need some dress ideas for babe.. I feel like goldilocks!

[holliam]

Okay, we are (hopefully) getting closer to bringing our daughter home from Guatemala. I have her coming home outfit for the plane ride planned, but I want something special for our appointment at the US Embassy in Guatemala. All the other families I have seen always look so put together.

I'm a casual girl so I buy casual things for my babe. But, I want something a little more than casual.

She looks best in jewel tones (purples, fuschia, turquoise).

I have looked at every site, followed every link, been to Hanna, Gymbo, J&J, Naartje, Gap, every smocking site, every boutique site online, and I don't know what I want!

I really love the idea of matching with the Hanna bloomers because Guatemalans like covered baby legs so they don't get sick. :)

I've considered the Hanna dream garden dress. I LOVE its styling, but its too pastel for my girl I think.

I also love the People Print jumper from Janie & Jack:
http://www.janieandjack.com/shop/dept_item.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=1317101&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1444077&bmUID=1107400755433&productSizeSelected=0

I love its "multicultural" flare, but it's too bland. I need a bright shirt under it, and I prefer something besides red. Anyone have any suggestions, especially if you have the dress. It's hard to see colors.

Anyone have any other ideas? I want something more than a knit dress but not quite as dressy as an Easter dress or smocking.

Holli

[jk3]

All of your suggestions sound cute. The new J + J lines are super cute. I want to wish you good luck. I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures of your DD's homecoming!

Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[mykidzmom]

Hi Holli,
Our daughter just came home from Guatemala on Sept. 25th. I too wanted something special for Sara to wear to the Embassy. I LOVE smocking, and that is what she wore. A white smocked dress with pink smocking. Sara looks great in pastels since she is dark complected w/ dark eyes and hair!

We had the Janie and Jack jumper you were looking at. I bought everything that went with it, but when I got it home...I decided it was just too boring...too much cream color!

Have you thought about Baby Lulu? Good luck!! I know you want to find just the *right* outfit for such an important day! :)

BTW, the day I was there, the babies and children were dressed all different ways. Some had on jeans, shorts, dressy clothes, and some even had on sleepers. I just wanted my little one to stand out, and she did!! :)

I hope you get to bring your daughter home soon!........Renee

[AbbieF]

Holli,
Congratulations! This is such a wonderful time for your family. I think Renee had a great suggestion to try Baby Lulu. I know they're some sites online where you can get really good deals. Unfortunately, I'm not sure of them, but if you do a search on the boards I bet they'll pop up. Also, have you looked at Zutano? They are a more casual line but they also have really sweet knit print dresses ranging from flowers, stripes, animals with leggings. You buy them seperately so you can match or coordinate the leggings w/ the dress. One site that has a good selection and decent prices is:
http://www.comfykid.com/Zutano-main.htm here are a few more sites:
http://www.theredballoon.com/zutano.html
http://www.oliebollen.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=424
(this is a great site, and you might find something else here that you like)
Whatever, you pick we can't wait to see pictures and hear about your trip.

Abbie
Mom to Maddie 4/17/04

[rrosen]

Holli,
In addition to what has already been mentioned, try www.aprilcornell.com. There may be something there that meets your specifications and any of the dresses would go great with the Hanna bloomers.

Good luck!

[zuzu]

I don't have any additional suggestions (you've gotten some great ones!) but I do want to congratulate you. This is so exciting, and we can't wait to hear all about her homecoming. :)

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5/03)

[dules]

Holli,

Yay! How exciting!

I wanted to suggest the rose after rose romper or dress from Hanna. The romper is really cute and babyish, and the dress would look cute with pink leggings, capris (this is how they had it in the store) or the bloomers.

I have seen the people print jumper in person and I agree with you, I think it's a little bland. The onesie, sweater and tights are adorable...with a denim jumper or skirt maybe? I was at The Westchester (White Plains NY) store yesterday and they seemed to have a good supply of this line in smaller sizes.

OR...last thought I promise...check out Naartjie baby for some pretty colors and unusual looks!

Keep us posted on what you decide and when the big day will be!!!

Best,
Mary

[emmiem]

Congratulations on getting closer to bringing home your Guatemalan princess! We went to Guatemala in 2001 to bring home Sarah. Keep in mind that you pretty much stay in one room holding the baby and waiting. You want something comfortable and wrinkle free. I would not go real dressy. You only appear before a window to repeat an oath. Your facilitator does most of the work. You also can not bring a diaper bag in with you just a ziploc so easy changes are better. Save the dressy outfit for your arrival home or the next day when people come to visit.
Michele

[holliam]

Thanks everyone!

