Its Autumn, Darling: Featuring Tocoto Vintage and Louise Misha

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Fall begins, and with it, our everyday shuffle becomes all the more demanding.  While carefree adventures slowly recede, magical moments are scarce but still to be made. The warmth of our river valley coupled with steadily cooler nights drapes our mountain mornings in fog.  Naturally, we find ourselves reaching for all the goodness of fall from two of our favourite brands, Tocoto Vintage, and Louise Misha.

As the school year commences, closets are cleaned, making edits and trying on hand-me-downs. Space is made for a special piece or two. With their unique personalities in mind, the girls’ Father did some styling of his own to create fall-ready looks, perfect for cooler days ahead. Presented with a broad selection from which to choose, he was drawn to styles from two children’s wear labels we’ve come to know well over the years; Spanish brand, Tocoto Vintage for Elise and French brand, Louise Misha for Mila.

Tocoto Vintage makes its way into our closets and hearts year after year. Inspired by antique garments and patterns, the styles exude a delicate romanticism with fabrics that stand up to the modern day lives of our youth.

The whimsy of Louise Misha is meanwhile a perfect compliment to Mila’s bohemian spirit. She delights in the details of her ensemble down to the most excellent shimmery socks.

Its Autumn, Darling Clothing Credits:

Elise’s dress: Tocoto Vintage, Elise’s boots: Ariat Kids, Elise’s hairpiece: Vintage

Mila’s blouse, skirt and socks: Louise Misha – view the items here, Mila’s boots: Zimmerman Shoes, Mila’s headband: Eva’s House

Spring Necessities

Bring on floral, pastels and frills.  We crave a warm summer day as snow is still teasing us in the forecast.  But while it might be brisk outside, we can at least pretend with these lovely pieces that are sure to take us joyfully into the warmer days ahead.  While we're not exactly a family of musicians (at least 3 of us are tone deaf), the girls do love to make some noise.  Mila's first stop in the toy bin is her collection of musical instruments.

Enter the most adorable Briar Handmade summer bonnet which pairs beautifully with this sweet coral dress from Tocoto Vintage, both available at Minikin (in other words, get them now!).  Some of my all time favorite pieces are from Tocoto Vintage, a brand that generates feelings of romanticism and nostalgia.  Their fabrics are oh so soft and the styles are as precious as the babe who wears them.  

The only thing that comes between Elise and her ukulele is the perfect summertime dress from our Alaskan friends, Oma + Jo.  "A Shop for Teeny Adventurers" Oma + Jo encapsulates all the wonder and adventure that is childhood into playful and wearable pieces that are timeless yet modern and unique.   

Above Elise plays with the adorable Animal Seesaw from Manzanita Kids.  Its tactile, fun to balance and of course, beautiful to look at!  

Quiet Play

Now that fall is upon us, our lives are once again busy shuffling between school and various actvities that will soon become our life blood during a long and at times brutal New England winter.  With all the bustle, the girls are naturally drawn to moments of quiet play.

Mila explores her toys transferring them from hand to hand with a pit stop in the mouth.  Elise loves to gather her heard of friends and line them up in an assembly where they have mostly peaceful conversations.  There isn't much else I'd rather be doing than watching these two play.

This Play Mat has been a godsend since the day it arrived from the talented Syd + Stitch. The mat features a print by Wee Gallery of woodland animal friends at play.  Each can be dressed with removable garments making it a toy in its own and one that can grow with the child.   

While Mila takes her morning nap, Elise wanders over to her sticker book for more quite play (until the stickers start their own conversations of course).

A few throw back photos from our vacation earlier this year when the girls were cuddling on their special mat. This mat is super portable and folds up easily to carry along in a tote bag.   An essential for family travel!

Everything old is new again

Our New England travels took us on a last minute trip to my hometown in Connecticut last week and we all soaked in some grandparent pampering and fresh air.  I came back with a treasure trove of dresses and tops from when I was Elise's age.  For the most part, they are timeless, classic pieces and I can't wait to repurpose them.  Others scream the early 80's but lucky us, that late 70's early 80's vibe is back big time this year.  

