Well, there's no pretty way around it so I'll just come out and admit it...I got catfished...by a dress. Not even a full-size dress. It was a baby dress. This was the situation that started a whisper that would become Chicky's Closet.
I suffered from hyperemesis to the 10th degree for the first 5 months of my pregnancy. I think it was because of this experience that made me feel like I had to make up for lost time. I felt as if time was flying by so fast and that I had missed out on so much of my pregnancy, that I wanted to capture as many moments as I possible moving forward.
I booked a Newborn Photoshoot with the super talented photographer, Emma Jeanson. I had my whole Pinterest board of poses and an amazon cart full of photo props for the perfect whimsical glam vibe I wanted, but for the life of me, I couldn't find the outfits anywhere. It was really weird because I knew they existed (like I said I had a whole vision board of pictures). I found a few on Amazon, but I really wanted something that was well-made, heirloom quality, and special. I wanted to frame her newborn outfit in a picture box and save it for when Chicky was grown-up. I had this vision of her showing these beautiful tiny baby outfits to her own daughter one day. I found one children's specialty store in Rochester but they are more of a gift shop. I went up to Minneapolis and the Twin Cities, but the children's stores they had carried more everyday casual or Sunday church attire (literally there was no in-between). I finally went to Etsy to find something handmade and was totally willing to pay for it.
How GORGEOUS is this photographer's work of art? The inspiration:
Looks amazing right? Well, those were the inspiration. Now here is the reality of what was delivered, you might want to sit down for this...
I mean...where do I begin. Looking at these pictures just brings back the shock I felt looking at the flimsy, crooked, cheap looking pieces of fabric that were supposed to mark a special moment in her early life. From the gap in the skirt, to the unlined bodysuit, and exposed scratchy seams, there are so many wrongs to point out. And it looked nothing like the advertised picture on the website. When I reached out to the company on Etsy, I found out they were a garment factory in China! My mind was blown. I remembered a time where Etsy was the amazon for craft-masters and artists. An online marketplace where you could find handmade and unique gifts and garments. Clearly times have changed...sadly.
As a new mom in those early days, I didn't dwell on the situation, but it was always in the back of my mind. As time went on, we had more milestones to celebrate, family events and celebrations with friends to attend. And every time I couldn't find an outfit for my baby that was beautiful, appropriate for the occasion, and comfortable to wear, the thought would resurface. The last straw for me was when we were looking for a christening gown for her baptism. I'll tell you that story another time since I've subjected you to enough horror today.
I knew that there was no way I was the only mom in Rochester, Minnesota...or in Minnesota...or in the Midwest for that matter, who felt the same disappointment. My motivation to make Chicky's Closet a realty was Chicky, but it was also for myself. It became a calling almost as strong as nursing was, and I deeply felt that I had to find a solution.
So here we are months later. I feel like I don't just have one baby! The entrepreneurial life is very much like having a newborn. It's a lot of sleepless nights, staying up late. Just like if you're a breastfeeding mama, there's not a ton of tasks you can outsource in the beginning. And the list of to-do's seems endless, just like the amount of dirty laundry you find yourself surrounded by (it's really amazing how much laundry a tiny human requires). But the hard work doesn't feel like work at all, and you love every sleep deprived second of it.
