Outerwear 2000
The Latest and Greatest for Toddlers and Preschoolers

No more, "Mommy, I'm cold." The latest and greatest in fabric technology has trickled down to the pint-sized set with affordable, high tech gear. Look for new fabrics, breathability, and great price points. Get out in the cold!

Just because they're new to walking doesn't mean toddlers can't enjoy a great day on the slopes! Cute, new styles in the warmest, softest fabrics keep infants and toddlers going strong on those cold winter days. Market leader Obermeyer enters the new millennium with three new colorful, exciting collections for kids in its Preschool lines. Preschool Butterfly Kisses incorporates a whimsical butterfly print in lagoon and primrose or a grasshopper floral companion print. These jackets are loaded with extra features kids will love, like butterfly postage stamp patches, reflective butterflies, jelly zipper pulls, lots of pockets and a frosted compass. Mom and Dad will appreciate the I-Grow cuff, inner vests, string free safety hoods, fleece chin warmer and microfiber, waterproof fabric. The Preschool Varsity Co-Ed collection includes jackets, pants and suits with bright, bold color blocks and stripe trims on athletic silhouettes. These styles are a cross between ski, snowboard and street. Preschool Expedition conjures up images of mountaineering and technical skiing. Retail prices range from $60 to $140 (for one-piece suits).

The award-winning Molehill unveils two new collections for 2000. The Summit Gear line includes a jacket, vest and bib, and will be offered in yellow, frost blue, red and black. And because Molehill knows how active toddlers are, it has added reinforcements on the knees, ankle and seat of this bib. The Shelled Gear line, constructed of water-resistant nylon shells and plush polar fleece lining, features easy to use hook-and-loop cuff closures and folded zipperless pockets, to allow children to open and close pockets with ease while wearing mittens. Rich, bright colors include emerald, purple and red. All Molehill pieces are sized to fit kids from three months to 10 years old. And to go along with its large pieces, Molehill offers a shelled hat, mittens and booties, featuring non-skid "Gripper" palms and soles.

Spyder's established Mini-Moe and Bitty-Picabo lines have been expanded all the way down to size 2, so even the littlest ones can enjoy their day on the slopes. Small to Tall grow cuffs add up to two inches on selected styles, Fast Track zippers take the frustration out of bad zipper connections, and pockets a-plenty ensure that kids can stow all the lip balm, snacks, radios and other cool stuff they want. Colors are fun: midnight, white, black, spectra yellow, red and citron for boys; hot pink, pansy, lilac, aquamarine and citron for girls. Suits in these lines retail for around $189.

As we enter a new century and millennium, children's outdoor wear has truly come into its own. No longer simply "downsized" versions of adult pieces, kids' cold weather clothes have been designed with up-to-the-minute styles and the latest performance features. With outerwear like this, kids of all ages can spend more time doing what they love-playing in the snow.