blue sky co gifts arrive beautifully packaged
Operating Room and Design Studio
Shelby spends all her spare time minding the second “store.” Shelby, a physician’s daughter, divided her days between science and art.
“Yesterday I woke up at five a.m. and got home at six p.m.,” she says. “We had thirty new hats arrive, so I was loading photos of those hats up on line. That’s what I do when I get home or have a day off.”
On weekends they may haunt fabric shops, attend fabric shows (including Houston’s International Quilt Festival) and meander through New York’s garment district—all to get a literal feel of materials.
“It’s nice to touch fabrics,” she says. “They feel differently on people’s heads. “We know what works and what looks good.”
What works for both headgear and scrubs is thin, cool cotton that “breathes,” especially important when working under harsh, hot operating room lights. In addition to cool comfort, Shelby also designs her scrubs for a better fit than those of hospital-issue.
“I wanted to create a pair of scrubs that are tailored,” she says. “As a physician you want to look professional. Mine look very classy and have a bit of an edge with the stitching that jazzes it up a bit.”
Cowboy Up, Doctor
Many love her iconic stitching at breast and back pockets—a great “look” for doctors and nurses who walk the range of hospital halls in these stylish scrubs and hats.
“We add thirty new hats every month,” Shelby says of her the inventory. “I have thousands of them underneath my bed now. We don’t have huge inventories of any one hat. When thirty new ones are coming in thirty old ones are going out.”
Each day, Shelby enjoys wearing two hats of medicine and merchandising, while donning a different Pony Hat each day.
“This is fun for me,” she says. “I want to do it forever, but I don’t think either one of us could have done it alone,” she says of her husband-and-wife partnership.
“It has changed my life,” says David, who thrives in the challenges of being busy with two companies. “I have only Austin for the Steam Team. I have the whole world as my customers for blue sky scrubs.” Gary D. Ford
New at Blue Sky Scrubs
Look for Christmas hats and beaded badge necklaces, made of sterling silver, crystals, freshwater pearls, and glass beads. Shelby and David have also added men’s scrubs. Next, the Marquardts hope to add hats and scrubs in school colors and crests. See blueskyscrubs.com.
