My fashionable mother heart skips a beat. Jean Paul Gaultier has designed a unique collection for children aged 2 to 14. Classics like the trench coat, the check, and the stripe in a little jacket. Love it. Especially the flowing skirts make my mouse already thirsty for www.hummbee.com  to move for an order.

Although... Once I dived into that lovely children's shop on Rue Saint Honoré during Paris Fashion Week. Guilt (because Paris Fashion Week is the last of the fashion weeks, so I've been away from home for a long time) and a lost hour always drive me to one or another children's boutique. I saw a lovely petticoat by Sonia Rykiel hanging in the window. Black, quite present, adorned with sequins and silk bows. I was in love. And greedy.

Now, shopping recidivism has truly taught me that you don't find euro bargains on Saint Honoré. So I actually found it an incredible stroke of luck when I peeked under the edge of the skirt on the mannequin and saw the price tag €55. That skirt was mine. I sniffed around the shop a bit more and made my way to the cash register. “Cent soixante quinze euros, s’il-vous plait”,” said the shop lady. Now my number French isn't excellent, but it was immediately clear that she hadn't just pronounced the French equivalent of 55 euros. Inquiries revealed that the tights under the skirt cost 55 euros and the skirt was therefore 175 euros... I swallowed, took a breath, slid my credit card through the slot, and reasoned that I had three daughters and that the skirt actually only cost €58.3 (175 divided by 3). In short, a bargain.

At home, my eldest daughter found the skirt ‘hysterical’. My middle one thought it was ‘very beautiful’. But following her redeeming words was the sentence ‘but I won't wear it. It's too pretty. Maybe when I'm ten. Or forty.’ My youngest daughter is still too small, so now the skirt serves as a lampshade in the guest room. Also quite lovely.

So I fear that I won't be throwing the flowing Gaultier skirts into my digital cart. Fortunately, Gaultier has something for everyone and the marinière (his sailor sweater) suits my classic daughters perfectly.

As a fashion mad mother, my heart skips a beat: Jean Paul Gaultier has designed a unique collection for children from ages 2 to 14. Classics such as trench coats and the diamond shape and stripe on a little jacket. Love it! My fingers are already twitching and ready to click on my mouse and order at www.hummbee.com although…

Once I dived into a chic children’s shop on the rue Saint Honoré. Racked with guilt (as Paris Fashion Week is the last of the fashion weeks, which means I’ve been away from home for a while) and with an hour to kill, I’m always drawn to one or another of the boutiques for children. I saw a delightful petticoat by Sonia Rykiel hanging in the window. Black, dainty and set with sequins and silk bows. I was in love; I had to have it!

Now, my shopping recidivism has taught me that shopping on the Saint Honoré doesn’t come cheap. So I thought what a wonderful stroke of luck it was when I peeked under the edge of the skirt on the mannequin and saw the price tag: € 55. This skirt was mine! I sniffed around the shop a little more and then purposefully made my way over to the cash register. “Cent soixante quinze Euros, s’il-vous plait”,” said the lady in the shop. Now, my grip on French numbers isn’t great but it was immediately apparent that she hadn’t said the French equivalent of 55 Euros. Further enquiries revealed that the pair of tights under the skirt cost € 55 and the skirt itself cost € 175… I swallowed, took a deep breath, pulled out my credit card and reasoned that I had three daughters and so the skirt would actually only cost € 58.33 (175 divided by 3). So, overall a bargain!

At home, my eldest daughter found the skirt ‘hysterical’. The middle one found it ‘really beautiful’ but she quickly followed this with ‘but I won’t wear it; it’s too pretty. Maybe when I’m ten. Or forty’. My youngest is still small so she now uses the skirt as a lampshade in the guest room. Which is also quite lovely.

So I’m afraid I won’t be piling Gaultier skirts into my online shopping cart. Fortunately, Gaultier has something for everyone and the marinière (his sailor’s sweater) suits my classic daughters perfectly.