This one makes my heart sing, and I will share it with my mom who also thinks just like you. The thrifting lifestyle and appreciation for wool, silk, leather, linen, fur and vintage is something I was raised with. If it’s old, it’s good. New is questionable at best. My mom and I were just yesterday bemoaning the quality of the fashionable chunky knits in the stores right now. I went in to look and saw that while they cost upwards of $300, they are the worst garbage! “Cashmere” from China mixed with synthetics and so cheaply made that the labels are all crooked and falling off. They will look like a pilled up piece of crap in no time, not to mention how they will feel. Take your money to Etsy or a vintage boutique and get five real wool sweaters that were made in a time when quality mattered. I have cashmere sweaters (probably the fibre I worship most) from the 50’s and 60’s that I wear all. the. time. and they look like the day they were first bought, minus a darn or two that I’ve made. I’m glad my mom raised me this way as I don’t know anyone else my age (32) who holds these values.
Boots are one I haven’t figured out. I’ve had blundstones and agree they suck. I don’t want to spend hundreds on boots that can’t even be mended. I have red backs now and not convinced they’re much better. I need a very wide toe box and haven’t found anything comfy and durable with enough room for my toes…
I like what you said about wearing what brings you joy, even if it’s not what’s fashionable. I swing back and forth on that one for sure! But I find myself wanting to dress more and more like people in the pictures of Ravelry patterns, with loose wool sweaters over linen skirts and half aprons 😁 I haven’t been able to thrift any skirts I like, so I’m ordering a linen one off Etsy.
There is a toll on your spirit if you are surrounded by plastic materials and fake smells, and a real joy that comes along with quality natural materials that you can cherish and pass down to your children 💕
Love everything you wrote, Karla. Totally agree. I think I'm pretty fashionable in the way that fashion makes me happy. What others think may not align. :) And if I'm in my kitchen, you bet there's an apron strapped on me.
Karla I know your comment is from nearly a year ago, but I just want to say how happy it makes me to read it. I’m just scrolling back and reading some of Tara’s older writings, and came across this one, which peaked my interest.
Between you and Tara, I’ve learned so much. I’ve always been aware of clothing and what we are wearing, but I’ve always looked at it as an uphill battle to start switching everything over. But, we have to start somewhere!
I’m not a fancy schmamcy dresser by any means. I like comfy and cozy.
I noticed in another comment that you mentioned you live on the coast of Canada and it rains a lot - so I’m going to guess you’re on Vancouver island...? That’s where I am and learning how to dress for the rain (I’m born and raised Central Ontario gal who is use to -30 in the winter).
My hope is that when my daughter is in her 30’s, she’ll be teaching her friends about clothing, thriftiness, etc
Love your thoughts here!! 🤗 So is Cashmere a healthy alternative?? Does it need to be vintage I'm assuming?? 😉 What are your go to laying pieces on a day to day basis?? TIA!
I haven’t seen any new cashmere that I think is ok. From what I’ve read (I’ve done a bit of research as I want cashmere goats one day) China completely dominates the market on cashmere and the quality isn’t anything like the vintage pieces that were made in Europe. If you find an old fine cashmere sweater or cardigan, nothing feels better.
I live on the coast where it doesn’t get as cold as the rest of Canada, just wet as hell. So for me one or two layers of wool is usually enough. Sometimes I wear my favourite fitted cashmere pullover next to my skin with no bra for the amazing feels 😁 I like a big chunky wool sweater with a down filled vest overtop these days if it’s not raining too hard. If it is, I’ll wear full rain gear including pants and it’s a treat being fully dry as I work outside. I have some wool pants, or I’ll wear wool tights under my jeans, rain pants or carhartts.
There are some small companies using raw silk that I really like. That's my dress up shirt. I like vintage silk, too, but you have to make sure it's not someone trying to pass off polyester if you aren't seeing it in person.
When you first started posting on instagram, or when I first found you, I went through every single post and wrote everything down into a notebook. I am doing this again with all these wonderful ideas. Thank you.
I just thrifted a very old thick leather chair and I can’t agree with you more that your body feels the energy of this chair when you sit in it compared to any of the newer items we have in our home. thank you for this reminder!
