Below are some of our favorite swimwear finds for the season.

Boys Rashguard from Lands End ($25.00) - Board shorts from 77 Kids ($13.65)   

Girls two piece from Garnet Hill ($68) - Sunhat from Gymboree ($7.49)

What are your swim favorites for summer 2012?

Whether you choose to spend your time today at home with your feet up, running errands for the week ahead or are out doing whatever your heart desires, we hope your day is full of happiness! 

Happy Mother’s day to those women who have the honor to be called, Mom!  

Gap, Inc. announced today that they will be opening its first Piperlime retail store this fall.  The 4,000 square foot store store will be located on Wooster Street in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City.  The store has been in the works since their trial pop-up shop was opened for 30 days in 2010.

“Our customers have been asking for a place where they can experience Piperlime in person, and New York is the perfect location for this,” said Jennifer Gosselin, senior vice president and general manager of Piperlime in a press release. “Since introducing Piperlime in 2006, we’ve built a loyal following of fashion-involved women looking for a mix of the best styles from the brands they love and the new ones they discover.  Our SoHo location will offer an edited assortment, giving customers the right amount of everything in a refreshing setting,” she said.

The San Francisco-based company, which launched in 2006, started primarily as a shoe retailer and now sells apparel and accessories for men, women and kids.  While the new store will be mostly focused on women’s styles, we’re hoping they will offer up a few options for kids as well.

Shade, created by an active mom of 3, is designed for women who believe in fashion with function in easily accessible styles that are made to fit busy lifestyles.   Everything is made to be versatile, functional and offered at an incredible value.   While the brand offers simple patterns and basics for mom’s and mom’s-to-be.  We’re hoping this is just a spring board into what is to come in the future.

Unlike Gymboree, you won’t find funky patterns or matching mom and me styles but you will find deals on tanks and tees when you buy multiples and free shipping and returns.

We love that the brand is keeping with its Gymboree roots and continues to support the development of happy, healthy kids.  The company prohibits child labor or forced labor by regular audits to their factories as well as prohibits the use of cotton sourced from Uzbekistan and textiles produced using Uzbekistan cotton because of Uzbekistan’s history of forced child labor.

With the great success of Gymboree, Janie and Jack and Crazy 8 stores under their belt, we’ll be rooting for the same success with Shade.  Now if they just start offering Shade Bucks, we’re all in! 

What do you think of Shade Clothing?  Leave us a comment below with your thoughts.

The Swedish company whose namesake translates to “Buddy and the Little Guy” has been featured by Martha Stewart, Instyle, Real Simple, Parenting and Parents and is quickly staking their claim in the children’s retail market.

Not only is PO.P becoming well known in the fashion world, the brand has become a favorite in kids closets nationwide.  From classic stripes to rain gear to nursing and maternity for mom, PO.P.’s commitment to consistently delivering quality garments has generated quite a following since laying down roots in the states.

We personally love their philosophy when it comes to buying right…

“We don’t want to feed the throw-away culture with a $5 shirt. You can purchase a jacket, fleece or even T-shirts that will last for years and enable parents to pass it down from child to child. Then when you’re done, you can sell it for a decent price.”                    -Polarn O. Pyret’s U.S. CEO, Jennifer Athanason.

Buy the right clothing, care for it properly and resell your gently used PO.P. clothing on LoobaLee.com.  Delivering classic, quality, fuss free children’s clothing that will withstand wash and wear for several years is what keeps parents coming back each season.

Happy Birthday PO.P. — We’re so glad you’re here to stay!

Shop for Polarn O. Pyret on Loobalee.com

Support earth friendly products and initiatives by using reusable shopping bags whenever possible.  We came across some stylish shopping, beach and travel bags made by Envirosax that will tickle your fancy.

Envirosax bags are compact so they are not a bulky nuisance (pictured right) and have several style options to choose from.  They offer a sling style, mini bags and a series of totes just for kids that are the perfect alternative to paper and plastic disposable bags.

Choose from an array of patterns such as solids and florals to whimsical designs like robot and pirate prints to bags donned with Sesame Street characters (pictured left with Naomi Watts).  You’ll quickly find many favorites so choosing more than one makes sense.  The price points are on target too.  The totes range from $5.95 to $15.95 and hold up up to 44 pounds.  The company tests all bags for durability and safety and they are all water-resistant and completely washable so they can be used over and over.

