We found the best baby and toddler sunglasses!

Before opening our store, we didn't realize how difficult it would be to find the right sunglasses. We did extensive field testing with our five-year old, and found most were just too easy to break. There was one brand with the cutest packaging we planned on carrying until the lens kept popping out in playgrounds all around town. Don't get me going about the sunglasses sold on the bargain racks at supermarkets and gas station that don't offer the real UV protection. I want my daughter's sunglasses to offer at least the same protection as the glasses I wear.


That's why we're so happy to have Real Kids Shades at the Tiny Hanger. They stand up to the toughest sunglasses wearers with impact-resistant lenses and strong-sides that really flex. Our newborn to 24 month styles come with a comfortable adjustable neoprene band that keeps the glasses on kids' heads where they belong. Based out of Concord, all RKS glasses are certified BPA free, and provide 100% UV Protection to meet the most stringent light transmittance tests on the planet. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing the parents that started up the company are scientists. They take product testing seriously, and have taken the extra step of posting all the results of the safety testing their website. 

Our family has lost toddler sunglasses many places between the Miami Zoo and Brookline, so we're glad we're able to sell the glasses at the it's-not-the-worst-thing-if-you-lose-'em price of $15-$16. Let us know what you think, and if you go to Miami, be sure to visit the zoo. So much fun, and splurge for the 'Safari-Cycle', it's totally worth it. And, if you take a camel ride, please give our regards to Fluffy and Grande. 

Happy Daylight Savings - Spring's almost here

Here at the Tiny Hanger, we've got springtime on our mind. Bright sun streaming in, sprung forward our clocks and front door is open bringing in a spring breeze and the sounds of Coolidge Corner. Of course, the temperature hasn't hit 55 today, I'm wearing a jacket and have cold fingers typing this, but we are just going to will ourselves to spring.

Towards that springtime state of mind, just laid out a display of our new Maisey Mae sun hats. They're a great line from Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Like so much of our store, they came out of a creative mom realizing she could make a better quality (and cuter) baby product. The creator/owner Michelle Whitney started up making handmade baby products in 2001, and still going strong almost a dozen years later.



Her super cute hats come in six different styles, with a stitched brim for extra sun protection. Five different sizes of Maisey Mae hats up to 4T are available at the Tiny Hanger. And Michelle, as a mom raising a family on the blustery Maine coast, knew to include ties for the smaller size hats to keep them snuggly in place on windy Brookline stroller rides and playground swing sessions.

Bianca Baader Trunk Show March 17

Join us for a Trunk Show with designer Bianca Baader March 17th 11-4pm. She will be bring lots of her amazing creations for kids and adults. Activities too!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Germany and came to the states with my then boyfriend/now husband. Quite a long time ago! I studied a few different things, fashion being one of them but never got a degree in any of the subjects. I worked in the fashion industry in NYC for several years and in Berlin, Germany before coming to Cambridge.

Tell us about what you are selling at Tiny Hanger.

Appliqued onesies and t-shirts as well as some wall hangings. For the trunk show I will also bring some tees, tanks and sweat shirts for adults. For my appliques I use new, vintage and re-purposed fabrics and trimmings and the shirts are 100% cotton and come from American Apparel.

What made you decide to start sewing?

I've sewn for many years, not even sure when exactly I started. As a child growing up in East Germany, where fun fashion was not something you could find easily, I would make outfits with my mom's help. I remember big skirts with round patch pockets tie dyed with very hard to come by clothes dye.

Do you make other things?

I don't have the patience for making complicated things or following a pattern. I used to but lost interest. Everything I make I need to be able to finish that same day. In addition to my tees and wall hangings I mostly make simple skirts for my girls and me.

What inspires you to make your creations/collection?

My two daughters Mila and Edda! They are an endless well of fun and often silly ideas!

How would you describe your style?

The things I make are playful and colorful and often one-of-a-kind. Cute but not kitschy, at least I hope not.

Do you do this full time or in addition to other things?

I decided to be around for my kids a lot while they are still young, so my business is only part-time. Or maybe even "quarter-time".

Any words of advice or inspiration for aspiring designers?

Just go for it! Personally I'm not the super ambitious type. So a lot of the things I do started by someone saying, something like: "Wouldn't it be fun to make ...." Or: "Have you ever done a ...." I need to be pushed and that is something I find hard to do when you are on your own.

It's a wobbly world & babies need all the help they can get.

Up until now, when I think of knee-pads, I think of Patrick Ewing at Georgetown tearing through the Big East and winning the NCAA Championship in 1984.

Now I'm thinking more of these super-cute kneepads for babies that we carry at the Tiny Hanger called Crawlings. They're especially designed for little ones when they start crawling and teetering around to discover their worlds. They come in all of these great designs that we stock at the store, as much for the style as the function. 

They are made of premium cotton, rayon and spandex, the body of the kneepad is soft, stretchable and comfortable like a sock to move and groove. The cushion will help reduce impact to soft knees and protect their skin from bumps, bruises and scratches.

So if your little one is going toe-to-toe with a baby Hakeem or if she just insists on crawling absolutely everywhere and over everything, come on by! We'll hook you up.