Yesterday my alarm went off at FIVE am! Crazy perhaps but I was mega excited as we’d been invited to preview the new summer range for children at Next! A trip to Leicester with the children and friends, Katy from Modern Mummy and Bex from The Mummy Adventure joined me on the train and I knew I’d meet Carolynne from Mummy Endeavours when we arrived! We were all set for a day of fun no matter that it started mega early!

We arrived at Next HQ and the children soon ran off to play! Toys and craft things were all set out for them with pastries and drinks… They didn’t give us a second thought and Florence and Katy’s little one set about collecting all the ‘My Little Ponies’ with their new friend made on the train belonging to Kylie from Memoir Mode! Children happy gave us the perfect opportunity to browse the shelves and see what’s new at Next for summer!

Happy playing children gave us the chance to look at the collection!

I love photographing children’s fashion for the blog and the collections here gave me lots of inspiration for suture posts. I loved the floaty and hippy-esque dresses for girls mixed with retro fashions most notably from the 80’s! I can see it’s going to be a bit of a bohemian summer as far as kids fashion is concerned this year but Next have managed to place a unique stamp on the trend while keeping it current!

Lots caught my eye and I was most fond of the floral prints!

Girl’s eye catchers!

The boys, who I sometimes feel can be left out in lots of collections, are well catered for here with a slightly different yet still retro vibe! Lots of neon, braces and beach chic mixed with super heroes and classic pieces. I’m never really very keen on a slogan T and was pleased to see not much of that with a more sophisticated edge coming in including Hawaiian shirts which are very much on my shopping list!

Boy’s Best Bits!

It was a lovely morning perusing the shelves and marking up my favourite pieces. We have lots from Next and know how well the clothes last both through wear and washing and simply that cuffs can be rolled down and waist bands expanded! They have a fantastic reputation for a reason and of course it’s a shop I will be back to for more! I’m loving their Ladybird prints which follow every season (with Florence being called Florence mary ladybird) we ALWAYS notice them in the clothes and Next make some of my favourites with often bold, chunky patterns and colours to boot!

When we had finished looking and mentally made a note of what we would buy with our voucher (a present from Next means I can go and spend on some of the eye catchers) we were taken to local Italian restaurant Cini for a lovely relaxing lunch! Well, with a bottle of wine on the table, good friends at hand and happy children giggling with friends what’s not relaxing! Now I bet you can’t say that every time a restaurant is filled with about 100 little ones!

The children had a fabulous day and it was topped off by getting to go into the kitchen and make Pizza with the chef who delighted Florence by donning her bunny ears for the task!

A fabulous meal!

Happy children making pizza!

And then it was time to come home with chocolate and more presents in hand! The children were given sun glasses, beach bags and towels and they have been parading round in them all morning! A princess towel for Florence was always going to cut the mustard but for Jimmy, having a pirate towel couldn’t have been more up his street! He even took a little nap wearing it!

 

Fun towels – absolutely love that they have a crown and pirate hat on the hoods!

Thank you for a lovely day yesterday Next!

I was invited to see the new summer collection for children at Next.