Meet Gift Guide Guest Curator Amy from the American-Made Guide to Life

The 2014 Holiday Edition of My Fair Gift Guide was a labor of love, and it would not have been possible without the contributions of my fellow eco-bloggers. In the coming weeks, I will be introducing you to some of the guest curators who contributed to the guide. First up: Amy!

Amy lives in New York City and writes about quality items made in the USA on her blog, The American-Made Guide to Life. She loves lip balm, her favorite pair of jeans, hot chocolate, Pilates, and math.

What are your three favorite items from your curated collection and why?
The Tradlands buffalo check plaid shirt is insanely cozy and the fit is perfect. My Bella cashmere socks get a lot of wear in the winter. They're luxurious, soft, and great for wearing with knee-high boots. But most of all, I love my shearling-lined Bean boots. They keep my feet dry and warm in snowy weather, are reasonably priced, and come with a lifetime warranty.

What is your (latest) favorite ethical brand/product and why? 
 Right now, I'm obsessed with everything from the Faribault Woolen Mill Co. They have gorgeous, well-made blankets, throws, scarves, and accessories. Their recent collection for Target is all priced under $100 without compromising that traditional Faribault feel. They also just launched a small collection of capes and vests that are just divine.

Do you have a go-to or signature holiday gift you like to give? 

I always give my family members a pair of socks and they now request it. The key is getting a pair that is a bit more luxurious or whimsical than the person would get for themselves. There are so many great options in terms of textiles, colors, and patterns.

You can check out all of Amy's American-made gift recommendations to keep warm this winter on pages 24-25 of the Gift Guide: Polar Vortex Prep! 

 

My Fair Gift Guide: Holiday 2014 Edition

I gave birth to two babies very recently, and both were late.

Translation: I am pleased to share that the Holiday 2014 edition of My Fair Gift Guide LIVES!

I invite you to peruse hundreds of green gift ideas for everyone on your list, curated by 12 of the kindest, most thoughtful eco-tastemakers I know. This year's guide would not have been possible without the women behind:

AARYNWEST.COM
AMERICANMADEGUIDETOLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM

BEADSANDBRASS.COM

CLUTCHEDKEY.COM

ECOCULT.COM

HEALTHFULLYEVERAFTER.CO

JAXANDJEWELS.COM

LETSBEFAIRBLOG.COM

SPADESANDSILK.COM

THEDISTILLERIST.COM

THEPURETHREAD.COM

THETORTOISEANDLADYGREY.COM

USALOVELIST.COM

Stay tuned in the coming days and weeks to get up close and personal with a few of these fabulous guest curators, and to see even more last minute, ethical gift ideas for them and for you. 

In the meantime, sit down with a cup of hot cocoa, coffee or tea, get comfortable, and click through to peruse 36 pages of ethical items you'll love. Discover new brands, new blogs, and new online retailers who are churning out thoughtful content and products just for you. Shop for him, for her,  or for you, and above all, shop sustainably.  

Follow me on Pinterest for more Ethical Gift Ideas!

 




 

Heidi Merrick: Ethical Summer Style Made Locally in Los Angeles

Heidi Merrick's summer 2014 collection is the jam. Breezy dresses, scads of white cotton blouses, chic nautical stripes-- it has everything you want for the season, and it's all designed, cut, and sewn in her Los Angeles studio "or within walking distance," according to her site. That is some super local Cali cool, yes?

You can shop Heidi Merrick directly from her site, or from Shopbop for free shipping. I've put together a few of my favorites from the summer collection, along with a few sale items from this past spring mixed in-- don't miss the deeply discounted boxy cashmere t-shirt! 

Use the arrows on the right and left to scroll through, and hover over the item for more info. :)

Follow me on Pinterest for more fair trade, made in the USA, and otherwise sustainably-made summer options!

Cyber Monday Deals from My Favorite Eco-Friendly Apparel Brands

Bow and Drape
Bow and Drape create timeless staple pieces with fully customizable fabrics and details. The silhouettes and are classic and flattering, and I have my eye on so many pieces that it was hard to choose just a few to showcase in the image above. If you do find something you want, remember that in just 14 days, your garment will be made-to-order in New York and shipped to your doorstep (in plenty of time for Christmas if you order now).

Discount:
All day on Monday, enter special code CYBERMONDAY30 for 30% off and a $30 gift card w/ purchase! 




Amour Vert
Amour Vert employs a zero-waste design philosophy and uses only organic and sustainable fabrics along with low impact dyes to make their clothing here in the U.S. Additionally, for every purchase of an Amour Vert t-shirt, they plant a tree in partnership with American Forests.

Discount:
Take 30% off site-wide through Monday with code THX30, and be on the lookout for extra discount codes hidden throughout their site. UPDATE: Take 40% off all items with code CYBER40 !

The Reformation
Reformation is an environmentally sustainable fashion brand that repurposes vintage and surplus
materials to create chic, limited edition collections. Each collection is made locally in their New York and Los Angeles studios, and sold directly to their own stores.

Discount:
Take 30% off all purchases with code WHOOP through Monday and shop even deeper discounts in their sale section.


For 175+ more ethical holiday gift ideas, check out My Fair Gift Guide: 

An Ethical Alternative to Black Friday: 175+ Green Gift Ideas from My Fair Vanity

As you mentally prepare yourself for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I offer you a tasteful and ethical alternative: a catalog chock-full of eco-friendly, made in America, and fair trade gift ideas that will empower and inspire you to make thoughtful gift choices for all of the loved ones on your list.

Settle in with a cup of tea or a mug of cocoa and see what you find-- you may discover a few surprises, especially since I've enlisted the help of a few of my favorite green lifestyle bloggers to help me curate the coolest and kindest gifts around!

