KidStyleFile

Written by Anna

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So my children completely missed the memo on the change of daylight savings hours in our state over the weekend. While my kids used their extra hours for creating dance routines and eating, I was left with a need for some magical eye makeup, coffee and retail therapy! Coffee in hand, I spent my ‘extra’ time browsing through the pages of Charlie’s Bucket – www.charliesbucket.com.au – and was so pleased I did. I came away with a smile on my face and I’d love to share with you my brilliant discoveries from this hip boutique.

Charlie’s Bucket is in the midst of a lovely sale with fashion for babies, boys and girls from a seriously cool selection of designers. We’re talking up to 62% off brands such as:Ada Ada, Bobo Choses, Chalk n Cheese, Heavenly Creatures, Little Horn, Minti, Munster, Ola & Olek, Paperwings and Sudo. For babies my top pick is the Ada Ada Loam Balloon Overall. In a really functional design which is a must for babies, it’s the beautiful print that wins me over on this overall every time. For girls my top pick is the Littlehorn Eskimo Pie Skirt because my daughter is in the midst of a ‘must wear a skirt frenzy’, and this one will look super cute with a pair of leggings under it for the cooler winter months. I also recommend the dresses by Ola & Olek for a really interesting choice. My boyish boys have taken a particular liking to Munster tees, and so with this brand having serious cool factor in our house I’m recommending the Munster Super Tee as my top sale pick for boys

There is also lots of new season fashion in store at Charlie’s Bucket. I am loving the winter range from Littlehorn this year, and am really hoping there will be lots of pink Littlehorn bunnies around for Easter this year. The tracksuits are just adorable! I’ve included these and a couple of other winter favourites in the image collage below, but if you want to see for yourself all the other gorgeous new stock, just skip straight to the page titled New.

KidStyleFile readers are being treated to the extra special treat of 10% *storewide* – including everything in the sale section and new items too. To redeem simply enter the code KSF+10 at checkout by midnight 5 April 2012. For insider news from Charlie’s Buckets, sign up to their mailing list and like their Facebook Page.

Discounted prices below are only applicable until 5 April 2012 with code KSF+10, while stocks last.

1. Sudo Untouchable Cardigan $69.00 $35.50 less 10% = $31.95
2. Munster Big Chief Short $69.95 $30.00 less 10% = $27.00
3. Littlehorn Apple Slushy Tank $45.00 $22.50 less 10% =  $20.25
4. Littlehorn Eskimo Pie Skirt $55.00 $27.50 less 10% = $24.75
5. Ola & Olek White Polka Dress Dress $105.00 $52.95 less 10% = $47.65
6. Munster Super Tee – size 12 $45.00 $20.00 less 10% = $18.00
   
7. Ada Ada Loam Balloon Overall $70.00 $35.00 less 10% = $31.50
8. Ada Ada Scaria Wings $69.00 $41.40 less 10% = $37.26
   
9. Acorn Bear Beanie $39.95 less 10% =  $35.95
10. Littlehorn Bunny Love Crew $39.95 less 10% = $35.95
11. Littlehorn Baby Trackpants – Pink $29.95 less 10% = $26.95
12. Munster Ear to Ear Tee $45.00 less 10% = $40.50
    
13. Missie Munster Heavenly Dress $65.00 less 10% = $58.50

Charlie’s Bucket stock from the following brands: Acorn, Ada Ada, Baby Bloch, Bajo, Beatrix New York, Beep Beep Slings, Bobo Choses, Cat Rabbit, Chalk n Cheese, Coco and Ginger, Converse, Cried Wolf, Design For Use, DINGaRINGS, Emu, ErgoPouch, Fabrik, Fabrikators, French Bazaar, Freshbaked, Gaia Organic Cotton, Heavenly Creatures, Heico, Humble Bumble, Itch Design, Jetti Spaghetti, Jole Home, Kideko, Little Lamb, Little Leona, Little Oinkers, Little Scruffs, Little Wings, Littlehorn, Maiike, Milk Baby, Milkdot, Mine by Kayla, Mini and Maximus, Mini Munster, Minti, Miny Mo, Missie Munster, Munster, Nature Baby, Olive’s Friend Pop, Ouch, Outliving, Paper Wings, Peggy, Polka, Rittenhouse, Rock Your Baby, Saltwater Sandals, See Kai Run, Shinzi Katoh, Sirch, Sudo, The Red Thread, Third Drawer Down, Tiny Mammoth, Ubabub, Vulli, Walnut and Yellow Owl Workshop.

Charlie’s Bucket deliver Australia wide using Express Post for the low fee of $7.50. All Australian orders over $150 are shipped FREE. International orders are shipped via Australia Post Air Mail for $20.00. For shipping terms and conditions please see here.

Written by Anna , photographs by Edwina

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Life is pretty amazing when you think about it, and as we stepped inside the stunning Royal Exhibition Building on Thursday 4 August 2011, we were carried away with the magic of what lay before us.