I have been making the switch to better quality natural non toxic clothing for a while, sourcing mainly secondhand/vintage. My most favorite piece is a pink, red and brown vintage Harris Tweed wool coat, which I originally purchased to cut up and use in my rug hiking. Just before cutting it up I tried it on and fell in love with it. I pair it with a vintage Fendi silk scarf (Salvation Army thrifted) and it never fails to get loads of complements, I always feel beautiful (and cozy) when I wear it.
Thanks for the great topic, yet again wonderful food for thought.
We would! I just adore seeing women out and about in vintage finery it makes me think of my sweet Grandmother and her friends. They didn’t have much, but what they did have was quality and well maintained. (She didn’t wear much make up but I distinctly recall her red lipstick which she dabbed on her cheers as “rouge”.
Confession: I have long held high esteem for cotton. Not really from researching or informing myself, but from my mother and grandmother. They held that the best fabrics were wool and cotton because they allowed your body to breathe, and would spend long hours making sheets and clothing from pieces of good cotton they found in thrift stores. I dislike dressing myself, or my family in anything that has synthetic fibres. How often I have seen babies wrapped in polyester and they are sweaty and sticky from that synthetic crap that does not allow your body to breathe. So anytime I am gifted something that isn’t cotton, I get rid of it. But I DIDN’T know that cotton was bathed in chemical, and it makes me so sad :(. My mom and grandma were probably right, years ago, when big business wasn’t pouring chemicals into fabric. But things have changed, and it seems you can’t trust most things in life anymore.
I have some few linen things, a couple shirts here and there, and some bed linens, but pretty sure my bed linen is sourced from China. And I don’t prefer to sleep with linen because it’s so hot (hotter than my cotton sheets anyways). Maybe I have to turn my thinking around again and do some research and look for something else. Maybe I don’t prefer linen because the stuff I have isn’t quality linen.
Would you be willing to share the name of the shop where you source your linen? It would be nice to have a jumping point.
I know, it's such a disappointment. But, you're right, what they used may have been at a time before. Linen isn't hot at all. It's very breathable. It's the only thing my human hot water bottle, aka: husband, can bare without working up a sweat all night long. Maybe just try a sheet of quality linen, that isn't blended with anything, and see if you notice a difference.
I'm not endorsing anything, but my favourite shop for linen sheets is BeaLinen on Etsy. You can get samples of the material, some are different weights, before buying. Also, depending on which you choose, the width of the material can differ so ask if there will be a seam running up the middle. I have quilt covers with seams and others without. I actually prefer the look of the seam now that I have it. It has less of an industrialised look to it. If you end up getting some, I'd love to hear what you think.
I absolutely agree 100% Natural fibres are the best. It’s crazy how little we need compared to what they’d like for us to believe. Nevermind where it comes from! It’s all a marketing ploy regardless.
I just sourced the kids wool underwear and linen bathrobes for Christmas on Etsy! My old bed sheets have finally given in, so we have been looking on Etsy to source some. It’s an investment we are prepared to make, but as you mentioned there are quite a few options. I’d appreciate you sharing the lead to that company you purchased from and are loyal to, even if in a private message if your not comfortable saying It publicly, I completely understand. I trust your judgment in quality and considering the money we’re about to spend, your referral would be so valuable.
I'm going to cut and past from an answer above, but like I said, please just read this as me sharing a company I have had good success with over a period of time. I'm sharing it because before I found these guys, I had bought three different sheets from other companies that were the pits. There's a few really big companies on there that are much larger in sales and it baffles me. I wonder if it's just the way Etsy's rating system goes, where you give a rating on receipt of purchase, not after a year of using something.
Anyway, let me know how it goes, here's my reply to the bedding:
I'm not endorsing anything, but my favourite shop for linen sheets is BeaLinen on Etsy. You can get samples of the material, some are different weights, before buying. Also, depending on which you choose, the width of the material can differ so ask if there will be a seam running up the middle. I have quilt covers with seams and others without. I actually prefer the look of the seam now that I have it. It has less of an industrialised look to it. If you end up getting some, I'd love to hear what you think.
Thanks for the recommendation! I bought my first linens sheets about a year ago from another Etsy seller. I do love them, but I need a new fitted sheet already, it hasn’t lasted as long as I’d hoped.
Hi there, would you let me know how your kids like their wool? My kids are not used to wool at all (having grown up in Texas) and I’m hopeful to find some that doesn’t itch them at all.
