When I was small, I remember being pretty happy to simply wear whatever my mum had put out for me in the morning. But my own little ones are much more fashion conscious. Even our toddler insists on picking his own shoes from the shop or he simply refuses to wear them when we get home. So, for all those parents with fussy fashionistas of their own, I decided to take a look at this season’s trends for them and for you:
The cosy knit
Kitsch knitwear is in vogue like never before this winter season. So, it means you don’t have to nag your little ones about wrapping up warm against the plummeting mercury levels. J Crew’s red llama jumper with its crystal embellishment is playful and tongue in cheek. For her, I love this fairisle sweater from Trotters, which goes with pretty much everything. It can even be worn into the spring, with a pair of denim shorts and flat ankle boots.
The fur coat
Cosy, cuddly and the next best thing to taking a blanket out with you this winter, faux fur coats have made another come back. They were last hugely popular in the 1990s when they were worn with a slightly grunge vibe. But, this time around, faux fur is much more grown-up and glamorous – although that’s not to say it can’t be for your little ones too.
I'm going to be treating myself to the faux fur version by Soft Grey, which will be the perfect warm cover-up for my LBD. But I can still wear it on casual days with boyfriend jeans and a pair of biker boots. While, for my little girl, this button up version will mean she’s the envy of her friends. She can wear to her school party or with jeans for the weekend.
The colour of the season
This winter, the must-have hue has been pink, particularly when it comes to outerwear. Oversized pink duster coats were seen all over the catwalks, which spawned high street versions, many of which sold out. But, next spring, one of the key shades is blue – and not just any blue, but a striking cobalt blue. This electric blue puffer coat from Timberland is perfect for little boys. While, for me, I've fallen for this Marc New York double-breasted number with its military detailing and button-down collar.
The print shirt
A crisp white shirt will always be a key wardrobe staple – perfect for tucking into a pencil skirt for work or for wearing with a pair of jeans for an easy off-duty style. But, this season, the print shirt has been hugely popular. Burberry’s heart print motif has been worn by Victoria Beckham, Harry Styles and Paula Patton. But I love this floral print shirt from Paul Smith, which takes a key look for winter – dark-hued blooms – and puts it together with a classic shirt shape. For little ones, Liberty London’s butterfly print shirt will go with leggings and mary janes.
Word up
Logo print pieces have been huge looks on the spring/summer 2014 runways, with designers including Alexander Wang, Dior, Kenzo and Christopher Kane sending their models down the catwalks adorned with logos and slogans of all descriptions. Independent boutique Cute Graffiti has a sweet range of slogan tee’s including this one which has a funny take on the well-known phrase Respect Your Elders. Zoe Karssen for Boutique 1 has a range of adults printed tee’s which doesn't take itself seriously. This Créme de la crème shirt is my favourite.
While once there were clear distinctions between what mother and child wore, now the lines are blurred. I'm just waiting until my daughter grows a little more, then I’ll be stealing the items from her wardrobe instead of the other way round.
Katie is a Yorkshire based blogger who writes mostly about her adventures in food, fashion and on foreign shores. You can find her on twitter.