The leaves are turning, the sun is lower in the sky + the air is crisp. Colder weather is here + cozy is the goal for my wardrobe. I like keeping my wardrobe simple. It keeps my shopping list small + keeps me in touch with "enough".

When I get home from work, I change out of my jeans + into leggings. Comfy + simple. A couple of sweatshirts, a couple of pullover sweaters + a few pairs of leggings allows me to make a number of combinations which keeps things interesting. This uniform can accommodate almost all of the things I like to do after work...anything from doing yoga, to taking a walk, to lounging on the couch, to jaunting out into the world.

In order to carry this outfit out of the house, I'm considering adding this wool sweater coat along with some birks (with socks) or sneakers. As it gets colder, boots will up the warmth factor. Here are a few details on my simple, cold weather (not work) uniform:

• sweatshirt :: organic cotton, made in the USA, Mate the Label
• leggings :: organic cotton, made in the USA, Mate the Label
• sweatercoat :: 100% merino wool, fair-trade certified factory, Madewell
• sneakers (or birkenstocks) :: my longtime favorites from Vince shown here

All photos via links.

Love,
​Jane

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

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

These two looks are a pretty good representation of my current not-at-work war​drobe.

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

I've been on the hunt for some good trainers for over a year now. My old trainers' soles are completely worn through in a number of places, so I feel good about replacing them. I tried a number of different pairs that just didn't work for a number of reasons. Finally, however, I've found my match. This new model from Veja is pretty great...so I thought I'd share.

I tried their previous trainers + they just didn't fit my foot very well. The knit uppers on these hug my feet better. They are comfy + supportive + of course they have all the eco-credentials + innovations Veja keeps coming through on. These shoes are mostly made from plant-based materials + recycled plastic bottles (in Brazil). 

I've replaced my completely worn through socks with these GOTS-certified, organic cotton, Pact socks. My old socks were the old version of these socks + they lasted for years. I really love these.

And...I am really enjoying these organic cotton, made-in-Los Angeles leggings from Mate. I have a pair of the shorts too. The weight of these is great for the warmer months + I've been wearing them happily + often both for exercising + for lounging. They are a great alternative to plastic leggings.  :)

Love,
​Jane

I recently started a new job. Suddenly I have a new situation to dress for, and I want to be sure that I'm prepared (at least wardrobe-wise). As I applied for different jobs, I considered what I would wear to each one. I would need to buy something new for a few of them, but I tried to keep my potential shopping list minimal even when I didn't have many things that fit the dress code. I reasoned that if I kept the pieces simple, repeated wearings would be less noticeable.

I was able to wear what I have for interviews, and I have a relatively simple dress code to follow at this job: solid (or simply patterned) tops + solid bottoms + comfy shoes. Two days in, I realized that I needed something warmer to wear + stopped at a shop on the way home. Almost as soon as I entered the store, I remembered something I'd already packed away for the season that would work. Out it came + nothing new was needed after all. 

The pieces I have feel more "like me" than most anything I could find quickly. They might not be the "perfect" thing to wear, but they work. I have time to add things later, if necessary. 

Each time I realize that I already have all that I need, it feels like a new triumph...not because shopping is bad...or because I feel that I should never add anything to my wardrobe. I just like to be quite thoughtful about new additions...and I also realize that "enough" feels pretty good.  :)

Love,
Jane

I'm on a constant mission to truly appreciate + rest in "enough". I'm a visual person + find curated collections of photos very inspiring. The images offered by well-curated shops + stylish people draw me right in. Here are a couple of ways that I'm curating images myself to aid my contentment with what I already have:

• After recently affirming my style, I made a pinterest board of outfits I can make with my own clothes. I didn't even need to go looking for new pins. The pins already on my other boards offered plenty of stock. Now I have a whole collection of images that highlights the beauty of the pieces I already have.
• I have a "desirables" pinterest board that I keep as a way to give myself some time to consider purchases before buying. It feels really good to delete items on that board, when the urge to own them has passed. This autumn, I decided to leave the things that I bought on this board as well. It's a good reminder that I have already aquired some good things this season + that they are the most desirable of all!

All inspiring images via links.
​
Love,
Jane