Urban Sunday

Preview Alert! Special Occasion Wear is in store for HUDSON’S December issue!

Neckties are an essential piece of formal attire, as well as a statement-making casual accessory! Urban Sunday, a fresh face in the world of children’s clothing and accessories, launched a new line of these dashing accessories at the ENK Children’s Club earlier this month.

Made in the USA of 100% cotton with certain styles in organic fabrics, the stylish neck- and bowties attach with a soft Velcro neck strap, to wear loose or snug. From ginghams to skulls to houndstooth and more, neckties come in five sizes and bow ties in two, fitting ages infant to 12 years. The double-pointed bow tie adds a hipster flair, while the traditional bow tie completes a preppy look the right way.

HCRSourceBook also likes this accessory for girls: a simple blouse and skirt become haute couture by adding a classy solid or sassy patterned necktie!

A California native who earned her stripes as a patternmaker in the New York fashion district before returning to the west coast created the design vision behind Urban Sunday.

-Janet Muniz

Babies & Bundles

Babies & Bundles is a newly launched e-store featuring gift-ready, handpicked bundles of must-have baby products. Each gender-neutral bundle is based on a special theme, including new baby, organic, bath time, food, and toys, and is carefully edited to feature only useful, quality and baby-approved items ranging from cuddly blankets to bottle brushes.

Courtney Johnson

“I was frustrated and overwhelmed searching for the right products for my daughter,” Los Angeles mom and creator Courtney Johnson tells HCRSourceBook. “I was working full-time during the day, and then spending several hours each night doing research. It was so overwhelming.”

Wanting to provide parents with the best of the best in baby products and take out the guesswork, Courtney handpicks each bundle item, featuring kid-tested, mom-approved products such as Munchkin bath toys, Baby Silk skincare products, BornFree sippy cups, Oballs and more. Items are beautifully bundled together for a gift-ready presentation.

Perfect for baby showers, holidays, group gifts and more, Babies & Bundles is able to customize bundles as well. Customers may request gender-specific items in their bundles or order unique bundles based on budget and special theme. Hand-delivery in the Los Angeles, CA area is also available for last-minute showers and corporate gift-giving.

-Janet Muniz

Dollie & Me

After a successful soft launch in 2009, Dollie & Me hits close to 2,500 department stores nationwide this fall and holiday season, expanding the product line by 200% and laying the groundwork for a projected 400% increase in sales this year.

The new lifestyle brand featuring girls’ fashions matched with dolls offers parents a more financially practical and stylish alternative to over-priced dolls and young girls apparel. Named a 2010 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner, the 18-inch dolls and the matching fashion and accessories for the girl and her doll are designed by longtime girls clothing designers at Kahn Lucas.

“What Dollie & Me is doing is invaluable,” NYU Child Study Center‘s clinical director Susan Schwartz, M.A., Ed. tells HCRSourceBook. “Providing girls with a way to express their individuality is both validating and liberating and those are key components to developing a healthy and confident sense of self.”

The Apparel. The fall & holiday 2010 collection includes dresses, sportswear, sleepwear, outerwear, dress-up costumes, handbags, hair accessories and jewelry in girls sizes 2T-14X – and for the dollies.

The Dolls. Partner Alexander Doll Company, Inc., designer and manufacturer of Madame Alexander dolls, produces the 18-inch dolls of exceptional quality, style and value. Dollie & Me’s Rachel, Ava and Gabriella have many realistic features, including sleep eyes, jointed bodies with soft torsos and high-quality hair for styling.

Now Available. Dillard’s has committed to over 170 store-within-a-store concepts. Find Dollie & Me in over 1,200 Kohl’s and 1,000 Sears stores as well as Sears Canada. Sears is also hosting over 100 in-store children’s charity events with Dollie & Me and K.I.D.S. on December 4. Also available on Amazon.com.

