Appreciated this post! I’m trying to do better for my own purchasing, but I’ve got two daughters who’ve recently entered adult sizing and that makes it tough. I want to teach them not to seek out fast fashion but I can’t pay $300 for us each to have one pair of shorts (and the thrift stores around us are full of overpriced fast fashion - $10 for a pair of worn Old Navy shorts we could buy cheaper in the store 🥴). It’s a tough world out there for clothing and I’m constantly looking around for sustainable (in all the ways) solutions.
These aren't exactly lounge-- they've got a zipper but also a stretchy waist-- but the Jungmaven Venice shorts have held up for years of daily wear for me. I have two pairs and alternate through our 6 months of hot weather. Great inseam length, great pockets, I put them in the dryer/never do anything special to them. The look is very Laura Dern in Jurassic Park!
But at the moment I’m planning to build out my summer lounge wardrobe by sewing (shorts are a great use of scraps!): the Weekend chore shorts by matchy matchy sewing club have cute pockets and a high rise; the Agnes pjs shorts from Paper Theory look excellent for hanging out; and the city gym shorts from purl soho are a free pattern that has lots of rave reviews and kind of looks like that Beaton pair.
Nice! Spotted those ones too, but ended up not including because the sizing seemed so limited. Cheers to all your sewing and thank you for the recs! Might need to get brave!
Jun 30, 2023·edited Jun 30, 2023Liked by Erin Boyle
Another long-time follower here, too! I love your minimalist wardrobe posts, mostly because they remind me to turn away from the noise and the sparkle of new (cheap) must-haves. LAUDE the Label is a fantastic ethical clothing company based just down the road from me in Fort Worth, TX. These shorts look comfy!
I can attest that the Beaton Linen Running Shorts are indeed amazing. They're the only pair of shorts I've owned for the past 3 years, and I just bought a backup pair on Poshmark. Totally worth paying full price for though!
Why do you assume that buying something from Old Navy means I will only wear it once or twice (part 2 of Fast Fashion)? I have clothes from Old Navy (yes, specifically Old Navy) that I've worn for over 10 years. Not everyone can be a fashion blogger who gets eye-wateringly priced clothing for free because they linked to them in a post. There are a lot of people who needed that article recommending a pair of shorts that cost "fourteen American dollars" because for some people, fourteen American dollars is all they can spend on a pair of shorts.
For sure didn’t mean to imply that everyone buying fast fashion treats the goods as disposable and the onus should definitely be on the manufacturers to ensure that everyone along their supply line is paid fairly and that the goods they produce are high enough quality to last through many wears. Unfortunately that’s rarely the case and we’ve become accustomed to prices that don’t reflect the actual labor or materials being used. That said, my critique here was specifically regarding folks who *could* be paying a fairer wage for goods produced but who aren’t. There’s something misaligned when folks who can afford European vacations shirk the responsibility to pay fair wages for ethically made clothes.
this response is so thoughtful, Erin - thank you. as someone who mostly lives in the economic realm of $14 shorts as the only financially viable option, I find it valuable to be clear-sighted about what those shorts cost the world, even if I will ultimately still choose to buy them. our bending over backwards to not know or face the truth does far more damage than sitting with the uncomfortable, painful, but real aspects of our choices.
I found a pair of very soft, elastic waist denim shorts at a local consignment store and super love them; I wore them almost every day on a week-long bike trip after the biking was done, for both lounging and walking around exploring. I hadn’t heard of the brand before (SBJ Austin) but was pleased to learn after buying that the clothes are designed/made in the US. I think the shorts are these: https://www.sbjaustin.com/products/bethany-short-denim. Highly recommend! I wouldn’t be able to afford these clothes regularly full price, but now I have an eye out and can look for sales. Love a good thrift/consignment store find!
Love a throwback Minimalist Wardrobe post: I found my all-time favorite swimsuit because you recommended the brand a billion years ago. Next time maybe teeny numbers on the images and credits so we can more quickly click the right link?
Have you checked out Save Khaki’s new line for women, Boyville? Seems like these shorts would fit the brief.
https://www.savekhaki.com/collections/womens-new-arrivals/products/wsk628-spf?variant=40582046744599
I have the Jungmaven cotton shorts and can confirm that they are outstanding hangout shorts.
Appreciated this post! I’m trying to do better for my own purchasing, but I’ve got two daughters who’ve recently entered adult sizing and that makes it tough. I want to teach them not to seek out fast fashion but I can’t pay $300 for us each to have one pair of shorts (and the thrift stores around us are full of overpriced fast fashion - $10 for a pair of worn Old Navy shorts we could buy cheaper in the store 🥴). It’s a tough world out there for clothing and I’m constantly looking around for sustainable (in all the ways) solutions.
