These lovely pieces from Bianca Cooper are thoughtfully made from organic cotton grown in Texas + milled in North Carolina. They are designed in Oakland + are sewn in a woman-owned factory that pays fair wages in San Fransisco. 

I love the bracelet length sleeves on this sweatshirt for staying out of the way while getting all the things done...and I think it would be perfect over a jumpsuit. Beautiful through + through!

This + so many other fair brands can be found on our ethical brands page when you need it!

All lovely photos via Bianca Cooper.

The temperatures are dipping, and I'm experiencing just how cold it's going to be during these colder months where I work. I have only worn my work uniform to work for months + months...and I like it.  :)

I've been adding my wool Ibex jacket on colder days lately. It's a good layer to take on + off as needed throughout the day. I think a sweatshirt or two will be nice to have as well. It is very nice to know exactly what I'm going to wear every day. Once I'm dressed, I don't think about my outfit at all. It just works.

A few of the ways I've thought through my choices:

• Jeans. Jeans register as neutral. I don't get tired of wearing them, and I don't think others notice that I'm wearing the same thing day after day. If I had different clothing requirements, I'd think of what would register as a neutral in that setting...or maybe I'd just have fun with a (very) few fun silhouettes.  :)
• My tops are black, navy, white + caramel. Same concept. Also a little variety.
• I thought through what worked for everything I do at my job. Sometimes it's dirty + sometimes it's customer facing. These clothes work in all the situations.

Here's what I'm wearing to work five days a week:

• sweatshirt :: organic cotton, made in the USA, Mate the Label
• jeans :: cotton + hemp, made in a fair-trade certified factory, Madewell (I'm adding one pair this autumn in order to have two pairs)
• tees :: cotton + modal, designed + made in California, It is well LA
• socks :: organic cotton, made in a GOTS certified factory, Pact
• trainers :: mostly plant-based materials + recycled plastic bottles, made in Brazil, Veja
• jacket :: 100% wool, "fair" workplace in Vietnam, Ibex

I've had most of these pieces for a while + will continue to enjoy wearing them over + over for a long time. Glorious "enough".  :)

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane

I've been looking for a bed frame for years. When we moved back to the states from overseas, we bought the cheapest mattress we could find. It came with boxsprings which we put on the floor. We slept that way for almost a decade.

Our backs were begging for an upgrade, so we finally bought an Avocado mattress which we love. We bought the most basic model + would not change a thing. Avocado mattresses are organic, non-toxic + made in Los Angeles. Ours is the most comfortable mattress I've ever slept on. We put our new mattress on our old boxsprings. (It's important not to just put a mattress on the ground where no air can circulate, because mold will grow.)

Another few years passed as I tried to choose a bed frame. I try to make these big choices well...so not only was I prioritizing style, but also fairness to those who made it + to the planet. We needed a sturdy frame that would hold us + our heavy mattress. I wanted a minimal looking frame with a low profile. I was looking for a bed frame that would be the last we ever buy + that can be a daunting thing.  :)

A few of the choices I kept coming back to include:

• KD Frames Nomad platform bed :: This is the most economical choice. It is made to be very sturdy from wood grown in "responsibly managed Virginia forests". The frames are built in Athens, Georgia.

• Thuma :: These bed frames seem well-designed + well-built. They use Japanese joinery so that they can be easily assembled + disassembled for simpler moving. As someone who has moved numerous times, this is an extremely attractive quality. The reviews report that these bed frames are sturdy + do not make noise. They are made from spent rubberwood trees, shipped with minimal packaging (no styrofoam), and Thuma visits the factories often.

• Helix Natural Wood Frame :: This frame is made from Apallachian wood in the USA. It requires no tools or hardware for assembly. We actually tried this one, but sadly used their sleep trial to return it. I wanted to add this option to the list, because it has some great qualities, but unfortunately ours made some noise. It is made from three different kinds of wood + that was evident in its appearance. Our pillows fell down the space it left between the wall + the platform was too large for our mattress.


• Modernica Case Study Bed :: This frame is designed + built in-house in California. George Nelson originally designed the Case Study collection in the 1940s. This design has stood the test of time. We finally purchased this bed frame (without the headboard) + are very happy with it. It is very sturdy, doesn't squeak, wasn't too hard to put together + we love the way it looks. ​

Some things are worth the wait. 

