While it may not be considered politically correct to admit it in some circles, the fact remains that babies make perfect customizable accessories. And they should! After all, post-baby fashion is a tricky thing for most mom’s, and while claiming that baby spit up is your sexy new fragrance may be funny, it doesn’t help the situation much in reality.
Mainstream baby registries have long held the key to making mom’s feel fashion forward. Unfortunately, the “mainstream” isn’t where the most interesting moms tend to swim. Where are the Wonder Woman bibs, Star Wars nursery bedding, and baby “Jayne hats” found? They aren’t likely to appear on your registry, but there is a place you can go to find the droid [knit hats] you’re looking for!
As Captain Hammer so eloquently put it,
“Everyone’s a hero in their own way
Everyone’s got something they can do
Get up go out and fly
Especially that guy he smells like poo
Everyone’s a hero in their own way:
you and you and mostly me and you.”
No truer words could ever be spoken, especially if you’re “that guy”. Ok, truth be told, that’s a precious lil baby girl, so not really a “guy” per se, but have you ever seen anyone look more heroic while smelling like poo? This is Ellie, official model and product tester for Geek-a-bye Baby. No, she doesn’t smell like poo all the time, but when she does, she’s likely sporting Geek-a-bye Baby’s positively nerdy apparel and accessories.
Of course, geeky babies don’t dress themselves, but thankfully, Geek Baby has her very own fashion hero taking care of that. Geek Mama, Elizabeth Nelson began battling baby registry boredom while she was pregnant with Geek Baby, Ellie.
“I struggled to find things for her nursery. I wanted something geeky and unique. Finally, I decided to get in touch with my inner DIY goddess and make everything from scratch,” Elizabeth recalls.
She admits though, that it was Geek Husband, Ryan, who realized there was a gap in the geek market for baby gear, and suggested meeting that need for geeks ‘round the globe.
“…he mentioned that he thought this must be an issue for most geeks who are having kids and want the nursery to reflect their geeky interests. I did some research and saw there was this niche market that really needed an outlet for geeky baby products. We talked about opening a shop up around October 2011 and my shop officially opened the following January.” -Geek Mama
Thus began Geek-a-bye Baby’s do-gooder endeavor as heroes of fashion. Elizabeth states that “…the thing that makes our shop so very special is that it truly is a one stop shop for all things geeky.” They carry custom bedding, knit hats and toys, costumes, onesies, wall art and more! Themes include popular sci-fi, comic books, superheroes, and whatever you may request. Geek-a-bye Baby really does pride itself on being a one stop shop for geeks. They love working with clients for custom orders – and it doesn’t have to be baby gear! You can request something for yourself too.
As if fulfilling the need for geeky baby gear isn’t good enough, (because, seriously, it is! It’s a very big deal!) Geek-a-bye Baby solidifies their hero status by contributing a portion of their proceeds to charity. Geek Mama, Elizabeth explains:
“I run a non-profit, Austin Browncoats. I’ve always been involved in charity — as long as I can remember. When I started Geek-a-bye Baby, it was really important to me that I donate some of the profit to charity. On some items, I donate 100% of the proceeds. For instance, 100% of the proceeds from our Jayne hats goes to charities, such as Kids Need to Read and Equality Now.”
Yes, Geek-a-bye Baby is making the world a better place for geek babies everywhere, but that’s not the only battle they fight. All heroes have a nemesis, and Geek Mama, Elizabeth relates that Geek-a-bye Baby is no exception. Here’s what she said when asked to name their nemesis:
“Growth. We never expected to grow at the rate we’ve grown. Honestly, we never expected to be very popular. As we continue to grow, we have to balance out making our orders with adding new products.”
Sounds like a good problem to have, but it’s not just a problem. It’s a clear indication of success. Geek-a-bye Baby has even sparked imitators. It’s often said that imitation is the best form of flattery, but it seems the greater compliment is in the masses of loyal customers, who keep coming back, instead of looking for the cheap knock-off.
“Gosh, I don’t know if we’ve made it yet, but I know there have been a few really proud moments for me. The first time I saw my shop profiled on a prominent geek blog, I was pretty darn proud. Or when Nathan Fillion posted an image from my shop (of my geek baby at 8 days old in her Jayne hat)” Elizabeth explained when asked about Geek-a-bye Baby’s success.
Geek-a-bye Baby didn’t get there effortlessly, though. Just like any other endeavor, there were trials to overcome.
“When I started Geek-a-bye Baby, I had a partner. But, we just weren’t able to work together. My greatest obstacle has been finding the right support team to help Geek-a-bye Baby progress to the brand it is today. I have a full-time job and I run a non-profit, as well as being a geek mama to the most amazing geek baby, so my available time is fairly limited. Thankfully, I have the most amazing [support team] now!” – Geek Mama
Geek-a-bye Baby truly is a fashion hero for geek parents and geek babies. They saw a need and filled it. They overcame adversity, while doing good daily. They even inspire greatness in others.
“I think the most important thing is belief. Belief in yourself, belief in your dreams, belief in your abilities. Next, make sure you surround yourself with an amazing support network. A lot of people believe in trying to ‘go it alone’, but I think it’s wise to make sure you have people around who are there to help you, support you and give you their opinion when it’s needed (and sometimes, when it’s not requested!)”
Find Geek-a-bye Baby on Facebook.
