I then volunteered for work at a Quaker camp in Vermont as an off-season (winter) crew member. There were a couple of people there who were Quaker but most were young folk like me who just wanted a groovy, live off the land kind of place to be for a season or two of our lives. During that season, I heard about Gohn brothers and bought a couple of pair of the broadfall pants you describe with the buttons for braces. Just the thing to wear going country dancing in New England or to collect maple sap, or chop wood.

In between the first instance and the second, I lived briefly in San Francisco and made going to Green Gulch Farm, an appendage of the Zen Centre, on Sundays. For me it helped me detox from living in the city. but the “plain” life espoused by the Zen monks also called me.

Now, 32 years later, I live in New Jersey like yourself. I am a born-again Christian and admire the Amish / Mennonite convictions of being in the world but not of it. I, have also been convicted of vanity and pride that goes hand in glove with wearing  clothes as an advertisement, rather than as the function of clothing. Am I “orthodox” in my practice? No. But I, like you, just want to wear clothes as a sign of humility rather than pride. Gratitude rather than arrogance. To be able to say that the clothes I wear are also supporting a business and a lifestyle I strongly support, is also a big plus.

I have just requested a catalog from Gohn’s. I can’t wait to see how little it has changed in 32 years.

I had a similar experience as yours visiting a meetinghouse in the upper Midwest. It’s education and outreach to our own as well. I actually feel more of a tug toward plainness when I’m more embedded among Friends.