Little Black Dress: Day to Night {Maternity Style}

Today I'm celebrating three things: 1) entering my third trimester (home stretch!),  2) the versatility and general awesomeness of the little black dress, and 3) most importantly, the return of Victoria, sister-friend and photographer extraordinaire! She has been traveling for six weeks straight and I don't know how I survived without her. Three cheers for the return of Victoria Corkhill!

WEARING:

• Made in the USA dress by American Twist, picked up at Nordstrom Rack for $39 because it stretched quite nicely over my belly. Only available now in coral, but such a great (and flattering) deal!
• Secondhand jacket from Secondi 
• Oxford shoes made to last in Italy by AGL (similar-ish?), a family-run company who has been using the same factory for three generations.

At 29 weeks along (translation: seven months prego), ain't no hidin' the bump! At this stage, I have found that stretchy-yet-substantial fabrics are my bestest friends, along with loose shift-style dresses.

A fellow preggers blogger, Haya from Good Good Gorgeous, remarked in a post that now, more than ever, she feels so much more comfortable wearing tight slinky dresses that really hug her curves, and I have to say I feel the same! I might never have worn something like this before, but for some reason, I feel more confident in silhouettes that really show my shape. 



To transition this look from "day at the office" to" night on the town," all I did was lose the jacket, add heels and throw on an enamel cuff. You may recall these strappy little sandals from when I wore them in the middle of January because they are amazing secondhand Givenchy heels, that's why!




Last, but certainly not least, here are 15 little black dresses that are all made in the USA, priced from $58 for this shift by Wayf all the way up to $1,495 for a more conservative take on the dress I'm wearing by Lela Rose.

Shop your eco-hearts out!

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.

Traveling in Sustainable Style {Concordia Eco Resort, Saint John, USVI}

With temperatures dropping, the holidays looming, and neither of us having had a real vacation in more than a year, my husband and I decided to take a week-long jaunt to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Although we didn't intend to be quite so off-the-grid (my apologies for the week without a post!), it was really nice to unplug and slow down. The highlight of of trip was, easily, our stay at Concordia Eco Resort on Saint John.



We opted for the eco-tents, and were pleasantly surprised to find that we'd been upgraded to the newer "premium" tents, which were built higher up on the windier side of hill. Concordia's layout is similar to Aqua Wellness Resort in Nicaragua, in that each unit is built into the natural landscape and all walkways are raised, so as not to disturb the delicate eco-system beneath our feet. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to properly write up and share the amazing eco-ness that is Aqua, but for now, we'll stick to my most recent sustainable sojourn.



Each morning and evening, I stood (or sat, or generally lounged) on our balcony and looked out at this unbelievable, unobstructed view of the southeastern edge of Saint John. There's a rocky beach to the left, and just over to the right is the calm, crystal clear Salt Pond Bay, accessible via a 15 minute walk through a nature trail (or a quick drive, if preferred).

This stunning view is what you're paying for in Concordia's nightly rates, which might at first seem a little high for "eco tents,"  but I have to say our stay was worth every single penny.




None of the eco-tents are air-conditioned, but as you can see, A/C was not necessary with the powerful winds that crossed from the rockier side of the island, only to be tamed by our little hill before they reached the calm waters of the Bay.



Each "tent" is really a small wooden cabin with a tented roof and zip-down, screened windows that give a near-panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. There's a gas stove, refrigerator, cookware, ample lighting, and a separate (private) bathroom with a solar-heated shower. In fact, each unit is powered by solar panels that sit just under the balcony (ours are shown below).



Beaches are my jam, so our first stop was Salt Pond Bay, which has excellent snorkeling and crystal clear water (as do pretty much all of the beaches and bays on Saint John, to be fair). The nature trail from the Concordia property was easy enough in flip-flops and takes you past some old ruins and ginormous cactus plants, which dot all parts of the island.



From the beach, there are further trails that take you past the local flora and fauna and out to yet another stunning, panoramic view of Saint John. 







On the way back down from our hike (along the Ram's Head Trail), we caught a glimpse of Concordia and Salt Pond Bay from afar.

*Please pardon my attire-- I go full-on Katie Perry/Beyoncé on vacation, and prefer not to wear pants unless absolutely, 100% necessary. Pants were not necessary for this hike. In my opinion.



I couldn't have wished for a better retreat from the hustle, bustle, and freezing rain/sleet/snow of DC in December. Nor, for that matter, could I have wished for a better dinner/beach cover-up/all-purpose vacay dress than this 100% organic cotton chambray number from eco-friendly label Amour Vert to wear while I lazed around the eco-resort.Just as an FYI, the dress I'm wearing is now deeply discounted to $52. Just sayin.

But seriously, you guys: THAT VIEW.

Photography throughout by Rachel Mlinarchik and her obliging husband. 

