Shoe Heaven at Mamissima

You’re never too young to start a shoe collection and at Mamissima we have a wide range of gorgeous shoes that are perfect for little feet.

The Vivienne Westwood for Melissa collaboration - available exclusively at Mamissima - has given rise to a glorious collection of Mini Melissa shoes. Choose from brightly coloured pumps and Mary-Janes that come in a variety of quirky, eye-catching styles that will look fabulous on mini fashionistas. Perfect for the upcoming party season, every little girl should own a pair of these.

Made from 100% recyclable plastic by a socially and environmentally friendly company, Mini Melissa shoes are the choice of eco-conscious families who care about fashion and the environment. Prices start at £30. Browse our full collection here.

Super cute, super cosy Collegien Slipper Socks will keep tiny feet snug and warm through the cold winter months. Made from Egyptian cotton by the fifth generation of a French family in one of the last surviving French textile factories, the perforated, breathable, non-slip slippers bring a touch of brilliance to bedtime.

Stripy, spotty and bursting with colour, every little boy or girl needs a pair of these slippers in their wardrobe this winter. £19.99. Browse our full collection here.

Make it personal with Mamissima

When Carrie Bradshaw and the Sex and the City girls first hit our screens in 1998, women swooned over their wardrobes, coveted their lifestyle and dreamed of being transported to the razzle dazzle of New York City. Some might say Carrie was responsible for starting the personalised jewellery trend, which saw women the world over rushing to wear their name on a necklace.

We like to think we’re trendsetters at Mamissima too. In fact, our personalised necklaces by Chambers & Beau were some of the first on sale in Sussex and are still one of our top selling items. The stunning sterling silver necklaces feature tag, disc and gold plated Amour D’or heart charms, all clustered together with semi-precious stones of your choice. Add your name and the names of your little ones to create a bespoke piece of jewellery that will last a lifetime. Prices vary, ask in-store for more details or visit our website.

If it's a contemporary but traditional gift you're after, perhaps to accessorise your child's room or to give to a friend, our personalised Monday's Child Rhyme Print is the gift for you. The text 'Welcome to the world (child's name)' is written in black ink underneath the rhyme. All set on a cream background and finished off in a simple, classic white frame, this is a unique gift that can be treasured forever. Simply provide us with the name of the child and day of the week they were born - we'll do the rest. £15, framed.

Our very own Brighton-based designer has also created a selection of personalised products, available exclusively at Mamissima:

Vintage Name Prints make a fantastic gift. Tell us your child’s name and we will create a personalised print with a gorgeous poem just for them, based on their favourite pass times, colours and best qualities. The text style comes from old Victorian children’s books and the images are taken from 1970s American impressionist children’s illustrations, influenced by cowboys and Hollywood starlets. From £17.99.

From Amelia to Zoe and Ade to Zackary – and everything in between – let our artist create a piece of art that will look gorgeous in any little boy or girl’s bedroom. Our personalised Baby Name Prints are not just beautiful and individual but also educational. If your child’s name begins with a ‘C’, the print will feature an array of carefully hand-drawn illustrations of objects that begin with the same letter. From £17.99.

If you’d like to purchase any of the above, pop into Mamissima to browse our range of personalised products or visit our website. We’re sure Carrie would approve.

How to Keep Cool in the Sunshine

We’ve got lots of beautiful products in-store to keep little ones cool in the sunny weather, including reversible organic sun hats, muslins by aden + anaise, swim shorts for boys, pretty summer dresses for girls and soft organic cotton bodysuits for babies.

You can find some excellent natural sun protection creams at our favourite Brighton shop, Infinity Foods, and Boots also stocks a good range of creams and potions.

Here are some helpful tips to keep children cool in the sunshine:

Keep out of direct sunlight – Babies aren’t born with a developed skin protection system, so they burn more easily. Babies less than six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Their skin contains too little melanin, the pigment that gives skin, hair and eyes their colour and provides protection from the sun.

Apply lots of suncream – A young child has more skin (relative to body mass) than an adult, so sunburn can be very serious in small babies. Always use a high protection suncream and reapply every couple of hours.

Invest in a sunhat – Make sure your child wears a sunhat with a wide brim or long flap at the back to protect their head and neck from the sun. Mamissima stocks a wide range at reasonable prices.

Keep baby rehydrated – if breastfeeding, feed more often, and make sure you and your child drink plenty of water throughout the day. You can also give them diluted fruit juice, ice cubes and homemade fruit juice lollies. For older children, plenty of fruit and salad will also help keep up fluid levels.

