Category Archives: Ethical

June 29, 2014 · 9:26 pm

Remixing my clothes

My mom just wrote about how she hangs onto her clothes for a long time and keeps things in rotation. I have to admit: I do the same thing. I’ve had some clothes for 10 or 15 years.

Unlike mom though, I do have a steady stream of clothes that leave my place too. I buy/trade clothing on a regular basis, but I also donate pieces I don’t wear to clothing exchanges so others can enjoy them.

Jacket: Guess via swapped
Top: Swapped
Sunglasses: Old Navy
Pants: Macy’s
Shoes: Payless
Bag: Alchemy Goods

This look reuses my asymmetrical striped top and red wedges. I wore both pieces with a different pair of khaki capris last year.

These cuffed pants have been on the blog since I started it. I just keep coming back to them. Today, I added a denim jacket (cool breezes be damned!). I’m also carrying my recycled tire bag from Alchemy Goods. And, my newest tattoo is peeking out!

It makes sense that wardrobe staples like khaki pants, a striped shirt, or a denim jacket stay in rotation. Those types of items are worth splurging on (even though, in this case, I got them free or cheap). A crazy trend, like my red shoes, I wouldn’t spend a lot on–I might tire of them sooner than the “classic” pieces.

What pieces to you keep turning to and wearing again and again?

I’m joining Visible Monday and Monday Bloom for a link up today. See what all the others are wearing!

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Filed under Ethical, Fashion

Tagged as denim jacket, fashion, jacket, stripes, style, thrifty fashion

June 22, 2014 · 11:52 pm

Blazer and Handkerchief Top

Here’s a thrifty look that’s polished enough for work: A blazer and top with black skinny jeans and boots.

Blazer: Express via swapped
Top: Swapped
Jeans: Gap
Necklace: Gifted
Boots: Diba (from DSW)
Bag: Susan Nicole

I picked up the top and blazer at a clothing swap and paired them with my black skinny jeans and a pair of faux leather booties I recently bought.

The icing on the cake: This fantastic vegan leather bag by Susan Nicole. Can you believe I won it in a raffle? I wrote about the event (Farm Sanctuary’s Walk for Farm Animals) and blogged about the bag in a previous post, but I still can’t believe I won this! It’s very luxurious.

Blazers really pull an outfit together. They’re great with pants and skirts, and perfect for cool, air conditioned offices. I love them and I promise to wear them more often!

The top, which reminds me of a pattern you might see on a fancy scarf, matched really well with my crow necklace. My friend Cheryl (not Cheryl Crow–ha!) gave this to me and it’s a perfect piece for this outfit. Plus, I have two special crow friends who stop by for treats. They know I’m a fan!

Faux Suede Skinny Jeans

I few weeks ago, before the cherry blossoms blew away in the wind, I debuted my new, faux-suede skinny jeans.

Top: Old Navy
Pants: Swapped
Boots: Urban Outfitters
Scarf: Fred Meyer’s
Cuff: Etsy
Trench (below): Swapped

I picked these up at a clothing exchange earlier this year. They’re so soft and, well, suede-like. A great example of how you can get the look and feel without the actual skin. Plus, these are stretchy and machine-washable. You can’t say that about suede. I picked up the same brand and style in gray corduroy too. I don’t know who dumped these terrific pants, but thank you!

I paired my pants with a simple long-sleeved t-shirt and threw on a scarf. I like the subtle elephant pattern of this scarf.

Nothing says spring like a trench coat. I threw a patterned coat (also from an exchange) over my outfit. It color-coordinated and introduced another pattern, which I like.

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Filed under Ethical, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as fashion, scarf, style, thrifty fashion, trench coat, vegan

May 11, 2014 · 10:20 pm

A New Dress for Spring

I found this dress at a clothing exchange recently. It belonged to my friend, Kristin. I gravitate toward her castoffs and she often ends up with mine.

Dress: Swapped
Tights: Target
Boots: Groupon
Necklace: Herbivore Clothing

This seems like a great three-season dress. I like that it’s a faux wrap and has a built-in panel across the front so I don’t need to wear a cami with it. It’s perfect for work!

