Tea Collection children’s clothing: South Africa-style spring collection

With spring collections called On the Savanna and African Indigos, you know you’re in for daring colour combinations and stunning prints from Tea Collection.

Miss Q, the lucky lady, was sent several pieces from the spring line and I really can’t help sharing our little fashion shoot. She loves – and I mean loves – to get all dolled up. As soon as she puts on a new outfit (and this can happen many times a day), or a new accessory, she yells “Mirror!” and runs to check herself out in our full-length mirror. She stands there, swaying this way and that, admiring herself. She’s been told often enough how pretty she is, and has taken to telling herself while she admires her latest duds.

Hot pink stretch capri leggings, $19, paired with Mabasa mini dress, $35.

The ability to mix and match basically everything in the collection – and from one collection to the next – is a great way to maximize bang for buck. If this Mabasa mini dress (left) feels like a bit of a splurge at $35, consider how much wear your gal will get out of it: this year, it’s a dress; next year, this mini dress will fit like a tunic, and maybe even the year after that if she doesn’t get too broad. (I promise you, the quality of Tea Collection clothes is that good – they will last for years.)

These dresses are wearable year-round by adding a long-sleeved or three-quarter-length shirt underneath, capris, tights, jeggings or just bare legs in the warmest weather. It looks as great with bare feet as it does with Uggs.

En route to a birthday party, Miss Q layers her Mabasa dress with a long-sleeved T from H&M and a pair of fuchsia tights from Joe Fresh. And Uggs to stay warm!

When I buy things, I always think about cost per use. In the case of clothing, it comes down to price per wear (that’s the total purchase price divided by the number of times you actually wear it. For example, that shirt you got on sale for $40 but wore just once is not as smart a buy as a $200 shirt that you wear 20 times, because that makes it just $10 per wear).

And when in comes to dresses, there’s almost nothing with more longevity for little girls because they tend to grow up – not out. Similarly, full-length leggings become capris over the years. The K Man has a pair of trousers that he wore as pants when he was a year old and then capris the next two summers and they fit beautifully as shorts last year. Sure – they were $30 pants but probably my smartest buy for him to date.

Joburg wrap-neck dress, $29, and pin print rib leggings, $24.

There’s always something so sweet about seeing sisters, who are a few years apart, wearing matching outfits as twins do. Since Tea Collection has sizes for most of its items going from 3-6 months right up to size 12, this is totally doable.

If the outfit is a favourite with the younger sister – then, bonus! – she’ll inherit her big sister’s version in a few years.

Flower petal top, $29, with raw-edge details.

When it comes to kids’ clothes, I favour ones with details; the ones that look like grown-up clothes all shrunken down. I’m not into little boys’ pants that have elastic waistbands and no pockets. And when it comes to girly-wear, details like eyelet trim around the waistband on a pair of leggings, a little button here and there  or the individual petals on a shirt like the flower petal top (right) are what make Tea Collection special.

Necklace tunic top, $29, featuring flower appliqués.

When you’re shopping, however, keep in mind that springtime in California, where Tea Collection is designed, is not springtime in Canada. Obviously. The idea of capris in March is, well, dreamy – but not realistic. Unless of course you add leg warmers. Instead, stock up for summer must-haves and use long sleeves and tights to layer with these adorable pieces until capri season is upon us. All of these pieces layer beautifully and make for interesting combinations with colour, pattern and texture.

If you shop online at Tea Collection’s (U.S.) website, you can use 13TEALOVE to get 15 per cent off your first online order.

WHERE TO BUY:

• Lussobaby
• Barla Banana
• Finn & Izzy (in-store only)
• Visit Tea Collection’s international store directory for more stores around the globe