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

Maybe you've noticed it too. More + more brands are getting into reselling their wares. These brands collect worn items with their own labels on them...give the previous owner a coupon toward a new purchase + resell the used pieces (or use a 3rd party reseller to do so). 

I feel like there are a couple of drawbacks to this sort of system. As a seller, the return on my investment would be quite low. I might make more money by selling directly to a buyer on a resale site like Poshmark. But, if convenience is my goal, returning an item for the brand to resell might be worth it. Another drawback to this sort of system is that it takes quality preowned clothing out of the local area. 

There are lots of benefits to be had from this sort of system. Brands like Patagonia + Ace & Jig might have items repaired if they are in need of it, before reselling. Brands like Eileen Fisher may even cut up + reimagine more damaged pieces. What a great way to keep clothing out of the landfill + in use! 

A buyer of preworn clothing might find it convenient to have a selection of items in one spot. I might know exactly what size I wear in a certain brand. It might also be quite nice to check if an item I'm shopping for is available in the preowned section before I buy it new.

A few brands offering buyback programs + preowned items for resale:

• Ace & Jig x The Renewal Workshop
• Coclico, Preloved
• Eileen Fisher Renew
• Esby Buy Back
• Hackwith Design Sustain
• Lacausa Replay Market
• Madewell Forever
• Outerworn
• Patgonia Worn Wear
• REI Good & Used
• Sister Katie Hand Me Downs

​
There are a few new ones here...and a few that I'd listed previously have disappeared. It's pretty cool to see more brands recognizing resale as a viable source of revenue...and that's all down to what consumers have signaled to them! So many of us are willing to wear preowned clothing + have the desire to do so! That is really exciting! 

Hopefully recognition of the value consumers are placing on sustainability will translate into further action...more fair-trade sewing, more deadstock fabric, more recycled natural fibers, more organic cotton, less synthetic fabrics, more localized supply chains, less overproduction. Let's let our favorite brands (+ everyone else's) know what we want!  :)

Love,
Jane

Yesterday I walked into work + declared, "It's sweater weather!" Everyone chimed in right away with stories of how they'd excitedly tried on four sweaters in order to choose that day's perfect match...or shared a conversation with someone who dubbed it "swetta wetha". (love)

These are the days when we reach for something already in our own closet or drawer with a smile. We can see what we have as an abundance of choice, and we just might be able to imagine doing that every day...with no longing for more. This has been one of my primary dreams for my own fairdare challenge...because I think the whole thing hinges on grasping the concept of contentment with what I already have. 

Our clothing creates long shadows...from fiber to spinning to cutting to sewing to dyeing to shop to closet...people are growing or extracting, spinning, cutting, sewing, dyeing, packaging, shipping + delivering each piece...and these people often are not being paid living wages. People + the planet are being subjected to the detriments of pesticides, extraction, transportation emissions, dye runoff, microfiber pollution + landfill dumping. I wish it wasn't so easy for me to ignore all of this. Why should my desire for something new overshadow all of that in my own mind?​

Right now is a great time to tune in to what feels like "enough". Am I experiencing just so much wonderful choice in my closet as the weather changes? (Which cozy layer do I get to wear today!?) Am I excited to pull on those leggings again or to roll up the long sleeves on that button-up again? Take note. The only thing that wears off is the feeling of newness. These pieces will possess just as much functional goodness three months from now. These realizations can shed some much needed light on the abundance already in our own closets. Let's cultivate intentional contentment...together.  :)

Love,
Jane

A few good fair-trade certified things from J.Crew. I'm not always sure how to think about brands that periodically have certain pieces that are made in fair-trade factories. These collections reveal that they obviously know how to source fair-trade manufacturing. I'd like them to make a more universal commitment to paying garment workers fairly. And also...we can let them know that we appreciate the pieces that they are making fair-trade. It is good to see that some of J.Crew's offerings are fair-trade certified. Fingers crossed this is just the beginning.

All images via J.Crew. 

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

These systems checks give me a chance to reevaluate + adjust  the systems I'm using in various areas of my life. Whether or not we consciously choose or construct our systems, we are employing them. And...even carefully constructed systems need maintenance. So, this time, I'm doing a little midsummer check in with my summer wardrobe.

I've tried to spell out my values when it comes to clothing with the fairdare. I value farmers, garment workers + the planet. One of the key ways I address these values is to tune in to "enough" in my closet. Over the years, I've experimented with less in order to find my "enough", and this summer is no different.

