Mother Stories
Meet Designer and Mama of Three, Laura Odell
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by Photography by Morgan Pansing
Jan 7, 2020
Today’s mama is the epitome of L.A. cool. Laura ODell and her former pro-skateboarder hubs, Jason, founded The ODells back in 2013. What started as a simple handmade t-shirt company without a brick-and-mortar home (the couple delivered the shirts via motorcycle to fund a trip to Spain in their early 20s), has grown into a full-fledged lifestyle brand with a flagship shop right in the heart of Silverlake’s famed Sunset Junction. The ODells Shop carries plenty of Laura’s own designs—the Machina jumpsuit and face-print dress are just a couple on our own wish list—as well as a handful of covetable brands including Cotélac, Sugar Candy Mountain, Ali Golden, Oddbird, and Corkcicle to name just a few. The couple’s dreamy Spanish-style home is just a few blocks away from their shop, which makes juggling a fashion label, a retail shop, and three young kids a tad less insane. Shaun, 9, Layla, 6, and, Ian, 2, have grown up alongside the family biz, and the crew’s closeness was evident when we came by for a visit. Take a tour of Laura’s colorful, California-cool adobe below, and find out how she and her family get it done.
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- "We purchased our home in 2011 when our first born, Shaun, was just 9 months old. My husband and I were going on a run one morning by the reservoir when we saw a 'for sale' sign on the lawn. It happened to be a Tuesday, and the sign had just gone up for the broker's open house. We toured the house in our workout gear and put an offer in that same morning. As soon as I walked through the house and into the yard I knew it had to be ours."
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- "Traditional Spanish with a touch of modern. I’m a big fan of color and textiles, so we don’t skimp when it comes to flair. More is better."
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- "We added a studio on top of our garage. At the time we needed an office, but we quickly outgrew it, so now it’s a movie theater. Jason loves to go up there and watch action movies when I go to bed. Other than adding the studio, we’ve only done a few little cosmetic things like adding more light fixtures, painting the cabinets in the kitchen, and putting up wallpaper in the T.V. room, master bedroom, and kitchen."
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- "Let it feel instinctual. Don’t put too much emphasis on Pinterest, otherwise your home will look like everyone else’s. Be bold and don’t be afraid to use lots of color. Color and prints make me happy."
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- "Jason and I spend a lot of time in our living room when the kids go to bed. We put records on and stay up for hours just talking, so we wanted the space to feel cozy and inviting. Prior to having kids, we purchased our beloved vintage club chairs from a charity auction. Our vintage credenza was purchased a few years ago and I love how sturdy it is for being old. Our rug was custom made to fit our living room and I love the beautiful rose print on it. It really ties the room together. We also have a giant replica of the Virgin Mary in our living room that Jason bought while on a work trip to Mexico City. It was at a point in our career when we were struggling. It was more than what we should have spent at the time for art, but Jason felt called to purchase it. She’s become our watch guard, and I feel that she looks after our family and protects us."
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- "The framed artwork of our family and kids that hang in the hallway, our vintage club chairs, my orange sofa in the T.V. room, and our restored O’Keefe and Merit stove."
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- "We like to keep our kids' toys somewhat corralled to their rooms and a few things for Ian in the T.V. room."
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- "Seeing my kids grow up and mature really excites me. My son Shaun is getting so good at playing piano, and my daughter Layla is a soccer superstar, and Ian is just about the happiest and sweetest toddler that ever was. Everyday I’m proud to be their mom."
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- "Keeping them safe and away from negative influences. I know at some point they will be exposed to all of it, so making sure they choose wisely is always something I think about. I want to raise good humans in this world and each day I try my best to be a good example."
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- "I found out with Shaun and Layla, but kept my third a surprise. I love experiencing being a mom to both boys and a girl, and I feel lucky to have both, however I never wanted one or the other when I was pregnant."
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- "I always knew I’d have a son, and way back when I was in my early 20s I decided that when I did I’d name him Shaun. When I was pregnant with him it happened to be the 2010 Winter Olympics, with Shaun White competing, so my husband and I decided to spell his name Shaun, as opposed to the traditional Sean. His middle name is Stang, which is my maiden name. Layla was always a name I had loved because of the Derek and the Dominos song. Her middle name is Jane, which is my mother's name. Ian was just a name we loved, and his middle is Allen, which is also Jason’s middle name."
