Every time I use our ethical brands list, I find a few that are no longer doing business. It makes me wonder if the ones that have closed really wanted to or just felt that they had no other choice. Listening to Creativity in the Time of Capitalism makes me wonder if an era is passing. We drive past so many empty storefronts, and I wonder if Covid, the internet, tariffs + the current political climate has shifted consumers' buying to a lethal (to small businesses) level. 

Of course, I believe that sustainable fashion is possible. Miranda Bennett sometimes wonders aloud if she was too purist in her ethos toward sustainability. I understand what she is saying, but I'm so glad that Miranda blazed a trail toward better. And...I'm incredibly sad that sustainability hasn't become...well...more sustainable with time.

I wonder if it might be useful to think of myself as a patron to one or two brands. The artists whose names we know centuries later usually had patrons whose support enabled them to create their masterpieces. I could view my (new) ethical clothing purchases as support toward the innovative work that I want to enable.

I don't want to buy clothing that I don't need, but I might be able to choose a brand or two whose work I want to see continue + invest in a piece once or twice a year. I could see this not only as simple wardrobe curation, but also as investing in the future of brand + in the future of sustainable practices.

Obviously, I can't keep a small business afloat by buying two items per year. I'm just wondering if thinking of ourselves as a patrons is a sort of truth. This truth could also prompt us to think of our clothing as the works of art that they are.

Just a thought. :)
​
Lovely photos clockwise from top left via Miranda Bennett, Bliss & Mischief, Herself Clothing, Punkwasp, Miranda Bennet, +  Ilana Kohn.

Love,
Jane

I love finding collections that feel like a readymade wardrobe. It's not that I want to replace my own collection of clothing. It's just inspiring. Every piece in the current Waltz collection earns its place. Different looks + feels are achievable with a few well-chosen pieces: a perfectly fitting button-up, jeans that can accommodate monthly fluctuations + the comfiest skirt. 

I love monochrome dressing, so the dark jeans + navy button-up call to me. Likewise, the cream button-up + pants feel just right. Mix + match for variety. Throw a button-up on with the skirt...or switch it out for a fitted sweatshirt or oversized sweater + comfort easily looks pulled together. 

Waltz is based in San Francisco (+ made in California) + is "built on the belief that fashion should elevate the everyday experience without frills or excess." Expert tailoring + quality materials come together in seasonless pieces that will just work year after year.
​
All lovely photos via Waltz.

Wies Made is clothing that is farmed, milled + sewn in the USA. Nice. It's an American uniform for men + women (jeans, tees, sweatshirts + jean jackets) cut + sewn in small batches in Wies Made's own family run shop in Los Angeles. 

All photos via Wies Made.

"a positive...mind-set. It's possible...to cultivate this.

A mind-set shift involves changing what you notice,
what you remark upon,
where you place your focus.
​
Kari Leibowitz advises concentrating on what you like about winter
(cooking, cozy indoor reading, the quiet after snowfall) over what you don't.
'Appoint yourself a wintertime ambassador this year,' she advised,
'and encourage everyone around you to notice what they like about the winter as well.'
I imagine this self-designation might read as irritating to one's
shivering friends + family who would prefer to partake in the time honored
January tradition of complaining about the weather,
but I'm already the unofficial publicist for summer,
so maybe a new seasonal enthusiasm would read as refreshing."
~Melissa Kirsch

A few years ago, I got a job as an organizer. Simplifying was part of the process, but buying + sorting into bins + baskets felt like the main focus. I get it. Finding new things is fun. Buying new things is fun. Having new things is fun. Storing + caring for things becomes more + more of a burden over time though. 

In my opinion, honest organizing is steeped in simplifying. Unless we want to have to keep buying more shelving + bigger houses + more storage units...we actually want to see our current spaces as friendly boundaries to our accumulation.

Sometimes, when I know I will be tempted to overeat, I picture an appropriate amount of food on a small plate. Then I picture the size of my stomach + am aware that this small plate of food will surely be adequate to fill my stomach. The same concept can work for thinking through the size of my person + how big of a space should be enough to contain me + my things. We have to do this re-minding ourselves, because most of the input we get out there is not prompting us in this direction.

