Starting with Janmashtami and progressing to Ganesh Chaturti, Navratri and Diwali, and Karthigai, the months of September to November are defined by a lot of shopping in our family, thanks to the festival season and numerous birthdays at home. We try and cover Navratri and Diwali, and for the more fashion conscious, New Year's Eve as well. Then, as I said, birthdays abound.
So rather than run out and shop for each occasion, some wise person in the family decreed, years ago, that we shall try and finish the bulk of our browsing and buying between September and October. Probably to commemorate my birthday as well, who knows!
Be that as it may, it has proved to be a good, and wise idea.
And so, what with a welcome birth as well in the family this September, we are all in a great mood to shop.
I've always wondered why, in spite of all the stores offline and online, it is not so easy to find nice, smart, stylish clothes for kids these days.
Now, I am a big fan of shopping online. Saves time and often, money. As factions of the family legged it to their favorite stores to find the ideal outfit, and catch the tailors before the rush was on, I started out in the comfort of home and my computer keyboard to see what the online stores had to offer.
It was easy enough to buy clothes for myself, but children? Not so much.
If I did find something I thought was great, my nieces and nephews would disagree.
What is an aunt to do?
Well, this aunt definitely does not believe in giving up.
My persistence led me to the Stylemylo website. At first look, I gathered that it was a "designer" store for kids, covering the age groups of 0-14 years.
I liked what I saw there, since they had quite a huge variety of garments and "ensembles" for boys and girls, along with some pretty posh accessories. Plenty to put together a trendy wardrobe for any infant, toddler, or young kid that cares about how s/he looks. Sounded just like my nieces and nephews.
So what sets Stylemylo apart from other kidswear portals? For those who enjoy dressing up their little ones fashionably, Stylemylo is a one-stop destination for clothes and accessories for all occasions. The wide range includes everything from beachwear to pajamas, to comfortable t-shirts and jeans, and formal dressy attire, all with customized fashion accessories to go with them, designed by the country's top designers.
As a multi-designer hub that works with renowned designers to produce designer garments for kids, the site features designer kidswear and personalized accessories for girls and boys, along with room décor items, rugs, Mom n Me collections and organic clothing. No imported clothing here, by the way, which I thought was nice. All garments are made with kid-friendly quality fabrics, and they have certified organic clothing for little ones. Quite eco-friendly!
Stylemylo has an interesting history. The founder, Ruchi, looking for stylish designer outfits for her son's birthday, was disappointed that the online stores she saw were either exclusive designer stores, or cluttered with branded clothes. Inspired by the lack of variety in attractive clothing for children, she launched Stylemylo, redefining children's fashion, and developing it into the "go to" reference for parents looking for designer brands, mixed with practical, and everyday casual styles.
I had two major concerns though.
One was size and fitting, and the other-price.
Hey, I am a child of the 60s, and though I've grown with the times, I still wondered, what would I do with an expensive garment when the child outgrew it? You know how it is with 11-year-olds. Six months later, they will no longer fit into these clothes.
Then I did what any normal thinking person would do.
I called the store's customer care number, which I found easily on the site.
Very pleasantly, they assured me that I could choose the garments I liked, and they would be happy to size it for my niece-made to measure.
Also, I had the option to customize the outfit for size, sleeves, length etc. That seemed like a good idea.
Of course, I didn't let it go at that. I told them I found their site too pricey-what would I do if my niece could no longer fit into the dress after six months?
"At Stylemylo we have a " buyback for store credits " program" they said.
I was stunned at their answer. This is the first of its kind in the designer kidswear arena. I am sure you'll agree that designer kidswear looks like a waste when a child grows out of it.
According to Stylemylo, this shouldn't stop anyone from pampering their kids-so once a child no longer fits into a Stylemylo garment, they buy it back.
This means that when my niece outgrows the garment, I can upload the garment's picture on their website with the details. They'll pick up the garment from me and assess it. After a mutually agreed-upon buyback price, my Stylemylo account will be updated with store credits. They call it "Fashback".
I thought that was an interesting concept, because the last thing I want is to stock up on clothes my kids don't fit into.
So, I happily set about browsing the store, looking through onesies and rompers for my newborn grandnephew, ethnic wear for my nephew and semi-formal dresses for my niece. A couple of hours later, I was all set to order, confident that they would deliver the right size.
What is in store for the festival season coming up?Take a look at some of the clothing I saw and liked at Stylemylo. They have all kinds of clothes: angrak sherwani and dhoti sets, chic and pretty party frocks, tutu skirts and gowns for girls, silk tunics, floor length skirts, Indo-western jackets with dhoti sets, ethnic patterns, and lots more. They even have mosquito repellent clothing for little ones! Do visit the site and take a look!
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So the next time you want to buy smart, chic and stylish outfits for your children, head to Stylemylo! I'd love to know where you shop for your children!
Writer, editor, blogger, social media enthusiast. Love DIY, Coffee, Music, Reading, Photography, Family, Friends and Life. Mantra: Happiness is a DIY Project. In my free time I play with my dust bunnies and show my diabetes who's boss. Tweet as @vidyasury