Tara, I just adore reading your writings. They teach, make me laugh, make me cry, and settle my soul. This one opened my eyes to a whole new world that I really hadn’t put a ton of thought into.
Your ruminations in this realm is what turned on a lightbulb for me awhile ago. My MIL was gifting blankets to my kids that are that super soft plastic kind. And my kids were itchy (one) and stuffy (the other one.)
As much as they love the softness of the blankets, I was able to ask them to try sleeping in their organic cotton sheets with old grandma wills quilts instead. Lo and behold...
Now if I could find some wool socks that aren’t half plastic...🧐
I tried to learn to knit for this very reason... needless to say I don’t have socks just yet 😆 my husband does have an all wool hat, though! Tunisian crochet was much easier for me to learn.
I have been slowly trying to implement more natural fibers in our lives. We purchased 100% organic, cotton sheets from a USA grown/made company earlier this year for all 4 of our beds. It was an investment, but well worth it. These sheets should last us a very, very long time. Duvets/covers are on my list for Christmas. I have awful plantar fasciitis and I’m slowly learning that it has a lot more to do with that so-called “supportive” footwear than anything else. Do you have any tried-true resources from Etsy for moccasins?
I wish I could rebuild the entire house.. but alas.. I do what I can. I also search through thrift stores for 100% wool clothing made in Europe or Scandinavia.
Recently began rotating out crap from the pantry for health.. what a happy moment that was! Instead of white sugar, there is jaggery(rapadura) and erythritol. Instead of shop-brand cocoa there is home made cocoa mix with whey, mineral salt etc. Learning one shift at a time.
I found a grass-fed goat farmer family in our state who makes a safe deodorant balm. Just bought my first one! We can't do everything on our farm, so then we try support others who do what we don't.
That all sounds, wonderful, Yvette. No, we can't do everything and I don't think we're supposed to. It's nice to support people that add functional, lovely things to our lives.
Isn't it funny. 10 years ago I concerned myself with "letting enough time pass" before wearing the same outfit. Now in my later 20s, I have a bit of pride in wearing one of my few "daily uniforms."
Let me surround myself with a few reliable pieces that bring me joy, and are made to last! There is an energy to linen, to wool. This year I purchased my first sheepskin, from a small family operation. It follows me from room to room, it's my blanket at night, it adorns my chair while I work– I even bring it on car rides. It has an energy. As does the linen and wool and organic textiles that are worn.
I will have to give thrifting another shot. In the past the fragrances in thrifted clothes were too overpowering for me to give them a shot, but I'm now equipped with more knowledge and tools– let things offgas in the fresh air and sunshine! And I have an ozone laundry system which washes with cold water & ozone, which should also help remove smells.
(And, YES!!! I've been saying it for a while, "vegan leather" is such a scam... you mean *plastic*!!!)
Thank you for writing on this subject! I have had the urge to start all over in my closet for some time and then I get overwhelmed and stop. I needed to read this. Looking forward to you sharing more on this subject. And all the wonderful knowledge you sprinkle on us. It’s always inspiring to read.
Thanks Tara. This is an important topic. It would be great if those of us that are into this could share resources. It definitely puts us in a different space not to go along with the status quo and it's nice to hear about others doing the same. I've always tried to stay with natural fibers but had to dig deeper due to 10 years chronic Lyme as well. I think we are all the better for it.
I have been wearing blundstones for work because I need steel toes ( I thought they were made in Australia!!) and from reviews I figured they were wider toe box than a lot of other women’s steel toe boots. After a year of wearing them consistently my feet are always so sore and it seems I have developed plantar fasciitis. I’ve since tried transitioning all my shoes to zero drop/ wide toe box which seems to be helping a lot but I don’t have any other alternatives for my steel toes?!? I have tried a few different ones at Marks but no such luck. Do you have any recommendations?!
Here for this too. I want really rugged leather boots, but can’t find any that are foot friendly. I have redbacks right now that are wide and comfy but they have even a bit more heel than blundstones. I want there to be a perfect boot out there… I don’t need steel toes though
Yes. I tromped all over the wet woods in Denmark at the end of October. Even had one foot submerged in a puddle briefly and they were fine. Definitely not snow boots but great everyday wear.
