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FOR ALL SEASONS — NICKI SEBASTIAN

FOR ALL SEASONS — NICKI SEBASTIAN

At OZMA we tend to think in terms of seasons. Seasons of the year, of what to wear and what to celebrate, of adventure and ritual and the passing of time, of the shifts in weather and wardrobe that weave the fabric of our days...but we also tend to think of our lives in seasons—who we are now, who we might be becoming, the stories we write in this chapter, and how those stories might shift into the next.

 

Throughout every season, we have all been shaped and guided so deeply by the mothers and mother-figures in our lives, and, wherever we might be on our journeys towards (or away from) our own motherhoods, we find that the transformative power of mothering is a central thread in the weave of who we are and who we might become.

 

This year, as our own Heidi is in her first season as mother to her darling River (and celebrating her first "Mother's Day") we wanted to gather some collective wisdom and witnessing from our constellation of OZMA mothers, to capture and honor a moment of this season in the great journey.

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Nicki wears the Classic Tee and Standard Overall, with the 1930's Bandana in Avocado  

  

  

  

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When your child will describe their childhood, what is the kind of story you hope they tell?

Wow, that question has me tearing up already! I hope my girls can look back on these precious days and see nothing but the love that surrounded them despite the hardships we've faced as a family. I hope, in retrospect, they can describe their childhood as one of pure silliness and joy mixed with some spontaneity and adventure, but with a steady foundation of safety and security. It's such a delicate balance between wanting to protect your children from the darkness that constantly tries to permeate daily life, and also wanting them to experience the process of overcoming obstacles and finding the good within the haystack of a complex, somewhat scary reality. I hope they look back and see that we were able to toe that line successfully and give them both things: a guarded nest, and the ability to fly the coop and feel confident, loved, and accepted no matter what.

How has your personal style shifted (or not) in motherhood?

My style has shifted dramatically since becoming a mom. I'm all about the feel now—the phrase "style before comfort" has gone out the window entirely! Jeans have to be sufficiently worn, shirts must be loose and cozy, and the occasional dress needs to feel like pajamas or a second skin. Despite my age, I'm still very much a kid at heart, and I find myself joining the girls in spontaneous dance parties and/or hallway races at a moment's notice—so restrictive, stiff clothes are a hard no for me.


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Nicki's daughters wear Lou Tees and 1930's Bandanas.

  

  

  

 

  

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In this season of motherhood, when do you feel most like the best version of yourself?

After experiencing an out-of-the-blue cancer diagnosis that turned our lives upside down as a family, I can honestly say that, despite enduring such a traumatic ordeal, I've been able to uncover the best version of myself (to date) now that I'm in remission and beginning to process all that has happened. While I obviously wish that this realization didn't require intense chemotherapy and the hard truth of being faced with my own mortality at age 38, I do see a very clear silver lining, in that I'm so much more present and grateful for every tiny, mundane moment as a mother. As cliche as it sounds, my second chance at life has unearthed a new me, and I wholeheartedly love that "me" every second of every day. (I also thrive on matcha lattes and absurdly long hot baths—those two things certainly help boost this version of myself as well.)

  

What kind of human do you want to raise?

I strive to raise respectful, kind, empathetic girls with clear consciences and a solid inner compass. I recently heard that good parenting is all about being a shepherd, not an engineer—and I keep this top of mind when I question my skills and decisions. Essentially, I want my kids to operate on the belief that life shouldn't be achievement based, or measured by numbers or dollars or status or any other arbitrary comparison method, but rather, they should focus on their personal growth as good, trustworthy humans, and aim to touch other souls with kindness.

 

 

Follow Nicki on IG here. Photos by Nicki Sebastian.

Shop Nicki's OZMA selects here.

 

 

 

 

  

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