baby style

Mom + Baby Style Gift Ideas for Summer

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With summer heating up, we wanted to share some great style gift ideas for baby showers this summer. Did you know it’s now a very popular trend to gift your best mom friend with a shower dress for her baby shower? Check out the ideas below and don’t forget to add these to your registry, too!

Mayarya is known for their cutting edge fashion designs for maternity and nursing wear. Made with soft, luxurious fabrics sourced from the best suppliers in the world, Mayarya collections offer investment pieces that are comfortable yet modern in design for women to enjoy before, during and after pregnancy. Founded by a mother (of course), Reika Kato Shetty, she uses her attention to fine details that are intrinsic to her Japanese background, experience of working for trendsetting boutiques in New York and Los Angeles to create unique pieces that every expectant mother is going to find refreshing.

We’re currently loving these four looks:

Tropical Leaf Maternity and Nursing Romper (left): Keep it playful in this tropical romper. The summery print is exclusively made by British designer Victoria Leigh. It features added popper buttons for ease of taking it on and off – and of course for nursing ability. Whether you have a bump or not, the elasticated waist and drawstring make it easy to adjust.
Eva Cape Maternity Dress (second from left): This limited edition dress is a sophisticated statement piece. Feel completely chic as the emerald green material drapes over your shoulders. The light material will keep you feeling fantastically fresh during pregnancy and even post bump.
Carmen Racerback Maternity and Nursing Dress (third from left): The little black number that all women need in their closet. A limited edition piece that’s easily styled and immensely flattering. The ruches down the side ensure a sleek silhouette and instant confidence. What makes this dress even more impressive is the discreet nursing access. There’s a hidden nursing cover inside the stretchy neckline that makes the process as seamless as possible.
Dikla Off the Shoulder Maternity and Nursing Dress (right): This limited edition dress flows in all the right ways, giving it that dramatic charm. It’s everything you want when it comes to femininity. The material is silky smooth and the elasticated top makes nursing a breeze. Just adjust the belt to suit your needs, bump or not.

And for the little one, we’re big fans of Smockingbird Children’s Clothing for unique and adorable summer wear! Smockingbird’s mission is to create stylish and unique, yet affordable clothing for babies and children. Smockingbird has a unique selling style in that they use a pre-order style of selling which allows them to keep costs low. They also utilize social media to sell, and have daily sales on Facebook and Instagram. Instagram sales are daily at 11:00AM ET, 1:30PM ET and 8:30PM ET, and Facebook sales are weekly Tuesday 8:30PM ET and Saturday 7:00AM ET. Check out more about Smockingbird, too.

Here are some of our favorite summer picks for your little ones:

Apple A Day Applique Bloomer Set (left): Adorable blue bloomer set with 3 applique apples on the top, and one on the bloomer bottoms! Tie closure in the back of the shirt. Elastic waist and leg openings on bloomers.
Apple A Day Applique Bubble (second from left): Light blue bubble with red trim. Buttons on the front and metal snaps in stride. Applique apple on front. Would look adorable for the first day of preschool with his initials!
Watermelon Ruffle Pink Seersucker Swim Suit (third in from left): Hot fun in the Summertime in this pink seersucker one-piece bathing suit with watermelon ruffle. Ruffle trim around top. This suit is perfect for monogramming!
Sailboats Smocked White Sun Bubble (right): Single sailboat smocked on white sunbubble. Red gingham piped detail and covered buttons. Metal snaps in stride.

Thank you to Mayarya and Smockingbird for making this sponsored post possible.

Swooning Over: Freshly Picked + Care Bears

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We love 80s Nostalgia over here at Gugu Guru, so we wanted to make sure you all pre-ordered your Freshly Picked + Care Bears moccasins! Could they be any cuter?

Click on each shoe to learn more about it!

Care Bears (pre-order): Part of the FP x Care Bears collection! Share your Care Bears nostalgia with this fun pink moccasin featuring classic Care Bears and rainbows. Paired with a pink peony sole featuring a special FP x Care Bears collaboration logo.

Funshine Bear (pre-order): Celebrate Care Bears nostalgia with this happy moccasin featuring a Funshine Bear belly badge on toe and Care Bears logo heart printed on the side. Paired with yellow colored leather fringe and heel with a special FP x Care Bears collaboration logo debossed on the sole.