WEARING:  100% organic cotton chambray shirt dress by Amour Vert (made in the USA)
Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Fierce 

Pikolinos sandals, which were beaded under fair trade conditions and made in Spain 

(similar HERE, last worn HERE)

My favorite Mango Tree fitted bangle, made from sustainably grown mango tree wood. 

*UPDATE: Take 20% off of all Amour Vert clothing at Modavanti from now (12/19) through Sunday (12/22/) with code AMOUR


Get the look (fairly):

Let it Snow

You're probably not supposed to wear fur in the snow, but it feels like you should wear fur when it snows, doesn't it? And I know, it doesn't seem like an eco-fashion type lady like me would be wearing fur at all, but this fur is...different.



I'm sure by now you've noticed my new obsession with Reformation (see HERE and HERE), a line that upcycles deadstock and remnant fabrics to create their fresh, edgy line of apparel and accessories. That line includes this tote bag, which is made from vintage fur coats and leather jackets. In my mind, there is a future world in which real fur items will be extraordinarily rare, like diamonds, because no one makes things out of fur anymore (unless they actually live in conditions that would require killing an animal to wear its fur, which I also hope is not necessary for anyone in this future utopia).

What I'm saying is, to me, it's the ultimate investment piece, like I just purchased an undervalued stock or piece of land. Is that crazy?



It's also two-sided, so I can rock just a hint of fur lining the edges on one side or go full-out and risk having paint thrown on me. But I understand I am taking that risk, so it's OK.

I'm pretty proud of this outfit because it's comprised of nearly 100% vintage, second-hand or upcycled pieces, from the umbrella to the shoes. Absolutely no new fabrics were cut or woven to put together this look (with the exception of my black tights), and each lovely accessories or garments was saved from the possibility of an untimely and gruesome death-by-landfill. Everybody wins!



The vegan Stella McCartney ankle boots, the Botega Venetta skirt, the sweater, and the J Crew jacket were all purchased second-hand from Secondi. And the umbrella is very special to me bc it was my Dad's.

Always the bargain hunter, it was acquired as one of those premiums you receive if you spend enough on cologne or after-shave, and it's surprisingly well-made and beautifullly designed by Aramis. You don't often come across free umbrellas with real wooden handles these days, hmm? I definitely inherited my love for finding a 'good deal' on a quality product from my father, and I think of him whenever I use it. :)

Last but not least, I've already told you about the bag. Which, FYI, is majorly on sale right now at Reformation, and comes in two colors (1, 2). Just sayin.


Shop the look:

For more sustainable style inspiration and recommendations, follow me on Pinterest- I've recently become quite pin-happy!

What to Get Him for Christmas: Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Ideas

I've rounded up a solid collection of well-made, beautiful gifts for the Dads, boyfriends, uncles, husbands, and brothers in your life. Of course, each gift is made in the USA, handmade, uses organic ingredients or materials, or is otherwise sustainably made, so you can shop knowing you're doing a little good in the world with your purchases.

Clockwise starting at the top left:

• Slim chinos are made in the USA by Bonobos, $98
• Down jacket is made using recycled polyester by Nau, $225*
• All-natural shave cream by Origins, $16
• Jeans are organic cotton by Nudie Jeans, $179
• Balancing blocks are made in the USA by Fort Standard, $48
• Duffle is made in the USA of waxed canvas and leather by Filson, $360

*I can personally attest to the awesomeness of this Nau jacket-- my husband has one, and he wears it throughout fall and winter, sometimes as an under-layer when it's REALLY cold, but usually as the perfect winter coat. It's really thin but also really warm. Like magic.




Clockwise starting at the top left:

• Monogrammed handmade 15-piece BBQ tool set from Etsy, $76
• Watch made from remnant wood by WEWOOD, $120
• Seedbombs and slingshot are made in the USA, $16
• Wool camp blanket is made in the USA by Pendleton, $119
• Wool Jacket is made in the USA for Pendleton Collection, $598
• Hat is made from recycled cotton/acrylic by American Apparel, $22
• Leatherman all-in-one tool is made in the USA. Every man I know loves this thing. $32
• Boots are made in Maine by L.L. Bean and made  to last a lifetime $99

Clockwise starting at the top left:

• Made-to-measure suit, made in America by Freeman's Sporting Club, $1,195
• Boot is made in the USA by Red Wing, $330
• Sunglasses are handmade from reclaimed wood in Portland, Oregon by Shwood, $145
  THESE ones are also awesome.
• Cufflinks are made from upcycled bullet casings by Astali, $84
• Bow-tie is handmade in the USA from Etsy, $28, similar here $26
• Bag in made in NYC by Ernest Alexander $345
• Cedar shoe tree is made in USA by Alden $37
• Tie is handmade in the UK by Charles Tyrwhitt, $85
• Organic cologne by Herban Lifestyle, $29.99

If you'd like to see 175 more (yes, that many!) ethical gift ideas for everyone on your list, I invite you to check out My Fair Gift Guide.

