As I wrote about evaluating enough in my wardrobe recently, one sentence seemed to beg for a post of its own :

This idea holds so much meaning for me. My fairdare experiment has involved so much happy discovery + this one feels particularly rich + beautiful.

Changing styles often come down to pretty minimal shifts like skirt lengths​, pant widths + trendy colors. I don't come across much written about this, but I'm wondering if personal style might ultimately be made of similarly small preferences. One can read an article about the ten items needed to have french style or collect photos to inspire goth or normcore style. But that is more about a group aesthetic rather than personal style. Personal style might just be smaller than that.

Deciding that I want to experiment with "less" means that I've spent a bit of time evaluating what I want to wear. I've tried choosing one, closer-to-perfect version of an item rather than having five, imperfect-in-different-ways versions. Living through decades of shifting styles has allowed me to recognize what works on my body + what my eye prefers. Attentive reflection has allowed my time-tested, favorite aspects of clothing to come into focus.

Here are a few examples of my own small preferences:

• I wear high waisted jeans.
• There is a certain length at which I prefer my pants to fall.
• Certain colors do + don't look good around my face.
• I will never not like deep dark indigo blue.
• I like bracelet length sleeves.

• The presence of one lived-in + worn item makes most of my outfits look better.
• There are a few, specific pieces that will always be in my wardrobe.
• A long, loose braid is the hairstyle I've worn most days for the past couple years.

Sometimes it helps to get a booster shot of encouragement to maintain our commitments to our values. If such a boost is welcome when it comes to resisting the siren's call of brightly colored, polyester, workout wear + soft, fleecy warmth as the temperatures (eventually) plumet...this is surely it.

• Polyester is no joke. (Remember that polyester, nylon, acrylic, + spandex shed plastic microfibers with each + every wash!)
• Guppyfriend bags + filters are not the answer. (The microfibers are still made + must be disposed of somehow!)
• Recycled polyester is not a sustainable or eco-friendly fabric! (Production alone must create loads of plastic microfibers!)

There is no fixing the plastic microfiber problem while still producing more polyester product! Yes, I'm talking to you, Patagonia (whom I love for so many ways you've pointed us toward a better world)! Yes, this really fires me up! And so, yeah. It just got a whole lot easier to walk past those racks + racks of plastic clothes...again.

Love,
​Jane

First glimpses of autumn collections inspire thoughts that dabble with wearing my summer pieces in ways that hint toward autumn. I get really excited, when I can actually visualize this working well + not feeling forced. The pieces I've been attracted to lately seem to work really well together + would mix well with pieces already in my wardrobe too. I'm having fun putting them all in one place + formulating outfits in my mind. 

Things to wear now: 

• lightweight tank dress 
• pale or black jeans with tanks + tees 
• soft, block printed pants with tanks

Things to wear soon (that hint at autumn): 

• black, button-up tee (unbuttoned) over a tank dress 
• a dark floral blouse with pale jeans
• a tank or tee with a plaid skirt 
• a button-up shirt with the block printed pants

Things to wear a little later:

• black, button-up tee with black or pale jeans 
• dark floral blouse with black jeans
• black, button-up tee or pullover with the plaid skirt
• a turtleneck under the tank dress 
• a pullover over the block printed pants, jeans or tank dress

(pairing these looks with my birks, clog sandals, trainers, mary janes or boots offers lots of variation in look + feel too)

This type of play doesn't usually result in many (if any) purchases, but it may spark thoughts of ways to wear what I already own or allow me to know that a thrift find will serve me well when I come across it, etc. My overarching value is the fairdare, not finding new items to add to my wardrobe.

I like to say every so often that I share things like this here as inspiration for play of your own...with pieces you are attracted to, thoughts toward your style + what is already in your wardrobe.  :) 

Love,
Jane

Click lovely photos for links.

I was recently looking for something to add to my wardrobe, which led me to peruse the ethical brands page. As I clicked along, I found a few brands no longer doing business. This always brings me a twinge of sadness + curiosity. Is this closure a planned, joyous end to a lovely chapter in their lives, or is it a final defeat in what has been a long line of crippling blows? Of course, there could be aspects of both involved.

Tonle's founder shared this in her business closing announcement, "In short, we've been fighting against the grain of a capitalist system which is not designed for mutual thriving. We had hoped to challenge these systems from within, and have done so in many ways to a certain extent. But we have not been able to be financially sustainable for quite some time, despite having an incredibly supportive customer base."

It is not encouraging to hear this. It can feel like we are on an upward trajectory, when we see long lists of ethical brands, books on sustainable wardrobes + become part of communities that value fair fashion. It's hard to know if the fact that the United Nations is taking up the cause is reason to celebrate or be discouraged about the dire state of the worldwide fashion industry. 

We can be sure that there is much work still to be done in order to give fashion any semblance of sustainability for people or planet. But...there are those who are moving the needle ever so slightly: farmers growing organic crops, garment workers who organize + people who endeavor to start ethical brands to name a few.

