It's been well over a decade now that I've been swimming in the sea of minimalism + simplicity + getting back to the land + creation care + thoughtful consumption. I love this sea that I've voluntarily jumped into. It meshes so well with my overarching faith...the values of love + compassion. This time of year, in this world of minimalism, often brings out all the reminders not to overindulge, to avoid Black Friday, to abstain from the consumerism + to stay the course.

Instead, one of the gifts I'm giving my simple self this year is the freedom to celebrate. I'm embracing all the joy + wonder...but none of the guilt...at least that's the goal.  :) All year we've done the work of recognizing "enough" + feeling the abundance there. We've, to some extent, already broken the chains of consumerism...the lies of capitalism. This season is not about an even trade or money for goods. This season is all about "gift". Undeserved gift from God...giving without expectation of return (even in reaction)...presence over presents...service for the pure joy of it.

I've been inspired by the formulas others impose, but it's ok that I don't have one. I'm not going to overextend myself. There will be candles + clementines + fairy lights + cookies + hot chocolate with whipped cream + festive tunes. We know how to find joy + happy contentment in this simple magic. 

I wish I could share the simple gifts that we are giving, but I don't want to spoil any surprises. Thankfully, we have some ideas. I started some pinterest boards months ago + have pinned thoughts along the way (for myself as well...which makes it easy to pick a few to share with those who ask). I will say that I love the thought of a useful luxury...something that I know will be used + used up...but is a little upgrade from the usual. I like the idea of stocking a stash of something someone loves (so that they don't have to spend their own money on it + it feels decadent to have more than enough of a special treat). I also like the idea of an experience to look forward to sharing.

This year, I'm throwing open my heart + mind. I'm shedding the need to perform Christmas. I'm welcoming joy + the sort of abundance that I know feeds our souls. If Black Friday offers me a deal on something that is on my list, I'm gratefully accepting. If we feel like joining in a little holiday bustle, I'll throw on my festive scarf + smile all the way through.

Tons of love,
Jane

It's been a couple of weeks since I poured over A Garden Can be Anywhere by Lauri Kranz + Dean Kuipers, but these images have stuck with me. I mean...jumpsuits, straw hats + wellies...also gardens!  :) I wrote this book down in my planner, so that I'll remember to check it out from the library again in March for some garden planning inspiration. 

I also reread one of my very favorite books, Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston within the past couple of weeks (with Julia). I highly recommend the audio book brought alive by Ruby Dee...so good!

A plant-based house.
​"I personally like a disheveled, worn garment, " he says. "I like that patina things take on when they look well-worn."
Wear clothes? Then you're part of the problem.
​Feel the burden of excess + refocus.
We do not need that illusion of past unity in order to actually unify people today.
​Handmade.
​Winter coats.

We'll be celebrating a birthday over here this weekend! Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend too, friends! ​

Lots of love,
​Jane

All that can save us is the sustained awakening of the human heart.
​~Jason McLennan

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

The universe is a single reality...one long sweeping spectacular process of interconnected events. The universe is not a place where evolution happens: it is evolution happening.
It is not a stage on which dramas unfold;
it is the unfolding drama itself.

This [great cosmological] story shows us in the deepest possible sense that
we are all sisters + brothers
fashioned from the same stellar dust, energized by the same star, nourished by the same planet, endowed with the same genetic code + threatened by the same evils.

This story...humbles us before the magnitude + complexity of creation.
It bewilders us with the improbability of our existence,
astonishes us with the interdependence of all things
​+ makes us feel grateful for the lives we have.
​And not the least of all,
it inspires us to express our gratitude to the past by accepting a solemn + collective responsibility for the future. 
~Loyal Rue

We woke to freezing rain which is now being covered with a layer of snow. One thing is for sure...it's sweater weather.  :) I find it incredibly exciting that fair sweaters are popping up more + more. From the cult favorite, Babaa, to the lesser known (but equally lovely) Nido...I hope there is a sweater here for everyone to love. The cost of these sweaters is quite a bit more than the synthetic ones to be found near the bulk, plastic-packaged, toilet paper. If you've ever bought the materials to knit your own sweater (another wonderfully fair option), you know that slow fashion sweaters are not cheap. These are the sweaters you purchase thoughtfully...just one at a time. You wear them over + over this year...repair them as needed + keep right on happily wearing them for years to come. 
 
