We’re weeks away from summer and it’ll soon be time to rotate your little girl’s wardrobe. Hand knits, sweaters and leggings will find their way to the charity shop, and cotton dresses and tees are most definitely in. Hundreds of festival tickets have been bought and many of us are looking forward to live music and a few glasses of Pimms in sunny fields across the country.
Yep, festival days are on the increase and mums and daughters alike are preparing to stand out from the crowd. With this in mind, I’ve been checking out Europe’s leading designer children’s wear emporium Melijoe, to see what the key trends are this summer for our little fashionistas.
DKNY dress with straps £52.13 / Troizenenfants viscose blouse £32.48 / Pepe Jeans boho-style modal dress £64 / Ralph Lauren flared flower-printed cotton satin dress and striped belt - yellow or blue £79.32 / Pepe Jeans flowing rayon dress with ethnic embroideries £52 / Ralph Lauren flower-printed cotton piqué polo dress - white, pink and green £56.66
The key is to find styles that are comfortable, lightweight and breathable to keep them cool in the afternoon heat, yet work well with cardies and denim for when the sun goes down. Ditsy, flower and Grecian prints are most definitely en vogue, much to the delight of parents everywhere where ketchup and orange juice mishaps are inevitable. Block colours are bright and vibrant to emphasise the narrative of sun, grass and sea.
For younger girls we’re seeing full skirts and extra length for ease of movement when toddling around with the older kids, whilst for older girls, cinching in at the waist with vintage belts, oversized ribbons or simple rope bring shape to cotton shift and box dresses. It’s a floaty feminine look that will look great beside mum as she plumps for free-flowing maxi dresses and cotton shirts.
Tommy Hilfiger printed cotton poplin dress with straps £67.24 / Richmond Jr spotted silk and lace dress £226.64 / American Outfitters printed viscose and cotton voile dress £61.95 / Derhy Kids printed poplin dress £43.06 / Derhy Kids viscose and silk voile dress £60.44 / LIU JO set of two crepe and jersey dresses £55.90 / Dolce & Gabbana signature print cotton poplin dress with smocks - yellow and green £222.86 / Moschino close fitting printed poplin dress £197.17 / DKNY two-material dress £67.24
Material-wise, designers have plumped for a no holds barred approach. There’s a healthy mix of cotton, viscose, crepe and broderie anglaise to suit any occasion. Teaming any with a straw sun hat, colourful wayfarers and sandals, lifts them beyond your home and into the great outdoors. I’m loving all the clutch bags this season too, these will save mum & dad carrying around lip glosses and other essentials that your little lady simply can’t live without.
Troizenenfants hippy viscose dress £52.88 / Stella McCartney Kids flower-printed stretch cotton dress with straps - blue £75.77 / Monnalisa lace dress - coral £119 / Stella McCartney Kids broderie anglaise lace dress with a detachable lining - sun yellow £86.88 / Pepe Jeans embroidered chambray dress £49 / Stella McCartney Kids sleeveless unicorn-printed fleece dress - ivory, blue and pink £56.66
I’m particularly impressed with Stella McCartney’s & DKNY’s sleeveless shirts that look fabulous both on their own or teamed with skinny jeans. They work equally well as beach cover-ups and for kicking around a ball at the park. As tailoring is largely androgynous, they’re a great option for parents who don’t prescribe to ultra-girly styling of their daughters.
Derhy Kids have also weighed in with some gorgeous eccentric pucci-esque prints with structured chests and loose fitting waists - for the younger girl this is sure to be flattering and help her stand out from the crowd. Ralph Lauren and Pepe Jeans seem to have gone head to head with simple timeless shifts, whilst Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana have embraced signature prints and elaborate tailoring - it’s a eclectic mix of styles for the summer season which is sure to suit any little girl on the cusp of womanhood.
To check out Melijoe’s SS15 collection for yourself, head to melijoe.com/uk where you’ll find children’s wear from 0-16 years from all Europe’s top fashion houses. For further inspiration and lookbooks, Melijoe are also on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
