A Lesson In Figure Skating | SophiasStyle.com

Back in my middle school days I played basketball on the 8^th grade team. My ever supportive mother, although she didn’t understand a lick about the sport, came to every game to cheer me on. I’m sure she was confused and bored to tears most of the time. Maybe a few pointers before the season would have helped her enjoy my games a bit more. 

So now it’s your turn to get involved in your child’s sport or activity, even if it’s as simple as learning a few rules or techniques! Maybe all your involvement to date has been buying her girls figure skating clothing, but that changes today! Here’s a quick lesson on figure skating spins so you can identify all those moves on the ice that make her look like a human pretzel. There are three types of spins in figure skating- Upright Spins, Sit Spins and Camel Spins. Each category has basic, foundational moves that evolve into very complicated spins.

Upright Spins

Scratch spin

The Scratch Spin – This move involves both legs – one skating leg and one “free leg” that is crossed in front of the skating leg. The arms and free leg start extended straight out and high. They are pulled in gradually, which accelerates the spin, and the leg is pushed down so that the feet are crossed at the ankles.

Biellmann spin

Evolve this into: the Biellmann Spin. Yow! This move takes years of practice to master and requires superhuman flexibility. It might be awhile before she attempts this one, but when she does you can correctly identify it. 

Sit Spins

Sit spin

The Sit Spin – A basic move to start this category. The skater bends the skating knee into a sitting position and the other leg is extended. The skater reaches his or her arms out to touch the toes of the extended leg – all while spinning in a circle!

Flying sit spin

Evolve this into: the Flying Sit Spin. The only difference from the basic sit spin is that the skater starts the move from a jump. Her or she must get into the sit spin position while in the air. 

Camel Spins

Camel spin

The Camel Spin – This spin paints a beautiful picture on the ice. What defines the Camel Spin is that the free leg must be held backwards with the knee of the free leg higher than the hip level. Michelle Kwan is famous for performing this move to textbook perfection.

Donut spin

Evolve this into: the Donut Spin (also known as the horizontal Biellmann). In this spin the skater pulls the blade of the skate of the free leg backward with one or both arms while arching the back to create a horizontal circular shape with the body. 

These moves might look complicated but finding beautiful and affordable ice skating clothes doesn’t have to be. Shop SophiasStyle.com for skating dresses, practice pants and jackets and even boot covers. She’ll look good in our figure skating clothes for girls while she masters her technique!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Her Christmas Look from Head to Toe

A beautiful Christmas dress

There’s no doubt that SophiasStyle.com is the place to shop for a girl Christmas dress for the upcoming holidays. With hundreds of infant, baby and toddler Christmas dresses to choose from, we’re practically girls Christmas dress central! But did you know that we also carry all the shoes and accessories to accompany her perfect holiday dress, plus gifts and stocking stuffers? No need to run all over town picking up dress shoes, hair bows, and presents. Pull up a chair to your computer (or snuggle on the couch with your laptop) and shop Sophias Style boutique for everything you need.

The perfect pair!

First things first: you’ll need to choose the perfect girls or baby Christmas dress. I’m personally in love with this new arrival from Sweet Kids. It’s a beautiful red taffeta dress featuring black polka dots and a charming sash at the waist. Sweet Kids is one of our most popular brands for not only girls and infant Christmas dresses, but also Easter and flower girl dresses. All of our Sweet Kids customers can’t be wrong!

Now that you have the foundation for her look, it’s time to accessorize! We all know the perfect pair of shoes really makes an outfit. These sophisticated patent flats from IM Link come in three colors – black, wine or silver. I’m going to pair the black pair with my toddler Christmas dress this year. They’ll tie into the black polka dots on the dress and they are youthful yet sophisticated – perfect for any little girl. 

A great hair accessory!

Don’t neglect her tresses for the holidays. You might have a hard time choosing just one item from our enormous selection of girls hair accessories, but that means she’ll have lots of options. This black sparkle flower hair clippie will add a bit of glitz for the holidays and can easily be pair with other clothes all year round. 

A cute Christmas gift

Finally, trim the tree with a special gift for your special little girl. We have toys, jewelry, bags and more that will delight the kids this holiday season. I chose this adorable pink poodle backpack from Kreative Kids. She can remove the plush poodle for cuddle time, or strap it onto the bag and take it wherever she goes.

Now you know how to re-create this look for your little girl, or shop SophiasStyle.com to make your own fashionable and affordable holiday ensemble!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Fun and Spooky Halloween Decorations

Delightfully spooky ghosts!