The Life InStyle trade-only  event that incorporated Kids InStyle showcasing 90 baby and kids brands, and over 190 lifestyle and home-wares brands, certainly delivered on its promise to “bring style to life”.

In the world of design for children, the people behind what we see are just such an amazing, creative, passionate group of people. Seeing their enthusiasm for what they create, listening to their stories and admiring their wares was such an honour and a pleasure. Edwina and I attended the show, and we have put together our top 20 picks from this edition of Kids InStyle for you.

For your viewing pleasure, please click on each numbered image to view larger versions. Use your browser’s ‘Back’ button to get back to this page.

1. Green Hat Workshop Edwina and I were both very taken with this clever new innovation. PLANKS are the hottest new thing in building blocks and it’s easy to see why. These simple unassuming blocks, together with some imagination and gravity, can be made into some breathtaking creations. I am very eager to get some into the hands of the three boys (daddy included) at my house!

2. Bed Toppings It was an absolute delight to meet illustrator and creator of Bed Toppings, Sophie Farquhar, who was just launching at Kids InStyle. These amazingly detailed and quirky bed linen sets are a brand new concept when it comes to bedding for kids.  Bed Toppings turn kids’ beds into giant objects, and I think Sophie is on to a winning idea. Each set includes a doona cover, flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillowcase, all made with soft 100% cotton with 200 thread count. Major fun factor.

3. Ola & Olek Sophisticated and different are the words I would use to describe the very lovely range of clothing and cushions by Ola & Olek.  These garments are manufactured to a exceptionally high standard of quality, yet retain the certain funkiness you would find in a hand made label.

4. Nordichouse Living presented their wares in the Life InStyle section of the building and coming upon their stand was a pure delight. I think I found my daughter not one, but two Christmas presents that she will just adore. Nordichouse Living offers designer toys and accessories from Maileg of Denmark with exceptional attention to detail.

5. Miniseri Bags One trend we certainly noticed was in kids bags – just so many gorgeous new bags on the scene at KIS. And If bags were on trend then gosh, could you be any more on trend than this stylish French brand just arrived in Australia and premiering at Kids InStyle? LOVE at first sight for me. Inspired by the world of the 50′s and 60′s Miniseri revamp the old fashioned satchel fashioned ‘tuck’ clasps. In a range of styles, colours and materials, I want one for every member of the family!

6. Hugg-a-planet distributed by agent88. In a beautiful room it is sometimes hard to know where to let your eyes fall, but when a display is as striking as a mountain of Hugg-a-planets is, it’s hard not to notice it. Hugg-a-planet are the delightful range of soft earth, moon and mars educational toys. I could think of no better introduction to geography than these bright and totally squeezy toys – I want one.

7. Sleepi Spaces When you see a stand full of these lovely Moses baskets, you can easily see that this brand comes trues on it promise of ‘big style for precious little ones’. They are simply stunning. I would love to have a newborn again just so I could swaddle it and lay it in one of this baskets. In particular, the brand new chocolate wicker baskets are totally lush.

8. Smellies Clothing Pty Ltd It was Leah here at KidStyleFile who was the most excited to see this new company at Kids InStyle. But let me tell you, Edwina and I both let out our inner 80′s child out as we scratched, sniffed and hyper-coloured our way to some great nostalgic giggles. Totally safe, wearable fun for kids, these tees are just that – so much FUN!

9. Fabulous Goose presented by Best Nest. This Scandinavian company make  woven and knitted 100% cotton baby blankets and cushions, together with the Hookie Children’s Hanger. Produced in Sweden from environmentally friendly plastic and reminiscent of the 50’s. Hookies come in a range of twelve vibrant colours to pick and choose and come in packs of 3.  Baby size (0-1) Childrens sizes (1-6)…LOVE!

10. Madpax distributed by Plush Toys New Zealand.  We’re on our bag theme again: one bag that caught our eye from a distance with its totally mad style is Madpax. These exceptional new bags have the ‘very cool’ factor going on. Made with both boys and girls in mind, I think they are just the bag that your little man in particular will lay his eyes on and be completely besotted by. They come in a range of sizes and colours and are bound to be a hit at preschool and kinder.

11. Kidsagogo From Bali and known internationally, Kidsagogo is a really fresh fashion label for babies and children 0-8 years. Made from 100% natural cottons and voiles the range is HUGE and many of the styles have bold hand embroidery and stitching. With beautiful colours, it’s just a perfectly put together collection.

12. Dandelion Kids Importer of award winning and stunningly beautiful German toys, Dandelion Kids were at KIS again showing of their wares, and we just wanted to stop and play forever! If you are looking for trademark German craftsmanship then look no more. Nic wooden toys were a particular standout for me again. These toys are just so smooth and pleasing to the eye.

13. Oobi Certainly a house-hold name around here at KidStyleFile, it is always a pleasure to get up close and personal with the team from Oobi. If you think one Oobi garment is a delight to behold you would be right, but imagine a whole stand full of Obbi goodness – it certainly packs a punch! It was great to see what is on the horizon for upcoming seasons. All you die hard Oobi fans will not be disappointed. It is totally Oobilicious! Check out the pic for a little sneak peak.