I am so grateful for the intense effort + unwavering principles ethical fashion brands bring to their work. I appreciate what they have been able to share with all of us, whether we wear the clothing they produce or benefit from the inspiration + ideas they set in motion.

Thank you, Miranda Bennett, for showing us that the simplest of shapes can be both extremely flattering + supremely comfortable...for using the most luxurious (+ durable) fabrics...and for committing to plant dyes!

Thank you, Tonle, for embracing the beauty of remnant fabric + championing fair labor in Cambodia! 

Thank you, WVN + Synergy Organic Clothing, for being committed to fair-trade certified labor and GOTS certified organic cotton.

Thank you MaraisUSA + Zuzii for making beautiful footwear in the USA + Osborn for creating footwear fairly in Guatemala with artisan-made textiles + leather.

Each one of these brands has shown us (humans who wear clothes) + the industry that better is possible. I truly hope that these skilled teams of creators, contributors, growers + makers feel appreciated + celebrated!

Love,
Jane

Click lovely photos for links to origins.

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:​

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

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?

• It's enough. No need to use more resources.
• Less clothing to purchase, maintain + keep clean.
• It's my favorite outfit, so it's what I want to wear.  :)

Do I only wear this uniform when I'm not at work?

• No, but I do wear it probably 90% of the time.
• When I'm at home, I might wear a pair of pajama pants or linen pants that I've made with my tank.
• Sometimes I might wear a dress or army pants with my tank when I go out. 

What are you loving to wear this summer? Are you into uniforms? I'd love to hear!  :)

Love,
Jane

Recently I came to the conclusion that my sleepwear is a category of my clothing that needs some attention. The tanks I've been wearing are more than a decade old. They are worn, holey + no longer fit. I'm sure we all have different opinions on what we prefer to sleep in. This is as it should be. The specifics of my thought process will probably be useful to no one but me. It's the process of thinking this through (or maybe even just the fact that it's something worthy of thought) that might have a kernel of relevance.  :)

My thoughts on sleepwear led me to consider not only my preferences + circumstances, but also the number of pieces necessary, the frequency + amount of laundry (water + energy usage) I'm committing to doing + the possibility of these pieces being able to serve multiple purposes (like workout wear + everyday wear).

One option is to have three muscle tanks. These tanks could serve as sleepwear, workout wear + everyday wear. They need to be washed often as they get sweaty + lose their shape quickly. (Three pieces that double as workout tops. More laundry.)

Another option that I've employed in the past would be to have one lightweight cotton, sleeveless, short nightgown. I could sleep in this several nights in a row before washing it. When I did wash it, it would hang dry before bedtime. (One piece. Less laundry. Need separate workout tanks.)

The third option is to have a maybe four fitted tanks that can also add a layer of warmth under a button up or sweatshirt during the colder months. These tanks are the most comfortable to sleep in. On lazy mornings, I can add a pair of shorts or pajama pants + be in-the-house presentable without needing to add a bra. I could add leggings + do yoga. These tanks need to be washed often. (More pieces. More laundry. Still need some workout tanks.)

It felt really helpful to make notes on all of these things before deciding how I wanted to move forward. I pulled out the three muscle tanks that I use in the warmer months for working out. Two of them have words on the front of them that are scratchy to sleep in. I also went through my sewing patterns + scrap fabric to see if I could make anything from what I have. I found no real winners.

I looked for thrifted + new nightgowns + muscle tanks. In the end, I've decided to purchase a few new, organic cotton, fair-trade tank tops. I'm choosing black ones, because they don't show stains + we do the darks load of laundry most often. I hope this will make them longer lasting + allow me to have less of them, since they will have more opportunity to get clean.

​I could make do with what I have, but I don't feel that opting out of consuming is the choice I want to make this time. I plan to wear these new tanks like I did the ones they will replace...for more than a decade...every day...until they are all used up.

Love,
Jane

Seems like every time I dip into the sewing community, there are new independent pattern makers to be found! So exciting! Thought I'd share a few that have caught my eye lately.

How fun to see that the amazingly talented Daisy Braid has written a book! I have so many cheers for all of these talented makers living their dreams + sharing so much goodness with all of us! Lots more independent sewing pattern makers here.

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
​Jane

I'm not sure anyone else does this, but I find myself starting with the pants when thinking through my wardrobe. A few good pants just seem to allow the rest of a simple wardrobe to come together easily. I've been thinking about autumn, and I keep coming back to soft, faded jeans, white canvas pants + black jeans. 

The right cut, weight + fit of each of these pairs nicely with my preferred tees, oversized pullovers, button-ups + sweatshirts. I like monochromatic pairings + mixed pairings too. That allows for quite a few different outfits to emerge across the seasons with a few pieces.

In thinking of the season ahead, I've made everything an option. When I think of these tried + true combinations, however, it feels like a calming exhale. That's it. These pieces feel like me...still.

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
​Jane