Meet my friend JoJo

If you overheard my conversations you’d be forgiven for thinking I was having an affair with someone called ‘JoJo’. You see much of my chat when I’m around other mums involves ‘JoJo’ e.g. "JoJo’s great for that, this was from JoJo, oh I just love JoJo!’" Fear not- I’m a happily married woman, but I am a little obsessed with the JoJo Maman Bébé store in Perth, it’s one of my (and baby Freya’s) favourite places to go….

My ‘affair’ with JoJo started when I was pregnant- in desperate search of maternity clothes that I could actually try on instead of having to just cross my (swollen) fingers and order online. We used to build a whole day in Edinburgh around going to the JoJo store there to buy

maternity tights, vests, leggings etc. so when they opened one in Perth last year I couldn’t wait to become a regular. JoJo are a British company (I’m hoping I’m not the only one who assumed they were French given the name!), who still centrally own all of their stores in the UK.

Let me say straight away that JoJo are no more expensive than anywhere else you might find their products. I know that sometimes a beautiful professional shop-fit can give the impression of it being a ‘high end’ store but I would urge you to go in and explore. It’s not just somewhere to shop as a ‘treat’ or buy presents for others (although they are great for that too!), it’s for picking up every day things you need for your own kids, safe in the knowledge that what you’re buying has been rigorously parent tried and tested. I've listed my top 5 buys so far for Freya below.

I once had a summer job in a well-known clothing chain store (in a different city), where I was trained to within an inch of my life on how to ‘upsell’ and hit daily targets. Personally I always find this approach counterproductive- if I feel under pressure to buy something, I run a mile. Manager Caroline and her cheery team at JoJo are incredibly knowledgeable about their stock and will never try to give you the ‘hard sell’, let alone sell you something you don’t need.

As a wee aside they also all appear to have been trained in the art of making even the grumpiest baby giggle- I’m first in line if they start offering a crèche service! I’ve been known to ask the staff's advice on lots of topics in Freya’s first year and in the not too distant future I fully intend to walk in and say ‘Okay, talk me through potty training…’.

Most people who’ve visited JoJo will tell you how lovely the clothes are. They are all designed at ‘JoJo House’ in London, often with more traditional features like sweet Peter Pan collars on tops or jackets with toggles (I LOVE a toggle!). Freya has been the lucky recipient of a few items to furnish her summer wardrobe this year but when we visit it’s usually to peruse their vast collection of unique, clever and useful products.

As a company JoJo are always on the lookout for new, innovative products, and in the past have been first to snap up things like the now infamous Trunki, and currently secure an exclusive range of Sophie La Girafe clothing.

If all that isn't  enough to convince you they also have a huge selection of traditional toys, a wee play area and table in the shop, comfortable changing and feeding facilities (which we’ve made use of!), a community noticeboard to tell you what’s happening locally, a loyalty card scheme, and a huge catalogue with even more to choose from and completely FREE delivery on absoloutely everything.

JoJo was launched in 1993 as a one woman kitchen start-up by founder Laura, and have never lost sight of their original principles and small company values, despite their commercial success. JoJo run various charitable campaigns throughout the year, have their own named charity ‘NEMA’ and have acquired a high profile following from the likes of Victoria Beckham and a certain Kate & Wills.

I adore this company. If you haven’t already visited the Perth store make sure you pop in next time you’re in town, you’ll be glad you did, and they'll be delighted to see you.

My Top 5 So Far

BabySonic Toothbrush>

That’s right- an electric toothbrush for babies & toddlers. Try this and I guarantee you will laugh at how long you have struggled with the big clunky one from the health visitor. Comes with two baby sized brush heads and a battery included. The brush head even lights up so you can see those tiny teeth! Hands down the best nine quid I’ve spent.

Pack-away Waterproof All-In-One>

We bought this a couple of months ago and have used it for everything from trips to the beach on cooler days to woodland walks and playing in the garden when the grass is wet. The hood also comes with an integrated visor so you don’t need to double up with a sun hat. You can pack it away or shove it in the washing machine when you’re done and it dries quickly ready for next time.

Babycup Weaning Cups>

I’ve always struggled to find Freya a cup that she gets enough water from- she doesn’t even like the free flow ones. JoJo came to the rescue yet again with these- essentially a set of 4 brightly coloured little plastic shot glasses safe for babies. It took Freya about a week to get the hang of it and we’ve never looked back.

Deluxe Long Sleeved Bibs>

We did proper full on, no holds barred, textbook baby led weaning with Freya from 6 months. The first couple of months are LOTS of fun but a tad messy- these bibs were the only thing I ever found which covered her up, were easy to clean in the sink and quick to dry.

Toy Leads>

There’s nothing sadder than seeing a poor once loved toy on the ground that’s clearly fallen out of a buggy (or been chucked out in a strop!).  The epitome of simple solutions- these clip on leads have strong studs to attach one end to any top and the other to any buggy. I've had several strangers ask me where they're from, and ironically I found out about them by doing the same thing myself! A pack of 2, we have one on her pram and the other on her car seat. 

Full contact details for the JoJo Maman Bébé store in Perth can be found on our directory>>>