-Janet Muniz

Nomie Baby’s new product

Nomie Baby is a collection of problem-solving products for parents developed by Manhattan mompreneur Katie Danziger. After a messy spill on her youngest daughter’s “do not machine wash” car seat cover, Katie realized there is a need for machine washable, waterproof covers that are reasonably priced, so she launched Nomie Baby in 2008. The company now sells machine washable car seat covers, stroller blankets and their latest product.

Strittens are special stroller handle mittens designed to attach to any stroller type. The one size fits all strittens feature a wind-resistant outer layer, a warm fleece lining, are machine washable and dryer friendly.

Strittens

“I am always either forgetting my mittens, or they are in a different coat’s pocket,” Katie tells HCRSourceBook. “I wanted something that was always there to keep my hands cozy and warm, and easy to slip my hand in and out of to make a call or do something with my child.”

Stroller Blanket

In addition, Nomie Baby car seat covers have Velcro openings, super soft fabric, absorbent padding, and the elastic edges fit most car seat brands. Stroller blankets have a wind-resistant outer layer with cozy fleece lining and zip around the child.

With all Nomie Baby products retailing for under $50 and designed to make life easier, they make a thoughtful gift for the holidays. Available for online purchase online and select boutiques nationwide, including Albee’s and Citibabes in New York, NY.

Inspired by Katie’s youngest child’s extended stay in the NICU, short for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Nomie Baby donates 10% of profits to help premature babies in NICU.

-Janet Muniz

Baby Rock Apparel

Tampa, FL-based Baby Rock Apparel, Inc. introduces a new fall collection of trendy kids t-shirts. The company adds to the line of baby clothes and gifts about twice a year and the new styles feature several music-inspired designs made from a soft tri-blend fabric as well as classic 100% cotton.

Baby Rock is also inspired by classic Hollywood with the first “Marilyn – Star” design featuring a Marilyn Monroe image on vintage white burnout 100% cotton; another is “Lessons for Life,” featuring a fist surrounded by motivating words that kids can live by, like courage, strength, power, discipline, respect and perseverance – made from 100% cotton.

“We launched these new designs on our website and within a few days we were already sold-out of most of the t-shirts,” president Kim Strayer tells HCRSourceBook, “so we’re quite pleased with the initial response from our awesome customer base.”

The new designs join Baby Rock Apparel’s best-selling trademarked collection found in over 200 stores and boutiques in the U.S., Canada and Europe and by visiting the company’s website and TrendyRemedy.com. Wholesale inquiries are welcome. Contact info@babyrockapparel.com or 813.282.3987.

-Janet Muniz

What’s a SwitchittZ?

SwitchittZ are specially made, interchangeable, embellished attachable characters and other graphic elements that kids can place right into the design of the shirt to create customized looks.

Not-quite-one-year-old Thread Adventures™ is a New York-based company dedicated to creating products that encourage creativity in the young and young at heart. This fall, Thread Adventures introduces a new interactive clothing experience with SwitchittZ tees, which give kids the power to not only choose a favorite look, but switch it up in different ways.

“It’s fun to see what kids come up with when they wear their SwitchittZ,” co-creators Angela Cosentino and Mary Wassner tell HCRSourceBook. They developed the patent pending product along with their husbands and lots of input from their young children. “To us, SwitchittZ are about endless possibilities – each one unique and each one more fun than the next.”

According to them, the SwitchittZ experience combines a cool activity with the state-of-the-art style of different themes featuring fun, colorful and super-cool graphics that serve as a backdrop for kids to make their own scene. “SwitchittZ” are specially made, interchangeable, embellished attachable characters and other graphic elements that kids can place right into the design of the shirt to create customized looks. They can collect and trade SwitchittZ and wear their favorites whenever and however they choose.

Pre-washed, pre-shrunk and made from 100% cotton, each shirt comes with four interchangeable SwitchittZ, which are also sold separately. The SwitchittZ adhere easily to the shirt’s themed design with a uniquely soft, durable hook and loop fastening system.

Designed for children ages two and older, all SwitchittZ tees come in short and long sleeve styles and are available in stores starting in October/November. Thread Adventures believes that safety comes first and has implemented a fulsome testing program as required by law, including CPSC requirements.

