SwimOutlet.com: STORE SPOTLIGHT PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

We interviewed our favorite online swim retailer that carries everything from the top beach gear to the best family and children’s swimwear! They know the “do’s” and “don’ts” in warm-weather swim style – read below for the latest and greatest tips from the fabulous buying team from the SwimOutlet.com.

SwimOutlet.com
www.swimoutlet.com

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1. What was the inspiration/ behind starting e-store – swimoutlet.com?
SwimOutlet.com started as a website called SwimLessions.com. Our CEO had the idea to create a website where swim students could connect to instructors. The site grew to include locators for public pools, directories for swim schools and an aquatic job board.

Selling swim products was the next step in its natural progression. Today, SwimOutlet.com is the largest online specialty shop for swimming, water polo, fashion, beach, and surf products in the US.

2.  Tell us about any special online promotions that you have planned this summer and fun deals we can expect!
Our e-store has promotions and deals throughout the year! Sign up for our newsletter or check out our ‘clearance corner’ to get the lowest prices on swimwear. 

3. Summer break is here and families are travelling and in need of fabulous swimwear and swim products. What are 3 family swimwear must-have items that are available at your online store for summer?

Our top 3 must-have items for the summer:

• Sun protection: Protect you and your family from sunburn this summer! Here are our suggestions: Sun blocks, sunscreens, sun suits, UV protective swimwear, cover ups, sunglasses, and hats!
• Swim aids: Help your child gain confidence in the water! Arm bands, swim vests, flotation suits and USCG approved life jackets are great options!
• Goggles: SwimOutlet carries a variety of swim goggles including: Competitive, prescription,
  snorkel, and kids goggles!

4.  What are this season’s latest trends for kid’s swimwear? Tell us 3 “do’s” and 3 “don’ts” in kid swimwear style.  

This season’s hottest trends in kids’ swimwear are ruffles, bright colors, and floral.

The 3 “do’s” in kids’ swimwear style are:

• UV protective materials: Rashguards, sun suits, cover-ups, and hats.
• Comfortable fit: The more comfortable the swimwear, the more your kids will enjoy wearing it. Choose a swimsuit not too tight or loose; if your child is between sizes, pick the larger size for them to grow into.
• Popular styles include: One pieces, tankinis, bikinis, and monkinis for girls and boardshorts, volley shorts, and surf styles for boys.

The 3 “don’ts” in kids’ swimwear are:

• String tops and bottoms: These are sure to fall off active children!
• White swimwear: Dirt is more likely to show up on lighter suits.
• Complicated: Buy swimwear that is easy to put on / take off!

5.  What are qualities parents should look for in children’s swimwear? Wearability? Comfort? UV protection? Please tell us your 3 rules to buying perfect children’s swimwear!

• Definitely comfort
• Easy to put on / take off
• Fun for your child

6.  What are your top 3 best selling beach gear items that you would suggest as the perfect “go-to” items for a family on vacation? 

• Beach umbrellas
• Towables
• Beach games and toys

Le Top "Beachy Keen Monokini"

7.  What swimwear or cover-up piece from Le Top do you love from the Spring/Summer 2011 collection?
We love Le Top’s Monokinis—they are absolutely adorable! The entire Ship Ahoy! collection is a close second!

SwimOutlet.com
www.SwimOutlet.com 

Join SwimOutlet.com’s Facebook
page  by clicking HERE

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SwimOutlet.com HERE

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Darlings of the Day: Ella and Ari

We are just wild about this photo of 2-year old, Ella and her 8-month old sister, Ari in our zebra monokinis. It seemed a natural fit with us nearing the end of summer. Where did it go???

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Kids Kloset: PREMIER RETAILER Q & A

Boogie monster? Nope! Check out this week’s “Store Spotlight” with Kids Kloset in Broken Bow, Nebraska. Shirley McGinn gets down to earth with Le Top and gives tips on how to update your child’s wardrobe this summer and what her “must-haves” are for a family road trip!

Visit Le Top’s Facebook and become a Fan to receive weekly “Store Spotlight” updates — Click HERE

1.     Are you a Nebraska native? If so, what did you do growing up as a kid in the local area? Describe the neighborhood your store is in for us. 
Shirley: I am a Nebraska native.  I graduated from Broken Bow High School.  Music was always my love and I taught elementary music for several years.  I raised my family and then entered the retail business and have owned my own store for 10 years!  My store is located on a beautiful square, which is the center of the retail area in Broken Bow.  We have a “prime” spot [on the Square].

2.     So how did you get your start in the children’s business?
Shirley: Well, I worked in a missy store for several years and opened a small department in the store that I worked in, and eventually out grew that space and opened my current store location.

3.     If you had to take a family road trip this summer – what 5 items could you not live without?
Shirley: Comfortable clothes that always look fresh, plenty of cold water, games for the kids, snacks, and plenty of patience!!