Truly excellent Halloween crafts and decorations make take a little extra time and preparation, but luckily there’s still more than 2 months until October 31^st. Sometimes finding costumes for girls and boys can be a time consuming and expensive chore, but not this year! Simply shop SophiasStyle.com and pick up affordable Halloween costumes for girls. Then get started collecting plastic milk cartons so you can have these spooky Spirit Jugs decorations lining you walkway this Halloween. It’s a fun project the whole family can get in on. Here’s what you’ll need:  

·         Clean plastic gallon milk jugs

·         Black permanent marker

·         Craft knife

·         String of 50 clear low-wattage holiday lights

Once you gather your materials, it’s just three easy steps to complete!

1.       Draw ghost eyes and mouths on the jugs. Tip: Leave the caps on while you do this, so the jugs don't dent.

2.       Use the craft knife to cut a half-dollar-size hole in the back of each jug (a parent's job).

3.       Arrange the ghosts near each other and string the lights between them, stuffing several bulbs into each of the jugs.

Bee-utiful girls dress up clothes

You can create ghosts of all shapes and sizes by mixing gallon and half gallon milk jugs in your arrangement. You can draw scary or silly faces on your cartons depending on your mood. You’ll have unique, recycled Halloween decorations and girls dress up clothing that didn’t cost you a fortune!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall Fashions

Brrr! It was a chilly 65 degrees outside this morning. I think fall is definitely on its way in. (Funny how 60s and 70s feel cold in August. In March after we’ve had freezing weather for months, 65 degrees will feel like a heat wave!) Anyway, it’s time to heave a great sigh and sadly start to pack away all those tank tops, shorts and swimsuits. No worries though, because it’s time to start stocking up on fall and winter girls clothes!

SophiasStyle.com can certainly help you do that. Every day we have new boutique girls clothing arrivals. Just in the past week we’ve said hello to new jeans, coats, outfits and tons of new shoes for babies, boys and girls. Don’t forget our special occasion girls clothing too. We have flower girl dresses in beautiful Fall colors and dozens of newly arrived christening gowns and outfits for baby boys and girls. A handful of Christmas Dresses from Lito have also made an appearance.

As the leaves change, so do the fashions. Check back at SophiasStyle.com often to see what boutique girls clothes will be arriving next!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Oo La La - Tutu Moi

Baby portrait tutu

You absolutely have to take a second look at these designer girls outfits from one of our newest brands, Tutu Moi. The company specializes in these tres magnifique tulle tutu outfits for babies and little girls. Now SophiasStyle.com carries dozens of styles from their fabulous clothing collection, in sizes baby 3 months all the way up to girls size 12.

Each set includes a tutu skirt that has twelve layers of hand-tailored tulle. Each tutu is uniquely embellished with beads, fringe, ribbon and other fine details. Each of these boutique girls outfits is completed with a white shirt that is embellished to match the skirt. The beauty and quality of Tutu Moi garments couldn’t be more apparent.

Because they are so lovingly made and come in a wide variety of elegant colors, these tutu outfit sets are appropriate for so many of life’s events and occasions. Tutu Moi’s baby girl outfits help create breathtakingly adorable new baby portraits. There are also pretty pink sets perfect for a birthday party, rich orange for Thanksgiving, cheery red Christmas sets and even a bright bold purple tutu that would make a delightful Halloween ensemble.  

Halloween by Tutu Moi

There’s really no bad choice when it comes to Tutu Moi. She’ll look delightful no matter which one you choose!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Choosing a First Communion Dress for your Little Girl

A beautiful communion dress

A first communion dress is a very important garment in a girl’s life. The occasion it’s meant for is very special and what she wears should mirror that feeling. Just as no two little girls are alike, 1st communion dresses also vary greatly. There’s a style out there no matter what you’re looking for!

There are three basic choices on length – floor length, tea length or knee length. Generally first communion dresses are tea or floor length, because these styles are more formal and better suit the occasion. Then you need to consider sleeves. You can go sleeveless, short sleeved or long sleeved. The church might have restrictions on what types of sleeves are allowed, but if she really loves a sleeveless 1^st communion dress you can always add a sweater or bolero jacket so that it’s appropriate for your guidelines.

Once you have chosen a silhouette, it’s time to decide on a fabric. Communion dresses come in a large array of different textiles and textures. At SophiasStyle.com you’ll find simple cotton gowns or more luxurious taffeta, organza and satin gowns. Cotton gowns are typically less expensive, but can lack the intricate details that will make her dress unique. Common extras include rhinestones, bows, sashes, ruching, sheering, pick-ups and more. 

