There's no reason that a small, simple wardrobe needs to be all black, white + grey...even though that's how it looks online sometimes. This small romantic wardrobe looks ready to step into spring, while remaining cozy through the weeks of cold weather still to come. All of these pieces are lovely, secondhand pieces found on etsy. 

This small wardrobe consists of:
5 dresses
1 jumpsuit
3 sweaters
2 pants
1 blazer
2 footwear
= 14 pieces total

Along with some cozy socks + a couple of tees, these 14 pieces could provide all one needs to be prepared for many (most?) situations year round. A dress or jumpsuit worn on its own would be breezy + cool on the hottest of days, while the pieces can be layered up with knits + the blazer on the coldest of days. The blazer + sweaters provide layers for the days in between. I'm loving this simple, second hand + lovely wardrobe.

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
Jane

Style isn't dependent on the newness of the clothes that contribute to it. Each of these runway looks is made up of secondhand finds. Bay Garnett styled these Oxfam fashion shows that ran during London Fashion Week the past couple of years. She spoke with Clare Press about secondhand fashion on Wardrobe Crisis, which prompted my search for these looks.

There is so much good stuff out there already.  ;)

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
Jane

Working on last week's one drawer wardrobe sparked thoughts of how similar numbers of pieces could work for different people with different styles + preferences. I'm also quite inspired by the secondhand offerings I've been able to find lately...so we're sticking with that theme as well. (yay, secondhand!)

This time I've compiled a small, simple wardrobe anchored by one-piece items. I've chosen five jumpsuits + two dresses. These seven pieces = seven outfits...and that's before we start layering + switching footwear. On the other hand we could use the seven pieces to choose four tops + three bottoms...and have lots of opportunities to mix + match. It's a matter of preference...but I thought it would be fun to play with the possibilities.

​I think that sleeveless jumpsuits + dresses are more versatile than long-sleeved jumpsuits + dresses. A sweater or jacket easily slides over top...the turtleneck could layer over or under...and the jacket can layer on its own or over a sweater for extra coziness. Each of these pieces can also be worn on its own providing ample summer options.

This simple wardrobe consists of:
5 jumpsuits
2 dresses
2 sweaters (1 cardigan + 1 turtleneck)
light jacket
low heels
tennies
=12 pieces total

This simple wardrobe is one I would love to try...and it's all secondhand!

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
​Jane

Worn denim, washed-out olive button-downs, soft sweatshirts + big ol' slouchy jackets are pieces I'll never get tired of wearing. I'm always on the lookout for these worn-in pieces when we're thrifting...and...I already have them in my own closet. 

Bliss + Mischief offers some of my favorite inspiration for adding just a little bit more love to these classics. Sometimes a little change goes a long way toward enhancing connection with a piece. There is something about slowing down + pulling thread through fabric that takes me in close. The piece becomes something more than the way it looks on my body. I value it a little bit more for what it is...I feel a some kinship to the garment workers who stitched the seams...I become part of the making, not just the wearing.

A little hand-stitching is such a calming, meditative practice...perfect for these cold, cloudy days. And a little change might be just the thing to perk up a small wardrobe after prolonged cold weather wear. A few of the ways I've added just a little bit more love: 01, 02, 03...clearly Bliss + Mischief inspired.  :)

All lovely images via the lovely Bliss + Mischief. Much of her collection is comprised of vintage finds enhanced by gorgeous embroidery + patchwork.

Love,
Jane

Overalls are made to layer...nothing new there. The various stylings of this pair of overalls from Ali Golden caught my eye though. My default thought on wearing overalls veers toward pairing them with fitted tees + tanks. Layering a cardigan overtop is cozy + looks great...but can present a little issue throughout the day...on + off.  ;) I had almost decided that jumpsuits + overalls just don't work for me as well in the winter. Then I saw these outfits...all using the same pair of overalls.

I enjoyed seeing a few layering options that I don't usually consider...looking so good here. Monochrome layering...layering a sweater or button-down underneath...and a bunch of footwear options that change up the look too.

I love finding a little bit of inspiration to increase the versatility of what's already in my closet. So...I'm reconsidering wearing my overalls in winter (+ always love them for spring, summer + autumn).  :)

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
​Jane

the beautiful in-house production space of Conscious Clothing

A recent series in the New York Times (see * below) offers insight into the lives of garment workers + young shoppers around the world. The two groups are so closely linked, yet many shoppers have never really thought about where their clothing comes from.

We most often compare ourselves to those in our perceived tribes. This might be an instagram tribe, a style tribe or a tribe of proximity (school or mommy group or coworkers...). We learn thinking, behaviors + new norms from the groups with which we spend our time. Even much of the so-called ethical fashion community online ends up creating desire rather than contentedness.