4.     What is 1 tip you would give a parent on how to update your child’s wardrobe for summer?
Shirley: Find clothes that are cool, easy to care for and feel good for a child.  Comfort is everything!

The Le Top wall features our Lot's o' Fish, Hip Hop Grasshopper, Sweatheart Butterfly, Daisy Duck, Wildflower, and Wild About Monokinis collections.

5.     Between all of the social media outlets – Facebook, Twitter, and more – what do you think about social networking and how it allows moms and dads to join cyber parenting communities where they can meet, gain knowledge, as well as get recommendations and support.
Shirley: I think the concept is very interesting and I think the parents today are more in-tune with this type of resource.  My own children, as parents, rely on others for advise in this area and probably would use social networking to reach out to their friends.

6.     What do you feel are the three biggest keys to your success?  
Shirley: Variety, a knowledgeable staff, and our location.

7.     If you had one piece of advice for someone entering children’s retail today, what would it be?
Shirley: Watch the price point and the quality. Also be sure the clothing has color and style.

8.     What is your best or most memorable moment in your store?
Shirley: We have annual style shows and getting the children ready is always fun and the kids themselves have so much fun.

 9. What collection or piece from Le Top line do you love from the Spring/Summer 2010 collection?
Shirley: The Le Top swimsuits!

Le Top Spring/Summer 2010 Daisy Duck and Zebra Monokinis

 Kids Kloset
833 D Street
Broken Bow, NE 68822
308.872.3802
http://www.fashionisourpassion.com/

 

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Make Your Child’s Swimsuit Last with TLC

Emma learns to walk in her Le Top Daisy Duck swimsuit at the side of the pool!

Every kid’s swimsuit takes an awful beating during the summer from pool or beach play.  The fabric gets stretched out, water-logged, shocked by hot temperatures of a hot tub then pool, ground against sand and more! Give your child’s bathing suit some TLC and it will prolong the life and effectiveness of his or her swimwear. A little care will go a long way. Here are some quick tips:

Quick Rinse
When your child is done swimming, soak or rinse the swimsuit in tap water. This rids of sand, salt or chlorine.  Most beaches have showers or faucets for this purpose. Did you know that swimsuits with spandex turn yellow when exposed to chlorine?

Washing Machine?
Try not to put your bathing suit in the washing machine because it can be abrasive on the fabric and even causes pilling. It should only take less than 5 minutes out of your day to put it in the sink and hand wash it.  Make it a fun kids activity and teach them about how to wash their own bathing suit in the bathroom sink.  When washing, turn the bathing suit inside out to avoid damaging the outside.  Use a mild detergent and bleach is a NO-NO!

See the cute yellow bows and duck on the back of Emma’s Le Top suit while she catches up on summertime reading with daddy, Eric!.

Drying?
Wring the water out and its time to dry!  You can clip to an indoor clothesline or hang to dry outside. Try to avoid letting it dry outside all day because the UV exposure can fade colors.

Last Tip?
Tell your kids to be careful where they sit! Not only can the cement around a pool be hot on a child’s backside, but also pool edges and decks are rough on the fabric (even if it feels smooth). Try to place a towel underneath them before they sit down.

Check the links for more Le Top boy’s (ribbit, lots o’fish, and gone fishin’) and girl’s (tulip garden, lots o’fish, sweatheart butterfly) bathingsuits and monokinis. They are durable, bright and fashionable for any child at play in the pool or beach!

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New Guidelines for Teaching Babies to Swim?

I grew up swimming with a pool and I am a huge fan of teaching kids how to swim. The earlier the better.

Until recently it was belived that children under the age of 4 shouldn’t learn to swim because it can give them false sense of security and they may end up drowning.  However, this past Monday the nation’s largest pediatricians group is relaxing its stance against swimming lessons for children younger than 4.  Now the group says it’s fine to enroll children as young as 1 and can HELP reduce the chances of drowning! WOO-HOO!

Some studies suggest toddlers may be less likely to drown if they’ve had swim lessons. Of course, the doctors aren’t recommending lessons for every young child, and if parents feel their little ones aren’t ready, that’s okay.

I remember my boyfriend’s little cousin fell in the pool last summer and no one had been watching and she couldn’t swim – I looked over and saw a small pink body slowing sinking. I jumped in the pool and fortunately she had only just fallen in and I pulled her out of the pool safely.  Honestly, I was lucky she was okay that day.   My personal tip would be to never overreact if a child falls into the pool. Tell him or her she is “okay” and do not make the child think that something overly wrong happened or they will become fearful of the water. Try to encourage safety afterwards and swim with him or her again shortly after to show they will be “okay” and to be brave.