Grumpy Bear (pre-order): Celebrate Care Bears nostalgia with this raincloud moccasin featuring a Grumpy Bear belly badge on toe and Care Bears logo heart printed on the side. Paired with purple-blue colored leather fringe and heel with a special FP x Care Bears collab logo debossed on the sole.

Tenderheart Bear (pre-order): Celebrate Care Bears nostalgia with this sweet moccasin featuring a Tenderheart Bear belly badge toe and Care Bears logo heart printed on the side. Paired with butterscotch leather fringe and heel with a special FP x Care Bears collab logo debossed on the sole.

Baby Style Find: Lark Adventurewear

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Now that it’s summer, parents love to get outside with their little ones as much as possible; however, it’s not always easy to figure out what your baby should wear in the heat, right? We’re excited to introduce you to Lark Adventurewear – activewear for babies!

You can find Lark Adventurewear on their website, Facebook, Instagram.

Lark Adventurewear is the first and only activewear brand created for active parents and adventurous babies. Founded by an active new mom that wanted to enjoy the outdoors, but was frustrated that regular cotton baby clothes would leave her little one sticky, sweaty and uncomfortable while she was dry in her own workout gear. Like most inventors, she knew there had to be a better way, so she figured it out herself!

Lark Adventurewear is devoted to keeping infants and toddlers sweat-free, cool, protected and happy so that they (and you) can enjoy each day to the fullest. Their mission is to make quality baby clothes that can easily endure the daily life of an active infant or toddler — from the sandbox to a birthday party to dinner with the grandparents– wash and repeat. They believe in quality over quantity… and baby clothing is no exception. Lark Adventurewear is functional, fashionable, environmentally friendly, and totally safe for your little one’s sensitive skin. Getting outside is a great way to spend quality time with the whole family. We make baby clothes so parents and babies can stay active and explore the world around them in comfort.

Adult activewear is made with synthetic fabrics and chemical finishes in order to create moisture wicking properties. These synthetic fabrics and chemicals aren’t something anyone would want for your baby’s delicate skin. Lark Adventurewear has developed a proprietary natural, eco-friendly moisture wicking fabric. Using capillary action and benefits inherent to the natural fabrics they have chosen (cotton and bamboo), moisture is drawn away from a baby’s sensitive skin. Their activewear is Oeko-Tex® 100 Certified, whose standards ensure that our fabric is made with environmentally friendly processing. Lark Adventurewear also features easy-open tops and bottom-to-top zippers to make clothing and diaper changes as easy as possible. If you’re heading on an adventure with baby, be sure to stock up on Lark Adventurewear today! This also makes a perfect baby shower gift for an adventurous mama.

Need some tips for getting outdoors with baby? Head to this post to find out why we’re loving the BabyBjorn for hikes with baby. Plus, Summer Travel must have items for traveling with baby.

Thank you to Lark Adventurewear for making this sponsored post possible.

Baby Style Find: Bestaroo

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The Gugu Guru team comes across a lot of baby pajamas and clothing, but when it came to trying Bestaroo, we were shocked, and quite thrilled, with how incredibly soft they were. It’s no shocker that this relatively new company has taken the mom-and-baby world by storm, with their modern designs and butter soft fabric, they’re sure to become a favorite bedtime staple.

You can find Bestaroo on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

What makes Bestaroo simply the softest material out there? As they explain, “We source the modal fibers from Austria from a company called Lenzing. The fibers are then sent to Thailand where the baby apparel is constructed. Lenzing Modal®, a modal fiber from Lenzing, is naturally soft on the skin and exceptionally ecological. The fiber is produced, using Edelweiss technology. Edelweiss stands for a “symbiotic” production process – pulp, the raw material, is produced at the same site as the Modal fiber itself. Thus production can be done while going easy on energy and other resources. Simply Edelweiss! Lenzing Modal®, a modal fiber from Lenzing, is extracted from beechwood. The beech tree is quite unique and has grown in Europe for a very long time. Directly from beechwood forests, Lenzing Modal® gives each and every textile a natural image.”

Bestaroo has pajamas, onesies, hats, and even the softest blankets – and editor’s note – these blankets are an amazing size! They are sure to “fit” your little one way into toddlerhood. The blankets, made from modal and spandex, are the perfect way to wrap up your babies and toddlers, giving them the perfect amount of snug, while still staying cool.

