Our Inspiration

It can be alarming just how quickly young girls grow up and today’s marketing doesn’t help. Hearing constant chatter from frustrated moms trying to find appropriate clothing for their young girls, we became inspired. We listened to the desperation of moms trying to find the balance between age appropriate and affordable fashion, while appealing to both adults and girls. Addie & Ella was born with all of this in mind. Our designs are young and sweet but offer enough of an edge to make the most opinionated little fashionista excited! The clothes are whimsical and refreshing, adding variety to a world filled with the classic smocked dress. Many of our designs are somewhat fashion-forward while others offer a vintage twist. And since we all live an on-the-go lifestyle, we created clothes with comfort and practicality in mind. Addie & Ella lets girls be comfortable at school or play, yet ready for an impromptu play-date or party. Time and time again, we hear stories of compliments that little girls hear while wearing Addie & Ella. So, we can say with certainty, the Addie & Ella line makes them feel special.

Our design inspiration comes from real world moms and their daughters. Addie and Ella are not just the names used for the brand. They are our girls. When we started the line, our daughters, Addie and Ella, were toddlers. Now they are eight and six with real thoughts and opinions about each design. We have inadvertently created little fashion divas who nix designs and have very stated preferences about colors and prints. As a result, Addie & Ella is truly a kid-tested, mom-approved line. Hey, even the fashionable Suri Cruise approved, who was seen wearing Addie & Ella around NYC last year.

When we created the Addie & Ella brand, we wanted to partner with a cause or charity. After Meghan’s tragic loss of one twin and the miracle of another, we knew we wanted to give back to our very own community. We hold a special place in our hearts for the Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit at Levine Children’s Hospital. Almost four years ago, we founded the committee (along with Fran Russ, Lindsay Howard, and Cheryl Rosenberg) “In the Nic of Time”. In the Nic of Time holds a benefit each year for the Levine NICU and the Charlotte Fetal Care Center. For anyone who has had a baby in the NICU or has known someone, they will understand the significance of the benefit event each year. This year’s event will be at the Fillmore on May 30th. Please visit www.IntheNicofTime.org and www.facebook.com/cottieandcake to learn more and offer support.

Addie & Ella has kicked off 2014 with a new sales model. After receiving many emails from moms trying to buy our line, we are now offering the line at wholesale prices but directly to our fans. You can shop for Addie & Ella directly from our facebook page, www.facebook.com/addieandella or on our website www.AddieandElla.com. Be sure to “like” Addie & Ella on facebook, as we have many giveaways scheduled for the year.

Soldsie Store Opening on Facebook!

Exciting news! You asked and we listened! We will begin selling Addie & Ella on our facebook page starting Tuesday the 21st at 7 PM Eastern. You can pre-connect to the sale by liking our page and registering now using this link: https://www.soldsie.com/shop/addieandella

On Tuesday, simply visit our page and comment "sold" on any and every piece you want to buy, and we will send you an invoice instantly. Prices will be revealed during the sale. It's that simple. 

Embracing our differences

I often say to my kids, "If we were all the same, the world would stand still and be quite boring!"  Growing up I always felt this to be true, even though I would hear others berate someone for doing something a different way or have a different way of thinking.  I would think, "It's okay that they have their way and I have mine."  We can all be right.  And it's not even a question of being right or wrong.  It's all about embracing ourselves and one another for who we are.  We all are born into this life with differences that are more than skin deep.  Our desires, ambitions, thinking, emotions, intellect, ability, tastes, down to our favorite color are all meant to be different (read first sentence again).  Our differences allow us to grow and learn from one another, encouraging new thoughts and considerations.  Our differences allow some of us to be leaders and others to be artists.  The most important thing is to really love ourselves.

Jewel Tones

Lucky Magazine wrote an editorial on jewel tones in their September edition.  We couldn’t help but notice how the color of the featured plum coat matched that of our plum Sunday Rose Coat (as seen on Suri Cruise).  It looks like we were once again on trend.  And speaking of jewel tones, we couldn’t agree more that they add a brilliant pop of color during the colder months.  Be sure to check out how we have once again incorporated jewel tones into our Fall 2013 collection.  