Our oldest daughter needs steel toes for work too and she's having a heck of a time finding something that checks all of the boxes. Some barefoot company needs to get on that! There's a few ideas on this site. Not sure if any are right for you. https://anyasreviews.com/wear-this-not-that-minimalist-work-boots-save-your-back/
I recall reading you say a bit about this in the past and it would tickle the back of my brain every once in a while. How fortuitous this deep dive shortly after I have purged and am slowly acquiring these long lasting pieces of clothing, albeit with some difficulty…. I am very thankful for your wisdom and suggestions in this and the time it took you to learn these lesson. As always thank you for being you and out in the virtual world!💕
Late to the party here, but I was curious if you had any suggestions for men’s clothing. I work construction and have found it difficult to find quality fabrics that can also take a beating. I use merino wool for base layers, but they are all made China with nylon in the fabric blend. I have been following the GAPS diet for years now and have reversed multiple autoimmune conditions, including Lyme. Changing my clothes over has been one of my last hurdles
Griffin are you in the US? There's a company in the US making wool undergarments right there from their own sheep. I buy 100% wool long underwear from a Canadian company, but I suspect they're having it made in China.
Yes I live in New Hampshire, so northern part of US. Do you have the name of the company making the wool products in US? I love wool, but all of the brands I’ve found seem to use the same manufacturer in China
This one makes my heart sing, and I will share it with my mom who also thinks just like you. The thrifting lifestyle and appreciation for wool, silk, leather, linen, fur and vintage is something I was raised with. If it’s old, it’s good. New is questionable at best. My mom and I were just yesterday bemoaning the quality of the fashionable chunky knits in the stores right now. I went in to look and saw that while they cost upwards of $300, they are the worst garbage! “Cashmere” from China mixed with synthetics and so cheaply made that the labels are all crooked and falling off. They will look like a pilled up piece of crap in no time, not to mention how they will feel. Take your money to Etsy or a vintage boutique and get five real wool sweaters that were made in a time when quality mattered. I have cashmere sweaters (probably the fibre I worship most) from the 50’s and 60’s that I wear all. the. time. and they look like the day they were first bought, minus a darn or two that I’ve made. I’m glad my mom raised me this way as I don’t know anyone else my age (32) who holds these values.
Boots are one I haven’t figured out. I’ve had blundstones and agree they suck. I don’t want to spend hundreds on boots that can’t even be mended. I have red backs now and not convinced they’re much better. I need a very wide toe box and haven’t found anything comfy and durable with enough room for my toes…
I like what you said about wearing what brings you joy, even if it’s not what’s fashionable. I swing back and forth on that one for sure! But I find myself wanting to dress more and more like people in the pictures of Ravelry patterns, with loose wool sweaters over linen skirts and half aprons 😁 I haven’t been able to thrift any skirts I like, so I’m ordering a linen one off Etsy.
There is a toll on your spirit if you are surrounded by plastic materials and fake smells, and a real joy that comes along with quality natural materials that you can cherish and pass down to your children 💕
Love everything you wrote, Karla. Totally agree. I think I'm pretty fashionable in the way that fashion makes me happy. What others think may not align. :) And if I'm in my kitchen, you bet there's an apron strapped on me.
Karla I know your comment is from nearly a year ago, but I just want to say how happy it makes me to read it. I’m just scrolling back and reading some of Tara’s older writings, and came across this one, which peaked my interest.
Between you and Tara, I’ve learned so much. I’ve always been aware of clothing and what we are wearing, but I’ve always looked at it as an uphill battle to start switching everything over. But, we have to start somewhere!
I’m not a fancy schmamcy dresser by any means. I like comfy and cozy.
I noticed in another comment that you mentioned you live on the coast of Canada and it rains a lot - so I’m going to guess you’re on Vancouver island...? That’s where I am and learning how to dress for the rain (I’m born and raised Central Ontario gal who is use to -30 in the winter).
My hope is that when my daughter is in her 30’s, she’ll be teaching her friends about clothing, thriftiness, etc
Love your thoughts here!! 🤗 So is Cashmere a healthy alternative?? Does it need to be vintage I'm assuming?? 😉 What are your go to laying pieces on a day to day basis?? TIA!