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- "Shaun is 9. He is into playing piano, baseball, EDM music, becoming a DJ, and anything history related. Layla is 6 and she loves soccer, snowboarding, skateboarding, and drawing. Ian is 2 and a sweet bundle of sunshine. He loves all things related to cars and motorcycles. He also loves doing anything the big kids do."
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- Laura wears a vintage dress and vintage boots. Shaun wears Trico Field pants and a denim shirt. Layla wears J. Crew jeans. Ian wears a Mini Boden corduroy jumpsuit.
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- "I didn’t dream of it as a child or anything, but after Jason and I got married we knew we wanted to build a family and have kids."
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- "It was easy for me to get pregnant with all three, but my deliveries were all pretty challenging. Shaun was born via c-section after being in labor for over 24 hours. Layla was delivered via V-bac, but it was a hard labor and my doctor had to give me an episiotomy and use the vacuum extractor. Ian was also another V-bac, but with him my epidural didn’t take and I wasn’t mentally prepared for that type of pain. It ended up fine, but I did tear and he was a whopping 10 pounds. All my babies were big. Shaun was 8, Layla was 9, and Ian was 10."
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- "Nope. As a business owner, you oftentimes can’t do that. I was working on my laptop when I was in labor with Shaun. We opened our brick-and-mortar store in Silverlake two weeks after Layla was born, and with Ian I finalized designing my summer 2018 collection while he was strapped to me in a baby carrier. You do what you gotta do, and I’m not one to complain about it."
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- "Atwater Village Moms Group on Facebook is where I go when I have any question that’s related to being a mom and raising kids. It’s a wonderful community of women who all support one another."
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- "All of my mama friends are my heroes. I see them all juggle their work/life and it truly inspires me. Any woman who is a mother is an icon, in my opinion, and I bow down to any single moms out there who are doing it on their own. They are the true heroes."
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- "I grew up in Alhambra, a suburb near Pasadena, with my sister and two parents. We lived a pretty modest middle-class life. My dad was the breadwinner and my mom stayed at home. Looking back, I see how hard it was for them raising two girls on a fixed income. There were times when we all felt that pressure. My sister and I remember my dad being laid off when we were children. Now as a mother myself, I can really appreciate all that they sacrificed in order for us to have a good life."
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- "Pretty chill with a running current of militant. When Jason’s out of town, in particular, I really bust out the authoritarian persona. It’s hard to wrangle three kids when you’re also working, so I try to keep them on a tight schedule. And then I brag to Jason when he returns about how the kids did their homework each night, had baths, and got along swimmingly with each other, all while I made home-cooked meals and kept a clean house."
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- "We’re living in scary times, and I try really hard not to let it bring me down. If I think too far into the future it really stresses me out so I chose to live one day at a time."
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- "Meal train. Have a friend or family member set it up. It’s so hard to cook nutritious meals with a new baby. And nipple cream. You need lots of it. Mine looked like they endured a world war."
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- "Nope. We are officially done. Team Vasectomy."
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- "There is so much culture and so much diversity. I love that our older kids go to our local public school and can walk there safely with each other. I also love that we are so close to amazing restaurants and parks."
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- "We’ve tossed around the idea of moving several times, but have never pulled the trigger. Silverlake has so much to offer and we really feel as though we scored with our house. We also love the community of friends that we’ve made through having kids."
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- "Jason and I love running with our new puppy in Griffith Park and then afterwards, hitting up Trails Cafe. The kids always ask for picnics and for kite flying at the meadow, so we do that a lot in the spring. As far as restaurants go, we love walking to L&E Oyster Bar or Blair's for a casual date night."
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- "I’m a clothing designer and my label is called The ODells. I have a brick-and-mortar shop in Silverlake, as well as an e-commerce site."
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- "I grew up in Alhambra and went to an all-girls high school. For college, I went to FIDM and studied merchandise marketing and product development. After college, I had various fashion-related jobs ranging from working in showrooms to working for independent designers to retail. I can say that professionally I was able to work in all three sectors before starting my own business, so I was really able to see all the different sides of the business."