November Special

An Addie & Ella special is here! Get our Tiered Ruffle Dress for only $29, shipping included! Take a look at our Fall album on facebook to see additional images. If you would like to order, message us or email us at pdtcouture@gmail.com. Quantities are limited.

About our Tiered Ruffle Dress:

This dress will guarantee fun, whimsical times.  With it's layers of Fall's trendiest colors, she will feel cheerfully inspired.  The dress is constructed of 95% Peruvian cotton and 5% stretch, making it the perfect dress for any on-th-go day!  For colder fall days, pair with any of our coordinating leggings.

Fall 2013: A look at what's right around the corner!

Style 1333

Addie & Ella is jumping into a gorgeous palette of color this fall!  Staying in line with women's color trends, we bring to you a deep rich grey that coordinates with every color in her wardrobe.  It is rightfully called turbulence, as the color brings sudden depths to its surrounding colors.  Turbulence gray can be found causing some commotion along side our soothing, peaceful Linden Green.  The ever timeless and elegant Acai has been brought into our fall collection via our signature print of the season, Lattice.  Expect to find our trendy, yet timeless Lattice Acai print incorporated throughout the collection.  As always, Addie & Ella continues to define collections as timeless with just enough trend.     Addie & Ella fans will be feeling bold and inspired by the line.  Bright pink, emerald green, and a bold blue round out the rest of our color palette this fall.  The entire collection is 100% cotton knit, making the line easy to wear.  As always, Addie & Ella lets girls be comfortable at school or play yet ready for an impromptu play-date, party, or event.  

Forming Great Habits

Some of you stopping by may be wondering what Addie & Ella have been up to!  Why so quiet on the blog?  Well, really there are no good excuses.  With a working computer, keyboard, internet, electricity and good health, there are no glowing reasons.  The blog has simply been sitting in the backseat.  You find yourself getting into that habit of, "I will get to that tomorrow".  So you adjust your rearview mirror until the task is out of sight and tell yourself you will remember to look back there tomorrow.  But tomorrow keeps happening, over and over.  This is especially true of tasks that can take the backseat, the unfinished tasks that don't show up on our daily report cards (unlike dishes, paying bills, working, being a mother).  It takes a daily effort of getting rid of excuses to complete those "backseat" tasks, to pull them into the front seat with you.

It doesn't take 21 days to form a good habit.  It takes discipline EVERYDAY to form great habits.   During Addie's first piano lesson, her teacher interviewed her.  Ms. Molly asked Addie, "Are you going to practice everyday for at least thirty minutes?  What will you say to friends who want to play but you have not yet practiced?  What is your level of commitment?"  Addie accepted the challenge without considering it a challenge.  It was something she wanted to do (in that moment).  But will the challenge (or lack of) be accepted with such ease once a few weeks rolls by?  As her mother, I will be standing by to remind her of what she committed to.  But what we so often ask of our children, we don't do ourselves.  If Addie knew I had not blogged (or insert another forgotten task) for this length of time, what kind of example would I be setting?  As parents leading by example, we need to show dedication and discipline, despite all the derailments that take us off course.

During talks with myself (yes I really do this) and talks with my children about why it is important to stay on task, I first ask them to recognize what they need to do.  I then ask them to think about how they feel afterwards, when the task is complete (for the time being).  Lastly, I ask them to think about their future selves and how thankful they will be when they can look back and see their hard, purposeful, productive work behind them.  One of our household mottos is, "The harder you work now, the easier it will be later".  Learning piano right now might seem difficult, boring at times, and tedious, but in five years when you can sit down at a piano bench and play, how rewarding will that feel!  And I always say, "If someone else can do it, then why can't I"?  The common denominator that usually separates the good from the great, is hard work and a willingness to form great habits despite the chaos that's going on around us.

I hope to be blogging while listening to "Mary had a Little Lamb" for the fiftieth time each and every day.  And one last note, I will tell myself and Addie to not allow the desire for perfection to get in the way of practice.  Practice does not always make perfect, but it does form great habits.

Love,

Addie's mom, co-owner and designer, Mai-Lis