FashBlog.com

I went to the mall the other day and it was all there, in full swing: the holiday clothing collections. Never mind that it's still three weeks to Halloween and we still have that to get through. No, I've come to expect to see the holiday clothing out there amidst the pumpkins and Halloween costumes.
It's just that I was surprised to see the how fancy and furry the holiday clothing is this year!

Fur-collared outfits are everywhere, with matching faux fur jackets, capelets, shrugs and shawls to match. Leopard trimmed coats are in abundance, as are sparkly, sequined, shaggy fur dress coats.

I admit I like the look of faux fur--I think it adds a glamour and elegance to an other wise plain ensemble. But toddlers in fur? That, I'm not so sure about. Yet in every children's store and boutique that I visited, the fur was flying! Literally.

I can handle older girls in faux fur, but toddlers in faux fur? I need to digest that one for a minute. Okay, okay, I admit that my daughter's first jean jacket back in 2001 had a pink faux fur collar on it. And if my memory serves me right, when my daughter was a mere babe (age 14 months or so) I did invest in a honey-colored faux fur dress coat for her from Old Navy. She looked like a dream in it. And come to think of it, that very year I did buy her a red and green plaid dress with a leopard trimmed fur collar-- and that was her Christmas Eve outfit. So I guess fur has been in the children's department for a while now. This year it just seems more prominent.

When it comes to faux fur, you have to be careful, though. Too much of the wrong print and it can look downright tacky. I've seen the shaggy, leopard print handbags that are out this season-- cute, as long as you're not wearing a full length leopard coat and snakeskin boots along with it. Then it's just overkill.
And sequined faux fur? There's a very fine line between just enough shimmer and way too much. The sequin/fur look actually does look better on the younger girls-- it can be a bit glitzy for older women.

If you're looking for some faux fur or fur-embellished holiday attire for your little girl this year, check out Old Navy, Baby Gap, The Children's Place and Limited Too for some wonderful finds. The Children's Place, in particular, has a vast array of furry styles-- my favorite is the leopard print capelet (available in infant sizes up to size 4T-- bigger girls can wear the leopard faux fur jacket which goes up to a girl's size 14). The leopard capelet or jacket would look great with a red or white velvet dress. Baby Gap is offering a to-die-for white, faux fur hooded cape, which would add an elegant touch to any holiday outfit. Department stores and boutiques are also chock full of cute, fur-friendly styles. Some good boutique brands include Just Friends, Bonnie Jean, Green Dog and Cach Cach.