OK, recently, I was given a Kaiya Eve pettiskirt for my daughter, aka Our Little Gigi, in raspberry and she adores it (as does her 4 yr old brother who would KILL me for letting THAT secret out of the bag!) I had seen and heard of the famous "petti" but had no idea just how fabulous it truly was until little miss slipped her on and the magic began! A princess was born, a princess who by the way adores pink, suddenly wants me to brush her hair and likes choosing which "princess" shoes she will wear. She prances, she twirls and even does a cute little butt wiggle now! I was smitten and decided that we just HAD to have these fabulous pettiskirts! (we have ordered, just for ourselves, the Apple Green and Pink, the Pink with Red Trim and I am debating over the Black and Pink or the Turquoise...you AND your daughter will be addicted)
I have seen others on the market, the "knock-offs" and I have touched the difference, believe me when I say there really is nothing better than the "original Kaiya Eve Pettiskirt" I was googling today, as I often do, and came across this interview from The Daily Press Mommy Blog's Veronica Hill with Kaiya Eve designer Kandi Lightner, so I thought I would share: (thats THE gorgeous Kaiya herself in this image below)

Q. How did you come up with the idea for the pettiskirts?
A. When my daughter, Kaiya, was a baby I began making little skirts for her out of vintage women's petticoats. Everywhere we went, women would stop and say, "where did you get that skirt?"

Q. What colors did you start with?
A. I began with an array of colors; primarily pastels. My designs evolved from vintage one-of-a-kind petticoats to a reproduction line which I called "pettiskirts". I've never claimed to have "invented" the petticoat, but Kaiya Eve is the first to term them as a pettiskirt. I wanted to put these little petticoats into the world in a whole new way where little girls would wear them as skirts- every day!

Q. When did you make it big?
A. Business really began to really take off in 2003 when Dakota Fanning wore one of my vintage-one-of-a-kinds to the Teen Choice Awards and was photographed in People Magazine. Unfortunately, divorce struck home and my transition into becoming the Single Mom took priority over my designs.

Q. What skirts are your favorites?
A. My personal favorites are still my one-of-a-kind skirts. They were just dreamy! However, now I would have to say...the raspberry- or the baby pink- maybe the brown and dusty rose. They are all my favorites. Hard to choose! The NEW Satin Tiered Binding in Apple Green and Pink is beautiful! And I love the lavender and yellow...

Q. What should girls wear with the skirts?
A. I recommend my new Ruffle Fluff Top for the "over the top girly-girly look" and some pretty little ballet flats. For a more fun and funky look, it's always great to match with a hipster t-shirt and a pair of Converse "chucks" ... or for Winter, a stylin' little cardigan and boots- even Uggs!

Q. Why specialize in pettiskirts?
A. They are the softest, most luxurious and beautiful skirts on the market today! I always say, "there's magic in that fluff!" Little girls put them on and don't want to take them off! And, take a good look around. It seems to be a trend gone wild! Everybody and their grandmothers are making them! But ... Kaiya Eve is the Original pettiskirt on the market today. I'm very proud that I've had the ability to create such a trend by putting something so pretty in the world! I never imagined such a thing!

Q. What's your most popular design?
A. I'd have to say the most popular design is the baby pink. Everybody just loves baby pink!

Q. What occasions are best for a pettiskirt?
A. I see little girls wearing them just about everywhere. Just the other day Kaiya and I were at the Farmer's Market and Kaiya screams, "look Momma! There's a little girl on the ponyride wearing Kaiya Eve!" She had on a little tank top and cowboy boots.

Q. Are they popular with the stars?
A. There are a lot of celebrity Moms who have bought Kaiya Eve. From Faith Hill, Kate Beckinsale, Carolyn Murphy, Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Molly Shannon, Britney Spears and Denise Richards to name a few. Just recently, Dannie Lynn (Anna Nicole Smith's baby girl) wore a baby pink Ruffle Fluff top to her 1st birthday party. She has a skirt in every color!

Q. What can you expect in 2008?
A. Are you kidding? Well, ummmmm, with all these knock-offs ... I'm keeping that answer a secret! You'll just have to wait and see!