A few simplifying thoughts are coming to mind as I'm going about cleaning + reorganizing this week:

• choosing how I want things to be :: I started with a catch-all drawer. Everything came out + the drawer was wiped clean. I decided to only put back the things that I actually want to keep in that drawer. A pair of binoculars, a bird book, matches + a few refill candles made the cut. Everything else belongs elsewhere in the house (or not).

• contemplating what I need (versus what is nice to have) :: Some things probably need to leave my house. If things aren't fitting into drawers, cupboards or closets, I either need less stuff or more storage. I'm not opposed to a new shelf or basket. I just take seriously the commitment to maintaining (paying for, committing space to, dusting, organizing + someday moving or finding another home for) another thing. 

• simplifying systems :: I can often discover ways to buy + maintain less by rethinking my systems. We no longer buy hand soap, because we can just use dish soap on our hands. I don't have a set of measuring cups, because I can use the two-cup measuring cup for both wet + dry measuring. (It works for us.) I don't need lots of different lotions + potions. I use one product as a make-up remover, cleanser + moisturizer. Each one of these changes frees up space in my cupboards.
• experimenting :: I like to do experiments with what I already have to see if simpler systems might work. Often my experiments just involve putting something aside for a little while. I write down some questions to answer at a certain time, check back in + make changes. Fun.  :)
• doing the work :: Simplifying might involve some effort. My partner recently ended up doing a sort of overhaul of his small pants collection. Durability + comfort had become an issue worthy of the work (giving feedback to a brand, listing some for resale, removing wrecked ones from his shelf, shopping for new ones). He'll end up with fewer pants that will function better. 
• letting go of more than stuff :: Letting go of comparison + envy is easier said than done, and I am constantly working through it. I know that it is an important part of this whole thing though. I am unique! I have the freedom to see my life as beautiful!
• becoming someone who loves simplicity :: If we don't change our habits, our newly organized spaces will never stay organized for long. Just decide to be a person who sees the beauty in simplicity. Don't see it as a sacrifice. Let's really look around + see how we are living well + beautifully in our friendly boundaries...how we have space to move...how there is a place for the tools of daily living...how we are living with more freedom + joy.
• living simply :: Let's eat the whole foods we bought, take walks, put things back in their places, do the laundry + the dishes, spend time with friends, read books. Life is beautiful. Live.

​Love,
Jane

In the evenings, my priorities are connection, whole foods + movement. 

• connection :: We've noticed that the regular, "How was your day?" puts us back into our workdays, and, for some reason, leads us to recount all the challenging parts of our days. I'd like to find a way to both share our days and to move into our current shared time. We decided that asking, "Harmony?" would be a way to focus ourselves back in on what we feel is our mission. What we're asking is, "Did you contribute to a harmonious milleau today?" "Did you contribute to the excellent harmonies of this world (soil, plants, sun, moon, waterways, animals, human interconnectedness) today?"
• whole foods :: We eat our main meal for lunch + are keeping supper simple. A few of our regulars at the moment are eggs, lettuce roll-ups, tofu/cabbage skillets + an orange for dessert. Cutting out snacking is a focus here.
• movement :: 5-10 minutes of stretching every evening.

In light of these thoughts, we listed some experiments to do in the next few weeks along with some questions we'd like to answer as we move through them:

• 5-10 minutes of stretching at the start + end of each day :: how does it change us?
• light dinner + orange (no other snacks) :: how do our bodies feel? do our pants fit better? do we save money? (motivation is good!)  :)
• always have bananas :: does this alleviate the need for emergency snacks? do we save money? (I know bananas come from a long way away...but they don't have packaging, are filling, nutritious, cheap + easy) 

Phew- this has gotten long, so I'll leave a few questions here in case they might be helpful. :)

A few questions I find useful:

• What are some words I want to embody or move toward?
• What do I want out of my mornings/evenings?
• What can I do to put those desires into action?
• What experiments can I do find out if these habits are sustainable + worthy of sustaining?
• What is the duration of my experiment?
• What do I want to find out? 

