We’re not above coveting the clothing of toddlers, and increasingly often, that clothing is from Mmoody, Justine Bronaugh’s charming and playful Hudson Valley-based label. We sat down with Justine to learn more about the handmade patchwork pants that are taking over playgrounds near us and what’s in store (perhaps literally!) for Mmoody.
The next Mmoody drop will be on Tuesday, 7/14 at 2pm ET or catch Justine at a future pop-up.
Welcome, Justine! Tell us — how did you come to start Mmoody?
Mmoody started as a pandemic project. I was living with my fiancé (now husband) in an apartment on the second floor of a Brooklyn townhouse. Our landlords lived on the first floor; they were incredibly chic designers with a 2-year-old. We became a small pod in March of 2020 having dinners in the backyard, driving out to Rockaway Beach, and their daughter would come running up the stairs to our apartment when we left the door open. It was so fun having her around during such a dark, scary time. I picked up my old hobby of sewing to make us all masks and I used some of my scraps to make a toddler-sized pair of pants. The mom came home from the playground and was like, “Everyone wants these pants. You have to make them!!” Again her taste is impeccable so this was a huge compliment. I fully trusted her opinion and I probably wouldn’t have done it without her encouragement.
How does parenting your children influence your business and vice-versa?
Mmoody is woven into every aspect of my life, which is great most of the time but it can also be overwhelming. There is no work-life balance, but that’s the trade-off for not having to work a traditional 9-5 (which I did for six years and it’s not for me.) I do everything for the business except most of the sewing, which is done by three local seamstresses. I have to drop off and pick up pants weekly which I will tie into my grocery trips and other household errands. A lot of my content comes from my kids wearing the clothes and they are also my fit models.
My kids inspire my designs by way of the patterns and the fit. I want my pieces to be something they’re excited to wear and can be comfortable in all day long and year round. The bold patterns help hide stains so I don’t have to be precious about their outfits which is a bonus. I’m really grateful that I can work from home and be with my kids so much more than when I worked in an office setting. Having two kids has made me realize the importance of efficiency if I want to scale so that’s what I’m trying to focus on now.
What/who inspires you and your work?
I’m really inspired by the fabrics I use, I source most of it locally from people’s donated quilting collections. I really get excited when I find a vintage trim or ribbon that sparks a new idea for a piece.
What other brands do you admire?
My absolute fav kids brands for basics are Koko Momo and FRII. Both mom owned and operated like Mmoody. I’ve become internet friends with both of the owners and it’s so nice to be able to share our experiences. My kids live in their pieces and I love pairing them with Mmoody.
How do you think about shopping for your children’s clothes? What do you prioritize? What do they love?
Second hand first! I also love kids stores so much, I try to shop brick and mortar as much as possible because it brings me so much joy. Anytime I visit a new place, the first thing I do is look up what independent kids shops are around. Some recent favs include The Getalong in Nashville, Red Owl Collective in Kingston, NY for kids’ vintage, and Cosmo in Bed Stuy.
My son loves bold prints from Mini Rodini. I shop their 50% off sale every season. He also lives in Koko Momo tees and Mmoodys.
What’s next for Mmoody?
I’ve been thinking about scaling for a while now. I recently just made a sample with a small US factory that specializes in reworked fabrics. I’ve also started making some dresses! I’m trying to do as many pop ups as I can this year — I will be at Bob Baker Day in LA on September 20th! My dream is to open a local shop and community space that stocks Mmoody and other small kids’ brands. I’ve looked at a few spaces and then realized I should probably wait until both kids are in school because….time.
I’m Justine, founder of Mmoody Kids, mom of a 1- and 4-year-old living in High Falls, NY. I have a background in art, design, and public programs. My husband and I are originally from Nashville. We moved to the HV from Brooklyn 3 years ago and never looked back. We are DIY renovating our 100-year-old farmhouse and we love to make things. A lot of my hobbies have taken the back seat since having kids but I love to spend time in my garden.
I love all things baby and kids - toys, clothes, gear, you name it! When a friend or a friend of a friend is pregnant, I’m immediately asking, “Do you need registry help?! “So hit me up with your questions. I have lists…
We’re sharing what we’re enjoying for ourselves these days.
[Justine] - I’m really struggling to find time for myself these days and I’m constantly overstimulated and bedtime requires several hours of effort for both kids. My friend gave me a pair of Loop ear plugs I use a lot. I’ve also been going to mountain top yoga at Mohonk Preserve with my best friend once or twice a month and it’s been so nice- even though I have to go straight from vinyasa into the bedtime routine 🫠
[Ashley] - I’m currently on a gut protocol from my functional med doc to correct some crazy imbalances. This means no sugar, no dairy, no gluten for four weeks while taking a bajillion supplements. Cutting summer fruit for my daughter is actual torture. My pick-me-up right now is a cup of fancy brodo broth every morning with breakfast. It’s no Bartlett House pastry but it is incredibly delicious.
[Genevieve] - I really enjoyed (er… cried over) Mad Bad Tea’s latest Substack post, “why is it normal for motherhood to destabilize your entire life”. Why indeed.
[Maddie] - Is “EP of the Summer” a thing? If so, my nomination is Kashus Culpepper’s latest. He’s opening at Bethel Woods in a few weeks, and I’m tempted to book tickets now.
We’re sharing what’s making parenting small children more enjoyable these days.
[Justine] - I’m a firm believer that parenting is easier the more kids/families there are. With the sun setting so late we’ve been trying to do dinner play dates with friends at our house or theirs. Bathe them together and put them in their PJs for the drive home. It’s made the long evenings much more fun. A few of our friends have invested in bounce houses or water slides which really takes it up a notch.
