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.

©GUSANDWAY 2024

mama feature : ALLY, Jaya, jasper + marli

THIS MONTH’S MAMA FEATURE IS ALLY LOPEZ - MAUI NATIVE, MAMA OF 3 & FOUNDER OF @BANDOFMARTIANS.

A KINDRED SOUL AND FELLOW OLD-TRUCK LOVER, I LOVED GETTING TO KNOW ALLY BETTER AND SO GRATEFUL FOR HER SHARING HER STORY.

ALLY & HER GIRLS CLOTHES FROM OUR SHOP @GUSANDWAY.

AS THE YOUNGEST OF 3 GIRLS MYSELF, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON RAISING ALL GIRLS

RAISING GIRLS HAS BEEN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY.

I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM ALL 3 OF THEM AND HAVE LEARNED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY & THEIR DIFFERENCES. I ALWAYS TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE ALL SUCH A PERFECT BALANCE FOR EACH OTHER.

THEY ARE LEARNING TO APPRECIATE EACH OTHER AND KNOW THAT THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN GIFTS AND TO COMMUNICATE TO EACH OTHER EVEN IF THEIR COMMUNICATION STYLES ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AT TIMES.

WHAT’S BEEN SO AMAZING TO WATCH IS HOW THEY ARE EACH WIRED SO DIFFERENTLY. THEY LEARN AND COMPUTE THE WORLD IN SUCH DIFFERENT WAYS AND WHILE THAT’S TOUGH AT TIMES, THEY CAN REALLY LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.

TALK TO US ABOUT HOW YOUR SHOWROOM, BAND OF MARTIANS, CAME ABOUT AND WHAT IT’S BEEN LIKE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

I STARTED BAND OF MARTIANS A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS AGO WITH ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS JENNA.

THE WHOLESALE WORLD IN REGARDS TO FASHION IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND FROM SEASON TO SEASON THERE ARE NEW CHALLENGES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES. IT’S BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT TO STAY FLEXIBLE AND OPEN TO CHANGE.

I’M REALLY GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH SOME INCREDIBLE BRANDS THAT ARE RETHINKING FASHION IN HOW THEY APPROACH MANUFACTURING AND IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY. THEY ARE ABOUT LESS BUT BETTER. THESE BRANDS HAVE INFUSED A WHOLE NEW WAVE OF INSPIRATION.

THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TO PURSUE MY MASTERS IN ARCHITECTURE. IT’S BEEN ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING & FULFILLING JOURNEYS, SECOND ONLY TO RAISING CHILDREN.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REALLY TOUGH TIMES WITH JUGGLING TIME AND LEARNING NEW SKILLS AND FOR THE MOST PART I AM ONE OF THE OLDEST STUDENTS IN THE CLASS. IT’S A VERY LONG TERM GOAL BUT REGARDLESS IT’S GIVEN ME A TON OF SKILLS THAT I CAN APPLY TO MY CURRENT CAREER.

I KNOW YOU’RE A VINTAGE LOVER AND HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN A FEW SPECIAL PIECES FROM YOU FOR MYSELF! OUR SHOP SPECIALIZES IN VINTAGE LEVI’S & VINTAGE HAWAII TEEES…WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PERSONAL VINTAGE FAVES?

WHEN IT COMES TO VINTAGE I’M A SUCKER FOR VINTAGE LEVI’S. IT’S LIKE A NEVER ENDING JOURNEY TO FIND THE PERFECT PAIR. AND LATELY THEY ARE HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND.

I’VE LOVED VINTAGE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, IT’S LIKE AN ADULT TREASURE HUNT WHEN YOU’RE VINTAGE SHOPPING.

MY DAUGHTERS ARE ALL INTO VINTAGE AS WELL. WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE SHOPS HERE IN OCEANSIDE & WE ARE REALLY CLOSE TO SOME GREAT FLEA MARKETS UP IN LA.

I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE LOVE OF VINTAGE HAS BEEN FUELED MORE AND MORE BY THE NEED TO SHIFT AWAY FROM FAST FASHION.

IT’S NICE TO REUSE SOMETHING FORMERLY LOVED BY SOMEONE ELSE. THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A PERFECTLY PRELOVED TEE OR SWEATSHIRT.

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