I haven’t seen any new cashmere that I think is ok. From what I’ve read (I’ve done a bit of research as I want cashmere goats one day) China completely dominates the market on cashmere and the quality isn’t anything like the vintage pieces that were made in Europe. If you find an old fine cashmere sweater or cardigan, nothing feels better.
I live on the coast where it doesn’t get as cold as the rest of Canada, just wet as hell. So for me one or two layers of wool is usually enough. Sometimes I wear my favourite fitted cashmere pullover next to my skin with no bra for the amazing feels 😁 I like a big chunky wool sweater with a down filled vest overtop these days if it’s not raining too hard. If it is, I’ll wear full rain gear including pants and it’s a treat being fully dry as I work outside. I have some wool pants, or I’ll wear wool tights under my jeans, rain pants or carhartts.
Thoughts on vintage silk?? Or even current silk?? 😉
There are some small companies using raw silk that I really like. That's my dress up shirt. I like vintage silk, too, but you have to make sure it's not someone trying to pass off polyester if you aren't seeing it in person.
Good to know! Thank you so much for all the info!! 🤗
When you first started posting on instagram, or when I first found you, I went through every single post and wrote everything down into a notebook. I am doing this again with all these wonderful ideas. Thank you.
What an incredible, compliment. Thank you, Janene :)
I just thrifted a very old thick leather chair and I can’t agree with you more that your body feels the energy of this chair when you sit in it compared to any of the newer items we have in our home. thank you for this reminder!
Yes! I know exactly what you're saying! It's so lovely.
I have been making the switch to better quality natural non toxic clothing for a while, sourcing mainly secondhand/vintage. My most favorite piece is a pink, red and brown vintage Harris Tweed wool coat, which I originally purchased to cut up and use in my rug hiking. Just before cutting it up I tried it on and fell in love with it. I pair it with a vintage Fendi silk scarf (Salvation Army thrifted) and it never fails to get loads of complements, I always feel beautiful (and cozy) when I wear it.
Thanks for the great topic, yet again wonderful food for thought.
That sounds so adorable! I have a plaid mohair wool coat that I think would make us a lovely duo strolling down the street together.
We would! I just adore seeing women out and about in vintage finery it makes me think of my sweet Grandmother and her friends. They didn’t have much, but what they did have was quality and well maintained. (She didn’t wear much make up but I distinctly recall her red lipstick which she dabbed on her cheers as “rouge”.
Ah tres chic! Manifique!!! Love it!
Confession: I have long held high esteem for cotton. Not really from researching or informing myself, but from my mother and grandmother. They held that the best fabrics were wool and cotton because they allowed your body to breathe, and would spend long hours making sheets and clothing from pieces of good cotton they found in thrift stores. I dislike dressing myself, or my family in anything that has synthetic fibres. How often I have seen babies wrapped in polyester and they are sweaty and sticky from that synthetic crap that does not allow your body to breathe. So anytime I am gifted something that isn’t cotton, I get rid of it. But I DIDN’T know that cotton was bathed in chemical, and it makes me so sad :(. My mom and grandma were probably right, years ago, when big business wasn’t pouring chemicals into fabric. But things have changed, and it seems you can’t trust most things in life anymore.
I have some few linen things, a couple shirts here and there, and some bed linens, but pretty sure my bed linen is sourced from China. And I don’t prefer to sleep with linen because it’s so hot (hotter than my cotton sheets anyways). Maybe I have to turn my thinking around again and do some research and look for something else. Maybe I don’t prefer linen because the stuff I have isn’t quality linen.
Would you be willing to share the name of the shop where you source your linen? It would be nice to have a jumping point.
As always, thanks for the information!
I know, it's such a disappointment. But, you're right, what they used may have been at a time before. Linen isn't hot at all. It's very breathable. It's the only thing my human hot water bottle, aka: husband, can bare without working up a sweat all night long. Maybe just try a sheet of quality linen, that isn't blended with anything, and see if you notice a difference.
I'm not endorsing anything, but my favourite shop for linen sheets is BeaLinen on Etsy. You can get samples of the material, some are different weights, before buying. Also, depending on which you choose, the width of the material can differ so ask if there will be a seam running up the middle. I have quilt covers with seams and others without. I actually prefer the look of the seam now that I have it. It has less of an industrialised look to it. If you end up getting some, I'd love to hear what you think.
