I have girls. They have hair. We love us some felt hair clips. My favorites from GiddyGiddy ($9 each or two for $16) come adorned with cute, kid-friendly designs (lollipops, flowers, animals) on a sunny felt background. The snap-clip-style barrettes are strong enough and long enough to hold fine toddler or thicker preschooler hair. My girls are big on the candy motifs, and I love that they are made locally (well, to me) in Oakland, California.

The Twinkle felt hair snaps (two for $12-15) are also visually appealing with their simple cut-out shapes, but the barrette itself isn't strong enough to hold my girls' hair. The tiny clips are probably best suited for babies with full heads of fine hair (as long as the baby's watched closely). My toddler (who normally tolerates "grippier" clips) pulled the Twinkle clips out after about twenty seconds, and my four-year-old wouldn't even look at them. Then again, she's been wearing the same ugly, fuschia, sequined, dollar-store disco headband for six months. — Stefania Pomponi Butler

Inky's aversion to pink was pretty ironclad, until she clapped eyes on her new bowling shirt ($20), a decidedly retro vision with black collar and vents, and her name chain-stitched above her nearly concave breast pocket. Suddenly, the idea of matching mother-daughter outfits didn't seem so heinous. For that matter, why not scrap the damn goodie bags in order to lay a personalized bowling shirt on every little girl who attends her tenth birthday party?

"I'd wear one," her father volunteered. "They come in other colors beside pink, right?"

"Where's mine?" Milo pouted. As gently as possible, I explain that he'll have to be patient since the smallest model available is a youth sized ten (which, at the rate we're going, should fit him by his sixteenth birthday). "So?" he cried. "I'll wear it as a nightie!"

Sold. — Ayun Halliday

You want to give your toddler choices when you're going about your morning ritual. It helps them assert their individuality, teaches them responsibility and all that good stuff. If, however, you find your child's choices resulting in bathrobe/galoshes/tiara ensembles, consider My Perennial. Each "Snappy Kids" T-shirt ($28) comes with two felt creatures that snap on the front, thereby narrowing the daily style conundrum to: "Am I having a lion day, or a bunny day?" (Are you '80s moms nostalgic for Kaepas all of a sudden?) Bonus packs of flowers, pandas and puppies are $16. Sizes are limited, though — 3/4 and 5/6 — so it looks like I'll be fighting my battle against tutu and firefighter helmet match-ups a little longer. — Leigh-Ann Jackson

As a work-at-home mom, the easiest way to keep my kids occupied is to set them up with an art project and let them have at it. Since I also hate to do laundry, I make my kids wear dorky smocks whenever they are doing something messy. The Bella Tunno Smock ($30) is almost too beautiful to be a smock; the whimsical fabrics and bold colors are more appropriate for party wear.  But when put to the test, the sturdy oil-cloth smock does what it's supposed to: it keeps the tempera and oil pastels off the T-shirts. In our house, it also doubles as a chef apron and a protective smock for the stuffed-animal-attending "veterinarian." I love that the straps are adjustable so both my toddler and older daughter can wear it. — Stefania Pomponi Butler

Maggie's Rose Bloomin' Hats

Dear Parents of Babies,
There will soon come a time when your sweet little angel will not tolerate being dressed up in adorable ensembles with matching socks and appropriate shoes. I'm telling you this now so that, by the time your baby is three years old and wants to wear nothing but your old nursing nightgown, a Hello Kitty backpack, tie-dyed tights and tap shoes everywhere she goes, you won't be too disappointed. Trust me, let go of control now, because resistance will be futile when your kid spies a crocheted cloche hat adorned with the hugest bejeweled flower you've ever seen. Thank goodness we were sent two Maggie's Rose hats ($42) because World War III almost broke out between my girls as soon as I unpacked the first one. These "bloomin'" hats might not be your taste, but they have universal three-year-old appeal. And do look mighty cute on (if you can let yourself admit it). – Stefania Pomponi Butler

Sand Cassel Kids Hats by Goorin

I can appreciate that the little girl on the tire swing may, indeed, be "Daddy's Little Princess," as her pink bejeweled ball cap suggests — but does she have to say it with rhinestones? Now that we're playing outdoors more, my daughter's in need of a new toddler topper. Thankfully, Goorin comes through for those of us who like to keep sparkles and bratty slogans to a minimum. Their kids' line includes the delicately embroidered "Little Sparrow" cowboy hat ($25) and the sophisticated "Coco" cabbie hat ($23). Is my daughter daddy's little princess? Oh, without doubt. But I'd rather her accessories make a different statement. — Leigh-Ann Jackson

With bun #2 already baking in the oven, I've started eyeing the newborn sections again and was thrilled to come across Zutano's new Itzy Bitzy line ($8-$20). Specially designed for preemies and infants between four and eight pounds, this collection includes super-soft, easy-to-put-on long-sleeved wrap tops, onesies, gowns, kimono tops, dresses, leggings and caps. Staying true to Zutano's vivid color palette, Itzy Bitzys are available in six themes that each include a trio of solids, prints and stripes. I'm partial to the aviation-themed Helicopter collection, particularly the lime green "Let's Fly" onesie ($16) . — Katie Bayless

With our son just beginning potty training, we need all the help we can get. Myself Belts ($14.50) promise to help little ones overcome one obstacle of this challenging phase: getting their britches down in a hurry. Designed by two mothers, the belts have a snap at one end that fastens around the first belt loop of the pants to keep it in place, and a velcro fastener at the other end that little fingers can easily manage themselves. It works as advertised: my son was immediately undoing and cinching up the belt by himself. But there's just one problem: most pants that require belts also have tricky buttons and zippers, too, which means that the Myself Belt solves only half the problem. The belts, which come in a variety of colors, patterns, materials and sizes, are certainly cute, but they won't bring you all the way to potty independence. — Matt Wood