Monday, December 31, 2012

A Vintage New Year's Eve...


new years eve 2013 my fair vanity style blog

Happy New Year, my fair friends! We spent New Year's Eve out at Cause: the Philanthropub, and I wore wore a vintage clutch from Etsy (see more like it HERE) with a lightly used metal cuff and leather jacket from Secondi. But here is my biggest question:

What did YOU wear on NYE? I'll bet each and every one of you had a fair element to your  ensemble. I would love to see what you put together, so I'm doing a little style round-up on Fair Vanity this week.  

Here's how to enter:
  1. Tweet or Instagram your look
  2. Tag it #myfairNYE and mention @fairvanitydc
  3. Tell me what's so fair about it: Vintage ring? Made in the USA dress? Reusing with Rent-the-Runway? Wearing a handmade bracelet from Etsy?
If you're reading this on your couch on New Year's Day in recovery mode, fear not! I'm not posting the round-up right away, so you still have time to enter.


new-years-eve-rachel-mlinarchik-my-fair-vanity-4

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Cuffs and Earrings and Bracelets, Oh My!



DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA

DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA


A little while ago, I got all bundled up to hit up the downtown holiday market on its very last night, and I'm SO glad I did! I discovered three new, fair accessory resources. and although all three are made by locals in DC, Maryland or Virginia, all three are also accessible via the interwebs.

My first discovery was Poppishop by Dawn Benedetto. Her earrings and bangles made of vintage lucite are like little bits of candy awesomeness, and you can watch her in action at Alexandria's Torpedo Factory Art Center. Dawn let me know that she doesn't keep the bracelets and earrings on display there, but if you contact her, I'm sure she would be happy to help you purchase one or many.

holiday market poppi made in USA resin earrings 2

holiday market poppi made in USA resin earrings 4

DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA, vintage lucite


Next up is Booda Boutique.  I love love love these fair trade cuffs and bags, and so does Rihanna. I also loved the pop top bags, which are made of hundreds of recycled soda can tabs that have been filed down by hand and tied together to make stylin' clutches, messenger-style bags, and more.

Holiday Market

DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA

DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA


DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA, my fair vanity


DC Holiday Market, dc handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA, my fair vanity


This last jeweler is an artist you've seen before here on Fair Vanity, with one difference: he's finally online! I'm happy to announce the recent opening of Alitas Jewelry on Etsy, which features the incredible craftsmanship and unique designs of David Conroy.  All of his edgy, industrial pieces are made by hand by David from stainless steel hardware, and they are all super cool. I'm proud to say that thanks to Santa, I now have three of his rings in my collection, and I've got my eye on a beautiful asymmetric necklace for next year (pictured below)...

DC Holiday Market, booda boutique, handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA, my fair vanit

DC Holiday Market, booda boutique, handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA, my fair vanit

DC Holiday Market, booda boutique, handmade jewelry, style blog, fair trade, made in USA, my fair vanity

Holiday Market


Last but certainly not least is Sharpshirter, whose hilarious shirts are not only clever, but are printed in the US exclusively on sweatshop-free American Apparel clothing. I'm still regretting my decision to leave without this badassical Dorothy sweatshirt.

sharpshirter, made in USA, wizard of oz, style blog





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Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas {Eve} from Fair Vanity!



christmas-eve

Merry Christmas Eve, my fair friends! As you can see, I just learned how to make animated GIFs, and I'm pretty excited about it. 

I'm also pretty excited about the holidays, hence my personal version of wearing Christmas colors. Olives and wine go together in any form, right? Right. 

I will put together a "get the look {fairly}" for this one soon, but for now I just wanted to say Happy Holidays to all of you, and thank you for reading!

xoxoxo

christmas eve colors 3

christmas eve colors 4

christmas eve colors 5

Sunday, December 23, 2012

A {Fair} Guide to Chocolate at Whole Foods


salazon fair trade chocolate



You are in luck, my fair friends, because I'm pretty sure my husband has discovered THE GREATEST CHOCOLATE IN THE WORLD.

And you can buy it at Whole Foods.

Made in Eldersburg, Maryland, Salazon chocolate is fair trade, organic, and Rainforest Alliance certified. Its makers have created the ultimate chocolate trifecta of sea salt, organic coffee, and dark chocolate.

Since discovering this chocolate, we have become addicted to the stuff. And so far, everyone I have shared it with (friends, colleagues, family), have agreed it is The Bomb.

And as you know, chocolate is the perfect gift because it works for those you know, those you're not sure of, women and men, young and old. It's perfect for stockings and makes a great hostess gift, and with Salazon, you can't lose.  


theo fair trade chocolate

Now, all of that raving is not to take away from the delicious chocolate being made by another local hero, Theo. Their chocolate is also organic, fair trade and made in the USA, but I think this excerpt from their mission says it all:

"We think about every choice we make, every action we take and how it will impact our interconnected world."

They've got the goods to back up all of that kindness and fairness, too. All of their chocolates are smooth and creamy, their salted almond bar is delish, and they've got a lovely Nutcracker-themed bar available right now at Whole Foods and at Teaism.

