Drifting Under Candy-Colored Skies {Istanbul Travel Diary}

WEARING: Paige white denim jeans, made in the USA; Alternative Apparel tank (SIMILAR); Serengeti Sunglasses; secondhand bag from Secondi.




The Hagia Sofia




When traveling-- and especially when traveling pregnant--comfort is key. With my increasing focus on finding ways to make gym clothes look intentional and stylish, I've found that color can also be key.

By packing a LOT of white, I could switch up any outfit with little pops of citrus or blue here and there, as I did on this day, when we visited the cool caverns of the Basilica Cistern and the sunny public square between the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque.

I'm wearing my favorite American-made Paige denim jeans, a super soft tank from ethical brand Alternative Apparel, and a conventional sports bra in hot pink.  The credit for this color combo, though, goes not to the sights and sounds of Istanbul but to the citrus-y, psychedelic hues of my friend Aaryn West's designs. She has a rockin' Society6 store and recently added duvets to the items you can acquire in her trippy prints, which I have been ogling since their release-- I strongly recommend checking 'em out! 

Shop the look (fairly):

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

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.



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).


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:

Sustainable Style: Vintage Levis, Polished Blazer {#StyledbyShellBCheri}

Just a few short weeks ago, stylist and blogger Shell B Cheri* waltzed into my apartment to give me a little closet refresh, and I'm so glad that she did. I was participating in a project she was working on with several other bloggers, in which we each chose an item from our closets that we loved but rarely wore so that she could help us style it.

But you guys, she did so much more. For my difficult-to-style items, I had chosen a well-cut creme blazer given to me as a Christmas gift by one of my bestest friends, as well as a vintage beaded bag that I'd worn for New Year's and never really picked up again. I loved them both but was intimidated by the creme and wanted a more casual way to wear a beaded bag during the day.



Well, Ms. Cheri dove into my closet and after pulling out almost everything I owned (ok maybe half), she unearthed a completely unexpected item: a pair of beat-up vintage Levis that had been my father's. I'd worn them in 9th grade with combat boots (yuuuuup), but simply carried them with me ever since then, unable to bring myself to donate them or sell them, but not actually wearing them.

Since my father passed away in 2004, I've held on tightly to the little pieces of him that I have: his old t-shirts, or his 70s jeans that I loved to wear in jr. high.   When Shelby whipped out these jeans from the depths of my jeans pile, she was shocked that I never wore them, and I was just so, so happy to see them, and a little teary.



When I wore my rad new outfit to the group photo-shoot at Malmaison in Georgetown, several fellow bloggers asked if I had destroyed/distressed the jeans myself or if they "came that way." When I explained that they were my father's, and that he had so artfully "distressed" them by mowing the grass, changing the car battery, and doing various other outside chores in them, I laughed to myself (and at myself) for not realizing what a gem had hiding in my closet! Move over boyfriend jeans, these are Dad Jeans, and they are AUTHENTIC.

There really is nothing like having someone else help you to shop your closet. Aside from the fact that getting more wear and re-styling the clothes you already own is much more eco-friendly than buying new ones, it's super fun, economical, and inspiring. If you have a friend whose style you admire, ask him/her to come over one day for a glass of wine and some style advice. Just as Shelby had us do, pick a few items that you can't let go of but also don't really wear, and let the magic happen.

STYLING by Shell B Cheri  /  PHOTOGRAPHY by Ashley Lettich  / WEARING vintage Levis, bag, gifted blazer, and eco-friendly white t-shirt by Alternative Apparel.

*To see more of Shell B Cheri's handiwork, check out #styledbyshellbcheri on Twitter and IG.

Workin 9 to 5

One of the greenest things you can do is stock up on basics and neutrals: nude, grey, black. When you buy something in any of these colors, from blouses to skirts to bracelets, you can rest assured they will work throughout all four seasons and never go out of style.

Bonus: wearing neutrals gives you an excuse to wear red lipstick. Not that you ever need an excuse.

The mauve shoes, Alternative Apparel shirt, both black cuffs, and the vintage pearl clutch were all purchased second-hand from Secondi. The lipstick is by Radiant Cosmetics, a very kind company that donates a portion of its profits to fight human trafficking.