• Don’t just take our word for it.  These bags have been spotted with Hollywood elite like Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker, Naomi Watts, Justin Timberlake and even the first daughter, Malia Obama has been  seen carrying these eco friendly bags.
• )
• We love the fun factor and functionality but most importantly that we can help teach kids a valuable lesson about our responsibility to the planet by being a living example.  Educating children about re-use is our greatest chance of preserving mother earth for generations to come.

What treasures will you carry in your Envirosax reusable bag?

The first step to cleaning shoes from leather to canvas sneakers is to start with a soft, clean brush and remove loose dirt.  Spot clean obvious stains by using mild soap and water or for leather, use a professional shoe cleaner.

To brighten up dingy sneakers, remove shoelaces and wash them separately in warm water using a mild soap and add a spoonful of oxiclean to take it up a notch.  Air dry the shoes rather than throw them in the dryer to avoid shrinkage.  If there are still stubborn stains remaining on white tennis shoes, try Westley’s Bleche-Wite whitewall/blackwall tire cleaner to spot clean and rinse with water.  You can also use traditional white toothpaste to spot clean.  If it’s good for your pearly whites, it’ll be fine for your sneaker.  Just a dab is necessary to gently rub on the spot and rinse with water. 

After the shoes are completely dry and stain free, apply a protective spray or leather conditioner. A water proofing spray can also be used to keep them looking sharp for future wear.  It’s also a good tip to spray brand new shoes with fabric protector.  This will keep you kids footwear looking sharp and offer a better return when it’s time to resell.

Just remember, the cleaner the shoes, the better they’ll sell!

Do you have any footwear cleaning tips to share?  Leave a comment below.

1. Tank from Gap Kids – $10.99 (on sale)

2. Shirt from Hanna Andersson – $25.00 (on sale – 50% OFF!)

3. Shorts from Loobalee – $7.50 (resale)

4. Boots available at Hanna Andersson – Original Hunter Boots $75.00 (new)

Instead of purchasing one of this season’s top trends, color-blocking, try putting together your own outfits.   Pull out the old, and mix it with a new solid tee or caplet, for example.   Mix pops of color together on top and bottom, then really rev up an outfit by layering solid, coordinating accessories and shoes!  Cute!

There are many ways we can make a difference for future generations and it doesn’t have to be limited to just one day!

As you enjoy your weekend, think of how your actions can be altered to reduce waste and help planet earth thrive.  It can be as simple as turning off the lights or as complex as starting a recycling program in your area.  Below are 10 simple things the whole family can do to make every day Earth Day!

1.  Walk instead of ride in a car

2.  Plant a tree

3.  Donate unused items

4.  Use reusable water bottles

5.  Use reusable tote bags when shopping

6.  Buy organic

7.  Recycle children’s clothing by buying and selling on resale

8.  Use organic materials for cleaning

9.  Turn off electronics when not in use

10.  Opt for paperless whenever possible.

Bonus #11>  Just a bonus: Spend time with your family!  There is no better gift to the earth than planting the seeds of knowlege in our young people to be eco-concious consumers for years to come.

This time, the styles are not simply limited to dark brown leather with classic white soles.  (Although you can’t go wrong with those.)   You’ll find two tone and rainbow colored canvas for boys and sweet pink and blue plaid, metallic and even patent leather for girls.

These are the on trend shoes for spring and summer.  They hide little toes and easily slip on and off for kids who are on the go.  And, unlike sandals, they protect kids feet when they’re riding bikes but aren’t as cumbersome as tennis shoes.

We love the classic tan moccasin slip on’s for girls.  These look adorable with rolled up jeans now and super cute with shorts in the summer.  Of course the boys styles look just as handsome and dressy enough for Sunday wear yet comfy and casual enough for playing.

The best part of the boat shoe trend is that the whole family can join the fun.  They are the “it” shoe all age groups so kids can share their parents style in a kid friendly way.

What do you think about the boat shoe trend?   Do you love it or would you rather throw it overboard?