[Ashley] - My Neighbor Totoro has usurped all princess movies in our household. I forgot about the incredible Studio Ghibli oeuvre until it popped up as a suggestion on HBO Max. We’ll be screening Ponyo next.
[Genevieve] - Obvious, but we could all use a reminder: novelty is a tool. My daughter needed a new toothbrush, and I had no idea how exciting this newness would be to her. Yes, it’s pink, and yes it’s electric. But listen — today, she wants to brush her teeth all the time when it was a huge battle just 24 hours ago.
[Maddie] - The combination of mineral sunscreen and bug spray has done a number on my kids’ clothes this summer. Thank goodness for the obsessives on the r/laundry subreddit — their recommendation to try a detergent with lipase to break down the bug spray oils has revitalized the mustiest of our summer camp wardrobe. I’ll also splash in a bit of this fragrance-free rinse aid for a little extra de-stinking.
We live in the Mid-Hudson Valley and we’re keeping tabs on these (mostly family-friendly) events near us. If there’s another event you’d like us to share, please send it our way!
Summer Events
Through Saturday, July 11 - Poughkeepsie Galleria Carnival, Poughkeepsie
Thursday, July 9 - Bike Rodeo and Summerfest, Hudson
Friday, July 10 - Poetry and Pasta-Making Workshop at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson ^
Saturday, July 11 - First Birthday Celebration at The Six Bells, Rosendale
Starting July 11 - 175th Celebration Week, Millerton
Starting July 11 - Spiral House Tour, Saugerties
Starting July 11 - Catskill Mountain Music Together classes, various locations
Saturday, July 11 - Sunday, July 12 - Tanabata Festival at Dassai Blue, Hyde Park
Saturday, July 11 - Sunday, July 12 - Vintage in the Hudson Valley Festival, New Paltz
Sunday, July 12 - Children & Families workshop at Storm King, Cornwall-on-Hudson
Monday, July 13 - Mahjong Monday at Creative Legion, Hudson ^
Monday, July 13 - Luncheonette: A Communal Meal at Pocketbook, Hudson
Wednesday, July 15 - Baby & Me Forest Yoga, Red Hook
Wednesday, July 15 - Waterfront Wednesdays, Hudson
Starting July 16 - Hudson Community Choir drop-in singing, Hudson
Friday, July 17 - Birthday Celebration at Cone Zero, Catskill
Saturday, July 18 - Summerfest, Chatham
Saturday, July 18 - Family Day at Hessel Museum of Art, Annandale-on-Hudson
Saturday, July 18 - Intro to Cyanotype at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson ^
Saturday, July 18 - Therapy Pigs Fundraiser @ Cooper’s Daughter, Claverack
Monday, July 20 - Pony Tales and Trails at High & Mighty, Ghent
Tuesday, July 21 - Pop-up book workshop (8+) at Galerie Zoe, Hudson
Wednesday, July 22 - Waterfront Wednesdays, Hudson
Sunday, July 26 - Parenting in a Changing Climate, North Chatham
Wednesday, July 29 - Waterfront Wednesdays, Hudson
Monday, Aug 3 - Pony Tales and Trails at High & Mighty, Ghent
Thursday, Aug 6 - Sunday, Aug 9 - Hudson Film Festival, Hudson
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Ongoing Events
Mondays - Songs & Stories at Ulster Public Library, Ulster
Mondays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Valatie
Mondays - Tunes and Tales at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Mondays - Move + Nourish prenatal movement workshop at At Play, Rhinebeck
4th Mondays - La Leche League meetings, Chatham
Mondays and Tuesdays - Toddler Jams, Germantown
Tuesdays - Storytime with Robbie at Starr Library, Rhinebeck
Tuesdays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Hudson
Tuesdays - Preschool Story Hour at Claverack Free Library, Claverack
Tuesdays - Tiny Tots at Palenville Library, Palenville
Wednesdays - Runs with Return Run Club, Hudson
Wednesdays - Kids Yoga at Woodstock Library, Woodstock
Wednesdays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Valatie
Wednesdays - Music & Movement at Starr Library, Rhinebeck
2nd Wednesdays - La Leche League meetings, Hudson
Thursdays - Music & Movement Storytime at the Hudson Area Library, Hudson
Thursdays - Family Storytime at Kinderhook Memorial Library, Kinderhook
Thursdays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Hudson
Thursdays - Wiggles & Words at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Thursdays - Adult Art Club at Super Stories, Kinderhook
Thursdays - Baby & Me at Claverack Free Library, Claverack
Thursdays - Baby and Toddler Playgroup at D.R. Evarts Library, Athens
Fridays - Tunes and Tales at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Fridays - Family Play and Hang at Starr Library, Rhinebeck
Fridays - Art Focus Fridays at Kinderhook Memorial Library, Kinderhook
Fridays - Music & Movement at Claverack Free Library, Claverack
Fridays - Story Time at Catskill Public Library, Catskill
Saturdays - Hudson Farmers’ Market (back outside!), Hudson
Saturdays - Art Workshop at Art Omi, Ghent
Saturdays - Art Nest at Wassaic Project, Wassaic
Saturdays - Bodie’s Lighthouse Lab at D.R. Evarts Library, Athens
Saturdays - Catskill Mountain Railroad train rides, Kingston
Saturdays - Free Maker Sessions at Super Stories, Kinderhook
Sundays - Community Group Run at Neighbor Running, Hudson
Sundays - Art Projects: Youth Painting & Drawing Classes (ages 4+) at Cone Zero, Catskill
^ = for adults
* = will likely sell out, so book soon
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