Connie Harvey who heads aquatics development for the American Red Cross said, “Parents should choose classes that emphasize water safety and require a parent or other adult to be in the water with the child, and have at least one instructor for every 10 students.”

The updated policy, released this Monday, May 24, 2010 by the Journal Pediatrics, also recommends fences around all pools, even with the popular inflatable ones. Kids can drown by leaning over the soft sides and falling in.

Take serious note that if you have an older pool – be weary as your kids can drown when their hair or hands get sucked into the drains of pools or spas without drain covers or proper filter-pump equipment.

The rate of childhood drowning deaths has declined in recent years. About 1,100 U.S. children drowned in 2006.

Okay, so how do you choose a swim program for your infant?  Know these few tips:

 1) Not all infant swimming instruction programs are created equal!  There are thousands of competing swimming instructors nationwide, and you can easily find someone willing to “teach swimming to your kids “. But what is IMPORTANT for parents to understand is that only Infant Swimming Resource’s nation-wide network of Instructors provide safe infant swim lessons that teach children as young as 6-months old self-rescue skills and do so in a manner that is completely safe and PROVEN.

2)  Many parents don’t realize the dangers of introducing babies to water (6-months to 4 years old)  before they know how to save their lives in an unexpected water encounter – eeks!  Those “Mommy & Me” classes can prove to be ultimately dangerous for your baby. Before your baby should feel confident to safely enjoy the water, they must first learn the skills needed for self-rescue.

3) Most recently Infant Swimming Resource was featured on NBC’s Today Show and had some great points about babies and kids and learning the importance of safety in the water – see the video clip at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/37313517#37313517

In support of the new Prevention of Drowning Policy Statement, ISR believes this is a vital step towards keeping children safe both in and around the water. For more than 40 years, ISR has been teaching children from six months to six years aquatic Self-Rescue skills in addition to educating parents and the medical community about family water safety.

ISR’s Self-Rescue techniques were developed by Harvey Barnett, Ph.D. — focused on safety and parent education, ISR has safely and effectively taught more than 200,000 infants and young children. Today, ISR has more than 790 documented cases where former students have used their Self-Rescue to save their own life.

There’s a big problem in many parts of the country with infant and toddler drowning, a serious issue that has had me concerned for many years. I believe strongly that we as pediatricians need to do something about this epidemic, so I decided to take action and speak out on behalf of Dr. Barnett’s proven method for helping young children save their own lives in a drowning scenario. Over the last 20 years, I’ve referred all of my patients to ISR and promoted family aquatic safety by educating my physician peers and the community. Through ISR’s program, I have watched many children acquire life-saving skills and learn how to swim. The program helps babies learn self-rescue skills in the water, and ISR’s swimming method helps prevent drowning. It’s time that pediatricians do something about the drowning problem across the U.S. Observing children learn ISR’s proven techniques more than twenty years – it’s very obvious that young children can learn how to swim. ISR’s swimming lesson method works, and it helps children to save their own lives.”

–  David Carr, M.D.” – http://www.infantswim.com/

My final thoughts? All of these little babies should be wearing one of our Le Top swimsuits while they learn to swim! This is my favorite swimsuit from the Le Top Daisy Duck Collection!

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STORE SPOTLIGHT: Bright Beginnings Premiere Retailer Q&A

Uno, Dos, Tres!  Check out the 3rd premier retailer in our “Store Spotlight” series that features one top le●top store pick of the week.  Read more below for an inside “peek” into one of the best children’s retailers in Texas!

We put the mic up to Sally and Marc Whitehouse, owners of Bright Beginnings and Cotton Tots – who have four of the most adorable and well-respected children’s boutiques in Texas (and a pretty darn amazing online store too!) – and got the skinny on what any good mommy, daddy and kiddie shopper would want to know.

1.  How did you both get started with Bright Beginnings?

Sally: We had trouble finding the kind of clothing we wanted for our own children…cool, comfortable, easy-wearing cotton in fun styles.  We also loved the idea of entrepreneurship and sharing with others the delightful brands we had found.

2.  What was your background prior to this business?

Sally: We are a family business…started by us back in 1984.  Prior to that, Marc had his own CPA firm at the time, and I had taken time off from teaching high school special education to have children.

3.  Bright Beginnings is a distinctive store name – does it have any special history?  What was the evolution behind your 4 store names from Bright Beginnings to Best Dressed Kids to Cotton Tots?

Sally & Marc: We hope that all children have a very bright beginning of life!  And we believe that clothing should be very bright and colorful as well…it just makes you smile!  Our Austin stores were all named Bright Beginnings, but the name was taken in other Texas cities…hence our Houston stores became Cotton Tots…referring to the fact that most of our clothing was luscious, comfortable cotton.  Our website name needed to encompass specifically who we are, to aid in branding and in searches online.  Bestdressedkids.com seemed to say it all!