The thought process and attention put into Bestaroo’s clothing is very evident; although the clothing has a more snug-cut to it, it is soft and stretchy enough for babies to scoot, crawl, run and jump, all with ease. Our editor tried a bunch of styles on her 11 month old, and not only were the pajamas adorable enough to wear out of the house, but everything washed perfectly and came out looking brand new.

Thank you to Bestaroo for making this sponsored post possible.

Baby Style Find: Softsie

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The Gugu Guru team first fell in love with Softsie when Live Sweet Photography included them in the registry ideas for adoption mamas. When our team got our hands on some to try, we fell head over heels for their modern designs, adorable fit, but most of all – how incredibly soft they are – hence the name! Why are Softsie pajamas, hats, and bibs SO soft? Read on to find out!

You can find Softsie on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Natalie started Softsie after her daughter was suffering from itchy eczema and dry skin; after struggling to reapply lotion on a squirmy baby all day long, Natalie stumbled upon a brilliant idea – why not infuse her pajamas with lotions and oils to help moisturize and hydrate her baby’s skin all night long? And from there, Softsie was born!

Infused into the Softsie Footie are Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil, and Vitamin E. These ingredients are infused into our fabric through a capsulation process. Microscopic, airtight and waterproof capsules are applied by immersing or “dipping” knitted fabric in a controlled laboratory setting. The fabric is then laid out to dry, and as the fabric dries, the infusion becomes deeply embedded into the yarns of the fabric. The capsules open to release the treatment only when the fabric is touched or rubbed by human skin. Essentially, every time an infused garment is worn, the capsules break open and the materials are released gently.

The Softsie clothing is made of a cotton jersey fleece with the following properties (47% modal, 47% cotton, and 6% lycra). Their fabric is of medium weight and incredibly, super-duper, buttery soft. The fabric is cozy yet breathable, and can be worn comfortably all year round. The infused products are organic, all-natural, hypoallergenic, Fragrance-free, Nut-free, Dairy-free, and Vegan – plus everything is machine washable! Softsie is made in the United States and offers gender neutral, modern colors and prints that are fun and stylish. These would make a wonderful baby shower gift!

Mompreneur Spotlight: Haylie Duff + Jessica Frank of Little Moon Society

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Little Moon Society is the labor of love between two lifelong friends, actress and lifestyle expert, Haylie Duff and veteran children’s clothing designer, Jessica Frank. The moment these two became mothers, they knew they wanted to raise thoughtful and unique children; Little Moon Society was born from that ideal. Each piece in the Little Moon Society collection is handmade in Los Angeles, California, using only the highest quality materials. Children express themselves through play, so wearability and durability are at the heart of each article. Like the constantly changing phases of the moon, children are always evolving. Haylie Duff and Jessica Frank are here to chat about being mom-bosses and how and why they started Little Moon Society.

You can find Little Moon Society on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

How and why did you start Little Moon Society?

Haylie and I have been best friends since we were teenagers. Haylie is such an incredible business woman, having her hand in so many different ventures: Real Girls Kitchen, acting, blogging, being an author – that design was just a natural next step for her. I have a lot of experience in design and have been in the kids clothing space for a decade now. Before we started Little Moon Society, I gave Ryan, Haylie’s 2 year old little girl, some clothing from my last brand. Haylie fell in love, and felt inspired to see where a joint partnership could take us, and the rest is history.

Where did you come up with the name?

Choosing our name was a true collaboration. We were hanging out one evening, talking about our love for all things moon and stars. We kept going back and forth, and thus Little Moon Society was born. We really wanted a name that would reflect all the phases of a child’s personality and the moon has always reflected that feeling for us.

How do you balance work and family?

I don’t know if it’s as much of a balance as it is a juggling act. Our kids are our #1 priority, and everything else comes second. We’re lucky because our kids are also best of friends, so we can get together and have the kids play while we work. It’s amazing what mamas can get done in an hour or two!

What’s the best part about being a “Mompreneur” and running your own business?

