Georgetown Strolls, Patent Oxfords, and Fall Transitions

I took a stroll to Georgetown this past weekend with two of my best friends, and one was a pair of shoes (similar here, and on sale). Despite the super warm weather, I have had these puppies on repeat for a month straight and can see no end in sight.

Last week, I promised to tell you more about Attilio Giusti Leombruni (AGL) shoes. Featuring them here represents a small change in the "rules" of My Fair Vanity, and it's one that I've been considering for some time.

All AGL shoes are manufactured in Italy and for three generations, the business has been a family affair. Although I prefer to feature brands that are made in the USA or fair trade, I strongly believe that choosing goods with high quality construction that are sourced from a country with fair labor laws can also be a sustainable consumer choice. When you buy a pair of shoes that are made to last decades or even a lifetime, you're guaranteeing your purchase won't end up in a landfill after a brief stint at the thrift store, as cheaply made pieces from fast fashion chains so often do.

From the moment I slipped these shoes on in the store, I could tell they were impeccably constructed, and like my Pikolinos sandals, these shoes haven't given me one single blister or red mark no matter how long I wear them. Instead, they feel like I've been wearing them for years, and I love knowing I can easily wear them through fall and winter. While I've paired them with a soft pink linen t-shirt and white jeans here, I can't wait to pair them with camel trousers and cream sweaters when colder days roll in.







Below, you can shop my favorite Attilio Giusti Leombruni (AGL) oxfords and smoking slippers for fall from Nordstrom:

Photography by Victoria Corkhill, who I'm very glad to have back from her round-the-world summer excursions!

Don't forget: you can shop all of my favorite, fair items 

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Mode Marteau {Luxury Vintage Consignment}

I've mentioned Mode Marteau here on the blog before in a "three wishes" post, but with each new season, owner Ariana Boussard-Reifel surprises and delights me all the more with her sharp editorial eye and quirky tastes.

Her site is my go-to resource for luxury-quality vintage and designer items with a certain je ne sais quois. Ariana has a collector's taste that shines through in each piece she offers. What's more, she implements sustainable practices in many aspects of her business, from credit-union banking to recycled packaging. 

When a new Mode Marteau lookbook appeared in my inbox, I knew I had to share it with you all as soon as possible. Shot in Montana with a Go West theme, the looks Ariana has styled are pitch perfect for fall transitions and the photography is simply stunning. I've put together some of my favorites below, including some beautiful Frye boots and an Hermes scarf, and you can shop the full collection here.

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Introducing Ace & Jig: One Dress, Two Ways {Fall Transitions}

I'm pleased to introduce you to a fair and kind company introduced to me by my uber-cool sister-in-law, Jen. She lives in Portlandia with all the cool kids, and she always seems to know about the newest eco-fabulous happenings. Her recommendation of Ace & Jig was no exception: by their second season, they were carried in Opening Ceremony...in Japan. In my book, there are very few things hipper or cooler than that.

Their ethics are on point, too. While their super-soft, custom-woven fabrics travel all the way from India, they come by way of a small factory owned by a man who 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 he collects (!). When Ace & Jig co-founders Cary Vaughan and Jenna Wilson   met him, they were jazzed about his "ancient" hand loom and their shared love of recycling.

Ace & Jig aim for a style that isn't trendy or overwrought, but is instead timeless and simple; pieces you can love for a lifetime, as they put it. Plus, who doesn't love pockets on dresses? Find me this person.




If you're not feeling the hippie-dippy vibe of this dress, you can throw on a jacket and oxfords to balance the flower child with a little menswear. The look below is also a great way to transition flowy summer dresses for cooler fall days. While the jacket and oxfords look is definitely more my speed, I enjoyed styling it up in beads and bangles for this post!

• Jacket is made in the USA by Theory, similar available HERE
• shoes are made in Italy by AGL, similar HERE & HERE-- more on them soon, so stay tuned!
• Dress is fairly made in India by Ace & Jig, similar HERE and below (on sale!)

Scroll through to shop this look + a few other pieces from Ace & Jig that are available right now:

If you'd like to learn more about Ace & Jig, check out all of the Behind the Scenes features on Of a Kind, one of my favorite (fair and kind) online retailers, or visit their homepage to scope out their fall/winter 2013 collection (or the sneak preview below). Happy Shopping!

Don't forget: you can shop all of my favorite, fair items 

in my new store section!

Barbour for Life

Barbour may not be made in the USA, but they are made for life. There is nothing more fair than investment pieces that will last a lifetime, and a Barbour jacket is exactly that.

As long as you take good care of your jacket--getting it re-waxed when it needs it, for example--your Barbour coat will be functional and stylish for life. I recommend adding the hood accessory and the woolly lining for winter so that the coat can transition from fall to rainy slush to winter with ease.

I promise you that this post is not sponsored in any way by Barbour, I just think their coats are timeless and fair, especially the waxed canvas men's version that I'm wearing now.


 Photography by Victoria Corkhill

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Birds of a Feather

When Victoria and I came upon this little scene the other day, we couldn't help but snap a few pictures on our way to dinner.

This outfit is almost exclusively from Secondi, from the blouse to the pleather skirt to the shoes. I sincerely believe that Secondi is the best consignment store in DC. It's certainly my favorite. I always find something special there, and I feel like they give me a fair price for the pieces I consign.

The bag is vegan and the earrings were a gift from my friend Jeannie, who brought them back for me from her cross-country road trip. I love them so much that I styled the whole outfit around them. They're handmade in the USA-- she met the woman who made them--and I was so touched that she bought me "fair" jewelry on her trip. Thanks, Jeannie!


 Photography by Victoria Corkhill

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A Fresh, Minty Reminder

The fall style challenge & round-up deadline is looming, my fair friends. This is my fall color mood...what's yours?

My fair item is a bracelet made of sustainable materials by Mango Tree, and my inspiration is the Hint of Mint color mood board by Aaryn West (shown above).

Send me your outfit photo or style collage before midnight on Thursday, November 1st and you could be featured here on Fair Vanity (all entry details here, please read carefully).

Once you submit, don't forget to follow me on bloglovin' or like Fair Vanity on facebook to ensure you see when you're featured!

Photography by Victoria Corkhill. 

How 'bout them apples? {Dupont Circle Farmer's Market}

A Hint of Mint at The Smithsonian American Art Museum

One of my favorite museums in DC is the American Art Museum. First of all, it's like two in one because it's also the National Portrait Gallery. Secondly, it has a beautiful new courtyard thanks to the Kogod family, and too many exhibits to ever get through in one day.

It also happened to match my outfit on Saturday, which was inspired by pattern-playa Aaryn West. I love seeing her color mood boards pop up in my facebook feed each Monday morning, and I think many of my outfits have been unconsciously influenced by the pretty colors she puts together. So yesterday, I decided to make it official with an homage to Aaryn's Hint of Mint color mood.

Mint sometimes feels more spring or summery, but when you pair it with warm camel and browns, and creamy winter whites, it starts to move into the fall feeling, methinks.

Here's how to get today's look fairly:

• White bracelet is fair trade and made from palm leaves
• Woods bracelet is handmade using mango wood, which is sustainably grown.
• Pullover is made using organic and recycled threads by Alternative Apparel
• Jeans are made in the USA and ON SALE NOW by Current/Elliott
• Ballet flats are vegan
• Cardigan is Organic by John Patrick

All photography by Victoria Corkhill.
Linked up with Monday Bloom.