The little dress that Mila wears below is from our favorite store for vintage clothing, Mary Beth Hale's Etsy shop.  I first ordered some items from her when my husband and I were in search of Halloween costumes for a party last year and I was blown away by the quality and pristine condition.  

This little dress has the perfect amount of smocking and embroidered rosettes.  I love that some of my favorite photos of Mila at this age are with her in this simple piece.  

Apparently Elise's floral dress was a favorite of mine when I was her age.  It was the first of my own vintage finds that she reached for.

If you're on the lookout for vintage children's clothing, you may run across sheer white dresses similar to what Elise has on below.  I'm guessing they were worn with a slip underneath or perhaps they were undergarments.   For our purposes, they are delicate, airy works of art from times past that are perfect for hot summer days.  This was another find from Mary Beth Hale's shop and one of my favorite pieces.  I imagine Mila will wear it as a dress not too long from now.  

Its fitting that Elise's blouse pairs so well with shorts from a brand named Tocoto Vintage.  The blouse that Mila wears above is also from this nostalgic children's brand.  In fact the brand was conceived from a love of antique patterns and clothing.  The collection can be purchased at Minikin in the U.S.

Thankfully it is still sandal weather and these classic Stevie sandals by Zimmerman have been good to us.  Fall we be here soon so on the to do list this week is to measure Elise's feet for our next pair.  Tough part is deciding which of these beauties we'll be ordering!  

Babies on Beaches

The concept seems simple, (bring baby to beach) but it is far from that as any parent knows.  In Nantucket we were a short walk away from Steps Beach which much like the name implies, can only be accessed by walking down a steep set of stairs.  Toys, tent, umbrella, chairs, baby, toddler, they all made the trek.  And these smiling faces made it all worthwhile.  

Shortly after Mila was born, I knew I wanted her to have a something special of her own that could be passed down, something timeless.  I also knew that Minikin was sure to have what we were after.  I find myself drawn to their aesthetic and always love shopping with them because they create a personal connection with their customers that is hard to find elsewhere.  They carried a gorgeous Spring collection from Tocoto Vintage and we found Mila an adorable three piece set; bonnet, blouse and bloomers.  The pieces were made from a featherweight cotton and are adorned with ruffles and lace trim, truly special.  

Tiny Cottons, an imaginative brand based in Barcelona, produced this muslin swaddle which has become one of my essentials.  I rarely leave the house without it and only wish I had purchased more.  This print is from their spring/summer Camp-Pin-Pump collection and features a swim logo print that took me right back to my swim team days.  

Wildflowers of Nantucket

The title of this post is actually the name of a wildflower guide I found on island last week which I'm still regretting not purchasing.  Nantucket is a magical place in many regards and can attract a wide array of visitors as a result.  I love that every time we visit, we uncover something new about the island.  For the first time, this year Bartlett's Farm offered wildflower picking tours and it was a messy adventure but oh so worth it.  

The day before our flower tour, a special little package arrived from the coveted new label Tortoise & the Hare Clothing out of Lancaster County, PA.  Rosina has designed a collection of the most precious heirloom quality pieces.  We were thrilled to learn about this new brand and snag a few items from her first release.  I think Elise has worn this gingham blouse three out of the last four days.  The cut is superb and it wears beautifully.  And wooden buttons up the back, need I say more?

We happen to be a hat family.  Much like those who collect sunglasses or other accessories, we like our hats.  Elise was the first in our family to get a Peter Beaton followed by my husband and then finally I had to join the party and get one too.  If you're ever on island, please visit this adorable hat studio, tucked away down an enchanting alleyway visiting the shop is an experience in itself!

We heart wooden buttons....

Elise enjoyed helping me arrange our wildflowers when we returned to the house.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed Bartlett's Farm offers this tour again next year!