The best part about being a mompreneur is making our own rules and our own schedule. We don’t feel that there is a separation between our business and parenting our girls. Our children inspire every aspect of our business. Our designs come from what we wish for in their closets. Our fabrics come from what they feel is most comfortable and cozy on their little bodies. Our manufacturing decisions come from our love of supporting local businesses (our manufacturer is a family owned and operated business!). My 3 month old daughter Sloan comes with us to every meeting and appointment. It’s such a blessing for me to work and still be able to be with her full-time. Haylie’s daughter Ryan was a big inspiration for our summer collection and one of our models. She wears the pieces from our collection every day and we love how comfortable she looks playing and running around in them.

Little Moon Society is a reflection of our personal passions and beliefs. It’s important to us to give our children the best of everything – love, food, clothing, and so on. LMS was founded on this philosophy – the highest quality materials, made with love and care in Los Angeles, with pieces kids will love to wear and moms will love to dress them in

Cause Driven Pajamas: Sammy + Nat

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Whenever we come across an adorable pajama company, we have to share it with all of you because…a baby can’t have too many pajamas, are we right or what? Plus, it’s even better when the company gives back to someone in need! Sammy + Nat is a classically lovely pajama company who is giving back to a family in need and we are thrilled to be introducing you to them today.

Sammy + Nat, founded by two sisters, sets out to create staple pieces in the softest, safest fabrics for the little ones in your life. Their hand-sourced pima cotton adjusts to your baby’s temperature, keeping them dry, comfortable and smiling. Classic silhouettes in soft hues and clean lines mean it’s easy to mix, match and head out the door. Their cotton is naturally hypo-allergenic, ideal for babies who are sensitive to allergies and prone to skin irritation.

Plus, their adorable clothing is eco-friendly, as they use pima cotton, which is from the earth. Its seeds are harvested by hand and cultivated in excellent growing conditions, found only in the coastal valleys of Peru. Seed by seed, this artisanal process results in smooth, silky-soft fabrics that stand the test of time. With every wash, the softness only gets softer, lasting 3x as long as any other cottons. You can also monogram Sammy + Nat pajamas, making them a perfect baby shower gift!

In honor of Mother’s Day, we wanted to share the story of Sammy + Nat, as the founder, Samantha, lost her mother to breast cancer at a very young age; when she heard about Mary’s Mom’s story, she knew she had to find a way to help, and we are sharing her story today. Mary is the rosy-cheeked, blond-haired 25-month-old baby girl of Lisa and Eric. She has an older brother, 16-year-old Dean, Eric’s son from a previous relationship. Lisa and Eric lead a simple, but happy life, making the best of limited resources. Last summer, Lisa’s life changed in a day. What was supposed to be a routine visit to the doctor for what she assumed was a swollen neck gland led to a series of tests that confirmed it as a lymph node, a classic symptom of Hodgkin’s lymphoma – Lisa was in Stage Three. The revelation was a blow, testing everything they knew and hoped for.

Besides the obvious emotional struggles and fear that surround cancer, there are so many additional drains that are not always as apparent to the outside world. How does the family keep going? How does dad do his job and look after the kids? What happens when you’re alone, with no support? What about lost income? And bills? The biggest stress for Lisa’s family is financial. In order to help Lisa and Mary’s family, Sammy + Nat is donating 20% of all proceeds on SammyAndNat.com to their GoFundMe page, Mary’s Mom. If there were ever a time to splurge on some new pajamas, this is it!

As Samantha, from Sammy + Nat says, “I’m moved by Lisa’s story, not just because she’s a neighbor and a friend, a woman struggling with adversity on multiple fronts, always with optimism and a smile on her face; or because she happens to be going through what I watched my own mother go through twenty years ago, and feel it viscerally; or because it just doesn’t seem fair that this should happen to a young mother with so much to give and so many plans to realize. I’m moved because I empathize—and because I think I can do something about it. It doesn’t take much to make a difference to someone in need, by easing the pressures as they struggle to make it to the other side of the challenge life has thrown them.”

April Showers Style for Rainy Days

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April showers bring May flowers, right? Well, we rounded up our favorite April showers style picks for mama and baby. You don’t have to stay inside on rainy days, as long as you’re prepared, have fun jumping in the puddles with your little one!

3-in-1 Maternity Parka, Seraphine: This ingenious maternity coat is faux-fur lined throughout the body, with drawstring ties at the hemline and empire waist for a fit that’s flattering, flexible and fully adjustable throughout your nine months. The soft cotton outer is treated with a water-resistant coating to keep you and your bump warm and dry whatever the weather. After baby is born, simply zip on the kangaroo panel at the front to fit easily over your baby sling or front carrier. Also lined in soft faux-fur, the baby wearing insert features a section for baby’s feet, and can be worn open or zipped all the way up to protect baby from the elements.

