MAMA FEATURE : SHEILA, LUCIUS + JUNE

THIS MONTH’S MAMA FEATURE IS MODEL & MAMA OF 2 BOYS @SHEILAMARQUEZ_

ORIGINALLY FROM SPAIN, SHE CURRENTLY LIVES IN OJAI WITH HER FAMILY.

SHE HAS THE KINDEST SOUL & A TRUE NATURE ABOUT HER AND I LOVED GETTING TO KNOW HER.

LUCIUS & JUNE’S OUTFITS FROM OUR SHOP @GUSANDWAY.

IS THERE TRULY SUCH A THING AS CAREER & MOTHERHOOD BALANCE?

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOUR FAMILY?

THERE IS! THERE MUST BE! IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING ORGANIZED & HAVING A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM. AND OF COURSE BEING OK WITH CHAOS SOMETIMES.

IN MY FAMILY, BOTH MY PARTNER AND I ARE FREELANCERS AND HAVE TO TRAVEL DAYS AT A TIME FOR WORK. WE TRY TO NEVER GO AWAY AT THE SAME TIME SO THERE CAN ALWAYS BE ONE PARENT HOME WITH THE BOYS. WHEN THEY GET SAD ABOUT ONE OF US LEAVING, WE EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT MANY PARENTS HAVE TO GO TO WORK ALMOST EVERYDAY FROM 9 TO 5 AND WE GET TO SPEND EXTENDED TIME TOGETHER.

I HAVE HAD TO TURN DOWN WORK SOMETIMES BECAUSE I DO PRIORITIZE MOTHERHOOD WHEN POSSIBLE. IT’S DEFINITELY NOT EASY TO TRY TO BE REALLY GOOD & SUCCESSFUL AT BOTH….BUT WE ALL TRY, RIGHT?!

HOW HAVE YOUR VIEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY CHANGED SINCE BECOMING A MOTHER?

WELL, IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE AS A NEW MOTHER TO LUCIUS I WANTED TO BUY ALL NEW CLOTHES FOR MY BRAND NEW BABY AND HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT OUTFITS AND CHOICES. YOU QUICKLY LEARN THAT THEIR LITTLE BODIES GROW SO FAST AND THEY DON’T GET TO WEAR MUCH OF IT OR WHAT THEY WEAR GETS PRETTY STAINED.

THAT’S WHEN I STARTED TO REALIZE THAT KIDS HAND-ME-DOWNS AND SECONDHAND PIECES ARE A WIN-WIN, SINCE MOST OF THE ITEMS ARE PRACTICALLY NEW AND HARDLY USED. AS WE KNOW, TONS OF CLOTHING ENDS UP IN LANDFILLS, SO BY EXTENDING THE LIFE OF KIDS CLOTHES WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO HELP SUSTAINABILITY.

THOUGHTS ON KIDS VINTAGE OR ANY FAVORITE PIECES YOU LIKE TO FIND FOR YOUR KIDS?

NOWADAWAYS FAST FASHION HAS TAKEN A BIG PLACE IN THE MARKET OF KIDS CLOTHING, BECAUSE THEY OUTGROW IT FAST, PEOPLE SEEM TO GO FOR CHEAPER ITEMS. BUT THE QUALITY IS JUST NOT THE SAME. I HAVE 2 BOYS AND I HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO PASS DOWN PIECES THAT WERE VINTAGE OR FROM A SMALL BOUTIQUE.

THAT’S WHY WHEN YOU’RE BUYING VINTAGE FOR YOUR KIDS, YOU KNOW YOU ARE BUYING SOMETHING QUALITY, MADE WITH MATERIALS AND FABRICS THAT LAST. YOU ARE ALSO ABLE TO FIND MORE UNIQUE PIECES.

MY FAVORITE WAS A THAI HAND-EMBROIDERED JACKET I FOUND FOR LUCIUS WHEN HE WAS 2 IN A SECONDHAND SHOP IN BROOKLYN. COOL VINTAGE DENIM JACKETS & VINTAGE TEES ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO FIND FOR MY KIDS. AND ALSO HATS!!

WE LIVED IN BERLIN FOR 2 YEARS AND THE SECONDHAND MARKETS ARE HUGE THERE. EVERY WEEKEND THERE ARE FLEA MARKETS ALL OVER THE CITY AND EVEN KIDS SETUP BLANKETS IN THE PARK TO SELL THEIR OWN CLOTHES & TOYS. IT WAS REALLY INSPIRING.

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