Ok this is random, but I was surprised to stumble across a few different brands of American made socks this year! Per usual, all of my socks seem to have lost their matches, and I’ve taken to wearing barre socks around the house (they are warm and prevent me from falling down our slippery wood steps!) and random mismatched pairs everywhere else. It’s not a good look.
We recently started carrying some American made options at W&W so I restocked my collection.
Some of my favorite options:
Little River Sock Mill
I used to always stock up on cute socks at Madewell or J.Crew… these are a great replacement.
Lisa B. via The Reed
I’m partial to the stripes…but the snowflakes are pretty cute too.
Richer Poorer Striped Wool Socks
These are actually men’s socks but fit my size 8.5 feet just fine… I wore them cross-country skiing last weekend and my feet never got cold!
Wool Nomad Socks
Super warm and fairly long… perfect for wearing with rain or snowboots.
Camp Socks
I stocked up on these at J.Crew a few years ago and they’ve really held up… and work well under my rain boots when it’s not quite as cold outside.
My friend (and frequent photography collaborator) Ashley and I were talking about these beautiful sweaters this weekend, so I thought I should share…
Tempest & Bentley sweaters are entirely American made using American yarn and sustainable production and are undeniably gorgeous with special (but still wearable) details. These sweaters are also, unquestionably, an investment… but the prices are not that far off from the best designer brands, and the sweaters are better made and more unique. Most of us are probably not the target for this brand and this price-point, but I’m happy to see a brand producing product in a way that warrants the price, as opposed to creating an exclusive brand that drives the price of a product regardless of it’s quality. I wish I could see one of these sweaters in person just to get a feel for it!
The designer, Marissa, was recently interviewed on the Well/Aware podcast and spoke about starting the brand, the processes that go into making the collections, and investing in your apparel, among other things – I recommend you listen!
ABOUT TEMPEST & BENTLEY:
Tempest + Bentley is a heritage-inspired, luxury sweater collection designed by Marissa Goodman Thieriot. Our knitwear combines traditional and modern design, features natural, American-sourced yarns, and follows sustainable production principles. Each piece is distinctively conceived and crafted in the U.S.A.
Always drawn to the timeless beauty of the iconic cable knit sweater, but unable to find any that were at once chic, luxurious, and eco-friendly, Marissa set out to create the perfect one herself. Tempest + Bentley—named after Marissa’s two grandmothers—reinterprets this wardrobe classic with style, transparency, and mindful attention to all aspects of the process. An Oregon native now based in San Francisco, Marissa spent ten years working as a sweater and knitwear designer for companies including Esprit, Gap, and Levi’s where she developed her craft in the architecture of stitches, pattern, and texture. In 2011, she met her husband Charlie whose family’s work in the sustainable food movement inspired Marissa’s own commitment to ethical production processes. Rich in tradition and fashion-forward in design, Tempest + Bentley takes a holistic approach to the sourcing of materials, with great respect for the natural resources involved.
PS – Here’s a not-entirely American made but more reasonably priced option. But these certainly don’t spark joy the way the T&B sweaters do!
In my continued quest to find the easiest, safest cleaning products that also look good in my home, I came across Murchison-Hume via their beautiful Instagram feed… and then noticed that the brand is carried at one of my favorite shops, which really does seem to carry only the best available options.
Murchison-Hume was created by a former fashion editor and mother, Max Kater, when her son developed allergic sensitivities to common household cleaning products. She made it her mission to create products that would be safe, easy to use, beautiful and effective.
I’ve been using these product for the past month and it is safe to say that Max has achieved her mission – I particularly love the Cook’s Hand Soap and the Boy’s Bathroom Cleaner. Read on for an interview with Max about her experiences, her advice, and what gets her through the day.
HOW DOES YOUR BACKGROUND IN FASHION IMPACT MURCHISON-HUME?
I guess the biggest thing is the way we approach the presentation of our line. I never understood why house-cleaning products had to look so tacky. They are tools to care for your biggest investment, after all. Our take on it is that cleaning products don’t have to look or smell ugly to work well!
I LOVE THAT YOU WERE INSPIRED TO START THE BUSINESS IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOUR SON FROM HIS ALLERGIES – DID YOU KNOW THIS WOULD BE A BUSINESS FROM THE BEGINNING? HOW DID YOU EVEN EVEN BEGIN TO START TO TAKE ON THIS INDUSTRY?
Seriously, I had no idea. I never set out to start a business. I was just a Mother, desperate for something to clean the house that was safe for my baby. Of course I wanted them to look nice, so I found some brown bottles and nice triggers that resembled like my vintage apothecary collection. And of course, I wanted them to smell lovely and not like a traditional cleaning product. I used cosmetic grade fragrances because that’s all I could find. I slapped a label on them because a friend opened a shop and really wanted them. We sold out in a day and it just sort of snowballed from there.
