Jess is mum to a 3.5-year-old boy and a freshly one-year-old girl, and co-founder of the soon-to-be cult-loved kid label Nowadays — a brand born out of one very relatable parenting gripe: why is it so hard to find a plain white tee for your toddler?

We chatted to her about the juggle, the joy of designing for your own kids, and how her ideal Saturday starts at Carriageworks and ends with wine from P&V and a shared dinner-bath-bed routine with friends. Honestly? Living the dream.

What inspired you to start Nowadays?

Nowadays was born out of a shared frustration — my (now) business partner and I just wanted a plain white tee with a great cut for our boys, and couldn’t find one. Our partners are already in business together, so teaming up ourselves felt like a very natural step. The more we talked, the more we realised we were both craving kids' clothing that didn’t seem to exist—so when we couldn’t find it, we decided to make it.

What’s the best part about running Nowadays?

There’s a lot I love about it, but one of the best parts is finally being able to dress our kids in clothes we spent so long looking for. Pieces that hold up to all the chaos—spaghetti spills, rainy park plays, slow afternoons on the couch—and still feel good every time they’re worn.

Tell us about your ideal day out with your plus ones.

My husband is in hospo (co-owns Soulmate, Superfreak, Splash and the Tuckshop) so food and coffee are usually a big part of our weekends. An ideal Saturday now that the weather has turned chilly, would include an early trip to Carriageworks Markets—grabbing some fresh produce, a coffee from Single O and a gingerbread cookie for our son from Flour & Stone. From there we’d probably head to Sydney Park to burn some energy on the skatepark (although we’ve tried the new pump track at St Peters and it’s been a hit as well!). Then it’s usually a slow afternoon trying to build/fix/renovate something around the house, opening a bottle of wine from P&V and cooking up some fresh produce from that morning with friends and little friends—usually getting them to stay for the dinner/bath/book routine (because parenting is always easier together).

Any places on your family bucket list?

Our husbands are planning a work trip to Japan and so I’m trying to turn it into a family trip haha. We’d also love to go to India together to meet our manufacturers and see the process of our clothes being made firsthand.

What’s your go-to when you have a kid-free moment?

I’m currently obsessed with hot/cold therapy. There’s a bathhouse in Surry Hills called Capybara that does “quiet” Sunday mornings —no talking, no phones— just sauna, cold plunge, and stillness. It’s heaven.