I'm looking forward to having some answers + some new, lovely, sustainable habits that move me toward wholeness + harmony!

Love,
Jane

An interest in tiny living has offered me insight into thinking through "enough". I love imagining new ways to live abundantly with less. It's exciting to awaken to the knowledge that so much of what we see as normal + necessary might just not be. 

This weekend, we spent a couple nights in a tiny cabin in the woods not far from home, and it was beautiful in so many ways. It was good to get away. We spent time reading + talking + cooking + walking in the woods. We fell asleep looking at stars + got woken up by the brightness of the moon. 

I like to imagine living longer term in the small spaces we find ourselves in + this spot offered some intriguing tiny home insights. The layout felt much more considered than hotel rooms 3-4 times its size. There were unobtrusive, intuitive spots for coats + shoes, bathroom towels, food, trash, cleaning supplies + luggage. Nothing felt crowded or in the way. 

With a few little changes, I would love having a place like this to vacation + or even to live in as a single person. My dream version would involve switching the bed to a murphy bed that comes down over a couch + trading the table/chair/bench space for shelving. This would give it a little more spacious feeling + offer a bit more storage. A countertop oven + laundry would probably be on my list of desirables for longterm living.

A few simple supplies we brought + enjoyed having:

• homemade oatmeal kits for breakfast
• crackers, chicken salad + an orange for lunch
• pesto pasta for dinner 
• coffee + tea (though we could have just used what they supplied)
• beeswax candle
• bluetooth speaker

I'm looking forward to car camping again when the weather warms up, but this was a lovely, little, winter getaway! 

Love,
Jane

A few easy reads that I've binged lately (+ feel like books anyone could appreciate):

The Friends by Fredrik Backman :: this will surely become a movie or series that won't be better than the beautifully written book

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel :: my partner checked this one out from the library + when Jo saw it, she said it was her favorite book...so of course, I read it too

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer :: nature, Native wisdom + economics. beautiful.

The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard :: folklore for these present times

Microadventures by Alistair Humphreys :: check out the book or the blog...it'll get your mind moving in the direction of "yeaaaah, I can think of good adventures to sprinkle into the weeks ahead!"

It can be hard to find good books to read sometimes. I've just been in a good spot lately...which is nice, because winter is for reading! As always, I'd love to hear what you've been reading + loving lately too!  :)

Love,
Jane

A few thoughts as the holidays draw near...

:: Sweet gifts ::

• Learning about a budding interest...together. Julia + I went to a cooking class for her birthday. She didn't want any"thing"...and this wasn't really a thing. (It was fun to spend the time together + delicious too!)
• A stone or shell or an undisclosed something picked up during last year's vacation along with a note written with fond remembrance...and something like a book about or a snack made in the destination for next year's vacation. (I wish I would have thought of this earlier...and I can't wait to make this a tradition going forward.) What a sweet way to conjure memories of + anticipation for time spent together!
• I'm not disclosing anything I'm actually gifting: surprises, surprises!  ;)

:: Simple menu ::

• My girls are grown + will arrive later in the morning on Christmas Day. We'll have cinnamon rolls that our favorite gluten-free bakery sells frozen (they bake up a real treat!) along with coffee to start.
• Then we're keeping it simple with an all day grazing board situation that we'll all contribute to. Yum.

:: Gentle decorating ::

• My favorite decoration this year is a little sage + dried orange garland I made with fresh sage from the garden + dried oranges I had already on some red + white twine. 
• A few big bows sprinkled around are feeling playfully festive.
• Candlelight makes me so happy on dark evenings. I needed some new beeswax for candles (I'm still using all of these same jars + tools) + was able to find some right down the street collected from local bees! Amazing!

I'm approaching the holidays with the theme of joy + lightness. Obligation is not on my to-do list this year. (I have to keep reminding myself.) I'm trying to focus on what I am doing rather than what I'm not. It's love. It's light. It's good.

Happy Holidays, my friends!

With so much love,
Jane