Color Changing Raincoat, Holly and Beau: This toddler raincoat is not only adorable (they have a variety of ridiculously cute designs), but get this – it changes color when it’s wet! This pack away kids raincoat magically changes color when it comes into contact with water, returning to the original color once dry. This exciting process is repeated each time. It provides great lightweight protection against the elements and can be neatly stowed away in a convenient bag attached to the back of the coat.

Baby Rainboots, Bogs: Bogs is known for their sturdy footwear with adorable designs. Their baby boots come in a plethora of cool designs. They are 100% waterproof and made from 3mm Neo-Tech™ insulation with a plush cozy lining. They’re also machine washable and feature easy pull-on handles.

What’s a rainy day without some cute onesies? We love this umbrella onesie and rain cloud one, too.

Infants’ and Toddlers’ Discovery Rain Jacket, LL Bean: Every baby and toddler must have a classic LL Bean rain slicker! Isn’t that written in to some sort of baby law somewhere? This rain jacket, which runs from 6 months through 4T comes in 4 bright colors and is perfect for rainy day adventures.

Stroll + Go On-Call Hand Muff, Skip Hop: No need to worry about getting your hands and phone wet if you get trapped in the rain! Baby may be covered in the stroller, but now your phone and hands can be covered too. Talk, text and stay toasty with this fleece-lined, water-resistant stroller hand muff. It features an innovative clear zip pocket that lets you see and operate your phone through the window, with a special port for headphones. Securely attach it to any stroller with the snap-together tabs so you can stay warm and “on call” as you stroll.

Style Find: Under the Nile Organic Clothing (+ giveaway)

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As a parent, you want to dress your baby in not only the softest material, but the safest too. Under the Nile, which is known for being the first baby clothing company in the USA to be certified by The Global Organic Textile Standard, creates classic baby clothing in modern prints, which is all super soft for baby’s delicate skin. With a huge variety of items, from bibs to toys to pajamas, you’re sure to find something special for your baby at Under the Nile.

With fresh colors and adorable prints, Under the Nile’s clothing can be mixed and matched for easy style. Their bodysuits are made from combed organic cotton, which means they are butter soft [editor’s note: we love how the short sleeves on these bodysuits are a little extended, providing coverage for those mid-Spring days!]. They come in a plethora of styles, and many are gender neutral. Plus, there are matching pants, making for a super sweet little outfit. Under the Nile also has footie pajamas, gowns, and rompers – something for every baby!

Their toys, which would make a perfect baby shower gift, are all super soft as well, and safe for baby to snuggle with. They are made from 100% organic Egyptian cotton, and there is absolutely no Azo colorants, BPA, flame retardants, formaldehyde, fragrance, PVC or lead in the stuffed lovies. We’re loving their “back up buddy” set – which is two of the same lovies, so you’ll never have to lose your mind when baby loses their lovey. And, their Scrappy Toy collection is made from literal scraps of fabric, so it’s eco-friendly, too!

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly, safe-for-baby gift, clothes, blankets, and even rugs, Under the Nile is your one-stop-shop. These clothes will feel and look great on baby now, and will last and last. If you’re looking for a baby shower gift, they make it super simple with their gift sets, too!

Like what you see here? Enter below to win a safari onesie + pants set plus a hippo doll (all pictured on baby above)!

Under the Nile Giveaway

Broadway Baby: Hamilton Baby Registry

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Do you find yourself playing the Hamilton soundtrack on repeat, all day, every day? If so, this baby registry is definitley for you! And, with our new instant-add feature on the registry you won’t be throwing away your shot, because you can add any of these items to YOUR registry right away!

Wait For It Onesie; Hamilton, Burr, etc Onesie, Hamilton Busts Onesie

Star Mobile; Gold Star Pillow, Throw Away Your Shot Blanket; Black Star Pillow

Twinkle Twinkle Rockstar, Hamilton; The Star Tula Baby Carrier; Hamilton Tote Bag; Rockabye Baby: Hamilton

Hamilton Bib; Hamilton quotes swaddle blanket