My mother in law use to tell me how she dressed her daughter in puffy dresses whenever they went out. It was hard for her to understand why I didn’t dress my daughter like she was meeting the Queen of England whenever we went out. Well, there are a few reasons for that: I know that most people are paying attention to my children, but I don’t think I should give the impression that I shop at the thirft stores for myself and spend all our money on my child’s clothes. It was easy to wear the puffy dresses back in the 50’s, because the kids didn’t use carseats. Have you ever stuffed your child and her dress into a carseat? I have. It isn’t pretty. Then there is the changing of the diaper. It was hard enough to change a squirming toddler on those changing tables in public restrooms, but to fight with 15 layers of frill plus trying not to get poop all over it was not something I really wanted to experience.
Then I get emails from Janie and Jack and all those logical thoughts go out the window. Janie and Jack is Gymboree’s fancier and more expensive sister store. The clothes echo back to a time when everyone dressed when they left the house. Think of Donna Reed vacuuming in her pearls and you know exactly what her little girl would be wearing to go to town for a few errands. Even though, that is not how we do things today, Janie and Jack still have their place. There are special ocassions that warrant a nice dress. Considering some of the prices I have seen in the boutique stores Janie and Jack are better priced. And like their sister store, Gymboree, you can find all matching accessories for your outfit of choice.
Now, if you live in the Hamptons and need something for your children to wear on the yacht or their ultra exclusive pre-school then this is your store. A girl can dream, though. I just need to find an appropriate place for my children to wear something like this:
Maybe a nice pumpkin carving party.
