Cici is many amazing things— a gardener, herbalist, artist, natural dyer, casual rock climber, occasional birthday cake baker, and new parent living in New Hampshire. Cici moved here three years ago after growing up in the PNW and living in Los Angeles for 11 years. They always have a dozen projects going at once, and they’re all messy—no clothing stays white around here! Meet Cici @cici_cyr!

How do you describe your style?

My style is a mix of practicality and color. I don’t take my style too seriously, and everything feels playful. I love wearing hard pants for gardening work and a top dyed with flowers from my garden! I love warm jewel tones like chartreuse, mustard, teal, and rust. I regularly buy light-colored clothing, but nearly everything finds its way into the dye pot sooner or later. Since moving to a cold climate, I wear mostly wool (love big squishy knits) in the winter and light cotton, linen, and silk in the summer. 

What are your favorite slow fashion brands? 

I love Natasha Tonic’s hemp swim and activewear. I wear Rudy Jude, Jesse Kamm, Mollusk, Big Bud Press, and Beaton pants regularly. I love my Arq, Jungmaven, Oddobody, Hara, and Nui basics. 

I find most of my slow fashion secondhand, which makes it accessible on a small budget. I’m happy to spend a little more or buy new when I feel very aligned with whoever’s running the company and making the clothes. I love buying naturally dyed clothing from my fellow dyers behind Rooted Botanics and Berbo Studio.  

How did you get into natural dyeing? Would love to hear about your process, too if you don’t mind! 

I used to offer plant walks in Los Angeles and a natural dyer joined a few and asked me about the dye potential of the wild plants we were identifying. I was intrigued, tried dyeing my first pieces of clothing at home with homegrown flowers and pomegranate skins, and was immediately hooked. I make dyes mostly from homegrown and foraged plants and kitchen scraps. Now that I have a kid, I work mostly late at night in my home studio, dyeing all of my clothes (and my husband’s and daughter’s), doing some custom dye work, and dyeing pieces to trade and sell. Working with natural dye is SLOW fashion at its finest and has really given me a sense of the labor involved in making clothing. Each piece I make can take weeks to finish, including the scouring and mordanting (preparing the fabric for the dye) and dyeing, which may include multiple dips in a vat or layering up multiple layers of color over time. 

We'd love to hear more about your work as an herbalist and gardener.

I work as a gardener, offering consultations and design, maintenance, and garden education/coaching. I plant veggie gardens, tend to medicinal herbs and flowers, love growing native plants, and care for fruit trees. I teach when I can and have taught kids and adults of all ages how to grow their own food. I am also trained as a clinical herbalist. I grow many medicinal plants and use them to make herbal products like salves and infused oils and I offer herbal consultations and workshops. You can find my website at www.thespringwithin.com and I’m on Instagram @thespringwithin. 

What have been some of your favorite trades on LS?

The piece I wear the most is a pair of Maggie Jayne Dungarees. I watched them get traded three times and finally got the chance to try them. One of my first trades was a pair of bright red Anna Allen Persephone pants, sewed by @textile_love_ and I am still in love. They fit me perfectly a few months postpartum and are still a favorite. I love my Wiksten Unfolding Jacket, made with a Kantha quilt (also by @textile_love_!!). I wore my Kenora Toque by Good Night Day, knitted by @Carrie, nearly every day this winter. The bronze/olive color is perfection. 

Do you have any favorite Lucky Sweater stories?

I recently spotted a sweater here that someone had felted and indigo dyed. It caught my eye and when I looked closer, I realized that it was the sweater I found at a thrift shop in New Zealand nine years ago, wore for a year, and then traded for a silk dress at a gathering in Northern California. Somehow, it made its way to Alaska and onto Lucky Sweater. This feels like my lucky sweater.

Now, we're excited to share Cici's favorite curated slow fashion and me made finds on Lucky Sweater. So without further ado—Cici's picks!

‍Slow Fashion Picks

Jesse Kamm - Kamm Handy Pants

My perfect pair of gardening pants are umber colored with double fronts (and Kamm pants are surprisingly comfy, sturdy, and so good looking). 

Goodnight, Day - Nanaimo Handknit Cardiganin Ochre

The shape, the color, the big squishy knit… This is my dream sweater! 

Big Bud Press - Work Pants

I’ve been on the lookout for these exact pants ever since I traded for a pair that was too small. I love the color!

‍

Me Made Picks

Cropped Handknit Sweater

The wool silk blend sounds so nice and I’m a total sucker for anything in this color. 

‍

Vintage pattern - Boxy top

Indigo Overdyed Norwegian Sweater *no clasps*

This is the sweater I found at a tiny thrift store in New Zealand, which has since been worn by two or three more people, traveled all of the way to Alaska and onto Lucky Sweater! I hope this sweater keeps traveling widely! 

‍