Swoveralls Comfort Club · December 2025 · Volume 3, Issue 9
Why Initiative Beats Perfection Every Time
By Kyle Bergman, Founder of Swoveralls ·
The short version
Swoveralls closed out 2025 with a reminder that initiative beats perfection every time. This issue spotlights three customers who took the initiative, Elizabeth Brown, Jordan Bretz, and Joey Lay, shares a Stanford-backed 5-minute breathing reset for holiday stress, and teases a January pet-print collection.
In this issue
- A Stanford-backed 5-minute breathing reset for holiday chaos
- Three customer spotlights: Elizabeth Brown, Jordan Bretz, and Joey Lay
- A first look at January's pet-print collection, Dog Days and Purr Parade
December: the month of forced family time, aggressive holiday cheer, and pretending you know what day of the week it is.
We are closing out 2025 with three customer spotlights, and a reminder on why initiative beats perfection every time. Plus, a comfort tip that will actually help you survive the holidays, and a sneak peek at something we are launching in January that will make pet people lose their minds.
The 5-minute reset that actually works during holiday chaos
Quick one this month because we know you are busy dodging questions about your life plans from relatives.
Research from Stanford's Center for Compassion and Altruism shows that 5 minutes of intentional breathing can reset your nervous system faster than scrolling your phone or sneaking off to "check on the pie."
Here is the technique (it is embarrassingly simple):
- Find a quiet spot (bathroom, car, coat closet, we do not judge)
- Breathe in for 4 counts
- Hold for 4 counts
- Breathe out for 6 counts
- Repeat for 5 minutes
The longer exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the "calm down, everything is fine" system. It literally tells your body the threat is over.
Works before difficult conversations, after difficult conversations, and during the moment when someone brings up politics at dinner.
Easier said than done when things get political at the dinner table with your unhinged cousin, but if you give the above a shot please let me know what you think.
Customer spotlight #1: Elizabeth Brown, design contest champion
So as you may know we recently ran a customer design contest where you could submit designs, and then anyone could vote.
Elizabeth Brown did not just win. She swept first AND second place.
Out of 40+ incredible submissions and 750+ votes, Elizabeth's designs rose to the top: Trash Pandas (because raccoons deserve better branding) and Otter Romp (yes, a group of otters is called a romp, perfect, right).
Elizabeth is an OR nurse by day and a Swoveralls fanatic every other second. She also happens to be one of our all-time greatest comfort coaches (aka customers) with 9 orders and 12+ pairs. When she is not saving lives in the operating room, she is apparently designing adorable woodland creatures for sweatpant overalls.
Both designs go together beautifully, playful, clever, and exactly the kind of thing you would want to wear while living your most comfortable life.
To everyone who entered: THANK YOU. The creativity, effort, and talent in those 40+ submissions was incredible. We are genuinely grateful you took the initiative to create something. And special shoutout to comfort coach Deborah who told me to do this whole project.
And Elizabeth? You crushed it. Congrats. These designs are coming to life, and we could not be more excited.
Customer spotlight #2: Jordan Bretz, the holiday card legend
I had the pleasure of talking with Jordan the other day, and his story is too good not to share.
Jordan found us on Instagram (as one does) and immediately fell in love with the "free the waistband" movement. Smart man.
He bought a pair of our world-famous cords for his 17-year-old daughter. She did not think they were cool.
This made me (an elder millennial) chuckle because of course she did not. Teenagers are legally required to reject anything their parents think is awesome.
Plot twist: She came around. She loves them now.
But here is my favorite part: Jordan ordered Forest Green Swoveralls for his ENTIRE FAMILY for their holiday card this year.
This is it. This is peak Swoveralls energy. A whole family in matching green overalls, looking cozy and slightly ridiculous and absolutely perfect.
Jordan also took the initiative to schedule a call with me (thank you for doing that), and it reminded me why I love this community. You do not just buy things, you engage, you reach out, you make this brand what it is.
Jordan, you are a legend. Tell your daughter I think she has excellent taste.