I wore it recently with tights and boots but I bet I can wear it with sandals too. Isn’t it odd that I found a pair of boots on Groupon? I usually think of them as a coupon site for two-for-one dinners, discounted massages and that sort of thing. Well, these are a nice faux leather, and they are comfortable and were a great price. I know I’ll have to replace my other tall brown boots soon so I jumped on these.

I thought brass would look good with the orange flowers behind the abstract pattern in this dress (and the buckles on my boots), so I wore my “vgn” (vegan) necklace form Herbivore Clothing.

Do you have any go-to seasonal transition pieces?

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Tagged as boots, dress, fashion, Herbivore Clothing, style, thrifty fashion, tights, vegan

April 19, 2014 · 4:17 pm

Patterned Pants

I love the comfort factor of pajama pants, but wouldn’t be caught dead in them outside the house. That’s why I love the loungewear as outerwear trend that popped up last summer.

Jacket: Lulu’s
Pants: Bébénoir
Tank: Swapped
Shoes: Beyond Skin
Necklace: Gifted

These are a soft, relaxed-fit pant, reminiscent of harem pants or lounge pants. With slippers and a smoking jacket, I’d rival Hugh Heffner for stylish boudoir clothes. But with ballet flats and an unstructured jacket, these are surprisingly appropriate for every day. I wore them to work and out to dinner.

To be clear, these are “outside pants.” I bought them at Bébénoir when I have in New York last summer. I was lucky to have this incredible gem of a boutique just around the corner of my Harlem condo, where I lived (and pretended to be a local) for 10 days.

I’d read about Bébénoir in a fashion magazine the week before I flew to NYC. I wanted to visit, but Harlem is a big place. I had no idea if it would be anywhere near my apartment. Imagine my luck when my taxi passed the shop, turned the corner, and dropped me off at my temporary digs.

I must have shopped there every other day. I took my parents along too, and my mom loved their clothes (in fact, she bought a pair too, which you can see in her Harlem blog post). Bébénoir has a wonderful–and affordable–selection of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories (and super friendly staff).

My Beyond Skin flats work really well with these pants. I got these as part of a Kickstarter. I donated toward their new line of shoes and received these. All vegan, ethically sourced, sweatshop-free, fair labor–and cute! If you haven’t checked out their site, do it now! I love their new spring line.

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Tagged as Bebenoir, Beyond Skin, fashion, pants, patterned pants, style, thrifty fashion, vegan

February 19, 2014 · 11:44 am

Head to Toe Gray

Today I’m wearing gray. Usually I like wearing color to contrast the gray Seattle winter but I don’t mind blending in sometimes. Call it camouflage for the Pacific Northwest.

Hat: Forever 21
Sweater: Wet Seal
Jeans: Sonas Denim
Flannel boots: Groupon

Every winter wardrobe needs a beanie (or toque, as we call them in Canada). I usually wear one to keep warm, but it’s a fun fashion item too. I ditched my jacket to show off the velvet skull on my shirt.

My jeans are from Sonas Denim and I got them as part of a Kickstarter campaign. Sonas was raising funds for their new line so in exchange for a donation, I got these. Sonas is a vegan-run company intent on keeping their environmental footprint small. They recycle everything (even scraps of denim), give 10% of profits to animal welfare groups, and have plans to fund an animal sanctuary.

When I contributed to the Kickstarter, I got to communicate with the founder himself, Gerry Kelly. I can’t say that happens very often!

I love my Sonas (I bought a second pair in black waxed cotton for a dressier, almost leather-look) so even on a gray, day, I’m happy–which is what Sonas means in Gaelic!

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Tagged as boots, fashion, jeans, skinny jeans, skull, Sonas Denim, style, vegan

February 12, 2014 · 11:54 pm

My Vaute Couture Traveler Coat

It’s rare that I double down on shopping, but when my Vaute Couture Emily coat arrived in mail a couple of months ago, I tried it on, fell in love, and jumped on Vaute’s site so I could buy the other coat I’d been eying: The Traveler.

Coat: Vaute Couture
Skirt: Thrifted
Tights: Target
Boots: Cri de Coeur

I was initially drawn to the color of this coat (dolphin), and the great tagua nut buttons. I also knew that this was the type of coat I’d wear a lot in Seattle (not too warm, not too bulky, but cozy enough to protect me from chilly weather).

