Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Fair Trade Summer Jumpsuit by Ace and Jig {Sustainable Summer Style}


Ace and Jig black onesie jumpsuit fair trade fashion
WEARING: Ace & Jig jumpsuit; Pikolinos Masaii Project sandals; Mango Tree Bangle (sustainably wood), old belt. PHOTOGRAPHY: my obliging husband SCENE: beach house in Nag's Head

I've recently acquired some summer staples that I know I'll be wearing again and again this season, and the first one is this jumpsuit by Ace & Jig.  With soft cotton weaves made fairly in their small factory in India, Ace & Jig are masters of easy, breezy patterns and cuts.

4 Ace and Jig black onesie jumpsuit fair trade fashion

Season after season, they churn out loosely cut, laid-back silhouettes that aspire to exist outside of current trends, made instead to be pieces that stay with you for life, and that's a goal that anyone who cares about the ethics behind fashion can get behind. Lucky for all of us, the brand has only grown in popularity with each passing year, are they are now on offer at retail heavy-hitters like Barney's, Shopbop, and Saks.

3 Ace and Jig black onesie jumpsuit fair trade fashion

Although they are not fair trade certified, Ace and Jig's fabrics come by way of a small factory in India whose proprietor not only provides free health and child care to his workers, but also offers them organically grown produce that has been nurtured by the recycled rainwater collected on the roof of the building.

2 Ace and Jig black onesie jumpsuit fair trade fashion

Don't be fooled by the appearance of a short trouser length on the models who wear this in the lookbook below-- I'm between 5'4'' and 5'5'' and had to belt it to achieve this length.

5 Ace and Jig black onesie jumpsuit fair trade fashion

The quality of the fabric is representative of all of their weaves, which always keep to the design duo's signature stripe motif, and to their high quality standards. Remember this riff on chambray, for example? It's thick enough to wear in winter, but breathable enough to throw on for breezy beach days.

7 Ace and Jig black onesie jumpsuit fair trade fashion

I love the open back for hot summer days, and love even more that even though the fabric is just slightly see-through, it's only a concern if you're out at night using flash photography. In other words, if you don't often experience paparazzi attacks, you have nothing the worry about re wardrobe malfunctions.

Shop this exact summer jumpsuit (in three colors), more Pikolinos sandals (made ethically in Spain), and a few more American-made onesie options below, using the arrows to scroll through:












Saturday, May 24, 2014

Sustainable Summer Style: Chilllin' out, Maxin', Relaxin'


6 maxi dress summer style

Though I may prefer minimalist and edgy in winter and fall, come summer, I am ready to tie my hair up in patterned scarves and slink around in flowing skirts. When I'm city-side, that means a leather or other structured jacket to hold me down to earth, but near any body of water, I just want to be free, free, free. :)

2 maxi dress summer style

3 maxi dress summer style

4  maxi dress summer style

5 maxi dress summer style

maxi dress summer style

The dress and jacket I'm wearing are second-hand, as is the belt, and the scarf and shoes were all purchases from long before I started this here blog, but below I've put together some made in the USA and fairly made maxi dresses and flowy skirts to help you get the look fairly:





















Friday, May 23, 2014

Just the Basics: White Dresses, Jeans and T-shirts for Summer {Made in the USA}




Get ready for summer with some basic whites, all made in the USA or sustainably made. You can click on the above images to shop the ones you see, which include some of my favorite American-made brands like Trina Turk, Paige Denim, and Bow & Drape, or check out even more options below:














Monday, May 5, 2014

Sustainable Style: White T-shirt, Black Jeans, Strappy Heels


10 strappy givenchy heels and black paige verdugo skinny jeans copy copy

Today's sustainable style post is one more in what may be a never-ending, lifetime ode to simplicity. A t-shirt and jeans is about as basic as it gets, and you can never go wrong with black and white-- does the creme blazer count as a pop of color? I say yes.

4 eco-friendly summer wardrobe staples

I love fancy heels, but my favorite way to wear them is with jeans, not a fancy dress. And if we're talking about paring down, owning less, and having more, this kind of outfit is one anyone can build from the clothes they already have.

We all have jeans, we all have t-shirts. Throw on your favorite heels and a blazer and you've gone from casual laying-around-the-house-wear to casual cool. The look works in a variety of settings in which you migtht want to look polished, overly formal: first date, dinner and drinks with friends, brunch, or movie night (heels are perfect for movies because you don't have to stand in them! #winning).

7 strappy givenchy heels and black paige verdugo skinny jeans
WEARING: Paige Verdugo Ultra Skinny Black Jeans aka THE MOST COMFORTABLE AND STRETCHY JEANS I HAVE EVER OWNED (made in the USA), Alternative Apparel Favorite T-shirt (see Alternative Apparel's commitment to sustainability and kindness HERE), secondhand Givenchy heels. PHOTOGRAPHY: My obliging husband

Throughout May, I will be working to build a collection of sustainable summer options to share with you. For now, here's how to get today's look fairly:













Friday, May 2, 2014

10 Eco-friendly and Ethical Mother's Day Gift Ideas

eco-friendly and ethical gifts for mothers day

Pamper Her
From handmade bath salts to artisanal sugars, give your mom the best of everything to make her feel her best!
  1. These handmade bath salts from Barr-Co are delicately scented, moisturizing, and have only five ingredients: salts, milk, oatmeal, vanilla and vetiver. They make your skin smell like heaven. 
  2. Antique silver, pewter, and Swarovski crystal earrings, made in the USA by Ben Amun.
  3. Strawberry Basil Black Pepper and cane sugar, and Raspberry Hibiscus Bolivian Rose Salt, all made by hand in NYC. These are a great gift for a gourmand mother, or a mom who loves to entertain.
  4. Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask is perfect for soothing dry skin from too much sun, or just as a hydrating pick-me-up. 
  5. Four rollerball scents in sliding tin case by sage + fasten. All products are made without sulphates, parabens, or synthetic dyes and are cruelty free. 


2 eco-friendly and ethical gifts for mothers day

Brighten Her Day
Floral silk pajamas and hand-painted slip-ons will bring cheer to any fun-loving mama.

  1. Handcrafted in Brooklyn, these all vegan, organic, fairly traded and kosher chocolate bars serve a greater purpose. For every purchase of this 8-piece set, 100-percent of profits go to animal rescue organizations.
  2. 100% silk pajama pants (and a top!), made in the USA by Maison du Soir. 
  3. Fair trade cosmetic bag/clutch from Connected Fair Trade.
  4. Four assorted Voluspa candles, made in the USA from coconut wax (cleaner burning than other waxes, even soy). My love for Voluspa will never, ever die.
  5. TOMS shoes, hand-painted by artists in Haiti under fair labor conditions. 



Shop the post:







You might also like...