4.  Describe the neighborhood your 4 stores are in.

Marc: Our stores are all in suburban neighborhoods of fine cities.  We like to have that neighborhood feel of knowing our customers and their families.

5.  Who is your target customer? Do you specialize in any certain types of product? Does it vary from store to store?

Sally & Marc: Our target customer is anyone looking for something unique and of great value for babies through tweens…with a little bit for their mommies, too!  We specialize in soft, comfortable clothing and we appeal to people of all income levels as we have a variety of goods, with something for everyone’s needs.  We also strive to be kid AND parent friendly in styling and comfort.

6.  What products do your clientele like the most?

Sally: That’s a hard one, because we have such a variety.  I think they have come to trust us as a place to get unique products at a good price, with wonderful customer service.

7.  Any Celebrity customers over the years or do you have any celebs buying right now?

Sally & Marc: Governors, politicians and actors…oh my!  Yes, we certainly do and we like to honor their privacy.  😉 

Bright Beginnings features le•top

8.  What’s coming up for Bright Beginnings? Any new stores or updates buying features to your website?

Sally & Marc: We are currently unveiling a new website that has more features and is more user-friendly than our current Bestdressedkids.com.  We are also developing a software program that provides real time point of sale, back office and Internet sales.

9.  What makes Bright Beginnings unique after 26 years?

Sally & Marc: Customer service and a desire to really help people.  We have always been in this business for the long haul.  We encourage true listening and that burning desire to find the perfect thing for each customer.  Sometimes we don’t have it…and that’s okay…but we still gain a loyal customer who will come back.

10.  You have a remarkable history and have been around 26 years, do you celebrate your anniversary years?

Sally: We do quietly celebrate the gratitude we feel for our staff, our customers, and our vendors.

11.   What do you feel are the three biggest keys to your success?

Sally & Marc:

1)  A friendly, knowledgeable staff
2)  Partnership with our reps and vendors
3)  Determination to keep a large selection of unique offerings to our customers.

12.  How do you select your products for the store?

Sally & Marc: We analyze sales and performance by brand constantly…so through sell-through reports, fashion sense, buying experience, and a well-rounded look at each category, size range, and brand.

13.  What is one trend you’re currently seeing with customers?

Sally: Customers are definitely streamlining their purchases and buying more items that will mix and match together.  We have always been fans of mixing and matching, as it stretches your options…so this is trend is perfect for us.

14.  If you had one piece of advice for someone entering children’s retail today, what would it be?

Marc: Find your niche based on what people are looking for, but then be flexible and listen to your customers.

15.  You probably have seen thousands of mommies and their children come in and out of your stores’ doors – what is one of the funniest things you have heard come out of parent or child’s mouth?

Sally: I have always said that I could write a book about things I’ve seen and heard, but it’s hard to pinpoint the funniest!  I guess we all chuckled quite a bit when a mom confessed that she had gone into a competitor’s store and said she was so embarrassed that her child asked for an “I Love Bright Beginnings” sticker to wear!

16.  What are your top 3 fashionista tips for dressing a child? And your #1 kid fashion “no-no”?

Sally:

1)  Let them be part of the process and show their true personality (with your family values as a guide, of course!)
2)  Be sure they like it…if they don’t like it in the store, they most likely won’t wear it from home.
3)  Remember that this time goes so quickly.  There is only a short amount of time when we can wear fun, silly, overdone clothing that just makes us feel good.  (See, don’t you wish you could do that today?)  Don’t be too serious about how they dress when they are young…relax and enjoy it (and take lots of pictures ;))
4)  #1 No-no:  Dressing a child like a small adult.  Too serious! 

17.  What is your best or most memorable moment in your store?

Sally: Sitting on the floor with a little girl who was 5 years old and whose mother told me she had a poor self-image.  I thought, “Not at FIVE!”  I had her help me with a gift wrap project and we talked while her mom shopped.  Just as expected, she was a beautiful soul.  It reminded me how precious each child is.

18.  What collection or piece from le●top and/or rabbit moon are you loving from the Spring/Summer 2010 collection?

Sally: The le●top leopard, giraffe, and duck monokinis….they are spectacular!  I see little ones wearing these at my neighborhood pool, complete with hat and sunglasses, and it makes me giggle every time.

 

 

AUSTIN, TX LOCATIONS 

Bright Beginnings
1006 W. 38th Street
Austin, TX 78705
512.454.5437

Bright Beginnings & Bee-yond
701 S Capital of TX Highway, Suite B 280
Austin, TX 78746
512.328.8989

Best Dressed for Less
3811 Medical Parkway
Austin, TX 78756
512.453.0433

HOUSTON, TX LOCATIONS

Cotton Tots
6510 Woodway
Houston, TX 77057
713.785.8686 

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