Mark some time this Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to hit the Pears and Bears/ Kayce Hughes Warehouse sale - their last one.

Apparently – and we are so happy for Kayce – her business has grown to the point that she now is transferring all her clothing to a professional distribution center in Franklin, TN.  Nashville resident Kayce Hughes, continues to astound us with her timeless styles for women and children.  Many in Nashville have shopped these warehouse sales from the days when they were held in her basement.  Let’s hope the new distribution center in Franklin will one day be the site of at least an annual sale, since it seems these semi-annual sales are over….sniffle sniffle.

But, since that is not assured – don’t kick yourself for missing out on this sale.  Click here to see our post on her sale last Spring.  Not only is she offering free totes to moms, but most of her merchandise will be a whopping 80% off retail.  Pears and Bears, the darling children’s brand found in high-end boutiques across the country, is giving you ONE LAST CHANCE to buy some incredible clothes at their rock bottom prices. Don’t forget to shop for yourself through the Kayce Hughes brand, at the same up to 80% off prices.

Tell the girls working that StyleBlueprint said hello and that we will be by as well!

For directions and more info, read on below!  Click on this promo ad to see her line online.

Happy Monday!

It’s May.  If you are a mom, you are in 100% crisis mode. The amount of volunteer requests, year-end assemblies, parties, and sports games that are loaded onto the last minute looks for camps still accepting applications, swim team preparations and summer vacation fine tuning is simply overwhelming.  Summer: Yes, now we are all adding extra workouts trying to be less annoyed with ourselves come Memorial Day.  And, we are all realizing that our kids summer clothes don’t fit.  Great.  Now we have to find time to shop.  Well, take advantage of the Pears+Bears sale to at least let you tick off  “Be Financially Responsible” to your ever growing list of Things To Do!  Not a mom? Need some things for yourself?  This SALE has you covered as well!  Directions to SALE are at the end of this posting.

I walked into showroom to be greeted by signs for $5, $10, and $20 clothing. Some items were as high as $35.   Check out the Pears+Bears website to see what an enormous deal this sale is.

You’ll see lots of items for Girls. They have sizes for infants up to 14.  I was able to find some pieces that will thrill my 7 year old daughter and even my 10-going-on-18 daughter.

A variety of things available in the $5 bin. The P.J.'s on the far right are the ones I got my son! The Blue Tunic in the back middle also went home with me! Most items in the $5 bins are size 4's, but there are other sizes as well.

For boys, there are some cute shorts, jackets, and  john-johns. My favorite were the traditional pajamas (at $10) which I picked up for my 5 year old son.

I then hit the back room to check out the women’s section.

I kinda wish I hadn’t gone in because I got SO MUCH….and I was just here to write a blog post!  I got: the softest tunic EVER ($35 made from the same fabric they make their baby booties out of!), 2 of their “Western Blouses” ($10 each), a brown ruffle corduroy dress ($35), a pair of denim shorts ($25) and two ruffle short sleeve blouses ($35).

This dress is only $10!!! There are some zipper issues with this style, but who cares? For this price, just have Stitch-It replace the darn zipper!

Sizing: I’m normally a 6-8 on the top and bottom. More 6 on top and more 8 on bottom.  I went up to a 10 on the tops. I’m tall and I needed the length.  Also, I wanted to be able to wash and dry the tops.  The 8 fit me well, but the 10 will let me use these tops more willingly.  I bought an 8 dress and I’m almost always a 6 in a dress.  I bought a size 8 short which is pretty much right on (I doubted how cute these tab shorts are.  I was wrong.  They are adorable!). 

Note: the ruffle blouse used to go up on the sides.  All the ones for sale now are straight across on the sides.  The old style did not work with my lower rise jeans and shorts; the new style does! Thanks KAYCE (designer, owner, woman extraordinaire!)

Just $40 for all these things combined! The PERFECT BABY GIFT!

I went back to the front to see if there was anything else I missed. And, yes, there was.  Kayce has some of her Layette collection on sale.  Look at this picture!  All of these things are together $40!  That’s not per item; this is the entire price for all these items combined!  Burp cloth, bib, pj set, and diaper bag!  This is a must get for anyone needing some baby presents.  This screams $150- $200 purchase….for just $40!!!

A perfect big girl Summer or July 4th outfit that is only $20!