Thank you Tara. I will take a look. Maybe a Christmas gift idea from the old man 😬
I absolutely agree 100% Natural fibres are the best. It’s crazy how little we need compared to what they’d like for us to believe. Nevermind where it comes from! It’s all a marketing ploy regardless.
I just sourced the kids wool underwear and linen bathrobes for Christmas on Etsy! My old bed sheets have finally given in, so we have been looking on Etsy to source some. It’s an investment we are prepared to make, but as you mentioned there are quite a few options. I’d appreciate you sharing the lead to that company you purchased from and are loyal to, even if in a private message if your not comfortable saying It publicly, I completely understand. I trust your judgment in quality and considering the money we’re about to spend, your referral would be so valuable.
Hi Charissa,
I'm going to cut and past from an answer above, but like I said, please just read this as me sharing a company I have had good success with over a period of time. I'm sharing it because before I found these guys, I had bought three different sheets from other companies that were the pits. There's a few really big companies on there that are much larger in sales and it baffles me. I wonder if it's just the way Etsy's rating system goes, where you give a rating on receipt of purchase, not after a year of using something.
Anyway, let me know how it goes, here's my reply to the bedding:
I'm not endorsing anything, but my favourite shop for linen sheets is BeaLinen on Etsy. You can get samples of the material, some are different weights, before buying. Also, depending on which you choose, the width of the material can differ so ask if there will be a seam running up the middle. I have quilt covers with seams and others without. I actually prefer the look of the seam now that I have it. It has less of an industrialised look to it. If you end up getting some, I'd love to hear what you think.
Thanks for the recommendation! I bought my first linens sheets about a year ago from another Etsy seller. I do love them, but I need a new fitted sheet already, it hasn’t lasted as long as I’d hoped.
Hi there, would you let me know how your kids like their wool? My kids are not used to wool at all (having grown up in Texas) and I’m hopeful to find some that doesn’t itch them at all.
*with the goal of also learning the name of the Etsy shop if it works out
Tara, I just adore reading your writings. They teach, make me laugh, make me cry, and settle my soul. This one opened my eyes to a whole new world that I really hadn’t put a ton of thought into.
That is so wonderful to hear. Thank you, Heather ❤️
Your ruminations in this realm is what turned on a lightbulb for me awhile ago. My MIL was gifting blankets to my kids that are that super soft plastic kind. And my kids were itchy (one) and stuffy (the other one.)
As much as they love the softness of the blankets, I was able to ask them to try sleeping in their organic cotton sheets with old grandma wills quilts instead. Lo and behold...
Now if I could find some wool socks that aren’t half plastic...🧐
I wear army wool socks. They're pure wool and I love them. But, you would never fit them in a fancy pair of shoes.
Let me know if you find good 100% wool socks. I sometimes knit them but I’m a highly distractible knitter.
I tried to learn to knit for this very reason... needless to say I don’t have socks just yet 😆 my husband does have an all wool hat, though! Tunisian crochet was much easier for me to learn.
I have been slowly trying to implement more natural fibers in our lives. We purchased 100% organic, cotton sheets from a USA grown/made company earlier this year for all 4 of our beds. It was an investment, but well worth it. These sheets should last us a very, very long time. Duvets/covers are on my list for Christmas. I have awful plantar fasciitis and I’m slowly learning that it has a lot more to do with that so-called “supportive” footwear than anything else. Do you have any tried-true resources from Etsy for moccasins?
I don't. Mine are old as the hills. I know, that supportive footwear is a great scam to weaken our feet, then our knees, then our hips...
I love this.
I wish I could rebuild the entire house.. but alas.. I do what I can. I also search through thrift stores for 100% wool clothing made in Europe or Scandinavia.
Recently began rotating out crap from the pantry for health.. what a happy moment that was! Instead of white sugar, there is jaggery(rapadura) and erythritol. Instead of shop-brand cocoa there is home made cocoa mix with whey, mineral salt etc. Learning one shift at a time.
I found a grass-fed goat farmer family in our state who makes a safe deodorant balm. Just bought my first one! We can't do everything on our farm, so then we try support others who do what we don't.
That all sounds, wonderful, Yvette. No, we can't do everything and I don't think we're supposed to. It's nice to support people that add functional, lovely things to our lives.
