Kate's Ethical Fashion Favorite

As an Anglophile, I'm understandably a huge follower of Kate Middleton's wardrobe.  She's always been a fan of recycling outfits and buying second hand, which is 90% why I have such a high appreciation for her style.  Little did I know, one of the designers she's worn was born out of a passion for ending human trafficking!  The Evening Standard wrote an article about it...


I love when two of my worlds collide - my love of clothing and my work with human trafficking prevention!  Here's to hoping they remain committed to helping women who have been trafficked find employment, even with their move to East London.

Fast Fashion and Thrifting

My friend emailed me a great article on fast fashion and thrift shopping.  It's full of important (and sad) facts but reads like your vintage loving artsy friend is telling a hilarious story:

Photo from secretpocketblog.com

"Cheap clothes are everywhere, looking bright and cheerful, and few of us Americans have actually seen, firsthand, the environmental desolation caused by all the unsustainable factory production in other parts of the world.  It’s not the 90s anymore, and people who talk about conspicuous consumption and petroleum products don’t get invited back to parties. Furthermore, our economy sucks right now—ironically, in large part because we’ve outsourced almost all of our factory work to other countries—and a lot of us are out of work or working jobs where we can’t get enough hours, enough pay, or any health insurance. If things aren’t really cheap we might not be able to buy them at all. We’ve come to expect cute clothing—and electronics, and other entertainment and luxury goods—to be about as inexpensive as we want it to be, and where there’s a demand, there will always, always be a supply, even when the toll is human lives.

Having bought mostly secondhand things for several years now has changed my attitude toward objects and ownership in an interesting way. I do have things I’d hate to lose, but for the most part it feels like I have an apartment full of knick-knacks and books and shoes on loan, like I’m lucky to get to look at and wear all these neat things and it’s extra special and sort of poignant too because I know they’re not really mine. This is a more light-hearted and also more emotionally engaged attitude than the shackled sense of fretful responsibility I have felt toward things I paid a lot of money for. Like, go ahead and steal it, it was practically free. Knowing that something once belonged to someone else—coupled with the fact that I paid only a dollar or maybe ten for it—makes my ownership of that thing feel less real, temporary, like the universe is my big sister and I’m borrowing stuff from her closet. I’ll give it back soon, I promise."

Poppin' Tags: Vintage, Thift, and the Value of Slow Fashion
by Katie Haegele

The Christmas Goods

This Christmas I received some of the most thoughtful and inspiring gifts ever.  It's wonderful enough to get presents from people I love, but it's even more wonderful when it's clear that they put some very intentional thought into giving something very meaningful.  Here are a few of my favorites!


Food from the Women's Bean Project


a bracelet from London


a scarf from Fashion Able



a handmade "love always" banner


yummy stockings


rocking the Christmas scarf and stockings


jacket by Barbour
dress by H&M
shoulder bag from eBay
boots by Ralph Lauren

Ethical Christmas Gifts


While I love the idea of making a donation in honor of someone for Christmas, I realize it's not very realistic for everyone (even me!) to stop buying gifts altogether.  Here are a few sources for great gift ideas that still give back to the global community in one way or another.  


Do your part to protect mother Earth by using and giving handmade, eco-friendly gifts! Incorporating handmade production practices vs. factory-produced goods into your life significantly cuts down on your carbon footprint.  Many products offered are made from recycled newspapers or repurposed fabric. The fabrics use natural fibers and the jewelry uses naturally fallen seeds.  All items are fair trade.

Green yoga is good yoga! Living kindly and reducing our earthly footprint is part of the yogic principle Ahimsa. When you give eco friendly yoga goodies, you’re gifting a happy, healthy planet in addition to surprising someone with delightful (and useful!) wares.

Krochet Kids International is a non-profit organization who sells warm hats, cute accessories, and trendy t-shirts for all the loved ones on your Christmas list. Their hats are hand made by women in Northern Uganda and Peru, with all proceeds returning back to the woman, her family, and her community. Their values are simple:

People: We desire holistic freedom for our people to grow and enrich their lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Our Product: We believe in quality, handmade products that not only bring comfort and style but serve as a vehicle for social change.
Love: We believe actions rooted in love bring lasting and powerful change. Our model for love is that of the ultimate servant: Jesus.
(blurb put together by the lovely M)

Happy shopping, and remember - you vote with your dollars!

Blogger templates

Proudly powered by Blogger
Theme: Esquire by Matthew Buchanan.
Converted by LiteThemes.com.