now i know i may have offended some mama’s with definition #3 of a modern mama so let me try and shed some modern mama light on the subject. i have NO PROBLEM with other kids who wear licensed characters, nor with other mamas who buy them for their kids, I just don’t like them for MY KIDS! when dressing my kids, my rule of thumb is - if the article of clothing were ‘adult sized’, would an adult look ridiculous wearing it (see part I)? Infants are another story…winnie the pooh is cute and cuddly for an infant, but the winnie the pooh clothing line should stop at size 9-12 months. why should i pay $18.00 for a bob the builder t-shirt when i can pay the same amount for quiksilver, hurley, nike, or puma? bob the builder is a wonderful toy and tv show - and even as a pajama that can be worn behind closed doors at home, but not so cute as a warm-up suit for public consumption!

now, don’t get me wrong - I love disney and its characters as much as the next person, and my kids are big fans of toy story, cars, etc. so, let me share with you some wasy to bring the magic of disney ‘home’ (but not in your kids’ dresser drawers)!

disney characters or a disney-themed room would be a big hit for any young child. not only are there countless products available ranging from bedsheets, to wall decor, to room accessories, but it also an easy theme to DIY it. the best thing about most children’s characters is the fact that they originated as cartoon characters so are simple ‘line-art’ subject to create as murals in your room of choice. with only a few dollars spent at your local craft store on some acryllic paint tubes (craftart, apple barrel, etc), you can add disney characters to your walls or any paintable surface in your kids’ rooms. any of you mama’s out there - have you done any ‘custom designs’ in your kids’ rooms? if so, please POST them on this site and share your creativity with all the other fab mamas out there!

…and if you just GOTTA do the license character thing for your kid’s wardrobe - go with something timeless like curious george, hello kitty, or paul frank!

i often wonder why disneyland and disney stores sell character clothing in adult sizes (just like i wonder WHY they make spandex in XXL sizes, but that’s a whole other subject entirely), but when i leave my house only to discover that the reason why they do is because adults actually BUY and WEAR this stuff in public! yes, adults spend their hard earned money to wear a mouse with no shirt or a duck with no pants across their chest! this is all i am going to say on this subject because these are consenting adults making these fashion faux paus, but just for the record - disney is a destination, not a designer! don’t get me wrong - vintage mickey or snoopy, etc is COOL - but if it’s not vintage, than just say no…

vintage mickey baby-doll tees

mod·ern ma·ma: 1. a female parent who continues to value fashion and style in her post-baby lifetime/ 2. is always keen on the hippest baby and mama gear. / 3. would never let her kids wear licensed characters / 4. considers her children as priceless accessories to her fabulousness 5. views the mall or retail therapy as one of the seven wonders of the world

disclaimer: ok, let me begin by stating, although this site is brought to you from a modern mama perspective, this modern mama believes ALL mamas are fabulous and hopes each reader will find both uniqueness and parity with mamas from all walks of life. From rocker mama to soccer mama - and every mama in between…each of us is fabulous in our own way!