american giant :: merino + cotton :: made in usa :: women's + men's
babaà :: spanish cotton + wool from local sheep :: designed, spun + made in spain :: for women, men + children
bare knitwear :: natural fibers :: made in peru :: fair-trade certified
​baserange :: merino wool :: made in france
emerson fry :: merino wool + organic cotton :: made in the usa 
endery :: deadstock alpaca :: fair-trade labor :: peru
good night, day :: natural fibers :: made in-house in canada :: knitting patterns available too
han starnes :: based in nashville :: han is taking this season off, but we look forward to her return
howlin' :: natural yarns from local mills :: knit Scotland + Ireland :: for women + men
james street :: traceable materials :: made in california
kordal :: natural fibers :: made in Peru :: fair wages
​kowtow :: organic cotton + new zealand merino wool :: fair-trade from seed to garment
​lauren manoogian :: natural fibers :: made in peru
l'envers :: natural fibers spun in spain + france :: designed + made in spain :: for women + men
micaela greg :: natural fibers :: made in usa + in fair-trade factories in peru
nido :: argentinian wool :: designed + handmade by a group of women knitters in beunos aires, upon request 
pact  :: made in organic cotton + wool :: GOTS certified :: made in a fair-trade factory
peruvian connection :: natural fibers :: made in peru :: fair wages
wol hide :: natural fibers :: made in peru :: small, family owned factory :: home knitters

See also: recycled cashmere + fair wool sweaters. This post will be easily accessible at the bottom of the ethical brands page...for when a sweater might be needed...and will be updated as needed.  :)
​
All lovely photos via links.

Stay warm, friends!
Jane

Minimalism isn't about subtracting joy from life, 
it's about adding
purpose, meaning + passion.
~Joshua Becker

The conversation around choosing "less" seems to most often come from the perspective of more. This point of view sees the benefits of "less" as less to care for + maintain, less to clean, a smaller mortgage, less to furnish or fill with extra stuff, less to heat or cool. This perspective can, for many, feel like a foreign concept. Is there any benefit to choosing "less" for those of us coming from a place of just scraping by?

We've never had a whole lot of money, so we don't have a dramatic story of downsizing from a huge house, getting rid of 16 chairs, or 49 garbage bags full of stuff. Our story comes from the other direction. Being able to frame our situation as choosing "less" rather wishing for more is a perspective that is meaningful to us. It was incredibly affirming for me to be able to flip the story in my head from one of longing for a bigger, nicer, newer house...to truly loving the tiny, old, fixer-upper we could afford...to enjoying the search at garage sales, flea markets + junk stores...to feeling like we were doing something in line with our values + decreasing the resources (both monetary + material) needed to support our lives + lifestyle.

A few of the less expected benefits of choosing "less" ::
-I don't compare myself to others as much...and when I do it's usually to recognize the liberation I feel rather than the pressure to have a nicer car or bigger house. 

-I have a different idea of what it means to have a "finished" house. A few library books on the shelf (yup, there is now bookshelf space for library books)...a few rocks or shells collected on vacation...a candle...a cup of tea...a comfy place to enjoy that book + cup of tea give me pleasure...rather than waiting for a remodeled kitchen.

-I'm happy with a car that runs, a warm place to sleep, good food to eat, laughter, love + friendship. 

-I see beauty in simple things like a leaf, a handful of acorns, a rock...and those things have room to shine + be viewed as honored objects when we choose to bring them inside. We notice the light change in a room...sunsets + seasons.

-I see the beauty in aged things...useful things. I appreciate patina as a sign of a useful thing...which is beautiful in itself. Whether the object is rescued from a flea market, thrift store, my beloved's closet, or aged by me. The hole worn by a wallet or that place he likes to rub on his sleeve...now the person is visible in the object.

-There is less demand for the trade off of time for money. The freedom to be creative or curious or to choose enjoyable or service driven work (which often pays less) is an incredibly beautiful liberation.

-There is less fear of losing it all. It's not that we want to be cavalier or reckless, but the anxiety fades.

-It rubs off. Our lives bear witness to all these benefits of less. People notice.

"Less", for us, has resulted in freedom...liberation...and enlightenment. It wasn't until I did the work of changing my internal dialogue + started listening to the surprising things my mind was saying back to me that I felt that I understood a bit of what the word "enlightenment" could mean.

So much of it is about perspective...which is, I suppose, the root of happiness.

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