XMAS BEST BUYS FOR KIDS - EDITOR'S RECCOMENDATIONS
By Lopa Patel, Editor - Redhotcurry.com (15 November 2005)

Corduroy Sherpa Hooded Gilet in Beige or Brown - £18.75

Buying gifts for children is fraught with difficulty. If you buy a toy, they are more than likely to play with the packaging instead and any computer game is bound to be out-of-date, the wrong version or something they've already got! Hardly surprising then, that clothes are nearly everyone's preferred choice. And buying clothes is easy. Children's sizing is remarkably accurate, but if even they're a little bit big…don't worry, at least the child will grow into them! The trick is to make the right fashion choice.

This season's look for girls is a mini-version of that for women. Cowboy boots, lace trim skirts, chunky knits and charm bracelets are fashionable for girls between 8 and 13. But beware, the Victorian lace trim skirt is very pretty and very feminine and not one for girls who hate wearing skirts! Wear the ensemble with tights and a knitted scarf for the ultimate Urban Cowboy look.

Chunky cardigan £16.88 & Victorian Lace Trim Skirt £13.13

Ribbon Tie Skirt £8.44, Frilled Tee Shirt £6.56 and Tasselled Chunky Knit Cardigan £13.13

For younger girls, the corduroy layered skirt matched with a long sleeved cotton top is really popular (right). Many are wearing this with thick knit tights in cream and the fabulous kid's biker boots for a smart, almost military style look. The ribbon tie skirt and its matching frilled blouse are great for girly girls and look smashing with the tasselled chunky knit long cardigan (left).

Corduroy Skirt £8.44, Embroidered Tee £6.56, Pink Gilet £22.50

Sherpa Gilet (Tan) £18.75

For perpetual jeans wearers, there is the fabulous sherpa gilet in tan. Short and tight enough to be fashionable, and warm enough to wear for even the chilliest days. There's even a ladies version so this one is a pretty safe bet for the older girls. Younger girls, who prefer anything pink, will adore the embroidered gilet in the softest of baby pink shades (above) and the adventurous type will love the hooded Sherpa gilet that comes in beige or chocolate brown (see first paragraph).

Black & Pink Contrasting Colour Trouser Set £13.13

For tomboys, the trouser set of contrasting colours is perfect. It features the layered long sleeve top - a style hugely favoured by boys - but is embellished with a little bit of diamante sparkle. The pink and yellow trouser sets are perfect for lounging about the house, and probably will get an initially luke warm response. But wait, the soft fleece type lining and sheer versatility of this set will mean that it'll become the most heavily worn garment.

Trouser Set (Yellow) £16.13

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

Sadly boys fashion suffers from a real lack of colour choice, so I was thrilled to see red making an appearance this year in the form of the fantastic long sleeve hooded tops. These feature some discreet embroidery and the hugely popular layered sleeve. The long sleeve eagle t-shirts also come in some great colours.

The zip-off skating trousers are a phenomenon. Basically the bottom third of the trouser (just below the knee) can be unzipped from the rest of the garment so that it doesn't get caught when skating (I assume). These Urban Rebel zip off trousers are decorated with a snazzy little bit of print on the hip pocket, and the bottom bit can be reattached.

Hooded L/S Tops - £10 Now £7.50 In Red, Brown & Navy

Eagle L/S T-Shirts - £8.75 Now £6.56 in Red, Black, Khaki & Navy

Zip-Off Skating Trousers - £13.75 Now £10.31 In Stone & Navy

The skating fleece also features a weird double zip at the neck - zip it up for warmth, zip it down when skating - underarm vents and Velcro tabs. The hooded polar fleece comes in a brilliant chocolate brown colour, dusky blue and navy. No wonder that all the fleeces are selling like hot cakes.

And where would little boys be without combat trousers - in navy and stone, most boys seem to have these in the wardrobe year in year out. Presumably because they fit well, are machine washable and immensely wearable.

Polar Fleece - £15.00 Now £11.25 In Brown, Blue & Navy

Skating Fleece - £12.50 Now £9.38 Also in Cream, Blue & Navy

Combat Trousers - £13.75 Now £10.31 in Stone & Navy

BOOTS

Shoes and boots are generally tricky purchases if you don't know the child's shoe size. But if you do, our range of fur trim cowboy boots (warm and practical), kid's biker boots in faux leather and suede (smart) and leather-look press stud boots are a good fit. Perhaps not best suited for a very slim foot, the overall size is good match to a child's shoe size so do not be tempted to buy one size bigger.

Kid's Biker Boots - £26.99 Now £20.24 Kids' Sizes 10 - 2. Also in Black More details >>

Fur Trim Buckle boot £26.99 Now £20.24 Kids' Sizes 10-2. Also in Brown. More details >>

Press Stud Boot - £19.99 Now £15 Kids' Sizes 6-12. More details >>

So there you have it, tops, skirts, trousers, gilets, cardigans and boots….what more could any child ask for?

TOP FIVE BUYS FOR GIRLS (AUTUMN/WINTER 2005)

1. Victorian Lace Trim Skirt - £13.13
2. Tasselled Chunky Knit Long Cardigan - £13.13
3. Corduroy Skirt (£8.44) & Embroidered T-Shirt (£6.56) - Total £15
4. Sherpa Gilet (Tan) - £18.75
5. Kid's Fur Trim Cowboy Boots - £20.24

TOP FIVE BUYS FOR BOYS (AUTUMN/WINTER 2005)

1. Long Sleeve Eagle T-Shirts - £6.56
2. Long Sleeve Hooded Top (Dark Red) - £7.50
3. Zip-Off Skating Trousers (Navy) - £10.31
4. Combat Trousers (Stone) - £10.31
5. Hooded Polar Fleece - £11.25

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