Let them be little...

As a mother and a designer, I embrace the challenge of designing clothes that my own daughter would want to wear (who knew that 6 year olds could be so picky!), while standing by my deep belief that clothing should not only help them feel beautiful (inside and out), but also capture that childlike innocence I see in my own little girl. 

As June approaches seven this year, I see a beautiful person emerging, discovering who she is and becoming more sure of herself. I love watching her grow up even when I want her to stay little forever...oh, the paradox of motherhood! The other day she asked me, "Mommy, do you like baby June better, or me now?" My answer was, "I just love you June, baby or not!" Then I realized that all I really wish I could preserve for her are the simple ways through which she views the world, her unbridled compassion for people, and her ability to forgive and forget so easily any wrong-doing.

For me, designing for EleStory has little to do with being on trend with the rapidly evolving fashion world where, sadly, clothing is almost disposable, than it has been about creating classic heirloom pieces for girls that truly let them be the little girls that they are. In all my designs, I attempt to balance delicately these traits I wish to bring out in the girls who wear them: sweet yet spunky, innocent yet self-assured, delicate yet bold.

And of all the designs I have ever dreamed up, the Flutter dress is the epitome of that classic dress. There is something innocent and sweet, playful and adventurous about it, and the silhouette is reminiscent of classic pinafores from the 1950's, one of my favorite decades for clothing inspiration.

This Spring, I wanted to keep it simple and designed two new color ways - the blue gingham I am calling Summer Picnic, and a yellow gingham called Butterscotch. Lavender Linen, an all time favorite, is back again this year - and what I'm most excited about is the That's a Wrap! dress for mamas that uses the same yoke material of the girls' flutter dresses to coordinate beautifully and effortlessly for mothers and daughters. While we don't have a full boys' collection yet, we are offering matching bow ties for little boys in the family - this year they are made slightly larger to fit a wider age range.

I could not be more excited to coordinate with my little June again this year (while she is still eager to match mommy!) in a dress that is so soft I could literally sleep in it. I cannot wait for you to try these new pieces and let me know what you think! I really hope you will love them as much as I do. Please do tag us @elestory -- I would love to see!

xx,
Judy

Special thanks to the talented Kortnee at Tumbling Sparrow Photography for these breathtaking photos of our Flutter Dress in Summer Picnic and That's a Wrap! dress in Blue Blossoms. I'll be posting the other colorways soon for you too!