14. No Added Sugar presented by Kids Revolution A great slogan tee for kids can be a tricky balance to tread, but I think you will love what is on offer from No Added Sugar – what a cool name! No Added Sugar consists of street cool shirts, dresses, hats, t-shirts, playsuits, skirts, knitwear, trousers, jeans, blankets and gift sets for ages 0-12 years.

15. Little Mouse Brown Just prior to Kids InStyle Leah bought us coverage of Little Mouse Brown’s SS11 collection, so it was a real treat to meet Renee Lee, designer of this beautiful tween label. The display was as beautiful as the clothes it had to showcase, with lovely fabrics and easy to wear lines that look as though they will be a perfect match for the age group they have been designed for.

16. Quince Clothing You would well remember Jodie of Aunty Ollie who has been a top pick from past coverage of KIS events. Well she was back being her wonderful self, ready to show off not one, but two babies: photos of her newest daughter (which we got all clucky over) and her brand new baby Quince Clothing. Yes Aunty Ollie is being relaunched as Quince soon, with the same striking prints and lovely smooth lines, but a fresh approach. We are convinced the KSF love affair has been sealed.

17. Olive & Moss presented by sharra grow. This gorgeous new brand from the UK have a set of adorable characters featured on bibs, cards, grow suits and other baby essentials. We loved them from a distance and even more up close. Each character totally wins you over, and the high quality means this range will be perfect for gift giving.

18. Pear & Bear  I was really looking forward to seeing this label in real life and I was certainly not disappointed. Designed and hand made in Melbourne Australia, the clothing offered by this label is just stunning in its originality and outstanding quality. Sized from 00-8 for boys and girls, I loved in particular that every item has been designed to mix and match. Impressive.

19. Lucky Boy Sunday presented by Best Nest. Made from 100% Baby Alpaca, Lucky Boy Sunday is a brand of modern luxury knitted art toys and soft furnishings for the home.  Unique, chic and cute, these toys are befitting of a front cover shoot of international fashion magazine yet completely at home in the arms of your child.

20. Love, Luck & Wonder used Kids Instyle to burst onto the baby scene, and are bound to become something of feature in the quest for the perfect newborn gift. Their gorgeous animal printed little shoes look so tiny and sooo cute. They also have fab pram covers with matching pegs. All Love, Luck & Wonder’s gifts come beautifully packed ready to give.

Post written by Leah

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KidStyleFile is proud to be the official sponsor of Kids Instyle, part of the hotly anticipated 2011 Life Instyle trade event in Melbourne – now only 1 week away!  Besides being delighted to bring this fantastic ‘trade only’ event to you, we get the perk of previewing who is going to be there.  Because we love to share, we’re letting you in on some sneaky previews. For Anna’s sneak peak from last week see here or for Miki’s sneak peak from the week before see here.

Today’s sneak peek is a lovely selection of some of my favorite picks which I also cannot wait to find on the shelves of some of my favorite online stores

ONE:  Smellies Clothing Some of my favourite memories of the late 80s were scratch and sniff stickers. I was so excited to come across Smellies Clothing who have incorporated this cool idea into their clothing (and even hyper colour).

TWO: Rhubarb I love the primary based colour palette of the range. Durable, hardwearing and stylish.

THREE: Ola and Olek My mum has flaming red hair, so this label feels like home and has a certain cheekiness to each design. Fresh, unique and now based in Australia. MUST SEE their upcoming range.

FOUR: Little Chillies When an upcoming event is on the cards I look to Little Chillies for exquisite detailing, high quality fabrics and vintage styling. Bonus: it’s all Australian made.

FIVE: Rock Your Baby One of the most affordable, stylish and rocking ranges on the market. Any item from the range will give your little one instant street cred.

SIX.  Knuffle Kid  Melbourne based and made, this label is certain to pull out all the punches when exhibiting in their home town. Quirky, yet refined….keep your eye out for glimpses of their winter 2012 collection to be revealed.

SEVEN: Bluebelle Super soft underwear with layers and layers of ruffles. Luxury for your kidlets from the bottom up!

EIGHT: Princess Ratbag One of the most popular of all pettiskirt labels. Whimsical and chic but with just the right pinch of ‘ratbag’; I cannot wait to reveal what they have in store for us.

NINE: OLD SOLES  After footwear that fits growing feet and looks ultra chic? Turn to Old Soles, an Australian label who knows just what you need. What steps have they made since we last covered them at KIS?

TEN: Britt Design Another Australian label that has kept much of its production right here rather than offshore. They have branched out from cute and snuggly wooly garments for kids to include jewellery and accessories and I can’t wait to see their latest offerings (I used to peruse their wares when they were a market store here in Bondi!).

The Kids Instyle essential details for your calendar are:
Where: Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
Dates: Thursday 4th to 7th August 2011
Hours: Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday/Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 9am-5pm
To register: Click here