You can feel comfortable choosing any type of communion dress at SophiasStyle.com because our prices are discounted from the retail tag so they are always on sale! We also have all the other accessories that she needs to make her first communion look complete – veils, gloves, dress shoes, socks, tights and more. 

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Fall Wedding Footwear at SophiasStyle.com

Fall wedding shoes for girls

Summer may be drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean wedding season is. September, October and November weddings are becoming more popular than ever and the crisp fall air and beautiful changing colors make the perfect backdrop for exchanging vows. This means flower girls are still very much in demand – maybe your little girl is one of them. The cooler temps change a lot about her look, especially the pair of girls dress shoes that are appropriate for the season. 

The weddings during the dog days of summer might require open toe or strappy sandal style dress shoes for girls, but fall is a little different. Usually flats or Mary Jane style shoes will keep her feet more cozy and comfortable. But don’t worry, these styles of toddler girl dress shoes are not the bore you’re picturing! SophiasStyle.com carries dozens of pairs of girl, toddler and infant dress shoes that are anything but boring. They feature elegant shimmer and shine, plus beautiful details like bows and rhinestones. These shoes are truly the best of both worlds. Her feet will look appropriate for the occasion and feel appropriate for the weather.

Brown and gold are both popular wedding accent colors for the fall. Imagine these pretty shoes with a beautiful green or navy flower girl dress. Perfection!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

To Glitz or Not to Glitz? | SophiasStyle.com

A glitz pageant gown

If your little girl is entering a beauty pageant, there are two common types to decide between – glitz or natural. Likewise, girls pageant dresses fall into one of the two categories. Glitz pageants require a dress embellished to the hilt with sequins, sparkles and tulle galore. Natural pageants feature more simple, everyday looking gowns. In fact, girls pageant gowns for a natural pageant are not really gowns at all, but more like a special occasion dress she’d wear for a holiday or party. They’re a step up from an ordinary everyday dress, but stop short of the over the top look of traditional pageant gowns for girls. 

As you can imagine, the price varies greatly depending on what type of baby or toddler girl pageant dress you choose. Glitz gowns will naturally be more expensive, usually in the $200-400 range. They are much more detailed and extravagant. Natural pageant dresses, on the other hand, are often times barely more than $50. You can expect pretty fabrics and less labor intensive details, such as a simple bow or sash instead of intricate beading.

A simple natural pageant dress

The good news is that SophiasStyle.com carries both types of girls and toddler pageant dresses, so you’ll always be able to find the perfect gown for whichever type of pageant she enters. She’s sure to look and feel the part in one of our beautiful dresses!

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Placemats and Polos | SophiasStyle.com Boys School Uniforms

An unforgettable craft!

The first day of school is here. You’ve packed his school supplies, bought his boys school uniforms and the carpool schedule is ready. The only thing that could ruin his big day is a forgotten backpack or missing lunch money. Make your little boy this handy Checklist Place Mat and he’ll never forget a thing! Each morning when he sits down to breakfast he’ll be reminded of the day’s tasks. Here’s how in 3 easy steps.

1. Let him help choose decorative paper and then cut three 6x12 rectangles out of the paper. Glue the paper rectangles side by side to an 18x12 piece of poster board. 

2. With a black marker label two of the rectangles, one with “Do At Home” and the other with “Take to School.” Then make a daily checklist for each label. It’s also a good idea to leave a few blank spaces for extra write-in tasks. 

3. Laminate the place mat at a local copy shop, or you can cover it yourself with Con-Tact paper. Finally, adhere a dry erase marker to the place mat with Velcro so he can easily check things off as he completes them.

*Hint* On the back you can also add additional checklists for after school, bedtime, or the weekend!

Boys school uniform polos

Now he’ll remember all the important things without you constantly reminding him. It’s also a great way to teach the kids simple responsibility and independence. Shop SophiasStyle.com and check school uniforms for boys off your to-do list. A little girl or little boy school uniform from Sophias Style boutique is discount priced off the retail tag by 20% or more – everyday.

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog. 

A Shoe for Every Foot

The hunt for the perfect pair of girls shoes for school has commenced! You already know that SophiasStyle.com is the place to find the most trendy, high quality and affordable little and baby girl shoes. Now the only question that remains is which one to choose. It all depends on how her feet are feeling. Classic? Glamorous? Whimsical? We have a footwear answer for any mood she’s in!

Our classic little trendy girls will love these suede Mary Jane style strap shoes. They are available in four colors and will look great with tights or ruffle socks. These little girls shoes are the ideal mate for school uniforms. No matter what clothes you pair them with, their classic, understated style is sure to shine through.

