BARGAIN, considering they can survive through one child after the next, can get wet, and still look great, come in a Skittles packet of colors, and come in adult sizes! But more to follow on that theme. 

Then think about socks! Well I love a site called We Love Colors. They also have just about every color one could imagine for tights, socks, you name it, and they are all so reasonable priced!

a little fuschia love for $31.95 at www.mysaltwatersandals.com

bright anklet socks $3 at www.welovecolors.com

fancy feet....a little DIY

Easiest DIY ever! My girls wanted tennis shoes that looked like brogues and saddle shoes. So, off we went to Payless for some plain white tennis, super simple. Stop number two, was the fabric/ craft store for 3 fabric markers; light grey, medium grey, and black. Use a pencil to sketch out the design, and voila some nifty, thrifty shoes!

load up a pair of brogues from the internet, to help you with your design.

super cute and super thrifty!!!

thrifting....101

Thrift shopping is the basis for my styling with kids. Most kids items in thrift stores max out at $2.98, and half of the time, it’s buy one, get one free. So, buying second hand is economical, and I think, really fun! Some people think, that the only people who shop in the Salvation Army, have to shop there. But, I can assure you that there are stylists, prop stylists, vintage resale shops, and total fashionistas there as well. It's like digging for buried treasure!

Second hand stores can have enormously long rows of racks, and it can get a dizzying. I’ve found that the "good" items, really do stand out from the crowd. High quality fabrics tend to draw my eye, as do more neutral colors. My girls handed down all the trendy, sparkly, very pink items, and that’s the majority of what I see in the second hand shops. But, high quality sweaters, cashmere, wool, and cotton seem to be begging to go home with someone. Also, grey’s, blacks, and pale beautiful pastels almost have arrows pointing down from the ceiling at them. Many times, I see a great pale pink shirt, and pick it up to find a very expensive European label. I’ve also found plain, never worn, basic Petite Bateau shirts in grey, navy, and white on the racks. Not to mention, occasionally, I score a one of a kind, hand sewn by some incredible seamstress article, and inside my head all I hear is "OMG did I really just find that here"!

zoe showing off her skills in a thrifted tunic and shorts from salvation army , and huarache sandals from olvera st. in downtown los angeles. the hula hoop and white duct tape cost more than the enitre outfit.

ahhh blundstones....how do I love thee, let me count the ways

1- you're so easy going....you go with everything in a girl's wardrobe
2- you're so much fun....we can run and play all day long
3- you're simple....but in the best kind of way, because you just slip on
4- you're so good looking and rugged....such a timeless classic
5- you never seem to age....see photo #2 below
5- you have the cutest australian accent!

kyla looking adorable in a vintage neige dress and shorts www.neigeclothing.com, black knee socks and blunnies, www.blundstoneusa.com. 

Ok, now guess how old these are, come on, just try! Oh, ok, I'll go ahead and tell you. They're 11 years old, they were purchased for $90, which may seem a little pricey. Until, you figure that they were worn by one child through 1.5 years in Canada with sleet, snow and rain, then passed down to the next child for 1.5 years, then used on numerous photo shoots for the past 6 years or so. So, factoring the $90 purchase price over the past 11 years, that's roughly $8 a year. Total bargain!

footwear....101 (or as I like to call it, tennis shoes and tights)

Shoes and accessories can become vital make it or break it items for any outfit. Besides the obvious sparkly shoes that can be had on a dime, there is a world of great shoes waiting to be found in some unexpected places. Black jazz shoes, and dance teachers shoes have international appeal, in that the shoes are basic utilitarian, and very much of the moment. Also, boys shoes look great on girls and basic black oxfords, saddle shoes, plain Keds, Converse, and Toms shoes are trusty go-tos for a well styled outfit.

I’ve found that boys special occasion shoes can be found for a few dollars at second hand shops, with barely any signs of being worn. Because, whoever was the original owner was forced to wear them for their auntie's or uncle's wedding, and that was it! Also, Blundstone boots and black rain boots from KMART and Walmart can be handed down from child to child and can be worn in the most inclement weather, and still look great with any outfit. My daughters wore Blundstones everyday for years, in Toronto.

Tights are the workhorse of leg wear. Black cotton tights can work in most climates, and a finishing touch to any outfit. Tights can be worn with any shoe, look fabulous, and cover panties on the monkey bars and during cartwheels. Knee socks are a great find as well. Knee socks and tights will never go out of style!

seriously, how cute are these boys shoes from www.payless.com, on this little bunny! the outfit was from www.modernchild.net, bunny ears were from the drugstore. love it!