The Traveler is made in NYC from recycled materials, and it’s vegan. No down or wool in this baby!

Top: Express
Cuff: Swapped
Necklace: Fremont Sunday Market

What better to go with my new coat than my Cri de Coeur booties! These are leather free, fair trade, and I adore the subtle sheen. The soft gray shade goes with everything too.

To offset my investment pieces, I wore a top from the Express sale rack and a skirt I found at a thrift shop.

You can almost make out the new tattoo I have on my calf in this last picture. I’ll save the big reveal until after the color is added.

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Tagged as booties, Cri de Coeur, skirt, tights, Vaute Couture, Vaute Couture coat

February 7, 2014 · 9:32 pm

Color-blocked Eco Dress

When I went to Snohomish, WA a few months ago, hubby and I wandered the old town, grabbed drinks, and window shopped. My window shopping turned into the real deal when I found the Natural Clothing Company.

The store features a diverse range of styles and sizes (men’s and kids’ stuff too) with a common theme: organic, chemical-free clothing. The footprint of making the clothes is smaller, and the clothes themselves are healthier to wear. Not everything is vegan (wool was among the natural fibers), but I found lots of great pieces in cotton, hemp, linen, bamboo and even soy!

Dress: Natural Clothing Company
Pleather boots: MIA
Cardigan: Thrifted
Necklace: Shop in Ft. Lauderdale

As usual, I thought I’d just “try on” this wonderful organic cotton dress, but it fit so well and was really comfortable. It’s lined and has pockets! So I did the economy a favor and picked it up.

I love the pop of red the sash provides, and the three neutrals give me lots of options for shoes and accessories. If I turn from left to right, you’ll think it’s a completely different dress!

If you’re ever meandering through Snohomish (it’s the type of town that you really need to meander through), take in the sights, grab a bite to eat, and check out the Natural Clothing Company. If you don’t get to Snohomish, don’t worry–they have an online shop too!

I’ve joined Lena B Actually and Rachel the Hat for Passion for Fashion. Check out what they (and everyone else) is wearing!

Moto Jacket and Pencil Skirt

I didn’t do a lot of post-Christmas shopping last month, but this quilted pleather motorcycle jacket was an exception.

Jacket: Aeropostale
Top: Marshall’s
Skirt: Forever 21
Tights: Roots Canada
Shoes: Old Navy
Purse: JC Penney
Necklace: Herbivore Clothing

I found the jacket in the clearance section at Aeropostale.com–and then I saw the site had an additional 40% off! That made this $100 jacket about $22.

It’s really soft, and completes my moto jacket collection. I have a velvet one and other variations, like pink, but until now, I hadn’t found the perfect faux Rebel Without a Cause version.

Today, I wore it with tights and a pencil skirt. Perfect for wine tasting and a live show, which is where hubby and I were off to.

A jacket like this is a classic, and I’ll be able to wear it with everything from jeans to dresses. What classic pieces do you have in your wardrobe? Anything missing?

I’m linking up with Fab Favorites, Love your Look and Passion for Fashion today. See what all the other bloggers are wearing!

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Filed under Ethical, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as fashion, faux leather, motorcycle jacket, pencil skirt, pleather, skirt, style, thrifty fashion, tights, vegan

December 23, 2013 · 10:06 pm

Animal Print and Faux Leather

I’ve remixed my leopard-print dress again. I can’t get enough of animal print! I’ve worn this in cooler weather and warmer days. This time, I wore my faux-leather-sleeved jacket and purple tights.

Dress: Ross Dress for Less
Jacket: Forever 21
Tights: Target
Booties: Old Navy
Bag: SNAP Designs

I’m a fan of booties and find these stacked-heel ones easy to walk in and funkier than a pump. But they still add the height that my flat boots couldn’t give me. If I’d have known how much use I’d give these, I’d have bought a back-up pair. I’m not sure how much life these have left. I love them though! The faux suede hasn’t faded or scuffed, and they’ve kept their shape.

As usual, I had to sneak a pop of color in somewhere. In addition to my muted purple tights, I have my bright SNAP bag. It’s vinyl and is wipeable, so I can keep it clean despite the light/bright shade.

I’m joining Monday Bloom today. Check out what the others are wearing!