3 Ways to {Fairly} Rock This 4th of July

1. Fair Kicks
Clockwise from top left: Navy striped flat by and high heel, red thong sandal, all by Olsenhaus, vegan and made in the USA; Red laser-cut sandal by GoMax vegan, available HERE; White high-top by Ethletic, fair trade and organic materials used, available HERE; Blue heels, vintage, available in the USA from vintage303 on Etsy

This 4th of July BBQ was Made in the USA

Let's celebrate this 4th of July by buying good 'ole Made in the USA. Thanks to the magic of Etsy, you can grab all of these handmade and/or vintage goodies for your own BBQ or give one item as a hostess gift. Many of these sellers have rush orders available, so it's not too late. See where to buy after the jump.

O CapFABB, How I Heart Thee

As you know, I'm 100% a newbie blogger, but I put on my big girl pants and ventured solo to the Capitol Area Fashion and Beauty Bloggers meet up last night...and it was wonderful! My nerves were all for nothin and I'm so glad I discovered this kind, welcoming, and super cool crowd.

Cap FABB Co-founder Liz of So Much to Smile About was the hostess with the mostest, and she has some lovely pix of the evening up on her blog right now-- go see! There is one of yours truly with my new friend Krista, one of the three uber cool ladies who write a music blog called This is Our Jam. How cool is that?

Black and Gold

Embracing Neon

Seattle Locks

Hot on a Yacht

You say tomato, I say delicious

Hot Town, Summer in the City

Today, I bring you this lovely, versatile cotton dress by Komodo, styled for day and for night.  Clearly I'm still on a bit of NOLA kick, but who wouldn't be after eating so much good food and seeing so many pretty colors? I promise this won't turn into a blog about New Orleans...I totally pinky swear with you, right now.

Happy Friday! 

Black cotton dress by Komodo. Clockwise from top right: Hat by Pachacuti, Sunglasses by Tom's, Aqua and brass bangle from Global Goods Partners, Tote by Matt and Nat, Strappy gladiator-style sandal by Neuaura, Black high-heel sandals by Olsenhaus: Pure Vegan, Gold bangles from Cred Jewelry , Envelope-style clutch by Matt and Nat, Gold and leather necklace by ReLuxe, Drop earrings by Kris Nations

Candy Land

I recently took a trip to New Orleans and it was AMAZING! I couldn't get enough of the candy-colored houses and I drove my husband crazy by stopping every five seconds to take pictures. So of course, NOLA is my current stylespiration-- I've been wearing bright yellow pants and a straw hat pretty much every day for a week straight, people. And right now I'm in love with this silky shirt from Komodo, with all its pretty pastels.

I styled it for a NOLA day of beignets at Cafe du Monde, a trip to the Insectarium and drinks at Tonique. We've only just met, but you will soon learn that I am kind of weird and nerdy (love for insectariums) and I am not the biggest fan of "sensible" shoes (giant platforms for a day of walking).

1. Top by Komodo 

2. Jeans by monkeygenes

3. Hat by Pachacuti

4. Sunnies by Retrosun (vintage Gucci, available on net-a-porter)

5. Earrings by Ten Thousand Villages

6. Bracelet by Kris Nations

7. Bag by American Apparel

8. Vegan Shoes by Chinese Laundry

P.S. Do you see that pretty hat? Wearing a hat on sunny days is like eating all your vegetables and drinking enough water, only fun! It's summer, and this is your time to rock a hat. Your skin will thank you. If you don't own one, I promise there is one out there waiting for you...In fact, be on the look-out for a post in the next few weeks dedicated entirely to fabulous hats and the fair trade wonder that is Pachacuti.