The story of these secondhand pants for me...starts with a shopping trip to not-secondhand stores. I was missing the feeling of shopping new season collections in-store rather than online...taking in the new colors...trying things on...possibly choosing something to take home. 

We walked through a few stores + were met with racks of things that held no appeal. I finally found a few pieces at Eileen Fisher that I liked. The women who work there were a delight + the whole experience just felt like relief.

Back home, I took a look around the website + was reminded of their resale site Eileen Fisher Renew. Because I had tried pieces on in the shop, I was able to navigate these preowned pieces with a little more confidence regarding sizing + style preferences. This site has the added perk of accepting returns...quite a luxury in the online secondhand realm.

In the end I was able to try on three pairs of "like-new", Eileen Fisher pants (which altogether cost less than the price of one new pair). I haven't quite decided which ones to keep yet, but I feel like I will wear these pants differently than I would wear a pair I'd bought for three times the cost...which is not to say that I will value them less. I will simply wear them like the tool they are...rather than feeling they are too precious to risk ruining. I will wear these pants to my physical job...to get cuddles from the young pup in our lives...to relax at home...and to look + feel put together out + about too. Clothes are meant to be lived in after all...and if they can be lived in by more than one person...well, that's pretty cool.

Love,
​Jane

I like to do this exercise where I try to figure out the smallest number of clothing pieces that would offer something to wear in all the foreseeable situations + weather in which I might find myself. 

My current list :

• a few tees
• a sweatshirt
• an oversized pullover
• a pair of jeans
• a pair of soft pants 
• a pair of leggings
• a pair of sandals
• a pair of trainers
• a pair of boots

This covers situations + weather as follows:

work (colder) :: tee + jeans + trainers + sweatshirt 
work (warmer) :: tee + jeans + trainers

home (colder) :: tee + leggings + pullover or sweatshirt
home (warmer) :: tee + soft pants 

out (colder) :: pullover + jeans + boots 
out (warmer) :: tee + soft pants + sandals

athletic wear :: tee + leggings + trainers + sweatshirt

pajamas :: tee + soft pants

formal-ish (colder) :: pullover + soft pants + boots
formal-ish (warmer) :: woven tee + soft pants + sandals

This exercise feels liberating. It feels like possibility. It lets me feel like a vacation with just a backpack is possible. It feels like security. It lets me feel like starting over (if we had to) might not be completely impossible. It feels like adventure. It lets me feel like living in a tiny house or van could work.

Less is the best way, in my opinion, to set ourselves up to be able to value farmers, garment workers + the planet by using less resources, using up our clothing, and making less waste. I like to do this exercise at different points in time with my current preferences in mind. It's not an excuse to change everything in my wardrobe, but it is fun to apply some of my current favorites to the list. If I'm getting by without something on this list, I can probably wait to buy an item until the predicted situation arises. (I haven't gone anywhere that requires more formal attire in the past couple of years, for example.)

With this list in front of me, I can easily see that the pieces I already have are indeed enough. What a gift! 

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
​Jane

Sometimes I feel like I wake up...again...to the fact that we can make things out of things that already were other things...and it just seems so incredible. This usually happens when I see a particularly beautiful example of this concept...or notice an item that inspires a thought in that direction. These are those for me today.  :)
​

• The fabrics that make up this jumpsuit pose the most beautiful contrasts + look intentional at the same time.
• Of course, a tired desk chair can look better than it ever did with a tender repair!
• Discarded tees become colorful, cushy rugs or chair pads when simply woven together on a giant potholder loom.
• Two or three button-downs from his closet or the thrift store =  a new dress.
• Denim shoddy makes so much sense as stuffing.
• Just cut it up + sew it back together. 

Keep it out of the landfill. No need to harvest or extract new resources. Good stuff can definitely come from the discards! 

All inspiring photos via links that are entirely click worthy!

Love,
Jane

There are a few brands whose infrequent emails I don't mind ;) finding in my inbox...especially when a new collection arrives. Gotta love a brand like Free Label who includes the following in just such an announcement email:

As excited as we are to launch the Budding Collection, we want to remind you that part of participating in slow fashion means being mindful of new additions to your wardrobe. Our hope is that the pieces you purchase become closet staples that you love for years to come. If you’re debating getting something today, ask yourself these questions below.

1. Where will I wear it?
2. What do I already own that I can wear it with?
3. Do I already own something similar?
4. Will I still wear it a year from now?
5. Does it fit with my personal style?
6. Is it high quality and will it last a long time?

