May curators Megan and Kailee turned us on to Salt and Pepper Tees during our most recent search for the perfect tee – and our quest is complete! The modern fit and softness of these tops made it a done deal for us. We grabbed a moment with Laura and Summer, the beauties behind the brand, to talk about bringing their laidback style into parenthood.
And guess what? These ladies are putting a gift card in every single one of our May boxes! You can subscribe here to get yours in time for Mother’s Day.
Tell us about how Salt and Pepper Tees came to be and the inspiration behind your brand.
About two years ago we came up with the initial idea for the line. We were seeing a lot of graphic tees everywhere that were cute or funny, but tended to be somewhat distasteful. We thought, we could totally do this, but better! And we wanted to created something that everyone would want to wear. So, the brainstorming began. With our combined skills in art and fashion, we created styles that were right on trend and would appeal to everyone. From the beginning we knew we wanted only basic colors - black, white and grey tees. So the name Salt & Pepper fit perfectly! We also wanted to represent the "California Casual” lifestyle: chic, fun and carefree.
We all know balance is a myth. How do you each find time to run your business with young children at home?
It would be difficult to run our company successfully if we had little babies at home. Luckily we have both reached that golden spot where our kids are all in school everyday. We really try to focus on work stuff while the kids are at school, because once they are home, we are in the mom zone! We also have great support from our husbands, which is really important.
If you weren't doing Salt and Pepper, what would you be doing?
Laura: For the last decade I have been a makeup artist doing weddings, events, and fashion shows. I love it! However, the time and travel has always been a challenge with a young growing family at home. That’s why Salt & Pepper has been so wonderful. I can make my own hours and be my own boss. I also get to use my art background in all our shoots- styling the hair & makeup. If I were not doing Salt & Pepper, I would probably pursue becoming an account manager or educator for a cosmetics line.
Summer: I would do something with fashion for sure. After being in the industry for the past 19 years, fashion is what I know and am passionate about. I do styling on the side so I would probably do more of that. I love it! Putting looks together is therapeutic for me. I love styling our tees and using them in new creative ways. It's a challenge I'm always up for!
You each have multiple children, which makes you parenting pros ;) What lessons/advice do you wish you could give yourself when you were a first-time mom?
Slow Down! Don’t rush it or wish they would grow up. They grow up so fast! And don’t freak out over the little things. Let them get dirty, play hard, and have fun. Who cares if their dress gets dirty or they bump their head, kids are resilient! And lastly, make them healthy eaters. Give them a wide variety of food at a young age and keep it going.
What motherhood skills have you used in your business?
1. Multi-tasking!! Having multiple kids helps you learn the importance of good multi-tasking. Our lives can get pretty busy, and it’s very typical for us to be returning emails at a ballet recital or Instagramming at soccer practice. But somehow we make it work!
2. Endurance. As moms, we are pushed to the limits. We have to be strong, patient, and hardworking, all while being sleep deprived. After many years, you tend to build up an amazing tolerance. So with that, we have also learned to how to keep going and not give up when it gets hard!