We’re so delighted to spotlight Helen of @kales.joy, a California-based high school English teacher, mother of two, and passionate voice in the slow fashion community. Helen’s journey into intentional living began when her daughter was born with sensitive eczema-prone skin. What started as a search for gentle, skin-safe clothing quickly became a deeper commitment to sustainability, secondhand finds and supporting brands that prioritize ethics and care - just like Vild - House of Little. 

 Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your family. 

Hi, my name is Helen and I live in California with my family. I met my husband in college and we have two children. I am a high school English teacher and I really love my job and working with students. I also enjoy getting dressed and started my slow fashion journey when my daughter was born. I was looking for clothing that would be safe for her really sensitive eczema skin. I love the slow fashion community on instagram because it’s helped me have a paradigm shift when it comes to consumption and the fashion industry. It just inspired me to think about and the choices that I make can have an impact for the future generation. It’s helped me appreciate the garments that I wear and support slow fashion businesses or shop secondhand. 

Where do you call home? 

This is a really good question. I struggled with finding a place to call home since my parents live overseas and my husband and I could not agree on a city we both wanted to live in. Over the years, I had an epiphany that home is not a location, it is where the heart is and the heart is my family so as long as I'm with my family, I’ll call it my home. 

What does a typical day look like for you and your family? 

A typical day for our family is waking up together and eating a really hearty breakfast before the kids head off to school and I start my work day. I get to pick up the kids from school and spend the rest of our time together. We cook yummy meals at home and work on homework and reading. We don’t do any screen time during the week so my daughter will work on some crafts, art projects, and play with her doll houses while my son goes to basketball practice. We always eat dinner together and the kids help with chores like washing the dishes and wiping the table. 

Please tell us about your favourite family rituals. 

My current favorite family ritual is our evening walks. We get to take our dog Bradley out as well and talk about our day and we play a game called “guess the song”. When we get to see the sunset, it is definitely the icing on the cake! 

What does your family like to cook and eat together? 

We love to eat so that means we love to cook! My kids love spicy foods and noodles! We have also been making a lot of smoothies at home. All kinds of berries with some banana, yogurt, and spinach (they can’t even tell it’s in there). When we aren’t eating at home, we will go to our favorite pho place. 

What is your favourite outdoor activity? 

Our favorite outdoor activity is definitely swimming. When it  gets warm outside, we are at the pool everyday! 

What creative activities do you like to do with your children? 

Our favorite creative activity is related to art! My husband is a really good illustrator and he will draw and my daughter will color. It’s so cool to see her drawings get better and better. 

What is the best motherhood advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I was given was to own up when I make mistakes. I don’t want my kids to think that I’m perfect. I want to teach my children by modeling. Kids are so smart, they watch what we do and say so living by example is really hard to do but important. 

What surprised you the most about being a parent? 

The thing that surprised me most is that children really become a mirror of yourself. When I see how goofy they are, I see my own inner child in them. 

What is your special everyday luxury that you just can’t live without? 

That’s a hard one! Maybe my coffee machine because it makes really delicious coffee and I need it to get me through the day. 

How do you like styling your Vild – House of Little pieces? 

I love seeing my daughter’s face light up when she gets to pick out and style her Vild -House of Little pieces. Especially on the weekends, when we go to the library, coffee shop or the zoo, she gets excited to get dressed and she feels really confident. It is the sweetest thing to see her feel good about herself and also be able to run around all day in comfort. The clothes still look great even after many wears and washes. 

What do you like about Vild?

The thing we love about Vild is the thoughtfulness behind the materials and dyes, especially to little ones who have really sensitive skin. My daughter suffered from really bad eczema since she was a baby so we always opted for clothing that is safe and gentle. Vild’s quality has lasted us for years and is really worth the investment and the designs are so timeless too. Everywhere we go, someone always approaches me and asks me where her outfit is from! 

Thank you so much, Helen!

Helen's daughter is wearing the Kimono Top, Zip Cardigan and Shorts, Velvet Dress, LS Shirt, Vild Lab No.8 - Rare Living Lobsters Dress, SS Peter Pan Collar Shirt and Bermuda Shorts.