Customer spotlight #3: Joey Lay, aka PapaBear
If there is one theme in this newsletter, it is celebrating initiative. And Joey Lay might take the cake.
Joey lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he is a dad, actor, theatre nerd, card-game enthusiast, and the creator behind @PapaBearCreates on TikTok. He also wears Swoveralls "a lot. Like, 'my family might be concerned' a lot."
In 2008, Joey started The Actor's Charitable Theatre, a community theatre where people can do live performance while giving back. He is also a working actor with film credits including The Shift and Saturday Night, plus background work on major productions.
When he is not acting, he is building sets, hanging lights, pulling together costumes, or making TikTok content about Disney Lorcana (a trading card game he is "way too passionate about").
Swoveralls have become his uniform for dad life, rehearsals, filming, and basically everything that requires comfort, durability, and the ability to move freely.
But here is why Joey made this newsletter: he hustles. He takes initiative. He reaches out, creates content, builds community, and shows up consistently. That is the energy we love to see. Example: Joey reached out to me and said he would love to host TikTok Lives on the Swoveralls handle. I said yes. And he has been crushing it. None of that happens without him reaching out.
Joey, Roll Tide. Keep doing your thing.
Coming in January: the Pet Collection
Okay, this might be the best for last (and I think Elizabeth, Jordan, and Joey would agree).
Very soon, first week of January, we are launching preorder for our Pet Collection:
"Dog Days", dog print Swoveralls
"Purr Parade", cat print Swoveralls
Yes, we made dog print and cat print Swoveralls. Yes, they are adorable. Yes, pet people are going to lose their entire minds.
Preorder launches early January. They will ship by early February at the latest.
Mark your calendars. Tell your pet-obsessed friends. This is happening.
Until next time
December is a weird month. Everyone is tired but pretending to be festive. The year is ending but nothing feels done. Your family means well but also, you know.
Take your 5-minute breathing breaks. Wear comfy clothes. And remember that the best thing you can do this month is show up as yourself, whatever that looks like.
We will see you in 2026 with dog prints, cat prints, and probably more customer stories that make us feel incredibly lucky to do this work.
Stay cozy, stay brave, and please hit reply if you took a family photo in Swoveralls. I would love to see it.
Thank you,
Founder, Chief Swoveralls Officer
PS: Elizabeth, Jordan, Joey, thank you for taking initiative. You made this newsletter (and this brand) better.
PSS: Love this newsletter? Can't stand it? Reply here and let me know and I will personally get back to you. Your feedback is a gift.
PSSS: If you made it this far, you might as well join our facebook group here (the Comfort Club), and special shoutout to comfort coach Mary Elise for helping run the group.
Key takeaways
- Elizabeth Brown swept first and second place in the Swoveralls customer design contest with her "Trash Pandas" and "Otter Romp" designs, out of 40+ submissions and 750+ votes.
- Research from Stanford's Center for Compassion and Altruism shows that 5 minutes of intentional breathing (in for 4 counts, hold for 4, out for 6) can reset your nervous system, because the longer exhale activates the parasympathetic response.
- Swoveralls launches preorder for its Pet Collection in early January: "Dog Days" dog-print and "Purr Parade" cat-print Swoveralls, shipping by early February at the latest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 5-minute breathing reset for holiday stress?
Find a quiet spot, breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breathe out for 6 counts, and repeat for 5 minutes. The longer exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the calm-down response. Research from Stanford's Center for Compassion and Altruism shows 5 minutes of intentional breathing can reset your nervous system.
When do the dog-print and cat-print Swoveralls launch?
Preorder for the Pet Collection, "Dog Days" (dog print) and "Purr Parade" (cat print), launches early January and ships by early February at the latest.
Featured in this issue
- Shop our world-famous corduroy Swoveralls, the cords Jordan bought for his daughter.
- Dog Days, our dog-print design.
- Purr Parade, our cat-print design.
- Browse the full Swoveralls lineup, including the Forest Green pair the Bretz family wore.