observing
+ not absorbing
~Ty Williams
+ not absorbing
~Ty Williams
 The wind blew cooler temperatures our way overnight, and as a result I pulled on a sweatshirt + comfy pants this morning instead of the breezier clothing I've been wearing for months. These pieces feel really good + even better when I take a moment to appreciate the time + effort that went into finding pieces made with intention + care.
This week I walked through rei thinking I might find a cozy layer to take on a camping excursion. I looked at a lot of fabric content tags + felt so much dissonance of purpose: a whole store dedicated to outdoor activity packed full of clothing that is made to pollute it. Polyester reigns supreme in outdoor clothing today. Years ago, my partner worked at rei, where he learned about gortex + was smitten. Today, gortex is banned in several states, because its waterproof finish comes from forever chemicals that have been linked to cancer. In April, the Environmental Protection Agency addressed exposure to forever chemicals by issuing legally enforceable drinking water standards. Using these standards, forever chemical bans have been proposed in many states, but Republican lawmakers stand in the way of their passing. The Republican candidate for the presidency has told us that he plans to dismantle the agency + his record clearly shows us what he is willing to do. And so...what started as a post about lovely loungewear:
...has made a soft turn toward what's at stake this week here in the US. Please, please vote, if your citizenship allows. There are things to dislike about each candidate...but, make no mistake, the choice is between Harris + Trump. State + local elections have great importance as well. Don't waste the opportunity to influence the future we will all live in. Much love, Jane
When I saw the ad for Woolaroo at Outerknown, I got excited...and then I just figured it would be like other brand's partly wool, partly plastic-fiber fleece. But...Outerknown DOES have a couple of 100% recycled wool options!
It's happening! Brands that care about the fact that microfibers are a very real problem...are making moves away from polyester fibers. They still offer partly polyester options which does not show a complete commitment, but I did want to highlight the fact that there are starting to be options for those who want their fleece without the microfibers. A couple other longer standing 100% wool options: All photos via links. Love, Jane
Warmer layers that are free from plastic (+ in a style I like) are not easy to find, so Driftless feels like a magical find. Driftless's tag line is "Farm to closet fleece for people who prefer not to wrap themselves in plastic". Yes, please.
Driftless prioritizes organic + regenerative materials sourced close to home. They use 100% wool fleece + organic cotton + wood buttons with the idea that after the garments have been used + cared for for a long time, they will return to the soil as nutrients. Made completely in the USA. All beautiful photos via Driftless.   I've been trying to tell myself that I am a healthy person who does healthy things. I'm not always sure how to do all the healthy things, but I'm trying to make moves in the right direction.
Lunches are not always my strength. I try to eat mostly whole foods, and I think a good meal involves vegetables + protein. Salads with protein are what I think of healthy people eating for lunch, but I don't always want to eat salad. Lately, my favorite lunch is a green smoothie + a protein. It's a sort of pre-chewed salad along with something to chew. :) If we want to take smoothies with us to work, we can make them the day before + freeze them overnight. In the morning, we can put them in the fridge + they will soften again. My favorite combination is currently:
Our other current lunch go-tos are:
I like to keep my grocery list easy to remember, and it's easy enough to grab frozen fruit, fresh spinach and chicken (yes, we are eating a little chicken again...but mainly legumes + tofu) each week. The other ingredients last for a while, so don't need to be stocked often. Love, Jane  We do not arrive at it by way of rules.
We either feel beauty or we don’t. - Jorge Luis Borges
It's October. Slow fashion's autumn collections are (finally) hitting my eyes, and there is a bit of magic happening in my imagination. Vests + quilted jackets specifically are landing a little differently this year. I'm imagining a sweater vest thrown over a weightless blouse adding an element of warmth in the days to come...a quilted vest layered over a sweater keeping me cozy as the days shorten even further.
I'm wondering if a quilted jacket might be just the perfect thing to fill in my coldest weather blanks. I crave softness + ease of movement while wearing a layer that breaks the wind. I'm imagining layering First Rite's quilted jacket up with a sweater, scarf, hat + gloves for brisk winter hikes + walks. Layering is a good way to address seasonal changes, especially for a minimalist. A few pieces can be worn in a number of ways to meet the demands of changing weather. These layers are even more appealing when they are made of natural fibers (linen, cotton + silk!) + with great intention toward farmers, garment workers + the planet! And if I decide to think about sewing another quilted jacket, these patterns could be contenders: All lovely photos via links. Love, Jane  The evening ritual I am in pursuit of involves:
My partner + I both work jobs that keep us on our feet with minds darting from task to task. By the time we get home, we just want to plop down + not move. This little set of rituals is helping us bring a bit more intention into our evenings. We'd pretty much already mastered the connection + the additional hydration, but we knew that an evening stretch could benefit our bodies. We love our Vessel journalling + had been sporadically doing it on the weekends. When Jo mentioned that she had finished hers by doing it every night, I knew I wanted to bring it into my every day. My partner + I decided to take on this challenge together, and we talked through the reasons we weren't currently getting to all of these desirable actions on a daily basis. We agreed to a time that we'd both be ready in the morning + a time that we'd head off to bed at night (in order to not be too tired in the morning). Are we perfect? Nope. Have we managed to show up for our ritual reset more often than before? For sure! And that feels pretty great! Love, Jane  Rituals are the formulas by which harmony is restored. ~Terry Tempest Williams Rituals are intriguing + beautiful. Rituals have the ability to bring us home to ourselves...to reconnect us to our truest selves, to our core values, to our people. Anything can become a ritual just by mentally moving it into that category. This feels so mind-clearing-ly simple + so all encompassing-ly beautiful.
Bringing ritual to my mornings feels like transforming my to-do list into a sacred practice. Each element contains an inherent beauty. Each moment is a gift holding possibility, peace, love + transformation. I've been having fun with week long challenges. A week feels like a manageable time commitment period for me, short enough to hold my focus + long enough to have some feel for the effects of the action. If I'm honest, I do want these practices to become habits + habits take 30 days to form...blah, blah...but the bite-sized, week-long shift idea is working for me...so that's that. :) It's a good place to start anyway. Simplicity is a good tool for my scattered mind, so I kept my ritual list simple + uncomplicated. Each morning, as best I can, I want to:
The good words may come in the form of a daily newsletter, a podcast excerpt previously saved, a quote written in my journal, or a chapter or page of a good book. Journalling helps me listen, process, internalize + prioritize. We've been experimenting with meditation + are staying curious about its benefits for us. And I feel like slow stretching + a few sun salutations just opens me up mentally + physically. I truly feel the benefits of these intentional practices throughout the day. It's like I've touched who I want to be...or nearish...and I feel a bit more tethered to it. My harmony is coming into focus little by little by little. Love, Jane
Years ago, intimates came late in the process of moving our wardrobes toward good for our bodies, makers, farmers + the planet. It really was hard to find intimates that weren't made overseas of polyester + lycra.
These days, the layers closest to our bodies can be a good entry point to thinking about building an ethical wardrobe. We just have more options! Yay! Lake Jane is one of those brands making this entry point both enticing + easy. Their pieces are designed + sewn in North Carolina from USA-grown cotton that is spun + dyed in California. The colors are lovely, and they are built to last. I feel like the lighter weight of the fabric is one of the selling points of this brand, when compared with other ethical options out there. The drawback is that there are other options made with organic cotton. Just food for thought. :) All lovely photos via Lake Jane. Find this + other ethical brands when you need them on our ethical brands page. |
on a journey toward zero-waste, simplicity, + compassion :: daring to choose fair one choice at a time
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