They've also partnered with Ben Affleck and the Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) to launch a new chocolate bar series that’s helping Congolese farmers cultivate a brighter future. Theo ECI bars are rolling out at Whole Foods stores nationwide and are available in their online shop now. A portion of proceeds will be donated to ECI, with the potential to positively impact more than 20,000 people living in Eastern Congo.


sweet riot and justins organic peanut butter cups


Sweet Riot dark chocolate-covered cocoa nibs are another great treat. I munch the ones with espresso all day long at work (because dark chocolate is the healthiest way to get caffeine, obviously). They're also fair trade and come in a reusable tin. I keep bobby pins and laundry quarters in one of my old tins.

Last but not least, we have Justin's Organic Peanut Butter cups. Made from organic, fair trade dark chocolate and peanut butter, these babies are sooooo gooood. And yes, milk chocolate lovers, they come in mil-- or as I call it, "watered down"--chocolate as well. What's more, Justin's is a thoughtful, conscientious company that considers not just its ingredients, but its environmental footprint as well.

There are plenty more fair trade and organic chocolates available at Whole Foods, but these are my favorites in taste, texture, and good intentions. Hope you like!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Down to the Wire: Last Minute Gift Ideas

OK people, we're down to the wire. If you're looking for last minute gift options that are fair and kind, you've come to the right place. Whether you want to order online and make sure that gift arrives by December 24th or you're currently running around downtown DC in a panic, there are plenty of options, so take a deep breath....and shop. :)



last minute christmas gifts


L to R: The Complete Works of Charles Dickens (collectible Penguin editions); made in the USA scented Voluspa candle; made in the USA Christmas socks; Organic coffee

Amazon:
There is still time to purchase made in the USA, fair trade, organic goodness from Amazon and have it delivered by December 24. All of the options above are available right now and can ship via Amazon Prime.

Gift Cards
Even if they are only available via e-mail at this point, you can print one out and put it in a holiday card or stuff it in a stocking. I strongly recommend purchasing one from Of a Kind.

Of A Kind
All of the tightly edited, limited edition lines they carry are made with careful attention to sustainability and produced here in the USA, and they carry a variety of stylin' option for both men and women. And folks, buying made in the USA is one of the kindest things you can do. When you make that choice, you are single-handedly:
  • Supporting American jobs
  • Creating demand for the skill and traditions of American artisans 
  • Maintaining a small carbon footprint
  • Gauranteeing your item is free of child labor
This behind-the-scenes video on how Lizzie Fortunato jewelry is made paints the picture better than I can-- it's 100% worth watching to the end, but beware: I am now obsessed with their line.





If you are lucky enough to be in the DC area, you have SO MANY options:



Proper Topper
Aside from their loverly hats, this place carries all manner of locally made, made in the USA, and fair trade gift items. From cashmere-wool socks to handmade ornaments to upcycled vintage jewelry, they truly do have it all. Bonus: everyone who works in the store is immensely helpful and can probably help you find something for anyone on your list. When I say everything, I mean it: books, candles, home decor...I could go on.

propper topper fair vanity 2
Proper Topper

Secondi
Incredible collection of lightly used designer and vintage scarves, sunglasses, jewelry, and bags. All women love these things-- you can't go wrong.

Teaism
This little tea shop is an oft-overlooked gift treasure trove. High-quality tea makes a great gift, but Teaism also has a great selection of gourmet chocolate, hot chocolates, brownie mixes and even a chocolate chip bacon pancake mix by Vosges. They also have beautiful tea accessories and traditional Japanese teapots for sale at many locations. Last but not least, a bag of their ginormous salted oat cookies would make anyone very, very happy.

Whole Foods (candy aisle)
Whole Foods has one of the best selections of fair trade chocolate I have ever seen, and many of the brands they carry are made in the USA as well. A really nice bar of chocolate or a selection of several is going to make anyone happy, man or woman, young or old. *****Stay tuned tomorrow for my guide to the best in fair trade chocolate.


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Sunday, December 16, 2012

A Look Back at Fall and Summer 2012


bon voyage ootd oxblood in egypt rachel mlinarchik fair vanity fall trends GALLERY get the look
barbour fall colors fair vanity ootd birds fall colors leather skirt fair vanity raincoat fall colors leather skirt fair vanity
black leather fair vanity fair trade GALLERY hint of mint GALLERY fall 2012 Farmers market my fair vanity style blog GALLERY
georgetown Fashions Night Out Rachel mlinarchik Fair Vanity Fashion blog GALLERY American WOMAN MY FAIR VANITY GALLERY OOTD all access fashion my fair vanity OOTD rachel mlinarchik GALLERY


Now that it's cold outside, I thought we could take a look back at fall.

And, if you're lucky enough to be headed somewhere warm for your holiday vacation, check out my summer 2012 looks for some balmy, sunny and fair inspiration.



rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 3 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 8 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 6
rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 4 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 7 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 14
rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 9 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 11 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 12
rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 10 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 13 rachel mlinarchik my fair vanity fashion blog OOTD gallery 5



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