Carolina’s Favorite Summer Pieces!

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

We asked Carolina to tell us what her children’s favorite pieces to wear this Summer from the latest Baby CZ collection were, read what she had to say, below:

My children like to be comfortable to run around and play when they have a long day at school. They each have their own opinions on style, and it shows when they get dressed in the morning!

Lily favors our colored jean shorts with a liberty top and espadrilles. She likes to wear her hair in a ponytail but dress it up with one of our sparkling headbands.

Sophie who still likes to be dressed by me every morning (I love it!) prefers jumpers as she can skip and hop and dance without having to worry about her skirt sitting properly. A big bow in the hair and a pair of cute summer sandals usually finishes the look.

Nicky is a classic dresser. He loves to wear our printed T-shirts with our cargo shorts or he’ll wear our plaid shorts with a solid polo shirt. He will not leave home winter or summer without one of our hoodies. And of course he slips on our new moccasins, just like Daddy’s.

And off they go on their little yellow school bus, ready for the day, dressed in Baby CZ!

xo, CZ

What’s New in the Window!

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

New items are in stores and in the windows at Baby CZ!

We LOVE this new Rattan print for girls – available in dresses, shorts, and tunics! And you can’t beat a Navy/White Stripe combination for Boy. So chic!

And all the items can be found on our website, happy shopping!

Girl’s Rattan Print Dress: http://www.babycz.com/angela-rattan-navy.html

Baby Rattan Print Dress: http://www.babycz.com/Eliza-Dress-in-Rattan-Print-Navy.html#.UZpalqKThyI

Girl’s White Sandals: http://www.babycz.com/Girl-s-Sandal-with-Flower-in-White-Patent-Leather-SH2154NV01.html#.UZpaqKKThyI

Boy’s Striped Polo: http://www.babycz.com/striped-cotton-sweater-polo.html#.UZpataKThyI

Boy’s Moccasins: http://www.babycz.com/Boy-s-Leather-Moccasin-in-Navy.html#.UZpawKKThyI

Dangerous & Daring

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

We’ve been carrying these two books in our store since we opened on Madison Avenue in 2009! We love them so much, and think they make the best add-on gift for older boys and girls.

The Dangerous Book for Boys is full of great tips on everything a boy should know. Like how to start a fire without a match, how to make the best paper airplane, how to tie a sailor’s knot, and much more. Not only is it full of great information, but the book itself and the illustrations are wonderful! It’s a great addition to any bookshelf.

The Daring Book for Girls is the go-to guide for all things young ladies should know. Not only does it include a lot of craft making ideas, and history lessons, but also a few pranks and survival tips (just like the boys’) as well! It’s a wonderful book that any little lady would love to read and add to her collection! Plus, it’s a gorgeous book!

Both books are available at the BabyCZ Stores:

Madison Avenue Boutique (212-288-8030)

Greenwich, CT Boutique (203-340-9932)

Steiff has arrived at Baby CZ!

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

For the past couple of years, we have been proud to carry Steiff products both in store and on our website. Their company motto, “Only the best is good enough for children.” very much reflects our feelings at Baby CZ.

We recently received our newest shipment of Steiff products and are so excited to have the beautiful pieces on our floor!

Call or stop by one of our locations to get your own Steiff piece!

xo- Baby CZ

Children’s Fashion through the Decades

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

When I am working on a new collection I always go into our photo archives and look at vintage baby and children’s clothing.

What is most interesting to me, is that clothing was taken care of, passed along and treasured from generation to generation. This is what I desire with the Baby CZ line. Creating gorgeous collections that can be treasured, and passed down.

I always find myself amazed by the detail and designs of the different time periods. From the turn of the century to the 1920’s, children were dressed like little princes and princesses. Children always looked like children, even as fashions of the time continued to change. However, by the 1960’s, children began to resemble mini images of their parents and their fashions.