Isn't it funny. 10 years ago I concerned myself with "letting enough time pass" before wearing the same outfit. Now in my later 20s, I have a bit of pride in wearing one of my few "daily uniforms."
Let me surround myself with a few reliable pieces that bring me joy, and are made to last! There is an energy to linen, to wool. This year I purchased my first sheepskin, from a small family operation. It follows me from room to room, it's my blanket at night, it adorns my chair while I work– I even bring it on car rides. It has an energy. As does the linen and wool and organic textiles that are worn.
I will have to give thrifting another shot. In the past the fragrances in thrifted clothes were too overpowering for me to give them a shot, but I'm now equipped with more knowledge and tools– let things offgas in the fresh air and sunshine! And I have an ozone laundry system which washes with cold water & ozone, which should also help remove smells.
(And, YES!!! I've been saying it for a while, "vegan leather" is such a scam... you mean *plastic*!!!)
Sorry I missed your comment, Aimée. I love what you wrote here and I love the image of you wrapped in a sheepskin. I can get behind that 🙂
Thank you for writing on this subject! I have had the urge to start all over in my closet for some time and then I get overwhelmed and stop. I needed to read this. Looking forward to you sharing more on this subject. And all the wonderful knowledge you sprinkle on us. It’s always inspiring to read.
I got overwhelmed too, at first. It’s expensive and a lot of shopping (and I don’t like shopping.)
So I just started doing one thing at a time. One sweater. One kids’ hat. One set of sheets. It’ll get there over time.
exactly, right.
Thanks Tara. This is an important topic. It would be great if those of us that are into this could share resources. It definitely puts us in a different space not to go along with the status quo and it's nice to hear about others doing the same. I've always tried to stay with natural fibers but had to dig deeper due to 10 years chronic Lyme as well. I think we are all the better for it.
I have been wearing blundstones for work because I need steel toes ( I thought they were made in Australia!!) and from reviews I figured they were wider toe box than a lot of other women’s steel toe boots. After a year of wearing them consistently my feet are always so sore and it seems I have developed plantar fasciitis. I’ve since tried transitioning all my shoes to zero drop/ wide toe box which seems to be helping a lot but I don’t have any other alternatives for my steel toes?!? I have tried a few different ones at Marks but no such luck. Do you have any recommendations?!
Here for this too. I want really rugged leather boots, but can’t find any that are foot friendly. I have redbacks right now that are wide and comfy but they have even a bit more heel than blundstones. I want there to be a perfect boot out there… I don’t need steel toes though
Hi. I just got a pair of Duckfeet. Danish company open since the 70's. All handmade in Poland. Wide toe box. Love them! Just thought I would share.
Oh gosh, those look amazing and so cute! Thank you!! Have you tested yours in wet weather, do they keep out water (within reason)?
Yes. I tromped all over the wet woods in Denmark at the end of October. Even had one foot submerged in a puddle briefly and they were fine. Definitely not snow boots but great everyday wear.
I love those boots!
Our oldest daughter needs steel toes for work too and she's having a heck of a time finding something that checks all of the boxes. Some barefoot company needs to get on that! There's a few ideas on this site. Not sure if any are right for you. https://anyasreviews.com/wear-this-not-that-minimalist-work-boots-save-your-back/
I recall reading you say a bit about this in the past and it would tickle the back of my brain every once in a while. How fortuitous this deep dive shortly after I have purged and am slowly acquiring these long lasting pieces of clothing, albeit with some difficulty…. I am very thankful for your wisdom and suggestions in this and the time it took you to learn these lesson. As always thank you for being you and out in the virtual world!💕
Thank you, Jenelle. I'm glad to hear it.
Late to the party here, but I was curious if you had any suggestions for men’s clothing. I work construction and have found it difficult to find quality fabrics that can also take a beating. I use merino wool for base layers, but they are all made China with nylon in the fabric blend. I have been following the GAPS diet for years now and have reversed multiple autoimmune conditions, including Lyme. Changing my clothes over has been one of my last hurdles
Griffin are you in the US? There's a company in the US making wool undergarments right there from their own sheep. I buy 100% wool long underwear from a Canadian company, but I suspect they're having it made in China.
Yes I live in New Hampshire, so northern part of US. Do you have the name of the company making the wool products in US? I love wool, but all of the brands I’ve found seem to use the same manufacturer in China