Love,
​Jane

That autumn light is here. The tips of some trees are turning ever so slightly from green to gold. Our evening walk was illuminated only by street lights last night. Coming home feels ever so good these days. 

A little autumn home dreaming ::

• Shades of white are my usual bedding choice...but I'm considering adding a little color in the bedroom these days...maybe a pillow sham or two?

• This tile collection made me gasp. Four of them would fit perfectly over our tiny bathroom sink.

• It was a joy to hear the maker of this little broom talk about making it. It's functional art.

• This handmade bell recently came home with us + makes a lovely addition to a newly empty wall.

• Rosanna Morris makes the most lovely woodcut prints. I can't wait to experience them through this postcard set that will make warm additions to our walls + can be passed on to friends too. Zero-waste.​

• We've been painting the trim (very slowly) around the house. This coat rack by the front door just might be my pick for complementing the fresh paint.​

Dreaming, for me, is not really about adding new things or buying things.

• It might create sparks for craft projects of my own (a patchwork pillow sham or air dry clay wall hanging).
• It might be a way to connect with + support a local artist.
• It might offer me the opportunity to think differently about my space.
• It might prompt me to curate the things I have with an eye toward the colors of the season ahead. 
• It might remind me to gather acorns, leaves or branches on our walks.
• It might be a way to single out + appreciate a particular good thing that I already have. 

May all of our dreaming lead us toward creativity + contentment, friends! :)

Love,
Jane

Each of Mira Blackman's Backyard collection pieces is cut + sewn from organic cotton in California. Mira then dyes them with low impact dyes in her backyard. A variety of comfortable, one-of-a-kind pieces are offered including intimates, socks, tanks, tees, sweatshirts + pants (some in solid colors). There are adorable pieces for little ones as well. 

Do you ever find one of those brands that just seems to get you? Hey Gang is one of those for me. Straight leg jeans, overalls, tees, sweatshirts + a jacket...if they all magically fit me, I'd be just about set. These hardworking basics are all made in the USA out of natural fibers...mostly in Texas where Lauren designs them. Hey Gang also has a children's line. 

All lovely photos via Hey Gang. This + many other ethical brands are listed on the ethical brands page...for when you need them (because the most ethical clothing is already in your closet).

The Standard Stitch offers a beautiful selection of recycled + organic cotton tees, sweatshirts + joggers in sizes XSmall - 5X. These pieces are designed + made in Los Angeles...10.3 miles apart. Circularity, microplastics + ethical manufacturing are all issues that The Standard Stitch cares about + addresses with their current offerings. 

All images via The Standard Stitch. Find this + lots of other ethical brands over on our ethical brands page.

A few gathered thoughts of my dream autumn wardrobe:

• Is there anything better than autumn dressing? Light layers on sun-kissed skin.
• I feel like it might be a good idea to think about what I want to wear this autumn, before all of the enticing collections come out + sway me towards all of that eye candy rather than what I need.
• But also...the above eye candy. (sorry)
• Casual, hardworking basics are my staples, so I'm thinking jeans, slim 3/4 tees + sweatshirts for autumn.
• I'm embracing Matt's take on one year wear + choosing to love the high-waisted jeans I've been wearing every day since May. 
• Eventually, I might want to wear something a bit warmer than the short-sleeved tees I'm wearing now, so I'm thinking of the two Doen tees I bought last year. Adding a striped one might be nice.
• Slim sweatshirts...yes.
• Crunching leaves on tons of autumn walks call for leggings + layers.
• I'm definitely wearing what I already have + only thinking of filling in a few gaps.
• It's interesting to live into the less + less of "enough"...season by season.

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
Jane

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Jen Garrido's Jenny Pennywood! Her patterns + colors get me every time. They can be found scattered throughout my home + closet.  :) I love this new loungewear collection that is made in California out of hemp/organic cotton jersey. Jen loves the idea of patterns as basics + these pieces are pretty convincing examples of this concept. Jen's patterns don't "scream" in the way that some can which allows me to imagine wearing them over + over again for a long, long time. 

All images via Jenny Pennywood.

A few lovely items that would/do fit into my real life right now:

• a tiny bowl to replace the plastic case that holds my mouthguard 
• something light to wear out to pick strawberries for my breakfast before work
• anything flavored with taro
• a book for discovering
• one piece that would see me through these warming days
• a little truth for my bumper
• a speaker to make our favorite tunes portable

Hope your days are filled with sunshine + warm breezes!

Love,
Jane