The door wore nothing but a screen all day. The grass was mowed. A daffodil nods out by the compost. Chives + mint were gathered from the garden for dinner. It's all too early, but it is now.

Growing.
​Enjoying.
Mornings.
Evenings.

Hope you have a lovely today.

Much love,
​Jane

It is a kind of love, is it not?
How the cup holds the tea,
How the chair stands sturdy and foursquare,
How the floor receives the bottoms of shoes
Or toes. How soles of feet know
Where they're supposed to be.
I've been thinking about the patience
Of ordinary things, how clothes
Wait respectfully in closets
And soap dries quietly in the dish,
And towels drink the wet
From the skin of the back.
And the lovely repetition of stairs.
And what is more generous than a window?
~Pat Schneider 

I shared the top half of what I'll be wearing most in the days to come, so I thought I'd share the bottom half as well. This is the half of my wardrobe where simplicity has truly settled in. 

​It can be easier to know what I like than it is to find it. Coming across a pair of BSides jeans in my size at a warehouse sale felt like a divine moment. Pulling on those pale denim Plein jeans was like slipping into my Goldilocks jeans. They fit my hip to waist proportions. I love their high waist, straight leg width, back pocket size, and non-stretch denim. BSides jeans are made in the USA + built to last. They don't lose their shape or need to be washed often.

Over time, I've collected pairs in pale denim, dark denim and creamy, undyed canvas. This small collection has carried me neatly through the seasons more than once. BSides makes this shape year after year, so I'm hoping replacement is an effortless decision + seamless process.

I'm also devoted to my vintage army pants. My current pair did involve a bit of effort to achieve the fit that makes them my most worn pair of pants. If I could only have one pair of pants, these would be the ones without a single doubt. I love the high, high waist, the size of all the pockets, the softness of the worn fabric + that customized fit. 

Last time we visited California (for a week), I took (wore) only these pants + never wished I had anything else. I wear them with tanks, tees, sweatshirts, birkenstocks + trainers for comfy, casual days...and I wear them with blouses, cashmere sweaters + mary janes when I need to look a little more dressy. I hope to always have a pair of vintage army pants in my closet (or on my body).  :)

Just to be crystal clear, this post is not about the particular pants I love. It's about settling into simple...finding things to love + wear...interrupting the type of consuming that is never satisfied + constantly searching for better. Loving what we have, finding "enough", experimenting with less...these are the practices that simplicity, sustainability, style, ethical wardrobes, zero-waste, minimalism are made of. Talk is cheap. Action brings change (out there + in us). 

Who knows what the future will bring in terms of style shifts. I don't know that I'll care. I don't know that I won't. I do know that four pairs of pants is not too few. :)

Love,
Jane

Since my last post, I actually tried all of the white tees that I mentioned. I thought I'd share my own particular findings in case they might be helpful in any way (or just for my own remembering).  :) Each of these tees has some real ethical cred, so now I'm in it for the fit, feel, durability + cost.

Imogene + Willie :: While I like the shape of these tees, the fabric on the novel tee felt too heavy + loosely woven. It felt like it would lose it's shape + be a little too warm. It's also the priciest of all the tees I tried, so I'm not sad to rule it out. The fabric and stitching on the drop tee felt a bit delicate. I might consider the drop tee in the future, but for now I'm looking for something a bit more sturdy.

Buck Mason :: I was looking for white tees this time + found the slub easy to be too sheer. I could see the color + seaming of my nude bra through this tee. I do like the shape of these tees + think I might like one in navy when it restocks.

Le Bon Shoppe :: These are my winners. The weight of the tees from Le Bon Shoppe (I have a few of them in different styles) are a step above what is typically on offer these days. I like the stitched down neckline that doesn't flip + stretch over time. For me, the vintage boy is a front tuck tee + the little boy can be left untucked. I ordered the little boy tee one size larger than the vintage boy tee. I would prefer the sleeves to be less fluttery, but they are not a deal breaker. Oh, and I already have an everyday tee in white to round out my Le Bon white tee love.  :)

I'm not happy about the miles these tees traveled back + forth...AND I want to find tees that I can be devoted to for a long time. I think I've found them. A few simple, white tees are making me very happy at the moment! :)

Love, 
​Jane

As the weather warms, my thoughts are turning toward what I'll be wearing in the months to come. I've been thinking through what I like to wear most, what I already have, "enough", and appropriateness for movement, occasion, age + all the rest. What I come back to again + again is the simplicity of a white tee + jeans. 

I could use a new tee or two, and I'd like to just get the job done. I'm trying to do less searching + mulling...and more acting decisively. So, without further ado, here are my current contenders for preferred white tee:

Imogene + Willie - made in Los Angeles from organic cotton
Le Bon Shoppe - made from organic cotton in Los Angeles
Buck Mason - made in their factory in Pennsylvania from American-grown + spun cotton

Of course, I'd like for every one of these tees to be made of American grown, organic cotton...but since I also want to like the shape and cost, these are the ones I've chosen this time.

I love the idea of having a sort of uniform that I can reach for knowing that I will feel great in whatever piece I choose. I love the idea of having a few go-to pieces that I can return to again + again + restock as needed. I'm hopeful that I'm going to land on a go-to white tee this spring.

Lots more fantastic tees right this way, if you're looking. As always, feel free to share your favorite tees in the comments! We'd love to hear about them!  :)

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
Jane