Stay in the shade – The sun is at its hottest between 12 noon and 3pm, try to stay in the shade during these times.

Keep bedding and clothing to a minimum – remove duvets and thick blankets. Cool cotton sheets are a must at this time of year. Don’t worry about nighties and pyjamas at bedtime – just a nappy will do.

Cool room = happy baby – put a fan in baby’s room and open windows, keeping blinds closed to keep the sun out (make sure baby is supervised and stays well away from open windows, particularly if they’re crawling/climbing).

Have fun – paddling pools, splashing in the sea, lying in the shade under a big tree and eating lots of ice cream can all help too. Be safe, have fun and enjoy the sunshine.

See our full range of products here.

What’s In A Name?

Excitement about the new heir to the throne’s name has reached fever pitch with only days to go before the new arrival. So what will Prince William and Kate Middleton’s little prince or princess be called?

As is only fitting for a royal, most members of the Royal Family tend to have multiple names. Prince William alone has four: William Arthur Philip Louis. When naming their right royal sprogs the royals tend towards traditional names, especially those of successful monarchs.

Elizabeth and Victoria were both extremely strong and successful, as were Arthur and William. Less likely to make the cut would be Henry, considering King Henry famously married six times – and beheaded two wives. As far as non-traditional names go, only Princess Anne’s son (Prince William’s cousin) has gone off grid, naming his little princesses Savannah and Isla.

Top of our list is George and Louis for a boy, Victoria or Carole for a girl. So what will it be? Whatever it is, we're sure Miss Middleton would love one of our best-selling personlaised necklaces. So if you're looking for gift ideas, William, you know where to come. Watch this space …

Top Ten Brighton Names - Girls

Alice

Victoria

Laura

Amelia

Rosie

Cindy

Fleur

Yvette

Coco

Claudia

Top Ten Brighton Names - Boys

Elvin

Harry

Henry

Sebastian

Calan

Ellis

Dylan

Milo

Rudi

Billy

Just a few tips for the last two weeks of pregnancy

Without a doubt, the last two weeks of pregnancy is tough. It’s really easy to get it into your head that when you hit the last month, that tiny little treasure will arrive straight away and on time. Every day I see customers on their due dates, wandering around not knowing what to do with themselves, no doubt thinking, “Is today the day”. And naturally, every time they experience a slight contraction they’re so sure they’re in labour, because today is the day.

Of course, I have complete amnesia from my last pregnancy so I can’t possibly remember how I felt at this point. Nevertheless, I have come up with a few survival tips to (hopefully) keep you going through the last few weeks of pregnancy:

•           Don’t stop working – a little distraction will make the days go faster, and it means you won’t eat into your maternity leave.

•           Prepare the birth announcement. Figure out the design, what it’s going to say and have it ready to go when the baby’s born (moo.com is perfect for quick and affordable prints). Address the letters, ready for postage, and give yourself a big old pat on the back when it’s all done. A sleep-deprived new parent doesn’t want to be doing this once the baby arrives.

•           Make sure the baby’s room and newborn supplies are ready (Tip: you’ll need more than 10 nappies … a lot more – babies generally go through 10 a day!).

•           Stock up the freezer because there isn’t going to be much time to shop once the baby’s here.

•            Indulge! This is your last chance before you’ll almost certainly be starting your post-baby weight loss regime. So if you have any cravings, pack them in ladies!

•           Take a breastfeeding class. If you’re feeling under-prepared, solve the problem and take a class in whatever area you feel deficient. I promise you, you’ll feel much more confident and secure as a result.

•           Buy a baby journal. Mamissima sells lovely journals with lots of space for pictures and recording special memories and feelings. Visit www.mamisima.co.uk.

•           Write a letter to your baby, saying anything and everything you feel and would like to whisper in her or his ear. Write it by hand, the old-fashioned way.

•           Buy photo albums and start putting all your photos in them.

Trust me, you’ll be grateful later when you start taking hundreds of pictures of your new baby.

•           Read, read, read – Books, journals, magazines, newspapers, anything. You won’t have the time or energy to read for a while.

•           Spend some quality time with your partner. Your life together is about to change forever, so cherish these last few weeks and plan some grown-up, fun activities. Lunch at your favourite restaurant, a picnic in the park, breakfast in bed, cinema, weekend away. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just make the most of each other’s company.

•           Last but not least, treat yourself to something special, just for you. Babies are expensive and as soon as they arrive your needs become secondary. If you want that new pair of shoes, buy them now!

Good luck!

Lolita@mamissima