A piece that can be worn a number of different ways is a great tool in a small wardrobe. Some amazing brands are building versatility right into their pieces. I love the thoughtful innovation of these designs.

And maybe the most versatile of all...Bea Johnson's oversized, man's button-down shirt

Each of these brands also addresses sustainability in their own unique way.
-Prairie Underground uses natural, organic, + recycled fabrics and sews pieces in Seattle.
-Seamly uses deadstock fabrics and produces their pieces in the USA.
-Electric Feathers uses natural fabrics, often hand-dyed, + all sewn in New York City.
-Bea's shirt was thrifted. Yours could be borrowed.  ;)

Long live versatility!

Love, 
Jane

All of the photos above come from the links posted.

Have you had fridge oats lately? I know they've been all over for like ever, but I thought they might be just the thing to remind you of during the holiday season.  I have to admit that it took me a while to try them. Cold oats just didn't hold a lot of appeal...so, we just warm them up. This is our favorite version, and I love that we can each eat them when we want them (even if we don't all get up at the same time). We like them for lunch too.  :)

zero-waste overnight oats

1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. milk, any kind
apple (divided between 2-3 portions)
cinnamon
brown sugar or maple syrup
pecans

Mix oats + milk in jar or bowl and refrigerate overnight (somewhere around 12 hours). Can add cinnamon + brown sugar to save prep time in the morning, if preferred. In the morning add toppings + microwave...or not.

Love,
​Jane

"Open attention to and awareness of the clothes in our wardrobes, like that which occurs as we mend, offers the prospect of a changed relationship with fashion consumption. It works with a similar mechanism of influence as mindfulness and its attention to the present-moment, to savouring experience, which in turn reduces desire for external pleasures that depend on money and material goods. Psychological studies suggest that a capacity for mindfulness-that is attention to and awareness of internal states and external events in the present moment- results in less emphasis being placed on materialistic values, like image, and greater emphasis on internal aspiration, such as community involvement and personal development, that don't require major material inputs. What is more, may conduce to a greater acceptance of self and one's circumstances: a perception that what one has is sufficient.

Mindfulness studies raise the prospect, as yet untested, that using fashion pieces with open attention and knowledge might lead us to want what we already have."

~an excerpt from Kate Fletcher's Craft of Use

I want to be grateful for the people who make my life sweet with the companionship, the smiles, the laughter, the hugs, the conversation, and the encouragement they offer. Some ways we can rustle up gratitude for our people:

-prepare nourishing, warm meals this week for the tribe that lives under my roof with a smile on my face
-savor every conversation...without a screen in between us 
-notice the laughter that lingers while watching new episodes of our favorite show
-revel in each warm hug from my girls and in the closeness of my husband 
-make phone calls and send words of encouragement + thanks to those further away  
-be conscious of giving a smile + gratitude to those who make the places I go function...stores, library, school...
-donate a bit at the grocery checkout for a meal for someone who could use a little help feeding their children right now
-set up a time or two to volunteer at a food bank in January or February when they'll need the help more than now

I want to be grateful for what I have. The gratitude rustlers in this category are endless, so here are just a few. 

-always smile when sinking into that cozy bed, grateful for the soft mattress and pillows,  grateful for the warmth that develops slowly under the weight of that comforter
-be grateful for every inch of home when vacuuming the floors
-look in the mirror each morning satisfied that to have warm clothes to wear
-take the time to tweak a piece of clothing in the closet that isn't quite right...avoid buying a new one
-choose an item or two from the closet or elsewhere to bring to a shelter...blankets, towels, coats, hats, mittens, boots, work wear are often welcome...look at the shelter's "wish-list"
-donate a bit extra with the gas bill for someone who could use a little help staying warm this winter
​-read a book instead of reading email
-drink tap water + donate a bit to a clean water charity
-take a shorter shower + think of the impact water shortages have on others
-wear those jeans a few more times before washing + think about the impact water pollution has on others
​-visit a friend instead of the mall
-fold laundry with gratitude for each piece...or keep the donation box close + make a commitment to less
-reorganize the garage...Craigslist + free cycle as needed...others can put your "what-ifs" to use right now (before they rust)

This actually sounds like a whole lot of fun! Happy Thanksgiving week, my friends! Wishing you a heart full of gratitude!

Love,
Jane

I can feel it creeping in...the push to consume. Jingle bells jingle, red + green are sprinkled around, gingerbread wafts...but I'm still planning Thanksgiving dinner. What happened to carmel brown + rusty orange? Leaves are still turning red. Pfft. Don't wait. Sales are happening all this week. Don't miss our discount code coming to your inbox on Thanksgiving Day.

Last year, we heard an advertisement that just went ahead + defined it...it turned Thanksgiving into "Thanksgetting". Gross. This week (whether you live in the USA or not) can be something else. A deliberate choice to slow down and savor. What if Thanksgiving was actually cozy + tasty + laughter + rest? What if we actually experienced gratitude...and for more than the time it takes to go around the table and list one thing we are thankful for?

What if we actually took the time to look around and to be grateful for the land that produced all the good things we ate all summer long + will eat in the months to come? What if we took some time to think of all of the people that make life sweet...family who is always there, friends made long ago, friends new and still somewhat mysterious, people who staff our libraries and schools and stores? What if we looked around and were grateful for the floors under our feet and the roofs over our heads, the heat and the clean water, the mattress and the blankets...all that we depend on...think we deserve...but know is pure privilege? What if we noticed the sky in the morning with all its different greys + bright spots...and in the evening growing pink and then blazing with orange and yellow...and at night with that glowing orb among the glistening points of light?