Alden from Ecocult put together a collection of covetable gifts that are 100% made in New York. Dominique from Let's Be Fair has golden, sparkly treasures from afar, and Juliette from spades + siLK will share her uber-cool knowledge of all of the hippest, newest sustainable designers. Yoga teacher and blogger Carissa Ciuca curates for the yogi in your life, and surface designer Aaryn West has enough patterns and colors to keep even the most eclectic person on your list intrigued and impressed with your artsy street savvy.

Happy shopping, happy holidays, and happy thanksgiving! It's such a pleasure to write and post about sustainable style for you here on My Fair Vanity each week, and I hope you'll accept this guide as my small way of saying thank you so much for reading. If you find it helpful, I hope you'll choose to share it with friends and loved ones, so that this year, they can join you in giving on-trend, stylish gifts that are kind to the earth and the people on it.

With gratitude and love,

Rachel

Baby it's Cold Outside

The temperature is dropping and I'm starting to live in my cashmere beanie, which is the perfect frame for my new earrings. This snakeskin and sterling silver pair came to me courtesy of a small line called La Kaiser. Each piece is handcrafted here in the U.S., and at prices ranging from $60-$210, they make a great gift option for the holidays. What's more, a portion of La Kaiser's profits are donated to a scholarship foundation in Zimbabwe.



Below are a few of my favorite pieces-- I like how the designer mixes metals, prints and other precious stones to create simple, geometric pieces.

Nordstrom Half-Year Sale Round-up: coated denim, smoking slippers and more

Nordstrom is having their half-year sale, and I see a lot of investment pieecs,  staples and a few trendier items that should be on your radar. The coat is expensive (and beautiful--admit it!), but there are some steals in this round-up as well, such as dressy track pants by WAYF for $29 and a graphic houndstooth sweatshirt by Bobeau for $32.

Scroll on through, and shop with a clear conscience-- each selection is made in the USA :)


Psst....have you entered my bag giveaway yet? It's pretty sweet and you can submit extra entries once a day.

Punky-Goth-Sci-fi: It's a Thing, I Swear {Kelly Wearstler}

I found this badassical Kelly Wearstler top at Secondi, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was made in the USA. I was even more pleasantly surprised to learn that is the case for the vast majority of her edgy offerings, from clothing to accessories.



I'm not exactly sure how I would classify this shirt: punk? graphic? goth? sci-fi? It's sort of all of those things mashed up into one awesome mesh wonder, and when I tried it on, it just felt right.  It's appropriate for many of my dream occasions, such as dinner with my favorite sci-fi writer or drinks with Patrick Stewart. And one should always be prepared for dreams to come true, yes?

Below are some of my favorite made-in-the-USA pieces by Ms. Wearstler-- I really love her aesthetic, but of course I love her commitment to manufacturing here at home all the more.




Clockwise from top left: dress, earrings, bracelet, shirt, earrings

Photography by Victoria Corkhill.


And remember: you still have time to...

Linked up to DCinStyle.

Bailey Hat Company for J.Crew: The Perfect Fall Fedora?

Fall leaves are finally on the ground, so the time felt right for a new hat. This fabulous felt fedora is by Bailey Hat Company for J.Crew.  I was so pleased to discover this hat in a store where I wouldn't expect to find a single 'made in the USA' label, and I hope that J.Crew will to continue to add more American-made products to their special collections.



Bailey's hats have been made in the USA since their beginnings in 1921, and their decades of experience are clear in the simplicity, clean lines, and easy wearability of their products.



They got their start as a go-to milliner for Hollywood's elite in the 1920s: Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby and Gary Cooper were all fans, according to the J.Crew description. While I love the company's glamorous roots, what I love most about this hat is that inside notes it's packable and water repellent. I require a high level of hardiness from my hats, since I tend to wear them to death and bring them absolutely everywhere. 



I kept things simple with this outfit and left most of my jewelry at home, but I had to add my favorite rings to toughen things up.  Both rings are stainless steel and handmade by my buddy David at Alitas Jewelry out of Baltimore, Maryland.

I've been a huge fan of his work since discovering it a street market in DC years and years ago, and was so happy to see him set up an Etsy shop. You should know, though, that his online shop represents only a tiny fraction of his full body of work, which you can see towards the bottom of this post from last Christmas.




Wearing: silk button down shirt (conventional); vintage Christian Dior skirt from Secondi; Reiss heels from Secondi, hat by Bailey for J.Crew.

Styling and photography by Victoria Corkhill. 

Linked up to IFB Project #121

Leopard = Clutch {Eco-friendly Accessories}

I finally took my Love, Cortnie clutch out for a spin and I love it! I actually won it at a charity event hosted by Eden of Garden of Glam and Meaghan of District Sparkle to benefit Safer Shores, an organization that works to reduce trauma and promote healing for children who are victims of abuse. The event was a huge success and raised a lot of money for a very important cause, and I'm so proud of these two ladies for pulling it off.

I can report that my new leopard clutch is roomy enough to fit my wallet, phone, some lipstick, and my "real" camera (I use a Lumix GH3). If you're in the market for a mid-size clutch, there are sooo many to choose from, in colors and patterns that would suit a variety of styles and preferences.

I also want to highlight the story behind the necklace I am wearing. Due to a chance meeting in her local grocery store, the company owner now works alongside women in her community who are recovering from experiences of addiction, trafficking, and prostitution. Together they make each piece by hand. Check out Miriam Designs to see more.

• Dress is made in the USA by Heather (old); Similar made in the USA by Helmut: Helmut Lang HERE
• Clutch is handmade in the USA by Love, Cortnie
•  Shoes are fair trade and handmade by Pikolinos
•  Turquoise necklace is handmade in Tennesse by Miriam Designs

*This post has been submitted as part of IFB's Project #111

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