Soft Clothes, Protective Armor 💛
Wearable security blankets
My 3-year-old niece has this puffy quilted coat that she brings with her everywhere. I’m not sure she actually wears it every day, although I have seen her wearing it on 90° days in humid Virginia, but it is near her body at all times.
This reminds me of how as a kid, I had a few different articles of clothing that were things I could wear to school when I felt scared, anxious, or shy and feel like I had my blankie with me - which I couldn’t bring to school for fear of losing it. One of these things was a fleece vest with teddy bears printed on it. It was so fuzzy and soft and held my core in a way that felt like being wrapped in a hug. I felt braver when I wore my teddy bear vest. It gave me superpowers. That vest gave me the bravery at 6 years old to introduce myself to a kid on the swingset who ended up being my childhood best friend.
Lately, I have been reaching for the things in my closet that give me that same feeling of being wrapped in a hug or like I’m wearing a security blanket. They aren’t always the soft fluffy things, sometimes it’s a shirt that reminds me of a particularly good day with my partner or a pair of pants that holds my tummy in a way that helps me to bring attention to my breath or a brown sweater that reminds me of soil and helps me to feel grounded.
I’ve been calling these outfits my “soft armor”.
This concept is very much the inspiration behind my Magic Vests, and honestly most of what I make. I want to make, and wear, clothes that feel like wearing a hug and can maybe give the wearer a feeling of empowerment, grounding, or of being held. I know that clothing and getting dressed isn’t going to save all of the woes of the world, but I do know from my own experience that what I wear can impact my psychological and physiological states and that can impact how I show up to the school of life.
So, here is my invitation to you to get dressed in some Soft Armor - think about what clothes help you to feel held, present, supported, grounded, empowered, and safe in your body.
If perhaps by chance you would like to add a Magic Vest or other Thread + Sprout garment to your arsenal of soft armor/wearable security blankies, I do still have a few Magic Vests and Ritual Dusters available and am currently accepting new Custom Order requests.
The Pelican Magic Vest
One of the most awe-inspiring experiences of my life was swimming in the San Francisco Bay as a huge flock of pelicans swooped down to fill their beaks only 20 feet away from me. Pelicans symbolize different things throughout different cultures - in Christianity, they are a symbol of self-sacrifice and in Celtic traditions they are a representation of safe passage and protection. For this specific vest, I thought of the pelican as well as the watchful flower eyes on the front as a prayer for protection when taking a plunge and trusting the process.
Memento Mori Magic Vest
Memento Mori means “remember you must die”. This may feel like a rather dark and morbid thing to have on an article of clothing, but I see it as a rather clarifying message to hold onto. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, our time here is limited. This can be a scary thing to think about but can also be a reminder that while the future is not guaranteed, we are here, now. And so this is a reminder to be present, live in the moment, and make the most of your time here as you can. It is an invitation to “love fully now, in this moment, when what we love is here” (Francis Weller, the Wild Edge of Sorrow).
If this feels too heavy, this vest is also kind of a reference to Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City books (ifyky) ;)
Mystery + Wisdom Magic Vest
Owls and mushrooms - creatures of mystery, of wisdom and magic. This vest is meant to remind the wearer of their inherent wisdom as well as an invitation to remember the wisdom of the earth. Owls and mushrooms are also creatures of mystery and the dark. Owls are nocturnal and can be hard to spot and mushrooms thrive in the darker places. This serves as an invitation to not shy away from the dark, the shadows, but face it and maybe even embrace those parts.
Lately, I have been feeling an intense desire to just wrap everyone in the world in a big hug and while I can’t do that, making these pieces and seeing them being worn feels like doing that in a small way. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this work and for being a part of it - whether as a customer, a reader, a supporter, or a passive viewer. Thank you for you.
I am sending you all so much love and ease. Keep on keeping on. Drink some water. Eat nourishing foods. Take care of yourselves. Take care of your communities.
Until next time 💛
xoxo
J
🪡 Website: www.threadandsprout.com
🌱 Email: info@threadandsprout.com