Not Perfect Linen

Thrifted Tee, Not Perfect Linen Loose Linen Jumpsuit, Adelante Cordoba Sandal in Caramel

MY STORY: This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing my friends that I met at various stages in my life gather together. I feel that it's beautiful when people I love connect with each other and get along well. It was definitely fun seeing all the different personalities at the table.

NOT PERFECT LINEN'S STORY: Not Perfect Linen is a family run business started by Simona Rimkiene in Lithuania creating high quality handmade linen goods. Simona designs the pieces, her mother along with a few tailors make the items, her father is in charge of logistics, and her sister is responsible for the customer service. Often times they will have family gatherings to discuss any issues, decisions, or improvements. As a family, they agree that decisions aren't made based on financial factors but on customer satisfaction.

Linen is their fabric of choice because it is natural and eco-friendly. Lithuanian linen is also known to be one of the best in the world. They love that linen is not perfect in that it gets wrinkled and has uneven textures because it looks beautiful the way it is in its natural form. Their linen is sourced from local manufacturers as a support to small, local crafters.

In producing their products, they pay attention to each item being made and double check the quality before it is shipped out. After trying to sell at retailers, they found out that it wasn't their method of choice to reach their customers. They were pressed for time and weren't able to produce at the quality they wanted. Instead, they decided to stay a small, independent business to continue practicing slow living, quality work, freedom of making choices, and the pleasure of interacting with their customers directly. They also give part of their profit to charity because they feel that it is important to make the world a peaceful place and ready for future generations. The linen fabric of this jumpsuit is incredibly soft and I love that you can pick from many colors for each of the styles they offer.

White Rabbit

White Rabbit Minetta Unline Balconette and Jane Bikini in Blush

MY STORY: This past week I was reminded of how important having a community is. Since moving to LA was my first time moving out, there was a huge learning curve on how to build community or in other words, a group people who I could rely on and just do life with. So how did I end up finding these people?

To start off, I met my now boyfriend a few months before moving to LA and I would hang out with him and his friends. This honestly made my transition a lot easier since I was the biggest introvert then and didn't know anyone else. But to continue, I knew I had to find some gals to hang out with because I was lost in half the conversations the boys were having.

The first six months were brutal since I was always tired from work and just didn't know where to look for a community. I didn't get along with my co-workers well enough to hang out with them outside of work. When I transitioned to working at Father's Daughter, that's when I had a better grasp of what a community was like. I hung out with my boss Su and her friends, while also meeting people on Instagram. Since I am an introvert still, it is difficult to initiate and meet with people on Instagram. Somehow I ended up meeting Jenny and we started to hang out almost weekly. She then introduced me to a few of her friends and that's when it started. We all hung out and did life together.

It is very characteristic of me to create friends over time instead of on one encounter. This is how going to school and joining life group at my church came into play. At my school, the age range is wide and the people that I encountered were all studying fashion, which made it easier for me to relate to my classmates and make friends. In life group, we were all in different stages of life, but we all recognized God working in our lives. We shared our ups and downs with each other and supported and prayed for those who needed it. For me, finding a community required going out of my comfort zone, discovering my passions in life, and knowing that God will bless me with the people in my life when the time is right.

WHITE RABBIT'S STORY: Mariana and Cristian are the founders of White Rabbit, an ethically made and sustainably sourced intimates line for everyday wear. Mariana started White Rabbit when she couldn't find a comfortable and ethically made underwear option. White Rabbit offers pieces that are made in a family-owned manufacturer in Mexico City that only employs women, offers good working conditions including paid time off and social security, and pays fair wages. Not only do they ensure fair working conditions, White Rabbit donates a percentage of every sale to Fabric Social, a group that works to empower female artisans in rural communities.

As for the fabrics, they use rayon made from bamboo because it is softer and more durable and breathable than cotton. Bamboo also grows fast and requires less water compared to many other plants, making it a more sustainable source of fiber. White Rabbit also works with an eco-friendly knitter that is Oeke-Tex certified, which means that the fabrics are free from harmful chemicals and are safe for human use. The knitter also meets manufacturing practices including safety, quality, and environmental standards for products. The pieces from White Rabbit are great because they are incredibly comfortable with a perfect balance of fabric weight and stretch!

Tree Fairfax

Thrifted Turtleneck and White Jeans, Zou Xou Belu Pump in Sand Suede, Tree Fairfax Half Moon Hip Bag

MY STORY: This past weekend I retook the Myers-Briggs personality test. It's probably been about a year since the last time I took it, and I feel that a lot has changed since then. In all previous instances of taking the test, I've always received the letters ISTJ and pretty much agreed entirely with the description. This time I took it, one letter changed and I ended up with ISFJ.

I reread the descriptions for both and feel that I am currently in between the two, but transitioning into an ISFJ. I am still an extremely hard worker but I feel that I am no longer as stubborn as I used to be, which is a characteristic of ISTJs. ISFJs are noted as patient and I have become more patient but I'm definitely not there yet. It's interesting to me that I can see specific situations and people that formed me into an ISFJ. I'm actually really happy about this change because I feel more of a flexible person rather than someone who used to always have to have plans. It's not negative to have plans but I feel that it's important to not let them takeover if things don't go as planned. This also touches on my relationship with God and the fact that I've been relying on Him more. I don't feel the need to plan as much because I know that He'll watch over me and only challenge me with situations He knows I can undergo as my current self. To conclude, I am excited to grow into an ISFJ as I work more on my patience and leave my willful self.

TREE FAIRFAX'S STORY: Tricia Fairfax is the founder of Tree Fairfax which offers hand-crafted leather goods. Tricia is pronounce Tree-sha which gave her the nickname of Tree and hence the name of her brand. She first began making bags when she was unemployed and couldn't afford to buy what she wanted. As a start, she thrifted leather coats and skirts and turned them into handbags. Her friends would ask about her bag and that's when she decided to start Tree Fairfax. Now she has moved onto using leather hides but continues to hand make her bags in Roanoke, Virginia. I love how Tricia elevates a fanny pack by creating it in leather and giving it a minimal design.

Gala Maar

Gala Maar Simone High Waist Two-Piece in Smoked Taupe

MY STORY: Last week I learned a very valuable lesson, one that I will be continuing to learn how to put into action as I try to understand it better. For some time I was being tested, but I failed. Failed to stand my ground and instead, I was being hit wave after wave and falling down every single time. I made myself susceptible to all the negativity I was experiencing and allowed it to take a toll on me. I felt suffocated like I was running a marathon day after day without being able to take a breath. Throughout this time I kept wondering why all of this was happening to me.

The only time I was able to stand back up was when it ended. I feel that I wasn't ready for what I was put through, but after it all ended, I gained knowledge that I can use for a lifetime. In these past weeks, I have gotten closer to people who I've been able to trust and share personal issues with. They were the ones who taught me this lesson. This lesson was that being put in a difficult situation should not affect me. I should have control of how I feel and try not to be affected in order to stand my ground. Standing my ground would be to retain who I am and not let the difficulty of a situation sway me from reaching my goals. I know that this will take time for me to learn and actually do, but I am grateful to have learned it so that I will be better prepared next time. I know this was a heavy topic but I hope this may help any of you who are also being put to the test.

GALA MAAR'S STORY: Blakely Wickstrom is the founder and designer of Gala Maar, a swimwear line which draws between styles of the east and west coast since Blakely is a California native and long-time Brooklyn resident. All of her pieces are made with environmentally sound fabrics and produced in Los Angeles, CA. The cutting of her swimwear is made to accentuate the female figure while being functional and comfortable. What I love most about my two-piece from Gala Maar is definitely the fit and timeless style!