Spring coats are $10 and Winter coats are $25. Spring 2009 dresses (including a smoked style which is new to the Pears+Bears line) are just $35.  There are some things for purchase that are not on sale (some 2009 shorts, capris, skirts) as they are still for sale, full price, at area stores.

Time to check out. 17 items later (I’m still a little embarrassed!) and my grand total including tax was just $268.19  Pretty good, huh?

Here is a picture of everything I got! My things are on the top and my kids things on the bottom.

Directions to the warehouse: Take HWY 70 toward Bellevue. The building is before you hit Old Hickory. When you pass the Lakes of Bellevue on your right (three red flags) you will see a State Farm insurance agency office on the hill. Pears+Bears in located on the back side of that office building. Sale is May 13th & 14th 8-5 & May 15th 8-12.

Please give a brief description of your background as it relates to your career:

After college I went to work for Ralph Lauren, and to illustrate how archaic the company was at that time, we only had one COLOR COPIER for the all departments.  I was hired in the women’s “rough” division (aka-country & western look).  My initial job was to design the boards that the new lines were presented on.  Ralph Lauren was thematic so each board created  a feel for  the line.  If  the Riviera in the 20’s was the theme, then the borders, fabrics and colors would reflect that era.  I was promoted to the trim division and in charge of procuring all the antique buttons, lace, embroidery.  It was incredible to be in meetings with Ralph Lauren and all the department heads.  I worked there for 5-6 years and resigned a week before the due date of my first child.

How was Pears + Bears Clothing and accessories  born?

I have ALWAYS been creative even as a young child.  Interestingly, however, I do not consider myself a great seamstress.  Even as I began to have children, I would just need some time to make something … small painted boxes… night shirts for my children.  I remember one night my husband Scott came home from work and I said, “Just give me an hour.”  With that , I took a potato and carved it into a pear stamp (you know I LOVE pears) and made some handmade note cards.  A friend had a home show of antique silver and I joined in with my painted boxes.  It was a great success.  I hired a seamstress and began to design children’s clothing.  The rest is history -so to speak.

Name an early mentor in your career:

Absolutely Ralph Lauren.  I was surrounded by creative people all my life including my aunt, Lilly Pulitzer.  I love the simplicity of her clothes and the wonderful fabrics.  I found myself falling in love with  prints from the 30’s & 40’s – the feed sack designs from the depression era.  Women would recycle them into clothing for their children.  They are familiar and quirky at the same time–  sort of classic with an edge.  My clothing is produced by a family-owned factory in South America.  I am able to design  my fabrics–all with the same wonderful nostalgic look.

What is the greatest trend you see in your business?  How has your business changed?

I added a women’s line to my already existing children’s line.  It is amazing how well that has been received.  I design clothing I want to wear:  comfortable and VERY “mom-like.”  So many women spend their days in jeans and a t-shirts; it’s important to spruce up and look pretty.  In addition, I am morphing into my third website.  It has been a delicate balance to keep my retail clients satisfied and realize the web is imperative to our success.  Retailers today are tentative with their purchases so the website lets consumers see the range of fabrics and styles.  We are in an extremely competitive environment with the Gap, J Crew and many others who have added children’s clothing to their existing lines.

Tell us one of your favorite personal extravagances that just makes you happy:

That’s tough.  Two things come to mind.  I will add something to my wardrobe that ties everything else together.  Like the boots I am wearing by Pons Quintana. Extravagant, yes, but they complete many other things like the J Crew jeans and jacket that I am wearing right now.  Also, I am not a make-up person, but every couple of years I go to a Trish McEvoy event and COMPLETELY replace everything.

Can you tell us a funny story or something ludricrous about your business?

Probably the thing I get the biggest kick out of is seeing my clothes on people I don’t know or seeing them featured in a magazine or on a famous person.   I knew Brooks Shield’s bought our clothing for her children; it was fun seeing the photo.

Name the three things you simply can not live without. (exclude family or friends)

My wheat grinder.  Don’t laugh,  but I buy my wheat in bulk from Montana to make bread, waffles and pancakes.

My Saturday night date with my husband.  We go to Cafe Nona EVERY Saturday and eat at the same table!

Exercise-walking, Stairmaster, or weights.

Thank you,

Elizabeth and Liza

To see the whole collection of Pears + Bears, click here