Channel her inner rock star with a pair of these shiny fashion boots. The little details are what make them so sensational. Each pair features a puffy quilted texture, a bow on the side and a jeweled buckle embellishment at the ankle. When it comes to the perfect outfit to pair with them, think trendy tunics, patterned leggings and a whole lot of sparkle!

Calling all girly girls! These delicate shoes for little girls are a must for any little girl who’s most comfortable in flowy sundresses and floral prints. The colors are soft and pretty and the flower pom pom embellishment will remind her of spring.  

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.  

Back to School Clothing | Sophias Style

Girls Leggings

In just a few short weeks, the kids will be heading off to school again!  Have you already begun the hunt for back to school clothes that are stylish, appropriate and affordable?  If not, you'd better get started- after all, back to school season is no time to be teaching the kids to procrastinate.  Set a good example and take some time this evening to shop for girls back to school clothes and boys back to school clothes at Sophias Style! 

We have a great variety of styles and brands, so there's sure to be something for everyone.  This fall, it's all about layering, layering, layering!  You're going to want to stock her dresser drawers with patterned Lipstik leggings in every hue, chunky leg warmers, and plenty of fun ankle socks. 

Girls Ballet Flats



Girls Tunic Tops

 Next, make sure her closet has plenty of light, billowy tunic tops and short dresses.  The more chiffon the better, because mixed summer and winter fabrics was all over the pre-fall runways this year.  Once you've got the light flowy pieces, pick out the warm knit sweaters to layer over them.  Basically you're looking to involve as many different types of fabric in each outfit as possible. 



Girls Sweaters



As every girl knows, shoes and accessories are always the make-it or break-it element of the outfit.  So, grab a variety of cute fashion boots and cowboy boots, but also snag a few fun pairs of kitten heels (don't worry, they're only an inch high!) for her to wear with pretty ankle socks for more dressy occasions.  But, most importantly, find a variety of ballet flats.  These will always be in style, and they're comfy too!

At Sophias Style, you're sure to find everything she needs to put together a fantastic wardrobe this back to school clothing season.  And the best part is, it's all going to be ultra-affordable! 

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Halloween Costumes for Girls | Sophias Style



Costumes for Little Girls



Now, Sophias Style has always been a great place to look for girls Halloween costumes.  Every year we have cute little princess costumes and goofy farm animal costumes, plus really cool witch outfits.  However, this year Sophias isn't just a great place to look, this year we are THE place to look.  We have the cutest girls costumes I have ever seen, and we have them in both toddler and tween sizes! 

Aside from just girls dress up clothes, Sophias Style has been getting in tons of really pretty dresses, leggings and skirts by Lipstik that will be great for layering this fall.  Don't you just love the autumn season?  It might as well be called the fashion season! 

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog. 

Girls School Uniform Dresses from SophiasStyle.com

 

Girls Uniform Dresses



Many schools have moved away from strict uniform codes and instead just started to enforce more lenient dress codes.  The reason for this is that they receive less complaints from parents about the difficulty of finding uniform clothing.  However, purchasing uniform basics is still the easiest way to incorporate dress-code-friendly peices into her wardrobe.  Girls uniform dresses from Sophias Style would be perfect to layer with her favorite t-shirts and cozy sweaters this winter.  And you can rest assured that her girls school uniform skirt will meet the length requirements. 

Personally, I love the girls school uniform scooters.  They're cute and feminine, but more functional than regular girls school uniform skirts.  The best thing about schools that have looser dress code requirements, is that all of her girls school uniform dresses from SophiasStyle.com will mix right in perfectly, and the basic styles will make a great blank canvas for her to style with accessories and really personalize. 

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Girls Plus Size School Uniforms at SophiasStyle.com



Girls Plus Size School Uniforms

In just three short weeks school will be back in session!  If your children attend a school that requires uniforms, you know that it's getting down to the wire and now is the time to stock up on polo shirts and khaki pants.  However, if you want to be sure that the school uniforms for girls you purchase are going to fit her school's requirements, it's a good idea to buy them from Sophias Style. 

Our girls school uniforms are logo-free and school approved.  We carry up to 20.5 in girls plus size school uniforms, so you can find the right size for her at every age and every stage.  We've got several different styles of uniform pants, skirts, skorts, and dresses.  On top of it all, we carry polos and sweaters in 10 different colors, and they are all no-show-through. 

For school uniforms girls love to wear, check out SophiasStyle.com.

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.