WERE YOU AWARE OF THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE CONSUMER PRODUCTS INDUSTRY BEFORE YOU STARTED?
Again, I no idea. The more I researched household chemicals, the more anxious I became about the chemicals I was bringing into our home. We’re not scaremongers, but we all need to re-think what’s under the sink, let’s put it that way. You just don’t need things like ammonia in your life (or in the house).
HOW DID YOU EDUCATE YOURSELF ON INGREDIENTS?
The Internet (and reliable chemistry and science journals). There is a lot of misleading information out there. It’s a tricky to know whom to trust on either side. Luckily, my husband comes from a medical family and I can always turn to my in-laws for the real truth about safety and science.
NATURAL PRODUCTS NECESSITATE A CHANGE IN HABITS FOR MANY CONSUMERS – HOW DO YOU INSPIRE THIS CHANGE? HOW DO YOU EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMER?
I think it’s important for people to know that making these changes is not a big deal. We’re not asking anyone to give up driving and knit their own shoes! It’s just about being more mindful about the products they buy everyday. Luckily, now there is a healthy version of almost everything, so change is easy.
WHAT GETS YOU THROUGH THE DAY?
Coffee in the morning, Pinot in the evening and Adidas Adissage slides in-between.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IF YOU KNEW THEN WHAT YOU KNOW NOW?
I would have named my company Facebook or Apple! Something easier to pronounce, anyway. People do struggle a bit with the name Mur-chi-son-Hume. But once they learn it, they never forget. I named it for my Father-in-Law, Dr. Roderick Murchison-Hume Kater, because he is the embodiment of our company’s core values: Practicality, Sustainability, Durability and Style.
HOW HAS LAUNCHING YOUR COMPANY CHANGED YOUR PERSONAL CONSUMPTION HABITS?
I’m not perfect. I’ll still hit the drive-through with the boys occasionally or buy another Nerf gun, but we try to limit those things rather than making them the norm.
ANY SECRET CLEANING TIPS OR COMBINATIONS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
Oh yes. I have two: Diligence and Accessibility.
1. Clean as you go. A little spritz each day means your house will never get out of control.
2. Don’t hide it. Keep your cleaning products out where you can see them (or at least keep one under each sink in the house). If you have to go to another room to fetch them, you’ll never do it. Make it easy for yourself to stay clean and you will!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER MAKERS/ENTREPRENEURS?
Be prepared to sacrifice everything except your family. There will be almost no time for a social life when you have a start-up.
WHAT IS NEXT?
We are launching bigger into Personal Care this year. Watch this space!
Throughout my search for American made apparel, I’ve struggled to find American made bras that were not only pretty but also actually served their purpose (because if I didn’t need one… I just wouldn’t wear one, right?!). After being introduced to Brook Delorme, founder and designer of Brook There, and testing out the product, I’m happy to have found a great brand to recommend. Brook and her husband and partner Daniel are awesome – totally committed to creating quality, handmade products using organic and sustainable materials in Maine and to supporting American made.
Read on for an interview with Brooke on her business and what she has learned… and also for some insight into the sizing and design process. I am always asked why brands don’t carry broader size ranges and Brook’s answer and thoughts on sizing applies to almost all apparel. If you have additional questions, please leave them in the comments!
WHAT MADE YOU START BROOK THERE?
We started the organic lingerie line because I couldn’t find the type of pieces I wanted to wear: wireless, soft cup, made of organic cotton that also felt sophisticated. So many of the wireless & soft-structure bras on the market are made of materials that I’m not crazy about, like foam, nylon, lace, or other synthetics.
I’ve been designing clothing for myself since I was twelve, and started selling one-of-a-kind pieces during college. Focusing the need to sew and make into a brand was the impetus behind Brook There.
HOW DID YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES LEAD TO BROOK THERE?
Daniel – my husband and business partner – and I also run Seawall, a menswear focused brand, also cut & sewn in Maine. We went to college together, in Portland, after which he went on to do graphic design and worked at Rogues Gallery (a mid-2000s mens brand in Portland that was super hot for a moment). I went and worked in technology for five years. We reconnected through the fashion and art scene, started a conceptual art gallery, and then decided to go back to what we know – clothing.
WHAT DRIVES YOU?
I love everything about clothing and fabric- I think that’s why I’m so sensitive about using synthetics. They smell bad to me. I love touching fabric, figuring out how things should go together, and the process of pattern-making or sewing.
Of course, the reality of running a business is that design really can only happen for about two months of the year. The rest of the time, one has to be happy with designing other aspects of a small business.
