Shirin Kids Apparel: Cute, Cool, But Pricey

Photo credit: Shirin Kids

Maybe it's my inner skinflint talking, but I cannot fathom why anyone would drop $46 on a lap tee that your rug rat is going to outgrow within the next seven minutes. Then again, with the exception of gifts and a Blue Canoe baby frock that was 50 percent off, my daughter's wardrobe is strictly hand-me-downs. (Thanks, George! Thanks, landlord!) Sure, the kidlet rocks out in pink, but I doubt she’d be indelibly scarred because we clad her in blue, with appliqués of trucks and dinosaurs parading across her chest.

But if you're feeling flush—or have the urge to splurge—Shirin NYC has a new organic cotton kid's line that is too cool for school, if a tad overpriced. And the ruffles? Totally precious. Printed by hand with water-based inks, the onesies, T-shirts, and top-knot hats are then finished using heat and pressure, rather than chemicals. And the designs, the work of artist Shirin Roubeni, are stunning, whether its the steely gaze of a leopard or a butterfly silhouetted against a cottonball-flanked baroque mirror.

Granted, the most affordable shirt costs $28, but it's still a little rich for this mama's blood (heirloom pieces, however, are a different story). Hipster tee versus college fund; the Park Slope strollerati might look askance, but I'm going with the promise of a bachelor's degree.

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