Friends from their college days, Elise Nappi and Eileen Schneidman worked in television production and marketing until the lure of motherhood called, resulting in five children between the pair. Sharing woes one night about neverending piles of laundry and minivans designating them as officially ‘off the market’ and partly inspired by Eileen’s need for kitchen renovation funds and Elise’s shopping addiction, they got to talking, and to laughing, and the idea of starting a business was born. The premise: moms like to laugh; moms like nice clothing — why not combine the two? With the tagline, ‘Apparel with an inside joke and you’re in on it’ Planet Mom delivers on both fronts. Read the rest »

Totshop.com pick: Julep Junior Striped Hoody $78
Grab one of these Julep cozy cover-ups for your little one and enjoy endless wear. The striped hoody is just the thing for end-of-summer nights and will fit right in with back-to-school duds. Julep uses it’s trademarked Kashwere yarn—a luxuriously soft Chenille Synthetic microfiber that’s machine washable and dryable, stain resistant and non-wrinkling. Fleece seems so ordinary!

Girlshop.com pick: Candela Sweater Jacket $322
Itching to invest in something deliciously cute yet practical for Fall? I can’t say enough about Candela’s super chunky, casually sophisticated sweater jacket. It’s perhaps the perfect wrap with a longer length, dramatic oversized collar and a bit or Lurex for subtle glitz. Throw this on over jeans and a tee and you’re instantly chic… and plenty warm.

Guyshop.com pick: Hummel Zip Front Track Jacket $90
Meet a track jacket that’s fashionable beyond the runner’s path. Yes, Hummel’s jacket is 100% polyester. Yes, it has a think ribbed hem, collar and cuffs with yes, multi stripes. But wear this with a polo, dark jeans and a pair of Toms and you’ll be sporting retro-inspired fashion right from the pages of GQ.

Totshop.com: Jenerations Baby Hair Gel
When I first learned of Jenerations Baby Hair Gel, it made me giggle. I had funny visions of ultra styled newborn locks in spiked mohawks. But then I thought: this is actually the most brilliant product! Little ones have flyaways too, especially when hair cleansing involves a simple lathering of multi-duty head-to-toe body wash. Jennifer Reilly, NYC hair stylist and the mother of two, uses salon quality ingredients that are baby friendly for her hair and body care. All her products have a gentle scent and the hair gel is light and non-sticky. I’m glad someone addressed this too-vain-to-mention issue.

Girlshop.com: DRU Peep Toe Flats $121
Fashion meets comfort, finally! Leggings, skirts, skinnies and trousers will all look chic with these low-to-the-ground kitten heels. Perfect for the mom about town, there’s no need to pull a nonchalant footwear change from sneakers to cute shoes after you drop the little one off at pre-school. Subtly spiced with a bit of toe cleavage and patent details, these are comfortable enough to wear to wiz the Stokie cross town and continue on to a breakfast pitch meeting. Ditto for DRU’s scarf-print slingback flats.

Guyshop.com: Drifter Tees $59
More cool t-shirts from Guyshop. Drifter tees are made from a double layer of tissue fine cotton and involve intricate silk screens from the artists/design team. Recently seen on Entourage, the David Letterman Show and just the other week, Shayenne (the country western singer with an MTV reality show) came in to the Drifter showroom to pick out some clothes! Also available for women on www.girlshop.com.

Totshop.com Pick: Dirty Laundry Onesie and Hat Set $46

When you’re gifting for newcomers, I think it’s so important to be original. Dirty Laundry, known for their hip layered appliqués t-shirt designs and hand cut style, introduces this uber soft onesie and hat set. Each sleeping-style cap blurts words like “bling”, “burp” and “kiss me”, offering baby-speak insight into its paired onesie character. Makes me smile.

Girlshop.com Pick: AKA New York Shirt Dress $355

I’m a complete sucker for shirt dresses. They’re easy and versatile, sophisticated yet comfortable. They’re in the look-great-in-5-minutes section of my closet right next to my DVF wrap dresses - A key piece of wardrobe for a busy (no nanny on the payroll) mom. AKA’s version makes this staple foolproof stylish. The fabric is silk with slight stretch and is available in several vintage inspired fabric designs. There’s hardly a need to accessorize with this head turner. Wear with boots, sandals, leggings… no thinking involved.

Guyshop.com Pick: Kara Janx Men’s Blueprint T-Shirt $55

I love Kara Kanx’s women’s line on Girlshop.com (Her Wrap Kimono Dress fits perfectly into my thoughts for Girlshop pick this week). Now men also get the chance to sport one of the Project Runway star’s designs as well. This nice looking t-shirt has a panel of a blueprint running down one side making a definite style statement. A simple blue X (Kara’s logo for the men’s line) stamps the back. Jeans, an optional long sleeve tee underneath and I say the guy is good to go. Thanks Kara!