We hope this helps you make an informed decision. Remember, we want you to feel excitement and joy when you see that garment in your closet. We want you to WEAR these clothes.

Bravo, Free Label!

Photos via Free Label.

These pieces by Wol Hide make me so happy in so many ways.

::  they are made from organic cotton grown in Texas, processed + dyed (with low impact dyes + plant based alternatives) in North Carolina, and sewn in the Pennsylvania

::  I can imagine these pieces adapting seamlessly to so many situations from lounging (with bare feet or socks) to casual (with Mohinders, Birks or Veja sneakers) to dressy (with flats or heels)

::  of course they have me thinking of pieces already in my closet that I could wear in the same ways (which is an even more sustainable choice)

​Love,
Jane

All lovely photos via links.

Since the first(?) mention of personal basics here, I feel like the pieces on my list have become more specific. This list pretty much encompasses my entire wardrobe now. At this point in time, I am feeling very comfortable with less. I am recognizing with clarity the things that feel like me, serve me well + endure. It's just that simple.  :)

My current personal basics include:

• semi-fitted tees :: both long-sleeved + short-sleeved :: my favorites are from mate, doen +  jennypennywood

• blundstone boots
• veja trainers
• birkenstock arizonas
• classic tennies

These pieces just work for me + my life right now. The end.  :)

Love,
Jane

I have a sweatshirt with a drip stain down the front.  :(  I'm still wearing + really liking this sweatshirt. I'm not ready to give up on it yet. I spotted one of these photos the other day, and it inspired me to think about the different options I have for dealing with my sweatshirt.

Paint is not only a great tool for adding patterns to fabric, it could also be used to cover a stain. The patterns above could be applied with a handmade stamp or with the freezer paper method. (Cut the inside of the shape out of the freezer paper so that the outline is left. Iron the shiny side of the paper down onto the fabric + stencil. When the paint is dry, peel the paper away.)

These images offer a little inspiration for freehand painting. I appreciate that these ideas also allow me to consider white + light fabrics with greater confidence. What an exciting evolution our clothing could go through right in our own closets rather than being considered waste prematurely...just because of a little stain. Turn that stain into an opportunity for creativity!

Love,
​Jane

I'm on a constant mission to redefine my relationship with things...my wantiness...my desires. I want to live in appropriate relationship with others + the planet. I know that I cannot live without impact, so I long for my impact to be as minimal as possible, to be collaborative + to promote further flourishing. This is a highly aspirational introduction to my evolving thoughts on personal basics, but I believe that it provides a goal to work toward.  :)

In the past, I've approached the idea of my simple wardrobe by thinking through silhouettes I want to embrace. Maybe this goes along with that, but I feel that my thinking has evolved. I am understanding with more clarity what I feel good wearing + what works for my life. Maybe I am just settling into being satisfied with what that means for me. Anyway...I am feeling differently these days.

I've noticed two things in particular that have moved me toward these feelings:

• I found my jeans :: I've said before that I could live without jeans. That's still true, but jeans do work particularly well for my job as a coffee roaster. About a year ago, I found my jeans...not the jeans that I thought I was searching for...not the jeans that I find most intriguing or new or stylish. I found my jeans...the ones that feel like me...the color + shape I want to wear. These jeans work well with every sort of top I want to wear...further confirming that they belong in my personal basics.

• I recognized one outfit in particular that I feel I could wear every day :: This outfit feels like me. When I wear it I don't feel conscious of any part of my body. It feels comfortable + appropriate. I can wear different shoes (with this top + pants) that change the look + feel of the outfit and make it work in various climates.

These two realizations may not seem like much, but they bring me so much peace + comfort. They feel like a resting place in my quest to know "enough". I want to own less + to wear what I have until it wears out. I have found that this means I don't need much. The more I have, the less I wear each piece...and chances are that I will tire of a piece before it is worn out. It is best to have a few versatile pieces that I want to wear over + over. 

The pieces I have landed on are probably the least important part of this. The point is for each of us to personalize our own basics. A few questions that might be helpful:

• Is there an outfit I would be happy to wear over + over again?
• Is there a piece that I always reach for as soon as it's clean?
• Do I have a signature piece?
• Is something stopping me from having "everyday pants" or wearing the same thing again + again? Am I ready to challenge that fear?
• What values are most important to me here?

I truly feel that love is the key to sustainability. Once we establish where our true values lie (for me that's with people, planet, plant + animal life), we can put other desires (maybe personal style + fun) in their rightful places. 

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane