Lola, 6 years old - London, UK

Reading time: 4 min

Lola lives in North London with her parents and younger sister Sissi. She is a little editor at Anorak magazine. Her mother Michelle Marshallis the owner of quirkycollective.com and founder of the blog iamquirky.com which was shortlisted for the 2010 Cosmopolitan Blog Awards.The inspired mother and daughter share a moment of their life with us.

Lola

What you want to be when you grow up Farm Lady

Your favourite famous person Tom+jerry

What makes you laugh/happy Daddy

What makes you angry Not having what I want to eat for dinner

Your favorite book Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

Your favorite films Charlotte’s Web

Your favorite places for holidays Skiing in the French Alps

A place that you would dream to visit A Cloud

Who chooses your clothes in the morning Mummy

Your favorite color Silver & Gold

Your favorite outfit My ballet outfit

The piece your like the most from your wardrobe My big rainbow coloured fairy skirt (kaiya eve pettiskirt)

The next item of clothing you would like to get Spanish flamenco dress

Michelle

Your favorite children’s brands Too many to name them all. Obviously all the brands featured in my store. Timeless staples:  Petit bateau, Bisgaard, Cos for kids, bb+++, Bensimon, Polarn o. Pyret, Hartford, Startrite, Pom d’api. Basic staples:  H&m, La redoute, Vert baudet. Playful tailoring:  kicokids, popupshop

Your favorite children’s stores Mine!

Your favorite online destinations Tn29, Labour of love, ebay, Apc, Fine little day, Gloubi*bloga, Anja Mulder

Your current obsession : Food (got to eat well) + shopping (got to look good)

Your inspiration My two daughters.  As small babies, i used to stare at them for hours in awe of the wonders of mother nature and the human body. Nowadays, i still stare (from a distance!) and i am constantly amazed by the freedom and the unrefined nature of childhood….  the freedom to say whatever goes through your mind, whenever you like, the involuntary disrespect for semantics. So many crazy words and ideas come out of their little mouths and heads. I absolutely love the freedom and spontaneity of their mannerism…they could be strolling down the street, and the next thing you know their walk has turned into a skippy hoppy kind of dance, often without thinking about it and always without having to justify it to anyone. On a good day (read not in the morning when rushing to get out of the door or after 5pm when everyone is tired), I love the lack of reserve in their emotions whether happy or sad ones. I LOVE watching childhood unfold before my eyes everyday.

The book on your bedside table La faim by Knut Hamsun; I started it over a year ago, and i still haven’t finished it…(too busy staring…)

Criteria you consider when you buy something for your children Clothing : comfort, quality, the story they tell about being a child and how illustrative of my children’s personality and their lifestyle they are. I’m not so much into trends. A garment will hold its own if it is comfortable and tells a lot about the person who wears it. Toys and stuff : I have learned to understand through the bags of toys that we have accumulated and which remained untouched that out of boredom and little stuff to play with, the kids will up their game when it comes to using their imagination. They also can be so fickle, so when considering toy purchases, we try and consider whether we are really buying for ourselves or the children, then think about longevity, suitability for two different age groups, and finally, where it applies, how much pink we can bear to live with. Books : illustrations are important.  Are they pretty and engaging? Can they tell the story without the text? And obviously, the quality of the story and/or the message.

The most precious item you bought for your child Her camera

Favorite piece in her wardrobe Her teal air dress by bb+++

An item that is hard to find French books for the kids without having to travel from one side of London to the other or filling up suitcases whenever we go back. Although, they’re easily available online, it’s nice to feel and flick through pages before buying.

What would you be wearing today if you were a 6 years old A pair of dark brown leather desert boots by Bisgaard or dark brown lace-ups by Startrite, black skinny shorts by Marie et Rose Alice, argyle socks by Burlington (black tones or orange tones), a cream peasant style top (gathered at the end of balloon sleeves and gathered collar) or the splash blouse by Ola and Olek, a sleeveless jersey or knitted cardi (depending on the chill factor)

Your favorite places to spend the  holidays in family Going home to France for skiing/snowboarding and eating during the winter season, black sand beaches of vulcano island in Sicily, Frinton-on-sea for day trip to the beach

 

Petit bateau, Bisgaard, Cos for kids, bb+++, Bensimon, Polarn o. Pyret, Hartford, Startrite, Pom d’api, H&m, La Redoute, Vert baudet, kicokids, popupshop, Marie-Rose Alice, Ola and Olek