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Caroline Z Hurley
Mother Essentials

Mother Essentials: Caroline Z Hurley

Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano

The playfulness seen in artist Caroline Z Hurley’s work comes by no accident. Before launching her own line of textiles, wallpaper, and paintings, the Brooklyn-based creative was a preschool teacher, and was inspired to blend the simplicity and shapes found in her classroom with a bevy of fun colors. Now a mother of two daughters (Penny, 2, and Juni, 10 months), Caroline’s playful spirit is still going strong—and it’s caught the attention of the folks at Madewell, who’ve just partnered with her for a summer-ready capsule collection of breezy, block-printed pieces that are vacation-ready. Find out her top pick from the line—plus her other current Mother Essentials—in her favorites list below!

CZH x Madewell Dress.I recently designed a collection with Madewell and I have to say this dress is ideal for motherhood. It’s great for nursing, so lightweight, and washes really well. You won’t regret having one of these in either the long version or the short version.” Madewell x Caroline Z Hurley Cover-Up Mini Shirtdress in Tridot, $88, Madewell.

Skims Bra. “This bra saved me. It has been so great for nursing and for holding me up (the boob drop has gotten so real after two babies!). I have been trying to rid my closet of all things synthetic, but this is the one category that I give myself a break on because I simply can’t live without this bra!” Sculpting Bralette, $32, Skims.

To Be Magnetic. “Back in the day, when I had loads of time, I would do these meditations almost every day and I swear I saw results in manifesting the life I want. Now, as a mother, I use the platform as a way to heal old wounds so that I can be the best mother to my girls. I highly recommend doing these, they have changed my life significantly in the best way possible.” ToBeMagnetic.com.

Barrier Oil. “This oil is everything to me. Kristina is an old pal of mine and she gave me a sample years ago and I have not been able to quit the product since! I use it every day and give myself a mini face massage every time I do. As a mom, it’s so hard to find the time to do little things for myself but I try to add things like this in as much as I can.” Marie Veronique Barrier Lipid Complex, $95, Credo.

GAG Bag. “If you are looking for the best crossbody fanny pack bag, look no further. I got mine while I was in Mexico earlier this year and I can’t recall how I ever lived without it. Now I want all the colors! I usually keep this bag (with all my essentials inside it) right by door so that when I exit with the kiddos and I have a huge bag of sh*t I am lugging, I don’t forget my things—which happens more than I’d like to admit.” Box Bag, $100, GAG.

CZH Throw Blanket. “Everyone needs a CZH throw! They are great for kids because they wash easily and don’t take up too much space in your stroller or bag. I literally never leave home without one. (Get them while you can because soon we will be transitioning our business exclusively to fabric by the yard!)” CZ Throw Blanket, $150, Caroline Z Hurley.

Tiny Cups + Plates. “I am trying to have less synthetic materials in my home, so I bought a set of tin cups and bowls from this amazing store in Mexico City and I am really in love with them. They are great for the babies; they love the mini mugs! And the little bowls are just the right size for small hands.” Small Cup, $9.80, Utilitario Mexicano.

Better, Cleaner Cleaning Products. “I use Grove Collaborative for my dish soap and cleaning spray and I love it. It cleans well and smells natural—so we don’t have to ever deal with single use plastics in this category anymore. Similarly with laundry, we switched to dropps and never looked back. They are made without synthetics or harmful chemicals for babies so it works great for our household.” GroveCollaborative.com. Dropps.com.

This Lamp. “I am a sucker for nice lighting, especially for bedtime with the girls. I always prepare their rooms so that they are nice and cozy with humidifiers and lights on dim to help me set the mood for going to sleep. We all end up in the same bed most nights, so I don’t know who I am kidding, but the ritual helps me a lot.” Jonas Wagell Portable Table Lamp, $99.95, Menu Design Shop.

Armadillo Rug. “This rug is in Penny’s room and it’s my favorite. It’s so cozy and adds such nice texture to our home. The girls always want to play in her room and I attribute it to this rug!” Savannah Rug, $1565, Armadillo.

Petite Nord Shoes. “These shoes are amazing and really hold up well. I am a southern girl at heart still and love to dress my girls in knee socks, dresses, and matching shoes.” Scallop Crossover Sandal, $96, Petit Nord

For more MOTHER ESSENTIALS, peep our recent features on Just Date founder Sylvie Charles, food icon AMANDA HESSER, Prickly Pear founder MONA BAHRAINI, Solace Summer founder MEGAN BRE CAMP, Wonder Valley co-founder ALISON CARROLL, OZMA designer HEIDI BAKER, author TIFFANY ROSE SMITH, PR pro TEMI ADAMOLEKUNHEIDI BAKER of OZMA, PHOEBE SUNG of Cold Picnic, Sach Paneer founder JASLEEN KAUR, Essential Labor author ANGELA GARBES, The Mamas author HELENA ANDREWS-DYER, Olivia J founder SHAE JONES, author BRYNNE BARNESTISHA THOMPSON of LYS Beauty, Blueland’s SARAH PAIJI YOO, Heirloom’s SRI BODANAPU, Lady Falcon Coffee Club founder BUFFY MAGUIRE, the mama-duo behind SPRING & MULBERRY chocolate, and Dear Bella Creamery co-founder ALICE CHERNG.

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