These aren't exactly lounge-- they've got a zipper but also a stretchy waist-- but the Jungmaven Venice shorts have held up for years of daily wear for me. I have two pairs and alternate through our 6 months of hot weather. Great inseam length, great pockets, I put them in the dryer/never do anything special to them. The look is very Laura Dern in Jurassic Park!
Everlane is a company that sources materials and labor responsibly. They have a pair of comfy, organic cotton elastic waist shorts for about $60.
So glad to see you here, Erin, and appreciated your exploration of the bummer that is fast fashion linen shorts.
I’ve been eyeing the shorts from Harvest & Mill because I have an old and much-loved pair of their joggers, and I applaud the longer inseam because I just don’t find anything less than 5” comfy. https://harvestandmill.com/products/womens-organic-shorts-in-natural
But at the moment I’m planning to build out my summer lounge wardrobe by sewing (shorts are a great use of scraps!): the Weekend chore shorts by matchy matchy sewing club have cute pockets and a high rise; the Agnes pjs shorts from Paper Theory look excellent for hanging out; and the city gym shorts from purl soho are a free pattern that has lots of rave reviews and kind of looks like that Beaton pair.
Wow, i saw the Beaton shorts and wanted to make my own so I’m very appreciative of having this research provided for me in this comment!
Nice! Spotted those ones too, but ended up not including because the sizing seemed so limited. Cheers to all your sewing and thank you for the recs! Might need to get brave!
Another long-time follower here, too! I love your minimalist wardrobe posts, mostly because they remind me to turn away from the noise and the sparkle of new (cheap) must-haves. LAUDE the Label is a fantastic ethical clothing company based just down the road from me in Fort Worth, TX. These shorts look comfy!
https://laudethelabel.com/products/everyday-short-terracotta-ticking-stripe
Also: I was at a thrift store just yesterday and couldn’t bring myself to buy the (many many) Shein pieces that were on the racks. UGH!
This is awesome, Erin - thank you for sharing this list! (Longtime follower here too. Appreciate you!)
i have twoooo pairs of the jungmaven shorts, same color, but two different sizes for varying levels of hanging out. highly recommend.
I can attest that the Beaton Linen Running Shorts are indeed amazing. They're the only pair of shorts I've owned for the past 3 years, and I just bought a backup pair on Poshmark. Totally worth paying full price for though!
Why do you assume that buying something from Old Navy means I will only wear it once or twice (part 2 of Fast Fashion)? I have clothes from Old Navy (yes, specifically Old Navy) that I've worn for over 10 years. Not everyone can be a fashion blogger who gets eye-wateringly priced clothing for free because they linked to them in a post. There are a lot of people who needed that article recommending a pair of shorts that cost "fourteen American dollars" because for some people, fourteen American dollars is all they can spend on a pair of shorts.
For sure didn’t mean to imply that everyone buying fast fashion treats the goods as disposable and the onus should definitely be on the manufacturers to ensure that everyone along their supply line is paid fairly and that the goods they produce are high enough quality to last through many wears. Unfortunately that’s rarely the case and we’ve become accustomed to prices that don’t reflect the actual labor or materials being used. That said, my critique here was specifically regarding folks who *could* be paying a fairer wage for goods produced but who aren’t. There’s something misaligned when folks who can afford European vacations shirk the responsibility to pay fair wages for ethically made clothes.
this response is so thoughtful, Erin - thank you. as someone who mostly lives in the economic realm of $14 shorts as the only financially viable option, I find it valuable to be clear-sighted about what those shorts cost the world, even if I will ultimately still choose to buy them. our bending over backwards to not know or face the truth does far more damage than sitting with the uncomfortable, painful, but real aspects of our choices.
She’s back!!!! Yay for minimalist wardrobe tea notes!!!!
🥳🥳🥳
Longtime follower, SO excited for the Erin Boyle Tea Leaves Extended Universe to come to Substack!
🤗🤗🤗
I found a pair of very soft, elastic waist denim shorts at a local consignment store and super love them; I wore them almost every day on a week-long bike trip after the biking was done, for both lounging and walking around exploring. I hadn’t heard of the brand before (SBJ Austin) but was pleased to learn after buying that the clothes are designed/made in the US. I think the shorts are these: https://www.sbjaustin.com/products/bethany-short-denim. Highly recommend! I wouldn’t be able to afford these clothes regularly full price, but now I have an eye out and can look for sales. Love a good thrift/consignment store find!
the dream!
Love a throwback Minimalist Wardrobe post: I found my all-time favorite swimsuit because you recommended the brand a billion years ago. Next time maybe teeny numbers on the images and credits so we can more quickly click the right link?
will give it a shot!