1960's Era

Nowadays I am always saddened to see children not dressed age appropriately. I believe children’s clothing should enhance the beauty of a child and their age, not try to cover it up or deceive. There is no reason to dress them as if they are much older, especially since they grow up fast enough as it is!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

When I was a child, I loved my Poesie album. Every girl I knew had one and we would all exchange them and write poems in them. The best part was decorating them with old fashioned Victorian cards and images like the ones you can buy from B Shackman. My children now us them to make special birthday and holiday cards to send to their friends. Not only a little hello from the past, but oh so nice to get a letter in the mail.

Happy Valentine’s!

xo Carolina

Winter Getaways!

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

My husband and I gathered up our kids, and we spent this last weekend on the beautiful island of Turks & Caicos. It was such a treat to escape the cold New York winter and allow the children to spend all day in bathing suits and barefoot.

Being on the beach, in the sun, is my childrens’ favorite place. Snorkeling, exploring coral reefs and collecting shells will keep them entertained for hours, which I’m thankful for!

Nicky Digging Holes in the Sand.

Sophie reading on the beach.

I still always pack extra activities (just in case); ones that I used to enjoy doing on the beach as a child. We collect shells from all over the beach and we macramé them with embroidery yarn, and we paint or watercolor the beautiful scenery around us.

Of course building a huge sandcastle and decorating it with beach finds or digging a huge hole is always a good option, too.

I treasure these moments, with no phone, no interruptions, we can just be together as a family, making memories.

Painting with the Children.

XO, Carolina

Favorite Toy: Marklin Trains

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

Growing up in Germany, I remember every boy wanting a Marklin Train set. The set contained full on mechanics and tiny real life details that would entertain my brother for hours.

My husband pulled out his own train set from when he was a child this Holiday Season and I was amazed to see that he was as fascinated as my brother was 25 years ago! As he began to sand the tracks and set up a new track, such joy was present. When the train finally ran perfectly he had such a sense of accomplishment! Not only was it fun for my husband, but our young son got to enjoy this vintage train set, like it was brand new to him!

If you’re in New York City, I suggest checking out the Holiday Train Exhibit. It’s a great family activity, and everyone in the family will love it! http://www.mta.info/news/stories/?story=883

And to find out more about these great train sets – you can find them online here.

Favorite Toy: Matryoshka Dolls

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Baby CZ Madison

When I was a child my parents gave me a set of Matryoshka dolls. I would play with them for hours at a time. It was fun mixing two sets, and opening them again and again until the tiniest doll would appear. Always making sure that their dress was lined up correctly when you closed them was necessary. I remember playing family with them, lining them up and then make them all disappear into each other again and again. Recently, I bought some for my children and much to my delight they get the same enjoyment out of playing with them.

Since the 1990s Matryoshka dolls have been facing a downward spiral in production. The production of Matryoshkas is done by highly skilled craftsmen who pass down their skills generation to generation. As factories shut down there is a fear that there will be no one left to learn the skills, so the knowledge could be lost.

So, definitely make sure to buy them for your children when you see them! They come in so many varieties, both shapes and sizes!

Visiting Seoul, Korea

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Baby CZ Madison

On my recent travels to Korea, I was introduced to an amazing porcelain store called “Wooil Ceramics”.

The company was established in 1978 by Taiuk Kim and his sister Yikyung Kim to honor the glory of the chosen white Porcelain. As I love everything that comes in white, I was amazed by the shapes and textures of their white porcelain. Everything had such detail and variety, it was amazing to be able to see them in person.

I also learned that each dinner set in Korea contains at least 16 pieces of porcelain! I imagine dinner for 12 would be challenging as you would have 192 dishes to set out (and clean)!

If you’re ever in the Seoul, Korea area, I highly recommend a visit to this shop. Authentic Korean Ceramics are sublime, and quite different than the classic American “China” so often used.

Wooil

#3 Waryongdong

Chonggnoku

Seoul

Korea