As someone who prides herself on being an original, the very thought of a copy cat conjures up some pretty negative emotions. Logically, I know that those who mimic, copy or otherwise blatantly steal the ideas of others should be pittied for not having the courage and intelligence to blaze their own trail. Emotionally, though, it just pisses me off. However, I choose to believe that hardwork and dedication due make for success and that karma can be a real…well…you know.

So, what does all that have to do with this cute onesie set I’m posting? Uhm…nothing, really…just getting a little something off my chest.

Now, this Twin Set from Wry Baby is a form of copying I can really get behind. Sure to be the fave gift for any baby shower x 2.

As an ardent supporter of Ella Moss for many years now, we were totally stoked when we learned they were finally downsizing…to a mini line, that is. Coming soon to genes is the new Little Ella line featuring the trademark fabrics and signature styles us moms have come to love from Ella Moss. If we had a little lady, we’d definitely be jonesing for this Clementine Striped Hoodie. Comfy + Cute = Fashion Gold.

I came to the realization some time ago that I have a moderately unhealthy obsession with chairs. After some soul searching it became clear that my “illness” stems from an overwhelming desire to sit. Sit…in the abstract sense (relax, be calm, enjoy the little things) and also just to literally SIT. This is likely because my hectic life leaves me little time to do either of these things, or simply because I’m a slug. Either way…the end result is that I’ve been a collector, commenter, and critic of chairs for many years now.

It’s with this expert knowledge that I present to you…tada…the Empire Rocker by Nurseryworks. At first glance this classic creation looks a bit out of place among the mass of ultra-mod pieces we offer. We know there’s some who’ll disagree with us, but we applaud Nurseryworks for dipping their toes slightly into another genre. And, more importantly, any good designer knows that being able to add an unexpected element to a space and having it look completely integrated and intentional is the key to great design. We think this rocker could most definitely be that piece.

The Empire takes the styling of a classic winged back, tufted chair and updates it with plush fabrics and rocker legs to boot. The icing on the cake? This baby is insanely comfortable. Just enough softness and give to make you feel like you’re sitting on a bed of marshmallows, but with the lumbar support and general heavyweight craftsmanship of any luxury furniture piece. How do we know this? We’ve sat in it. And after a long day of walking around the Javits Center at ICFF in inappropriate footwear (hey…they looked good) we could barely convince ourselves to get out of it.

For the nursery, the den, the office…for comfort + style. At genes, of course.

When deciding on a name for our shop, we wanted to avoid the typical “Bellies and Butterflies” route you often see with baby and kids stores. (No offense to anyone who named their shop Bellies and Butterflies, we’re sure it’s lovely). So, why genes? Well…number one, it’s witty. Number two, there’s the double entendre thang that we just love (genes and jeans). And, number three…a one word name fit beautifully in stainless steel letters behind our cash wrap.

We never anticipated the confusion that would surround our name choice. Generally, there are two reactions. The first being…awesome name! (yeah…we know and thanks!). The second and more frustrating comment…who’s gene? So, for the record…there is NO gene. Please do not call us and ask to speak to gene. Gene does not exist. Please also do not put an apostrophe in our name…we really hate that. It’s genes…as in genetics, not a possessive form of Gene. And c’mon, if our name were Gene, would we really name a shop after ourselves? (No offense to anyone named Gene, we’re sure you’re lovely).

So, there you have it.

Welcome to genes + the BLOG! Wondering what we’re all about? We sort of are too. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our site, genes is the place (toot toot our own horn) to find the coolest clothing for boys and girls, modern furnishings, stylish and functional gear and all those extra goodies for babies and kids. We’ve tried to make our online shop a place that not only provides the right products, but one that wraps them all up in an imaginative package. We hope you agree.

So, what’s the BLOG? Well, it’s not going to be a “random post here and there in the hopes of generating traffic to our site” kind of blog. Nope. We’ll leave that to the other guys. We’re sort of feeling our way through this whole thing, and like most other ventures in our life, we anticipate the BLOG! will take on a life of its own. Sure, we’ll keep you updated on the goings on in our shop…new products…great sales…our favorite picks, but we’ll also share our general lives with you. Giving our perspective to our customers has always been the cornerstone of genes and this is another avenue to do just that.

You’ll mainly be seeing posts from me, Kris…founder of genes, momma of two little men and self proclaimed style snob. You’ll also get posts from my husband Peter, professional soccer player and dad turned genes resident gear expert and ambassador of cool. And hey…we could throw in a comment from our boys or anyone else we think has something fun + interesting to share. As my Greek father-in-law once famously said…”you never don’t know.”

We’re kinda thinking this blog may offer a bit of therapy for two ‘rents with three stores + two kids and NO time to seek out actual psychological help. Here goes…