-Janet Muniz

New Tween Line

Vancouver, WA-based Hula Mula – sister company to the popular boys collection Knuckleheads – débuts a tween line.

“We have two tweens in our home and it was because of their persistence and creative style that we added the new sizes,” co-owner and designer Melissa Nash tells HCRSourceBook.

Both of the Nash daughters were involved in the new Spring 2011 line which includes some vintage inspired pieces and comfy knits.

-Janet Muniz

Cute Shoes!

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Cute kids shoe company Livie & Luca débuts the newest addition for fall: the Just Born collection of shoes for sizes 0-6 to 18-24 months.

Featuring soft leather uppers with a recycled rubber and suede hybrid sole, these baby shoes are ideal for indoor and outdoor adventures. Find the company’s popular classic styles in these soft flexible shoes, including the London, Holland and Woodland.

Livie & Luca is also debuting their fall/winter collection for children in sizes 4 to 13, featuring the new cadet boots and ruche Mary Janes. Each style features Livie & Luca’s trademark attention to darling details, including animated elephants, rainbow buttons, blossoming flowers and chirping birds.

Livie & Luca was created in 2005 by three moms seeking modern and funky shoes that were also lightweight and flexible for active children. Dedicated to giving back, the company has partnered with Art for Humanity to donate gently-worn shoes to children in Honduras. As they have since the beginning, Livie & Luca donates 10 percent of their online sales to rotating charities.

-Janet Muniz

I Rescue Rover

I Rescue Rover Apparel is a collection of t-shirts for kids and toddlers made from organic cotton bamboo and other eco-friendly fabrics. Artist Paula Bonham features her original, animal-themed work, inspired by the many dogs she has rescued and enjoyed in her life, and also by the passion people have for their own dogs – and cats, birds, fish, horses, goats and more – (I’m a huge fan of goats!)

Other styles feature artwork from Julie Rozelle Contreras of Urban Bird Design. Artists are encouraged to submit artwork for consideration, too. Textiles include organic cotton bamboo and other eco-friendly fabrics, and I Rescue Rover exclusively partners with companies that adhere to ethical manufacturing practices.

“Be Good, Do Good, Buy Good, Feel Good” is the company’s mantra, and sales benefit animal welfare organizations such as the ASPCA, The Humane Society, Red Cross Emergency Rescue Efforts, Animal Acres, Petfinder and BestFriends.org.

Hip graphic clothes that simultaneously generate support for needy animals. Who wouldn’t like that?

-Janet Muniz

Lollybean Kid Couture

“Lollybean” is Emily’s nickname, and Emily is the daughter and inspiration of Amy McConnell, designer of Lollybean Kid Couture. “Emily was born premature, with a severe condition called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia,” Amy tells HCRSourceBook. “Finding appropriate clothing for her was difficult as she was very small and had feeding tubes.”

Amy started her own clothing line when her son Matthew was born – one simple white layette gown with the words “God’s Gift” written on the front. Now the Solvang, CA-based company makes a year-round collection available for boys and girls in sizes newborn to 24 months that combines the playful words of childhood with classic images that bring to mind the wonderful memories of that time.

Made of 100% cotton, find long and short sleeve shirts paired with yoga-style pants and shorts – gift-ready sets with mini clothespin fasteners. A boxed layette hat and gown are finished with a tied grosgrain ribbon and hang tag.

Amy has a background in interior design and mural art, and extends her love of color into her collection. Rich hues of charcoal, black, deep olive and chocolate join traditional pinks and blues.

Lollybean Kid Couture is represented by Sylvia Gill in the Northwest (888) 304-8271; Barbara Towery in the Southwest (800) 783-9327; Kathy Fedoryshyn in the Midwest (262) 781-8685 and Rudy Fleischmann in the Mid-Atlantic (800) 869-2229.

“Our goal is to create comfort for the child while at the same time bring fun and laughter to the grownups who know and love them.”

-Janet Muniz