Jessica Dickinson of the beautiful children’s lifestyle blog Blake Acres shares her love of classic children’s wear labels and this month features Belgium kidswear label Maan on the Junior Style blog. Jessica and her Boston-based family are spending the summer in London and we adore keeping up with their adventures around town, like this outing along the Thames Path in Richmond. Be sure to follow her on Instagram @blakeacres
We’ve reached high summer in London and have been craving peaceful walks in the country, a simple pleasure that brings us so much joy this time of year. Navigation outside of the city will likely lead you on some form of pedestrian walkway, which are usually (but not always) wide enough for a buggy. So I was pleasantly surprised by our delightful (and accessible!) stroll through some treasure filled spots along the Thames Path in Richmond.
Our first stop was Petersham Nurseries, not your typical greenhouse but one filled with ethereal woven baskets, vintage sea glass bottles and a menagerie of plaster animals all thoughtfully arranged among the repurposed furniture and earthen floors.
This favourite blue gingham frock by the Belgium childrenswear brand Maan, was the perfect compliment to our Richmond adventures. A crisp yet lightweight cotton not only kept her cool but after a day of exploring, it still looked polished and suitable for a dinnertime date with her Dad. We are huge fans of this versatile label, which produces pieces that we reach for time and again. With fall upon us, there is no time like the present to check out their beautiful collection of easy to wear pieces like this fair isle knit sweater.
As we walked along, our path lead us back to the Thames just as these four year old legs needed some recharging. Thankfully we had a very special friend along for the ride who helped set the stage for Elise’s own rendition of Sleeping Beauty in the wild grasses. This summer has been all about discovery and we’re thrilled to have come across the UK brand, ABOEDesigns, brainchild of Jacqueline Moore who has created a wonderful range of colour-in dolls, necklaces, and soon-to-come doll beds. This darling bed can be packed away in a breeze and wins major Mommy points for the delight it brings.
The lovely Ham House and gardens of Richmond greeted us as we finished our trip along the river and pedestrian paths. These wonderful estate gardens and homes always have equally wonderful baked goods and we didn’t think twice about treating ourselves to some well earned English shortbread. The cafe opens up to the kitchen gardens and just beyond lies the children’s garden, a much loved parcel of land inviting kids to pick their own vegetables and herbs. With our pockets full of found objects and our tummies happy, we left for home with fond memories of this summertime stroll.
Check back next month for our next adventure.
Clothing credits:
Elise’s bow: Free Babes Handmade
Elise’s sandals: Zimmerman Shoes Stevie Sandal
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