All day long there are a million and one things to be grateful for...without counting one discount code or door buster. What if we just took this week to give thanks?

Love,
Jane

My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together. ~Desmond Tutu

While searching for organic cotton tees, I came across Dyer and Jenkins. I'm a sucker for a brand that focuses on doing a few things right...and this one has stuck in my mind all weekend. The t-shirts are organic cotton, made in California, and very reasonably priced. They even offer three packs. Add a good pair of jeans, a long sleeved button down, and a sturdy jacket...nothing too style-y or flashy to get sick of...and he's pretty much good to go. These are clothes to live life in. The jeans + hats are made in the USA. I'll be back for their playlists + maybe a bit of Christmas shopping (+ possibly a tee for myself).

All photos via Dyer + Jenkins.

Love,
​Jane

Jeans are one of the most universal items of clothing today. Almost everyone would like to have a pair of jeans that feels like coming home...comfortable and familiar. Lots of us would also like those jeans to also make our butts look great. :) I won't say that the search for a perfect pair of jeans is easy, but at least it can start fair. Denim manufacturing is becoming a little more common in the USA again which doesn't make it inherently fair, but it is something. The farming of cotton, manufacturing of the fabric, + the garment sewing are being increasingly done domestically. These practices still represent quite a small segment of the denim market, but it is pretty exciting to see!

As usual, I'm going to put a damper on this jeans-o-rama party before it really gets started...'cuz...do you or I really need another pair of jeans? We can answer that for ourselves. It might even be possible to take a pair of jeans from our own closets and make them them into the jeans of our dreams. You, a friend, or a tailor might be able to take the legs or the waist in a bit or patch/mend an existing pair.

There are literal tons of jeans out there already, so thrifting is a great next place to look for jeans. Denim is durable stuff, so there are lots of perfectly good pairs of jeans in every thrift store waiting to be loved again. The prices are outta sight (like $7-$12 where we live), but you have to be willing to search. Flea markets can be great places to find vintage denim. Etsy and Ebay offer searchable size + brand results. Two of my favorite, well-curated shops on Etsy to look for jeans are shoplaflor + fairseason, but their prices reflect the fact that they've done the legwork. Get inspired to see thrifted jeans as treasures by perusing Bliss + Mischief and B-sides. With a little ingenuity, almost any pair of jeans can be reworked into a masterpiece (as shown by Martha- dang!).

As always, each of the brands pictured above sees ethical and/or fair in a different light. It would be amazing if every brand was committed to organic denim grown, manufactured, and sewn locally, but many brands are being thoughtful + creative. There are various styles offered by most of the brands, so take your time and investigate. 

It was cool to see that Nordstrom sorts jeans according to "Made in the USA". I've been wishing for this feature elsewhere...and this search currently brings up 1188 results! You can further search plus-sized, men's, petite + more. (Also, many of the brands above offer men's jeans as well as women's styles.)

If you are super adventurous, you may even want to try your hand at making some jeans. There are some great sewing patterns, along with in-depth tutorials, out there. Closet Case offers two styles...as does Named Clothing...+ there are many more patterns to find. Thread Theory makes some incredible men's patterns too.

This is just a sampling, so search for "organic denim" or "Australian jeans" or whatever makes jeans fair to you...and then please let us know, if you find (or already know of) some jeans brands that you love!  Happy jeans hunting!

Love,
Jane

All photos via links.

Many letters have been written this week and posted, not to the daughters or the groups they were addressed to, but for all of us to read. I don't like to jump on bandwagons, but this morning I could not resist. My own two daughters know exactly where I stand, what I want for them, and what I want for them to believe about themselves.

My letter is for the people I will stand with this Sunday morning in our Father's house.


Dear Fellow Christians,

I voted for Hillary.

You printed out lists of anti-abortion candidates. 

I am pro-life. Pro-all-kinds-of-life...unborn babies, immigrant, Mexican, Black, Muslim, Native American, gay, straight, veteran, plant, animal, and planet. My pro-life beliefs call me to be anti-assault weapon and for more careful gun sales. My pro-life beliefs call me to care deeply about climate change. My pro-life beliefs call me to care about the plight of refugees and the lives of immigrants already here. My pro-life beliefs call me to believe that everyone should have access to healthcare.

The message around abortion that I want to send is not simply that "you are not allowed to kill the baby growing inside you". I know what it is to have a baby die inside of me. I also know what it is to love a baby who did not grow inside of me. This issue is not one bit impersonal to me. The message I want to send needs to come well before the point of unzipping her pants.

I want each and every girl to know that it is totally unacceptable for a man to say that he can grab her by the pussy anytime he feels like it. I want each and every girl to know that it is not ok for a man to flap his arms around to make fun of her, if she is differently abled. I want each and every girl to know that her skin color does not entitle anyone to treat her cruelly. I want each and every girl to know that it is not ok for a man to call her "Miss Piggy", if she gains a few pounds. I want each and every girl to know that it is not ok for a man to do less time in jail for raping her than if she stands up for clean water. I very much want each and every boy to know these things as well.

The fight against abortion to me starts long before a woman walks into a clinic. It starts with creating a world where girls feel and know that they are valuable and loved for more than their appearances and what they can offer sexually. Our fight against abortion is one that leads us away from the point of abortion. Our fight begins with a fight for dignity and justice followed by a gift of worth and love. 

We had the chance to demonstrate all of this with our votes. My regret is that I stayed quiet when I was with you. I tiptoed around the possibility of friendship rather than broaching this tricky topic. You broached it in groups of people you believed to be on your side. I slipped out to the bathroom.

I voted for Hillary. You voted pro-life. So did I.

Love,
Jane