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- "I’m glad I started my business before having kids. It was already well up and running before I had my first. It would be so hard to start something when you are already entrenched in motherhood. I applaud mothers who are going to school or starting up a new business. It takes so much bandwidth to raise kids. I’m grateful I was able to form my business before life got real crazy."
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- "Yes, indeed. I’m grateful to have a wonderful nanny whom we’ve had since Shaun was just a few months old. My sister is also a tremendous help and is the best auntie there is. She loves my kids as if they were her own. Jason’s mom also lives locally and has been a lifesaver on more than a few occasions, especially when we have to leave town for work. We’re truly blessed to have such a wonderful network of help."
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- "Shaun and Layla—my eldest and middle—share a room. We wanted to make their space feel unique and like 'them.' I don’t like clutter, but I also don’t strive for perfection. I love Ian’s room because his french doors let in so much light. I have so many fond memories of breastfeeding him in the rocking chair many sleepless nights. I love sitting on the carpet with him after a nap. He loves to pay with Magna-Tiles and cars."
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- "Take one day at a time. Make lists. Bullet point household things that need to get done and ask your partner for help. Have a chalkboard in your kitchen that lists your kids' schedules because it’s impossible to memorize. Make date nights a priority, go into work with a smile on your face and positive attitude even if you were up all night with a sick child. Tell your kids that you love them every single day. Live in gratitude."
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- "Of course I’ve had mom guilt, but I try not to let it get the best of me. Losing my temper and patience is something I try not to do often, so when it does happen I feel pretty awful about it. We all have bad days and tomorrow is always a fresh start."
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- Laura wears Madewell jeans and an ODells tee with Nina Z clogs. Ian wears J. Crew pants, an H&M flannel, and Vans.
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- "Very important. I always talk to my kids about working hard for the life we have. I don’t want them to take that for granted. I always talk to them about being kind and spreading generosity. On several occasions I’ve bought sandwiches and snacks for some local homeless folks and I know my kids are taking mental note of all of this when they watch me do it. Hopefully it will inspire them to do the same one day."
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- "Casual and effortless with a '70s theme."
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- "Life is so different with children. It’s hard for me to even look back and remember a time pre-children. You give so much as a mother. My life priorities have shifted quite a bit."
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"The only items I really consider my staples would be my jewelry. I have a 14k gold bracelet cuff that I purchased at an airport in Mexico when I was in my mid 20s, a Tiffany’s heart pendant with the kids' names engraved on it, and a Maya Brenner letter necklace with my children's initials on it that Jason got for me one birthday. Other than that I’d say my ODells Machina jumpsuit, my printed maxi wrap dress, and a pair of Mother jeans paired with a white tee are my clothing staples. I’m also a clogs hoarder. They are my shoe of choice."
Laura wears an ODells Sage wrap maxi dress.
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- "Pretty simple. In the morning, I usually just wear a tinted SPF by Suntegrity and some Jane Iredale blush. My new favorite lip tint is by Milk Makeup and the color is called Bubble. If I have a work meeting or I’m going out at night, I’ll throw on some eyeliner and mascara. I love a good skincare routine, though. Since having my third child I’ve made facials a monthly ritual. It gives me peace of mind and helps keep my skin in check."
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- "I’m a big fan of working out. If I go too long without a workout I start to get cranky. I love running, pilates, and bikram yoga. I’m also a bit of an introvert and need silence and 'me time' before going to bed. I oftentimes read a few pages of a book I’m trying to finish before nodding off to sleep."
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- "'Me time' consists of working out and getting monthly facials. If I go to pilates or yoga, I usually sneak out of the house by 5:50 a.m. to hit a 6 a.m. class. If I go for a run, it’s usually a bit later, but all three activities really help center me and bring me a tremendous amount of joy that usually lasts throughout the entire day."
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- "Less screen time and more real-life time. I don’t want my kids remembering their childhood with mom staring at her iPhone."
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- For more on Laura, be sure to follow her and her sweet family on Instagram.
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