When we compare the ways that we are able think about + consume clothing...to the ways garment workers have to think about more basic needs...it creates perspective. 

"Seamstresses are the key element in the fashion chain, we are the ones who put the clothes together," said [a seamstress from Brazil]. "You basically have to kill yourself in front of a sewing machine in order to provide for your family." (via)

These articles reveal some heartbreaking testimonies from garment factories around the world...including in the United States + China. They even raise questions about origins that may be presented as ethical:
-How do we know that a made in the USA label = fair wages?
-How do we trust the wording on a brand's website about the origins of their clothing?
-Does a brand really know the conditions under which their garments are made?

So, what can we do? Again, the principles of the fairdare serve us well. We can reconsider "need". We can wear what we have...mend + repair...refashion...swap...shop secondhand... and make our own clothing (with attention to fibers + commitment to longtime wear). When it comes to purchasing "fair" clothing, we can look for:
-a small brand with the designer making his or her own pieces 
-a brand that makes ALL of their clothing in-house with commitment to makers' well-being
-a brand making their product close to home + making frequent visits to the factory
-a brand using traceable materials + a commitment to every part of the supply chain
​-an item of clothing that is fair-trade certified

Both brand + consumer need to prioritize farmers' + garment workers' well-being higher than getting the cheapest product possible. As consumers, we can read the fine print on the brands' "about" pages with a critical + educated eye. Education comes from reading articles like the ones linked here. They contain so much information + have caused me to be even more critical in a few areas. I'm in the process of making a few changes to the ethical brands page. We can vote with our dollars. We can let brands know when we'd like them to do better + also when they are doing things that we love. Articles like these are also incredibly helpful in reigniting resolve + encouraging action. Remembering that there are garment workers with concerns for having enough food, the education of their children, the health of their parents, and being forced into labor puts my own closet concerns in perspective.​

 All lovely photos via link.

Love,
​Jane

* check to see if your library offers online access to newspapers (ours does)...this is helpful for newspapers like The New York Times with limited allowed articles per month

The other day, I mentioned a simple system that I can imagine using for my everyday clothing going forward. Outerwear, sleepwear, intimates + athletic wear are the other categories of clothing that I need in my life. It's nice to have a system for them as well, so that I know when I have what I need + what needs to be replaced rather than just shopping for things that are cute.

Figuring out what I truly need was my first step in the direction of simple. There was one specific moment that I remember reading the passage in the Bible when John the Baptist tells his followers that if they have two coats they should give one to someone who needs one (Luke 3:11). I had read this passage many times before, but this time I heard it literally. What did I think it meant before? I'm not sure...but on that day, I went down to our coat closet + saw that I had two warm coats. I chose one to keep + one to give. 

Today I have three coats (hmm) that keep me comfortable in various stages of cold + precipitation (rain/snow). I have wellies that keep my feet clean when I plant potatoes...and warm + dry (paired with some wool socks that double as my slippers) in the snow. I have one winter hat, scarf + pair of gloves. A sunhat acts as decor + shades me from the sun. These are the same pieces that I've had for years. ​

For exercise, I have a pair of leggings, a pair of shorts, two tanks, a warmer layer, socks + trainers. I get really sweaty, so I find it necessary to have clothing set aside for this purpose.  :)

I think the numbers in the intimates category have a lot to do with one's laundry schedule. I will say that I've found that one nude + one black bra are enough for everyday. I use an older one for the gym (so 3 total). 

These days, I don't have separate sleepwear. I wear one of my layering tanks to bed year round (not the same one).  :) I also have a robe that I don't wear often, so...we'll see how long that lasts in my closet.

I'm not trying to be as minimal as possible, but I also try not to hold more than my share. These pieces are enough. The system is simply to wear + maintain this set number of items that works for me. When an item is used up, then I can choose a new-to-me one. I feel very fortunate to have so many things that serve their purposes well + that allow me to feel prepared + content. 

Love,
Jane

In the warmer months, I will wear:
-dresses + jumpsuit
-tees + tanks
-softs pants + shorts
-sandals + tennies

A few benefits that I've found to using a wardrobe like this:
-I know how much is enough + don't get anxious about not having enough at the beginning of each season.
-I can look at what I already have at the beginning of each season + easily make a small shopping or making list (or none at all).
-Less resources go into the making of less clothing.
-My clothes get used up.
-Clothing becomes much more multi-use. I don't save pieces for rare occasions.
-All of my clothes are getting worn regularly at some point during the year. I don't have any clothing sitting unused. No extra resources are being held from others.
-Replacement is more manageable, when there is less to "need".
-The need to replace keeps better time with my changing desires. Things do wear out with more regular use, and my tastes change slightly over time.
-I chose things carefully so that I can put together outfits for different uses (a pair of silky pants can be worn with a silky tank or cashmere sweater + flats for a nicer occasion...but can also be worn with a cotton tank + sandals on any warm day). I feel more prepared + have actually done less special occasion shopping since having a smaller wardrobe.
​-One new item can make a big impact.
-I don't make as many impulse purchases...which saves money.

