One test is better than a thousand expert assumptions.
~via
~via
 We live in one world
+ each act of ours affects the whole. ~Corita Kent  I'm a little late to it this year, but there is still lots of time for it to have its effect. This morning, I took a little time to go through my closet pulling out what I can + will actually wear for the next few weeks.
Summer is in full effect. It's Hot...with a capital H...and that is not going to change for weeks. This means that there are pieces of clothing that I am not going to reach for for weeks. There are a few reasons that I find it helpful to curate my closet in this way:
On second thought, this is the perfect time for me to do a closet weeding. It's been hot for a few weeks, and I actually know what I'm wearing now. What I plan to wear is usually a bit different than what I actually choose to wear. The way I like to do this weeding is to pull everything out + put pieces into categories (tops, tees, tanks, jeans, pants, dresses, shorts, etc.). I pull out the pieces that I'm wearing right now + put them back into the closet. I can think through how I'm feeling enough-wise as I go. An adjustment can be made to add one more tee, because it helps with laundry. I might let a couple of last year's tees go, because they are too sheer or short. I can put a couple away, because I wear them more often under a sweater in cooler months. I always find it so interesting that "less" makes me feel more satisfied...settled...content! Magic! Love, Jane  When Delta Airlines flight attendants started to lose their hair, have irregular periods, get rashes + experiencing brain fog, they suspected their new uniforms might have something to do with it. Chemicals used to enhance the performance nature of clothing (increasing the vibrancy of colors, enhancing the flame retardant nature + decreasing wrinkles for example) are being linked to such symptoms. Unsurprisingly, the fashion industry is slow to hold itself accountable for testing chemicals used on clothing or for being transparent about which chemicals have been used on clothing it is selling. Stories like this often carry accompanying messages that lament the inability to do much about the problem. Luckily for us, we know that we have some options like:
Jane  When we take a digital detox,
we're gifting our mind the opportunity to make its own discoveries. ~Anna Carlile  There's something interesting about listening to podcasts about creativity + AI while making intentionally imperfect, human stitches one after another.
If the conventional (capitalistic) concept of creativity is primarily to serve novelty + commodification, does this change our view of the threat to creativity in the age of AI? What if we could untangle the demand for novelty from our concept of creativity? Would we use our creativity to "say" more? Would we create more beauty? Would we solve more of our real problems? Would things made with our hands take on a different sort of value? Would our view of material things change? Would we consume differently? Would we be more discerning about what does not need to be made? It might just be about the questions + what we do with them. Love, Jane
It's entirely possible I've written a post just like this before, because I've long been thinking about having a spot dedicated to cultivating peace within. I imagine having a spot to go...a spot that visually confronts me...a spot for my innermost being to surface.
We've tried the spot I have in mind as a place for yoga (we seem to prefer rolling back the rug in a more open space under the ceiling fan) + as a spot to sew (I seem to lug my machine out into the kitchen anyway). Maybe now is the time to claim this spot as a spot for quiet realignment. For now, I've stacked two dismantled kitchen cupboard shelves on the floor. I'd like to make a low table to hold things that turn our minds toward divine mystery. There is a bowl to collect quotes + notes that can spark thought when a little inspiration is helpful. A candle offers a physical sign of sacred turning. A cushion invites presence. A leaning shelf could keep some of our favorite reads within reach, and a few plants are thriving here already. All that's needed now is my own presence + intention. Click each lovely photo for links. Unlinked photos, mine. Love, Jane
As a lover of less, I'm pretty picky about which pieces of clothing come home with me. As the person that I've always been, I'm pretty picky about silhouettes + proportions. :) Since I sew, I often view clothing with an eye toward what I can adjust to make it a little bit more what I'd like to wear. Today, I took the time to address a couple of pieces that have been awaiting their adjustments.
The piece with the cream sleeves :: This piece seems to be a big + tall shirt that I thrifted + intend to wear as a dress with or without jeans underneath. Rather than rolling the sleeves again + again to an overly bunchy extent, I pictured cropping the sleeves to a bracelet length. I wanted to preserve the cuff, so I cut the sleeve off and then reapplied the cuff to replicate the same detail on my "new" sleeve. As usual, this type of endeavor renews my respect for the time + skill that goes into garment making! While I know that I can make these adjustments, I also know that it takes dedicated time, effort + attention. The golden, floral piece :: This Doen piece is one of my favorites. I've had it for years, and it was quite large on me. I thought about selling it + purchasing a smaller size on a resale site, but that seemed like a hassle too. It can be pretty intimidating cutting into such a beautiful piece, but I finally worked up the nerve to take in the sides. Rather than reworking the sleeves as I did on the previously mentioned piece, I decided to add a couple of tucks to shorten the sleeves. The very lightweight fabric means that the sleeves stay flowy even with the tucks. I'm so happy with the way it turned out + love wearing it so much more now. The white gown :: This gown came to me with fluttery, lace-edged sleeves that I knew I wanted to remove. Once the sleeves were removed, I realized I could edge the sleeve opening with the lace. I used the sleeve fabric to bind the edge. The result is better than I imagined + feels less wasteful too. I very much enjoy finding garments that feel just right from the moment I lay eyes on them, but I also get excited to find these gems that I can make my own. Spending this kind of time + attention on a garment usually increases my feelings of connection with it. Taking the time to get the length of a sleeve how I prefer it or the room in the hips just right makes me more likely to want to wear it over + over...and less likely to trade it for a newer model. And that's what the fairdare is all about! :) Love, Jane  We don't belong
to an institution, to a party, to our state... but to each other. We must practice + study + sing + dream + celebrate belonging to each other as though our lives depend on it. ~Ross Gay  I move into every season with an open mind toward what I will wear in the months ahead. It must say something about my personality that I do not really want to create rules for myself. I am ok with moving through the whole process of deciding what I want to wear + coming to a version of the same conclusion season after season. I embrace these now familiar discoveries with a sense of surprise each + every time.
There's no sense in drawing it out. I have embraced a sort of uniform yet again this summer. When I'm not at work, I'm most likely wearing a black tank top (made in a fair-trade certified factory) with a pair of shorts. These shorts are the same ones I've worn for the last few summers, though I did sell one pair + replaced them with a black pair. Why am I choosing to wear the same thing over + over this summer?
Do I only wear this uniform when I'm not at work?
What are you loving to wear this summer? Are you into uniforms? I'd love to hear! :) Love, Jane |
on a journey toward zero-waste, simplicity, + compassion :: daring to choose fair one choice at a time
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