When I shared what I'm wearing this summer both at work + otherwise, I labeled it as a uniform. But I haven't actually spent much time thinking of it as an experiment in wearing a uniform...and maybe that is to save myself from noticing.  :) I have been intrigued by the thought of wearing a uniform, and this little collection of pieces comes pretty close to the concept. What it honestly feels like, however, is that I'm simply wearing what I like.

This summer I'm mainly wearing:
5 tees 
1 pair of jeans
2 shorts
birkenstocks
trainers

Midsummer thoughts ::

• A few additional peripheral pieces allow me to feel prepared for a few outlier situations, but for the most part the 10 pieces above are seeing me through these hot months.
• I found a couple of silhouettes that suit me, and I'm happy to wear them on repeat.
• I like having few pieces to maintain.
• It's nice to like everything in my closet. It really does cut down on feeling that I have nothing to wear (which can happen when I have to look past a bunch of pieces that I rarely choose, because they don't fit or feel or look quite right).
• It was helpful to think through the different situations I knew I'd find myself in during these months + to make sure I have at least one outfit to wear in each of them. I feel prepared, but didn't feel the need to prepare for every unknown. If I need a fancy dress, I can find or make one.
• It's nice to know exactly what I have to wear in each of those prepared for situations. 
• I can make a bunch of (slightly) different outfits with the pieces I have.  
• Less is enough.

Love,
Jane

I had a few pieces this season that no longer fit. Rather than hanging on to them "just in case", I'm having faith that I won't regret getting them worn by others. Keeping my needs small allows me to meet "enough" without these pieces or a long shopping list.

A few ways to get clothing into the hands of those who can use them:

• ask a friend if they would like anything
• resale on an online site
• local online marketplace connection
• resale shop that will pay for clothing
• women's shelter or similar organization asking for clothing
• thrift shop
• organize or attend a swap

My main goal when I let things go is to get them into the hands of someone who will use them. Resale sites offer a space for these connections, so I often start there. Since a number of these pieces are warm weather pieces, I decided to limit the amount of time they spent waiting to be sold. Today I removed all the listings + donated them. I decided to bring them to Goodwill this time, because of their commitment to employment + my observations about the (lower) quantity + quality donations to this location. There was a line of people waiting to get in before it opened, so I'm hopeful that these pieces will find new homes. 

I could have brought them to Buffalo Exchange (which will buy some pieces) in hopes of making a little money, but for some reason I felt that removing money from the equation was the way to go this time. 

Donating clothing involves quite a collection of feelings. There is guilt about not using the clothing up...faith that I will not regret the decision to let things go...trust that I have enough...hope that these pieces will find a new home that is not the landfill or clogging a far off economy...and desire to let go + just be generous. In the end, my commitment to "enough" is renewed.

​Love,
​Jane

Change has been a theme around here lately. I've tried three jobs in the past three months (yikes), and have been settling into a good one for a few weeks now. I've settled into a sort of uniform too. These jeans from Madewell are fair-trade certified (yay, Madewell!), and I love them. I'm also really into these tees from It is well LA. They are designed + made in California from cotton + modal...and they work well under my apron. My Vejas are good for being on my feet for a big chunk of the day.

It's nice to not have to waste any of my limited decision making abilities getting dressed each day. I simply pick the next tee in the stack. I can wash my jeans + apron once per week + the tees (+ socks) along with the other laundry throughout the week. I like knowing that everything I have is getting worn + earning its place in my wardrobe. 

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane

I've been revisiting some of these images for years + instead of letting that make me feel boring...I'm finding contentment + comfort there. It's perfectly fine for tastes to change over the years...to meander...to vacillate...to wander. But it's also lovely to find myself coming back to the same things again + again.

White tees...white shorts...black tanks...breezy pants...brown shoulders...a shady hat...messy hair...soft, pale denim...bare feet...these are my simple summer staples. There's no reason to complicate "enough".

All lovely images via links.

Love,
​Jane

Keiko Hirosue has been making shoes for almost twenty years. When she realized the shoe-making tools she'd collected could be put to even more use, she started sharing both the tools + her knowledge with others. 

Today, those lucky to be near enough can take classes in Keiko's studio, Brooklyn Shoe Space. The rest of us can join her for an online class + can shop her supply shop for items as varied as sneaker soles (wow!) + stiletto heels.

Keiko's interesting interviews with shoemakers like Isobel Schofield of Bryr Clogs can be found on the Brooklyn Shoe Space instagram page.

These lovely photos via Brooklyn Shoe Space.

Love,
Jane