What Our Toddler will be Wearing this Spring

Spring is finally here and our toddler’s wardrobe needed a seasonal refresh. I shopped smart and got nearly every item in Dessa’s closet on sale. There are a few unique items in her closet that aren’t mentioned in the post – because they were great finds at a Mom2Mom sale, a splurge for a dress at an online boutique, or just items that still fit from the previous season. But most of Dessa’s clothes were purchased new and on sale. Here’s a look at what Dessa will be wearing this Easter and for the rest of the spring season.

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Dessa’s Easter Outfit

You may recall from my post about Dessa’s winter wardrobe that I’m very particular about the dresses I purchase for special occasions. When my daughter wears a dress, it’s rarely for an hour and usually for extended lengths of time. Because of this, it’s especially important to me that Dessa be as comfortable as possible while wearing a dress. Soft, cotton dresses are always my priority and since I like to get the most bang for my buck, I prefer to purchase dresses that can are casual enough to be worn on repeat throughout the season. I adore this sweet little floral dress from Carters and it seems that I’m not the only one! The dress is out of stock at Carters.com, but is still available online at JCPenny. It’s a perfect fit for Dessa and has a lovely floral print (the pictures really don’t do it justice.) Best of all, this dress is much more comfortable than the fancier spring dresses in stores.

The only detail I don’t absolutely love about this dress is the heart cutout in the back (you may recall from my recent Stitch Fix Kids review that I don’t like grown up details in toddler attire), but the rest of the dress is so perfectly sweet, I just had to keep it and I can always cover it up with a simple cardigan (I love this heart one from Carters) on chilly days.

Floral Heart Cutout Dress – grab it while you can and thank me later!
White Pigtail Clips – These pigtail bow clips are a great way to dress up her hair for special occasions.
Metallic Leather Mary Jane from See Kai Run – These look great with everything (even casual outfits) and are currently on sale at Nordstrom Rack!
White Microfiber Tights – I love the look of clean white tights and these ones are great.

Dessa’s Everyday Clothes for Play

Dessa’s clothes for playing around the house or with friends are a mix of comfortable items that easily mix and match to create endless simple looks. Dessa does a great job of keeping her shirt pretty clean during the day (when we eat especially messy foods we just put a little zip hoodie over her shirt to catch all the mess that gets past her bib), but I find that pants get dirty more easily. She usually wears light clothes on top with dark pants on the bottom and she always looks great. Here’s a quick rundown of the play clothes in Dessa’s closet that I purchased new for her this spring.

1 – 2. Elastic bow headbands – I have always loved the voyager bows from ZoZu baby, but you can find similar bows in this Etsy shop. My only complaint is that the nylon headband is thicker and less discreet than the ZoZu baby headbands. Dessa got a lot of use from her simple white bow and light pink polka dot bow.

3. 3-Pack White Socks – I know the soles get dirty, but I just love the look of white socks. Dessa wears these with everything.

4. Carter’s Glitter Casual Sneakers – Some shoes are just so good, you keep going back to buy a bigger pair. These are those shoes! They have a great price and are  incredibly durable. They also look great with sneakers and play clothes. Dessa actually owns two pair of these shoes: an everyday pair that we wear outside just for fun and a brand new pair that looks extra nice with a dress or visiting with friends.

5 – 8. Everyday Essentials Hi-Lo Tee – I fell in love with these shirts last summer and just had to stock up on more this year. The colors are beautiful, they are often on sale for a great price and I especially love how the hi-lo style offers extra coverage in the back so my toddler doesn’t flash her diaper to everyone when she bends over. These tops also look great with shorts during the summer months.

9 – 10.  Full-Length Jersey Leggings for Toddler Girls – I’ve learned through trial and error that there are some brands that just make toddler clothes so well, it’s crazy to buy them anywhere else.  That’s how I feel about Old Navy leggings for babies and toddlers. They fit great, stay in place, have a great regular price of $10, but if you hit a sale right, you can often grab them for about $5 each. I especially love pairing navy or denim leggings with Dessa’s spring tops and Old Navy even has a multipack of 4 different colors that are perfect for spring.

11. Ginger III Metallic Leather Mary Jane – I paid full price for these shoes at Nordstrom in a smaller size last year and it was worth every penny. They matched everything in Dessa’s closet, provided great support and we always got compliments when she wore them. I would pay full price again for a bigger pair this spring, but was thrilled to see that it’s not necessary. The shoes are currently on sale at Nordstrom Rack!

12. 2-Pack Jersey Dress Set – I’m not sure when the obsession began, but Dessa loves wearing a dress. She always looks down to admire the swinging skirt and lights up when she is wearing a dress. I have a few dresses in her closet for nice occasions, but I also picked up this 2-pack of dresses from Carters so she could wear them on play dates or around the house. They had a great price so I’m not worried about these dresses getting a little messy while she plays. Carters has a several different 2-Pack dresses in a variety of colors and styles that are worth checking out.

13 – 14. Long Sleeve Carters Graphic Tees – I really don’t care for graphic tees, but they often have a great price and come in darker colors, which are great for our messy days. It’s still quite cool in Michigan and we needed a few long sleeve shirts to help get us through til the warm weather finally decides to stay. I picked these up at Carters on sale for $5 each. Dessa loves dinosaurs and unicorns so I knew they would make her happy. We often layer a lightweight undershirt beneath her tops to add a little extra warmth. Please note that the long sleeve graphic tees tend to run small, so size up when you order!

15 – 16. Full-Length Jersey Leggings for Toddler Girls – Dessa also has gray and black leggings from Old Navy that mix and match well with all her tops. Seriously, the best leggings at a great price.

Dessa’s Outdoor Gear

No spring wardrobe would be complete without proper outerwear for when we leave the house – especially when we encounter those spring showers. We tried on several jackets and finally landed on this purple one from Old Navy. I love the color for spring and it is water-resistant. Dessa’s black rain boots from the fall are still going strong and she loves wearing them. It took lots of patience, but I finally got Dessa to wear sunglasses! I found a simple black pair at Carters and I think the reason she likes wearing them is because they look so much like Mommy’s sunglasses.

Purple Rain Jacket – I love the color and the fact that it’s water-resistant.
Black Rain Boots – I originally bought these to coordinate with my Hunter boots and Dessa loves wearing them.
Cat Eye sunglasses – I love how silly and stylish Dessa looks when she wears these.

I’m sure there will be a few more items that we purchase for Dessa throughout the spring season. Thankfully, all of her clothes mix and match to easily dress my little one in sweet clothes that perfectly match her personality. Shop our favorite spring picks in the widget below (I even sprinkled in some additional items that are easy on the budget!)