WHAT MAKES YOUR DAY?
Hmm. Should I interpret that as “what makes your day great?” or “What makes up your day?” I’m going with the latter.
coffee. feed cat. reading or writing. coffee again. workshop. current samples/ photos/ web/ production tasks. shipping. long long conversations with Daniel about our businesses. feed cat. he cooks dinner. sleep.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOURSELF WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED?
1. To have more patience about designing good systems and finding the right people. It’s important to be really, really picky about who you work with, who you bring into your inner circle.
2. To understand inventory. For a few years, I did the thing which was very popular at that time- making to order. We moved away from that completely a few years back for a bunch of reasons. I think that experience led me to misunderstand good inventory management.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE AMERICAN MADE BRANDS?
I love my 3sixteen jeans – I bought from their first season of women’s jeans and wear them almost everyday.
WHY IS AMERICAN MADE SO IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS?
One of our “hobbies” is reading and talking about economics and economic theory. It’s never seemed particularly rational that America should or could completely outsource manufacturing.
As a small business, it’s very costly to manufacture overseas. The per unit cost might be significantly less, but the other costs add up and aren’t really off-set until a business has reached a certain scale. Finally, the oversight of safety and ethics is extraordinarily hard for a small company producing overseas.
Working in Maine, we can personally know every person who touches our garments in the production process, visit them in their workspace, and not have to worry that the production might be secretly farmed out to a second or third sub contractor.
WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR WHILE PURCHASING LINGERIE? HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THE FIT IS RIGHT?
It’s important to try to find a brand’s size chart and fit instructions. A size chart should include actual body measurements- not just garment measurements. Garment measurements can be useful on non-stretch pieces like pants or button shirts, but are really not useful on pieces made of stretch fabric.
Bra sizing has practically no standardization, which is why finding the fit instructions is super-important. There are several different methods for calculating band and cup size, and these differ across regions of the world. They also, most confusingly, may use the same numbering system- so a 36B in an American size schema is a 32D in a newly-popular British schema! I’ve written more about this here and posted a size comparison chart, because this is a complex topic.
When we look at what’s going on in the market – especially with the ongoing discussion about women not wearing the correct bra size – it feels like we’re back in the 1950s. What women should look for is a style that fits, and is comfortable- in the way they want it too. Often, this will take trying on several brands and cup styles. Aesthetically, I prefer the more natural shape and silhouette of a soft cup style.
Personally, I avoid clothing that is too tight, has metal parts like hooks or underwires, or has any sort of itchy fabric or trim. This influences our end product design significantly, and we end up with a product that is most definitely niche.
I SEE A LOT OF COMMENTARY ON SIZING, WHICH I UNDERSTAND TO BE A COMPLICATED SUBJECT. CAN YOU HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES INTO SIZING WHILE BUILDING A LINE AND WHY IT IS SO HARD TO CREATE A LINE THAT CAN FIT ALL SIZES?
I’m always happy to answer questions about sizing! Forgive the length, but it takes a while to explain sufficiently.
First thing to know is: All brands, from the biggest to the smallest have a fit model. This is someone who the brand perceives to be in the middle of the size range of their target audience. In the majority of small brands, the designer acts as a fit model, because she/he is up close and personal with the clothes, and has the vision of how they should fit. (editor’s note – also, s/he is free!)
The fit model needs to be in the middle of the size range because patterns are graded (sized) up and down from there. Grading is, for the most part, algorithmic or rule-based. There’s only so far a pattern can be graded in one direction or another before it begins to lose integrity in relation to the population who might fit that size. It’s hard to have a size range of more than 6 or 7 size-steps without bringing in additional fit models and starting a new range from a new middle. (editor’s note – this would essentially be making an entirely new item – new patterns, cuts, etc.)
All these points become exacerbated if a brand is making tailored, fitted pieces of non-stretch fabric. Many brands avoid this end by using loose, unfitted cuts or stretchy fabric, like we do, allowing pieces to work on a wider size range than they otherwise might.
As this relates to bra sizing: All the same points apply, with regards to fit models and size ranges. We currently offer seven bra sizes, and since the cups and body are made of stretchy fabric, we overlap the cup sizes (34AB, 34BC, 34CD) and so forth. When the patterns are in development we fit on a range of cup sizes, AB, BC, and CD.
I am not sensing much or any demand from larger busted women for the style of bra we’re offering because I don’t see us ever adding underwires or many styles with back closures (editor’s note – again, this would be an entirely different product, require different machines, etc.). We are in the process of rolling out a broader line of the 34CD and 36CD sizes, and if these sell well, we’ll explore adding more.
Please note: I was given a Brook There set to try after completing this interview – and I really do love it. As always, I only write about products I would happily recommend.