I have looked at Baby Lulu, April Cornell, Naartje too! So funny that you gals thought of the same things I did. I thought of the Hanna rose romper too. I am not into florals so much. I am so NOT a girl! LOL

Could you post a pic of your girlie in her pastel smocking? I just really found that jewel-tones looked better on my girlie with her skin tone and dark hair. We wore a lot of pastels when we saw her in Dec. and they just didn't do it for me.

I definitely do not want something "dressy" just a little more exciting than the usual knit items I choose from Hanna and Lands End.

I have her coming home outfit figured out already. It's all being made by some wonderful mamas. :)

I am hoping that everyone comes out with some additional lines soon so I have more to choose from...

Holli

[slknight]

Hi Holli,

I like the previous suggestion of Zutano. From what I know of you (sheesh, I sound like a stalker), I just don't picture super frilly, smocked stuff. Zutano has a bunch of knits that come in some funky different patterns. You can mix and match stuff.

Take a look at:
http://www.theredballoon.com/zutcotbabbas.html

[crl]

No ideas, but so glad to hear you are getting close!

[holliam]

I have so much Zutano too! I love it! LOL Okay, maybe I should go inspect her closet more closely... stay tuned! ;)

Holli

[Melanie]

Check www.houseofhattenoutlet.com in a couple weeks. They don't have their spring up yet, but I always find lots of gorgeous dresses to choose from for a Spring girl b-day I shop for.

Another option is www.babiesandchildrenonline.com. It's a bit less than retail, not as good as houseofhatten's prices, but more casual offerings as well as dresses.

Some cute things I saw, but they have pages and pages of stuff:

http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/fsp031b.jpg http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/jon1022b.jpg
http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/31618b.jpg http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/31361b.jpg
http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/20268b.jpg http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/31805b.jpg
http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/ss466t.jpg http://www.babiesandchildrenonline.com/_Sitefiles/productimages/31279b.jpg

(...ahem...not that I enjoy an excuse to look at girl's clothing or anything. LOL)


Congratulations on getting closer!!

[Little Ladybug]

Holli -

I have no advice to add to the great ideas already listed, but I just wanted to say congratulations and best wishes as you bring your little princess home! :)

[shishamo]

I think there are so many wonderful suggestions here!
I just wanted to tell you that if you liked the dream garden dress, Hanna did a brighter version of the almost identical print two summers ago. There were blue version and a orange version, and they were worn over bloomers also. I'm not sure if you don't mind getting a used one, but I'm pretty sure someone was selling one on BBB swap site recently in size 60.
Just an idea....

[Phoebe]

Those are all so cute! I love the chick dress, and any one of those would be perfect.

Mary
Daisy 3
Owen 19 months

[holliam]

Oooo.. I did not know that!

Okay, I showed Liam like a dozen options tonight, and he so badly wants a girly girl (who likes to play in the mud LOL) that his favorite so far IS the pastel dream garden dress..

I think I need to do a Photoshop mock-up of her in it.

Man, I need this girl home to give me something else to do with my time! LOL

Holli

[dules]

Holli, the Hanna summer catalog is due out in the middle of March. If you don't travel before then you will have some more options. If you call CS I bet they'd tell you (if they know anything) if you tell them WHY you want to know.

Best,

Mary

P.S. LOL @ the PhotoShop mockups!

[tigalig]

Holli, congratulations! I bought a whole emsemble for our daughter's finalization (we finalize adoptions from Korea in the U.S., as opposed to every other country where you finalize the adoption overseas) and I was really glad that I did. It may not be helpful to you, considering that their newest line is lavender (if you don't like pastels for your dd), but it was from Gymboree and it was the layette Jardin Francais line. I bought the pleated dress, matching socks and shoes, bodysuit, cardigan, overalls, and blanket!

Also, may I suggest white as an option? I think our DD looks best in white and if I could, I'd keep her in white ALL the time. The contrast with the dark hair is just stunning and I'm sure it will be the same for your little darling. I have the Gymboree white eyelet dress that could easily be accessorized with a cardigan for a punch of color.

Wishing you all the best in your journey to bring your daughter home.

*edited to remove photos

[holliam]

Oh, thanks for letting me know that about Hanna.

If we are not traveling by mid March, I will be a total basket case and will no longer give a hoot what she wears! I might give up by then!!

Holli