This post features an amazing peplum top from The Baby Bird Boutique. Dorie’s amazing pieces are some of my favorite and Penny’s been rocking them for a while now. Definitely check her out and use code: Donuts for 20% off.
Confession: I am such a sucker for tiny humans in adorable rompers, but living in Chicago it’s not quite plausible to rock tiny rompers in the midst of winter. As we begin the slow transition into spring I get so pumped and have a slight tendency overdo it with ordering ALL OF THE THINGS for when warm weather finally hits. Luckily, when Penny has no shortage of adorable rompers and tanks, we ALSO have lots of ways to rock them even when it isn’t 70 degrees outside.
Keys to rocking summer pieces year round:
- Layer Layer Layer
- Stock up on solids
- Socks and tights are your best friend
- Bonus Points: Pick a signature color/color palette
Layer, Layer, Layer!
While we were in Japan this fall, I noticed that the 90’s “tank top over shirts” was super popular. And it’s also showing up here in the states, too. This is awesome news for getting the most use out of the amazing small shop peices we purchase for the summer.
Stock up on Solids!
My favorite layering tops for under rompers and tanks are simple tshirts. Penny is wearing a June and January top here, but Gabby+Me also makes perfect layering tops. The magenta here – while not directly present in the gorgeous pattern on the peplum from The Baby Bird Boutique, paired perfectly. Be bold in your layering choices! I had this paired initially with a white longsleeve shirt. It looked lovely, but the magenta definitely made the look pop.
Socks and Tights are your best friend
Even as the weather starts to warm up, bare legs are not always the best idea. Penny has a good sized stock of tights and knee-high socks like these from Violet Pedals Apparel. I’ll even layer knee-highs over tights for the pop of color when Penny is wearing rompers and it’s chilly. Knee highs also rock because they stay on tiny humans more easily, whether they’re under jeans, or worn solo with boots or cute shoes.
Stick with a Signature color or palette.
Mixing and matching your favorite pieces is so much easier when you have more bits to choose from. This is one of my favorite things about buying from the amazing shops in the small shop community: even more so than department and big box stores, the small shop world tends to be aware of which colors and palettes are hot for one season or year. Each shop is still unique and authentic to their own style, but shop owners have a very keen sense of style and branding. It’s really easy to put together a cohesive wardrobe from your favorite small shops, and there are small shops for every style.
When you purchase pieces that can mix and match (this doesn’t mean all green, or all blue, etc), you have more options to get creative. … and you aren’t digging through the dirty clothes or doing last minute laundry because the one black or white shirt your kiddo has was worn yesterday. 😉
Now your kiddo is set to look good (and stay climate-appropriate) year round, and we can support our favorite mama-run small shops and know how to make the most out of our favorite pieces. Happy layering! If you have a favorite shop for “layerable” basics, let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to snag adorable rompers, peplums, and tank dresses in gorgeous prints and bold solids from The Baby Bird Boutique and use “Donuts” for 20% off!