As always, I feel the immense amount of privilege that is inherent in a post like this. "Enough" can be defined in a vast number of ways. I am fortunate to even have the ability to consider "less" + what it might mean to me. This brings me to one more huge benefit of my simple (to me) wardrobe...it allows me to consider generosity with joy + freedom. I don't simply mean in an initial clothing-donation-generosity sort of way (which is a whole other discussion)...but in a continual open-handed way. I have freed up my budget a little bit more, so that rather than searching for another thing to buy...I can search for another way to give. And that truly shines quite a bit more joy into my life!

All lovely photos via links. Unlinked photo mine. They are representations of some of the pieces I own, not necessarily the pieces.

A few words on my other, more specialized clothing.

Love,
Jane

hannah henderson :: vintage denim

I've been intrigued by the concept of uniforms for a while. When we moved to London from the states, Jo + Julia were both required to wear uniforms to school for the first time. I was harboring visions of Rory Gilmore...but when Jo + I were taken to buy uniforms we were told to buy a blazer that was a couple of sizes too big (for growing into)...boys' shirts instead of girls' (can't remember the reasoning for that one)...and bobby socks instead of knee socks (although it was freezing + raining every day) (I did not bend on that one). My point is that I believe the idea of a uniform is only appealing if it is an outfit that we like.  :)

There are a few women whose style really speaks to me. Hannah Henderson + Jen Garrido both have that California casual look that I love. Neither of these amazing women may classify their looks as a uniform, but there are certain elements that I think of when I think of their styles. Hannah's vintage denim always looks perfectly soft + worn in. It's that perfect shade of pale that pairs so well with white. I think of checked slip-on Vans + those perfectly cropped, straight leg jeans, when I think of Jen. I feel like each of these ladies knows just what to put on when they want to feel most like themselves.

A few of the benefits of wearing a uniform that appeal to me:
-We'd always have the perfect thing to wear. (Because it's been well-thought out + versatile.)
-Our decision making energy can be spent on other things.
-Less. Less clothing. Less to maintain. Less to replace. Less laundry. Less thinking about clothes. Less shopping. Less storage space. Less luggage. Less stress.
-One outfit at a time. It could be cool to just wear, say, black pants + a white top...forevermore. But...when one set of uniforms wears out...it could be replaced with a whole new one...like say navy jumpsuits.
-So easy to get dressed every day.
-Being an individual. It's funny, because many people would probably think that a uniform makes one boring + predictable...but I imagine that it could make one intriguing + mysterious...independent + aspirational.  :)
-Bucking the consumerist machine. Triumph! (to some extent...because one would still be wearing clothes.)  :)
-All of the budget goes toward one outfit (in as many duplicates as necessary). Quality. Fair. Maybe it would be justifiable (within reason, of course) to get exactly what one wanted.
-Having a signature look. ​

jen garrido :: straight cropped jeans

What to observe:
-How do/did I feel? Did that change over the course of the experiment?
-What do I love about wearing a uniform?
-What do I not love about wearing a uniform?
-Did I get tired of wearing the same thing? If so, at what point(s)? Could that be remedied in some way? (like switching shoes or layers)
-Did I pick the right uniform? If not, what could I change in order to make it the right one?
-Did the weather affect my feelings? Did events affect my feelings? How could I address that?
-Would it help to make specific uniforms for specific areas of my life...instead of just one uniform? ...or for seasons?
-Could I apply some of my findings to my everyday life going forward? 
-Do I want to keep wearing my uniform?

Have fun with this. Choose a uniform that appeals to you + your sensibilities. Set a time period...30 days might be a good place to start. Make it bold + bright or keep it classic + quiet. Enjoy the process. Be mindful of feelings, comments or lack of comment. Let your personality speak louder than your outfit. I personally feel that one of the main goals of this experiment is to tune into enough. The fashion industry's impact on the planet has most to do with the volume of its output. We can curb that by knowing "enough" in our own closets...by forming relationships with our clothing...by really wearing what we have. Uniform dressing is one way to put our values into action.

Fairdare mini-challenges 01, 02 + 03.  :)

All lovely images via links.

Love,
Jane