Launched in October by local mom Courtney Hartman, Jessy & Jack is a relatively new player on the Seattle kid-fashion scene. After giving birth to her second child Lois, now 1, Courtney began trying to design the perfect bib. It was then that she started to realize just how many gender clichés there were in kids’ clothing designs.
Before having a daughter — when she had only son Declan, now 3 — Courtney didn’t really see gender differences in kids’ clothes, but now with a son and a daughter the differences are much more obvious. Cars and trucks are for boys. Flowers and princesses? Strictly for girls.
Let’s take a pause and thank Courtney for bridging that gap. Her onesies and toddler tees are adorned with images that she calls unlikely friends; different character pairs you wouldn’t normally see together in action — a dog and moose, or an elephant and robot. The colors are bright and gender-neutral, so when your big kid outgrows it, you can easily pass it on down to the little ones.
As if American-made, gender-neutral clothing weren’t enough, Courtney is giving back. For each onesie or T-shirt sold, Jessy & Jack donates one basic tee to a nonprofit shelter. This past quarter, she donated to Mary’s Place in Seattle. Those unlikely friends just got that much sweeter.
What’s in store for the future? Courtney will soon launch a new website focusing on gender-neutral brands. Keep an eye out for freetobekids.com.
jessyandjack.com
