Spring
Showers
Selecting
shower gifts is easier now than it was ten years ago when
my friends were having babies. While there were plenty of
gift items to choose from when I was shopping, the
variety of styles was minute compared to what's available
today. Since that time the infant gift market has taken
off, racking up sales in the billions.
Part of the giftware surge can be
attributed to moms who were frustrated with the lack of
wide bibs, funky T-shirts, or hip diaper bags when their
children were small, then started businesses to fill the
void. I meet these entrepreneurs at the New York apparel
and gift trade shows. Some chose to keep their ventures
small and manageable, others have created big businesses
with sales representatives all over the country. And big
name designers such as Kenzo have added children's wear
divisions with an emphasis on infant sizes too. The
result is the kind of mind-boggling assortment of baby
goods that I found at the February New York International
Gift Fair in New York.
With so many shower gift options,
what do you select? Because I'm a fixture at the industry
trade shows - and manufacturers from all over the country
keep me up to date on their latest products - I'm in on
the hottest gift trends.
And what are those trends? There's
an overall movement toward modernism. Clean lined goods,
whether it's apparel or room décor, has edged out
fussier items. Even goods that reference a bygone era,
are less embellished than a few years back and their
graphics stay simple. And funky goods - T-shirts,
slippers etc. - are a little irreverent.
To make your gift giving easier,
I've culled the best gift baskets offered online. Order
one and you'll need nothing more than a bow and a card.
If you're a do-it-yourselfer, I've included gifts that
make an impact given solely - or as part of a fabulous
gift basket that you design yourself.
GIFT BASKETS. Before
reading becomes a dying art, get kids hooked on childhood
classics. Blueberry Babies' (blueberrybabies.com)
"First Library Collection" ($68) is an adorable hand
painted wooden box filled with favorites like "Runaway
Bunny" and "Goodnight Moon." Is there anything better
than the sound of pages turning?
Open the vintage-style red suitcase
from the people at Jen Klair Kids
(jenklair.com)
and you'll find a blue striped photo album, Burt's Bees
buttermilk lotion, Burt's Bee's diaper powder, and two
cotton bibs, one printed with airplanes, the other boats
($80) that are perfect for a baby boy. The paperboard
suitcase is available in four bright colors if you want
to fill it with your own gift assortment.
Walk into the entrance of any
Barnes & Noble and you'll see as many strollers for
twins as you do singles. To help keep fashionable
twosomes straight, consider the "Twin Bundle" ($84.95)
from Beverly Hills Burp Club (beverlyhillsburpclub.com).
Two sets of monogrammed burp cloths, two monogrammed
baseball caps and a seven-day supply of disposable bibs
come in a fun plastic tote bag ($84.95).
MOSES BASKETS.
There's nothing sweeter than a baby asleep in a Moses
basket. Baby Oliver's (babyoliver.com)
basket is outfitted with a Clairebella bumper and
flannel-backed blanket covered with beautifully drawn
circus characters printed on cotton toile. The blue and
white pattern makes a perfect unisex choice ($165).
ALBUMS. A photo album
is a safe choice for a baby gift, but with an elegant
Aimeej (aimeej.com)
"Baby Keepsake Album" ($69), safe doesn't mean boring.
The book is available in five different colored silk
papers with a small square insert on the cover's center
to place a baby's photo.
APPAREL. I have a box
of my daughter's baby clothing which includes a tiny
smocked dress I'll never part with. My mother keeps one
of mine. Alden and Claire (aldenandclaire.com)
have a fabulous selection of smocked dresses that make
ideal shower gifts. The "Petit Ami" dress ($39.95) in
white cotton pique smocked with bunnies and carrots is an
heirloom in the making.
Babes get down with their bad
selves in Kula Kids' (kulakids.com)
black T-shirt with the word "Toothless" written in white
Gothic print ($20). Awesome.
I became acquainted with Lauren
Murphy and Celeste Bayer - the business manager and
designer - at LaurenCeleste, when we met at the ENK
Children's Club Show a few years ago. I admire the soft,
earthy palate Bayer works with and the fine organic
cottons she chooses. Their "Mini Organic Kit" ($40),
available at Misty Jean (mistyjean.com),
features a sleeveless organic cotton Tee, knit diaper
pants and a knit hat nestled into a reusable wooden gift
basket. All you need is a bow.
Malina (malinas.com)
is known for classic silk and cotton knit designs in
understated neutrals and playful brights. The athletic
jumper and matching hat ($55) in soft cotton knit, mimics
layers but its one-piece design makes dressing baby a
cinch.
BLANKETS. What could
be cuter than a soft acrylic fleece blanket personalized
with a baby's name? Bibi's Babywear
(bibisbabywear.com)
offers the "Go Go" from Little Moonjumper ($85). The
child's name is appliquéd to the blanket's pale
blue center and is surrounded by zooming rockets, planes,
boats and trucks. There's an uneven scallop around the
blanket's border that might have been cut with dull
scissors by a naughty child. Adorable.
If you're looking for true luxury,
only cashmere will do. Baby Box's
(babybox.com)
Kinder-Cashmere sophisticated cashmere blanket with a
silhouette of an animal in the center would make any baby
blissfully happy ($240).
TOYS. Kelly B.
Rightsell handcrafts cotton bunnies and frogs wearing
adorable dresses and overalls. Her "Petite Playmates,"
are available as a foursome ($96) and individually ($24).
Available at Bibi's Babywear (bibisbabywear.com).
FOOTWEAR. The
mother-to-be may be a fashionista, but don't buy the baby
miniature Jimmy Choos. Yo My Booties
(yomybooties.com)
100 percent angora booties ($60) are kitten soft and come
in cool colors. There's time for ankle straps.
BATH PRODUCTS. The
days of Johnson & Johnson's "No More Tears" shampoo
and Ivory soap are gone. Reese Li Baby's
(reeseli.com)
Ginger Lime scented baby powder, baby wash and baby
lotion ($45) includes ginger, considered a cure for
common ailments in Chinese medicine. Combined with the
invigorating aroma of lime, the products create the
perfect balance on an infant's skin. Expect to be
tempted.