P.S. I was so pleased to see IFB's project this week: What Does Sustainable Style Mean to You? While that's a topic I explore with each and every post here on My Fair Vanity, I encourage you to submit your own ideas to IFB! :)

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Get the Look {fairly}: Capitol Movement Freedom Tour

One more of those stylin' Capitol Movement boys (this one is from Munich)

It's been really neat to see how everyone has interpreted our "all black all the time" uniform for travel during #freedomtour. Everyone has their own style, but the one consistent feature is a great leather jacket, which works for several climates and always looks pulled together, whether dressed up or down.

I love this vintage one from Etsy so much that I am hesitant to share, but I love you more, dear readers, and it is my gift to you.

Clockwise from right to left:

• Leggings are made in the USA from American Apparel.
• Earrings are handcrafted from locally sourced leather by marginalized women in Northern India. Proceeds from this collection go to fund literacy programs for the women artisans and their children in the community.
• T-shirt dress is made from modal, a sustainable fibre. The materials are biodegradable, free from chemicals, and on sale now!
• Jacket is vintage 70s era black leather, available on Etsy
• Three-quarters sleeve shirt is made of 100% recycled materials by Alternative Apparel
• Black and white patterned bag is made and dyed by community groups in Nepal, giving them a fair trade income
• Zipper bracelet made in Los Angeles from Reclaimed Brass & Fabric Cord
• Backpack is 100% recycled nylon, 100% vegan. I wish I bought this one for tour. It has a laptop pocket and everything.
• Vegan boots are and made in a factory which complies to eco standards in recycling and non-use of toxic chemicals, by Neuaura

Photography of Rachel is by Crishon Landers

A note on Capitol Movement: we are a non-profit dance company with a focus on making dance affordable and accessible to low-income youth in the DC area. Capitol Movement provides scholarship and outreach programming in partnership with DC Public Schools, while also maintaining both a pre-professional youth company and an adult company (some, like moi, are touring internationally right now!).  Though you can't see us on tour, you CAN support our youth programming by coming to see Movement of the People, an AMAZING show put on by our under-18 company. There will be hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, tap...something for everyone, and extremely talented dancers.

Lastly, to everyone on the East Coast at home-- our thoughts are with you and your loved ones. I hope you have found high ground, power, and water. Here is one resource for emergency information that can still be used even if you have no power: http://blog.twitter.com/2012/10/hurricane-sandy-resources-on-twitter.html

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An Ode to the Classic White Tee

There are infinite ways to wear a white t-shirt, but I've limited this post to three different looks that I'd like to try this fall. The first look incorporates the abstract graphic prints we've seen coming down the runways for the last few seasons with a stunning African print pencil skirt. An edgey cuff and earrings complete the look.
 

• White t-shirt (used throughout) is made using fair labor standards
• Earrings are fair trade and made sustainably from discarded camel bone.
• Pencil skirt is fair trade
• Cuff is fair trade and made from recycled brass
• Booties are vegan

This next look is my version of polished (with an edge).  The necklace and shoes guarantee you'll look prim and proper in spite of the lipstick red jeans, especially if you button up the blazer. Add a statement ring and you're good to go.

• Necklace is vintage from Etsy and only seven bucks!
• Ring is handmade of sustainable materials using fair labor from East Africa.
• Jeans are made in the USA
• Blazer is made in the USA

No prepster (prep + hipster?) should ever be without their trusty white t-shirt, right? This last look is inspired by the floral embroidered pieces I keep seeing from Balmain, Dolce + Gabbanna, and many others this season. In keeping with my promise, I can't link to examples because none of them incorporate the fair elements of style, but those awesome shoes are 100% vegan and much more affordable, anyway.

• Wolf ring is made of recycled gold in the USA
• Blazer is vintage from Etsy
• Necklace is fair trade and made of recycled brass
• Trousers are made in the USA
• Hat is fair trade by Pachacuti
• Shoes are vegan 

What's your favorite way to wear a white t-shirt? 

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American Woman

Is there anything more American than a white t-shirt and blue jeans?