Tradlands Catt tee (gift from Tradlands to review)
6397 Fleece skorts | no longer available
Everlane form slides
James Perse mini canvas tote
Wearing/Shopping
Garmentory started their labor day sale yesterday early to account holders, have you shopped it yet? And did you get your $20 account credit yet? (when you use my referral link to sign up for an account you’ll receive $20 in your account and so will I). If I may recommend a few things for the home: Le Fil Rouge linen throw – I have one of these already and another on the way. It’s thick and soft and comfortable, and a great warm weather throw. Upstate silk pillowcases (did you know you should sleep on silk?? I use a satin pillowcase, but am thinking about getting these). Alpaca pillow!! How cool is this??
Nordstrom Sale – there’s a TON of Eileen Fisher and some James Perse on sale. I didn’t find anything too compelling though…
La Garconne – use code 99LDAY20 for 20% off sale items. I got the skorts/shorts you see above on sale + coupon at La Garconne earlier in the summer, and I always find one or two things at really great prices…they’re always final sale though, so there’s that…
Reading/Watching
Why the menswear world is obsessed with Shia LaBeouf – this is a fascinating look at “street” style, and DGAF dressing, but also the (false) idea most of us have that effortless style is indeed effortless. Sure, it looks like Shia just slipped into bright blue crocs – because they were what was close by – to wear with his white sweatshirt/khaki shorts ensemble, but did he really?
“People look at me and they go, ‘He looks homeless. He doesn’t care.’ This took a lot of time,” he said during a radio interview with B96 Chicago last year. He continued: “For real. Everybody’s got a uniform, you know what I mean? Even though it looks haphazard, it’s actually very thought through.”
I get drawn into this trap too; I see a simple outfit, something minimal and subtle, and put-together, and think “wow” – that’s cool, it looks like she just threw that all together at the last minute. Because who doesn’t aspire to the idea that we have a closet full of “perfect” pieces we can just throw together, no thought required? But the longer I live and the more I think about the way I dress, the more I realize that’s bullshit. I mean, I’ve worked hard the last several years to create a wardrobe full of things I love and that work together, but that doesn’t mean I ever just “throw” something on and go; effortless isn’t effortless, whether you’re doing the work while you’re shopping, or getting dressed, it takes work.
Leah at Style Wise wrote Why I stopped being an Ethical Purist and it is BRILLIANT. I have never even TRIED to be an ethical purist – it it simply impossible – but Leah articulates beautifully why that is so, and hopefully makes it easier for those of us who try to be better to forgive ourselves for not being perfect.
Leah also featured me as one of her 10 ethical and slow living bloggers you “need’ to follow 🙂 I was so honored to be a part of that list, and am even more honored that Leah is a regular commenter/contributor here at Grechen’s Closet. Thank you so much Leah.
H&M’s Arket named the factory that makes its clothes, but what exactly does that mean?
Doing
Well, maybe nothing if I can’t find gasoline…all the stations are out around here, because basically everyone went to fill up yesterday because of a perceived shortage. I have half a tank and I’m not worried at all, but I won’t do any unnecessary driving.
Also, starting to pack, purge, etc. for moving at the end of the month.
Any exciting plans for the labor day weekend??
Thank you so much for linking to Leah’s article. It makes me feel better that I’m not alone in an ethical struggle about how to shop. My Labor day shopping was buying one James Perse and two Eileen Fisher tops from Thred Up. Here’s hoping they work out.
This spring I had to replace my 12 year-old CRV when a tree limb fell on it. I replaced it with a used Nissan Leaf. My short commute and the fact that our other car is Honda Pilot made this a viable option for us. I do not miss the trips to the gas station, especially now.
Enjoy the long weekend!
<3 Thank you so much for mentioning my posts. I admire your honest, accessible outlook on things and your commitment to wearing what you love unapologetically. The "conscious consumer" movement can often lose sight of the fact that getting dressed is an act of art, of love, and of identity, and that leaving out our personal sense of style when making decisions is detrimental. I've had to learn that, and you have helped!
Slowre order of Eileen Fisher. Tried to order some Eileen Fisher crepe pants on sale from Neiman Marcus but they sold out before I could complete my order. Same (or so I think…) pants on sale -cheaper- at Macys. I know they sometimes have their own stuff, but I think these really are the same. Plus I have a bunch of old Macys return cards (from family who won’t stop giving us holiday gifts even though we’ve asked repeatedly…) That’s all the shopping I plan on, but we’ll see how the weekend goes. Rain here, not enough yet (Harvey remnants – we’ve been in a drought and could use more!) Mostly lazy weekend, maybe some fall cleaning….Fall cooking to be sure – I plan to smoke a chicken and a meatloaf this weekend!
Thank you for the link to Leah’s article, it was an interesting thought provoking read. I lived in an area where much of the population would follow their “tribes” but so many issues related to the environment are not so black and white. There is also quite a bit of misinformation floating around. I think our efforts to be more mindful in our purchases should not be tied to any moral superiority or an assumption that I buy this product so therefore I am better than you. Marketers/advertisers can and do take advantage of purist thinking as well. There is also something to be said for moderation too. It is not all or nothing. If we all went meat free for even one meal every day, that is a huge impact.
As for labor day, we have the Okinawan Festival happening in a park in Waikiki this weekend so I’ll be attending that with my family. Music/dancing performances, food and other culturual exhibits. (I’m 1/2 Okinawan).
Congratulations on a much-deserved shoutout on Leah’s blog! You ARE ethical, in so many ways, which is why a lot of us are here, I’m sure.
All I can think of when I hear Shia LeBeouf talk about his style choices: “Even though it looks haphazard, it’s actually very thought through.”…is “How well did he think through that brown paper bag he wore over his head?!?” 😉
Hi! I’m just discovering your blog, and I’m already in love! As the 30-year-old mom of two young boys, and a woman whose weight has fluctuated frequently over the past few years, I feel like I’ve been chewed up and spit out by the fast fashion industry. While I’ve always been a fan of thrift stores, it’s only been in the past year that I’ve started to really focus on my personal style and shopping in alignment with my beliefs (preferring to buy second-hand or hand-crafted) rather than just for the novelty or price of a used item. And I’m coming to find that being conscious about how and why I shop goes so much farther that I thought – I look back and realize how often I would impulse buy something and not care about it or wear it more than a few times. Now I’m savoring the waiting – anticipating what a garment might mean for my outward expression of self, deciding whether or not it’s actually representative of my true style, and if it’s something I can be proud to wear. I’m still trying to find the balance, but I’m really enjoying the journey. Thanks for your voice in this conversation! I’m excited to follow along (and hopefully snag some great pieces from your shop when the time is right)!!
That Shia article is too much!! Oh man, so interesting, and almost ironic. Your pull quote is great, and I had never thought about it that way, but effortless truly never is effortless!
i loved that article – so unexpected. i don’t know what made me read it, honestly !!
hi hannah, and welcome 🙂 i love what you said here:
what an elegant way to put it…especially being “proud to wear” . i love it !!