Once you've exhausted that resource, feel free to follow along on my gift guide Pinterest boards-- I will be updating them regularly through December, and they include men's gifts, mom gifts, gifts under $30, my own wish list, and more.

Happy shopping!


Shop the post (and more!!):

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

Eco-friendly Holiday Gifts Under $30

The time is upon us, my friends: office holiday parties, friends-giving, actual Thanksgiving, secret Santas, and so many more reasons to start hunting for little somethings to give here and there.

And since you're already poised to purchase, why not buy gifts that were made in the USA or use organic ingredients? When you buy eco-friendly or buy American-made, it's like two gifts for the price of one. Mother Earth wins, American jobs win, you win, everybody wins!

Archipelago candle $24 / Deep Steep Sugar Scrub $9  /  Voluspa Candle $20

Zoya nail polish $8 / Origins Ginger Hand Lotion $16

Voluspa and Archipelago are two of my favorite candle companies, and both are made in the USA. Archipelago goes the extra mile and uses soy wax, which burns a little cleaner than traditional parrafin. These are my go-to "emergency gifts." Inevitably, someone will slip my mind or I'll have an unexpected holiday visitor, so I like to keep a few of these on hand so no one leaves my home empty-handed. Besides, I know I will use them if I don't end up gifting them!

The Deep Steep scrub is also a new favorite of mine. Made with all organic ingredients, the grapefruit bergamot scent is the jam. And, a lady can never have enough lotion for her hands during the cold months, amiright? The ginger scented lotion from Origins is fresh but still a warm winter spice, with the added bonus of it being made with botanical ingredients, as opposed to harsh chemicals. Check out what's not in it-- it's a satisfyingly long list.

Last but not least, I've always thought that nail polish (I would pick two or three fun colors) makes a great gift. I like receiving it because it's fun to experiment with shades you wouldn't pick for yourself. I love this rich, hunter green color, and Zoya goes the extra mile of being a "five-free" nail polish, as opposed to the traditional three: it contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl pthalate, camphor or toluene.

 Wine Pearls $25 / wine charms by Alex and Ani $24

Hand-printed napkins by Oh Little Rabbit, $20 for a set of four /  cutting board $22.95

All of the hostess gifts above are made in the USA. The napkins are hand-printed on organic cotton and the cherry wood cutting board is handmade from sustainably harvested Wisconsin wood. I strongly recommend looking through more of the 63 different napkin prints in Oh Little Rabbit's Etsy store- they have nautical themes, Russian nesting dolls, and so many others I love!

Beer-making Book $19.99 / Recipe Cards $14 / Journals made from 75% recycled paper $12 each
(all made in the USA)

To see more eco-friendly holiday gifts under $30, follow my Pinterest Board! I'll be pinning my affordable eco-finds through December.

The Perfect Red Cross-body Bag {Giveaway}

I'm in love, love, love with my new red messenger bag by Angela + Roi (c/o Modavanti). It's that perfect color of poppy red that can work in every season, but it really shines against dark winter and fall coats. Bonus: it's 100% vegan.



I gave it a test drive for a day of shopping last weekend and I really liked how the boxy shape allowed enough room for my camera, make-up, keys and wallet, with plenty of space to spare.



I'm deeply grateful to each and every one of you for joining me in my efforts to build a kinder, more sustainable wardrobe, so I'm pleased to be partnering with sustainable retailer Modavanti to give away one of these beautiful, bright, cheery bags to one lucky winner. It's my own small way of saying "thank you."



Of course, if you have to have the bag right now, you can order one from Modavanti, and be sure to take 15% off of your total purchase with code MYFAIRVANITY. 

You can also feel good about your purchase: for each bag they sell, Angela + Roi donates $5 to a worthy cause. In the case of their red bags, for example, $5 from the purchase of each one will support the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wearing a consigned coat and cashmere sweater dress with AGL brogues and an Angela + Roi vegan cross-body bag. 

Photography by Victoria Corkhill.

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!

Garden Party {Mixing Prints and Patterns}

• Ikat shorts are fair trade by One Mango Tree (and on sale for $21.60)
• Tank is made in the USA by Porridge from Anthropologie. Similar HERE

I went to my mother's house this weekend for some pool time, but I also got some bonus time in the garden. One of my favorite things to do as a child was to "steal" green beans and cherry tomatoes right off the vine. My Mom truly has a green thumb, and she grows everything from herbs to lettuces to strawberries to squash.  Sadly, I can barely keep houseplants alive, so I love benefiting from her end of summer overages.

The pattern and print mixing is out of my usual wheelhouse, but I was feeling breezy and bohemian. Would you have have paired these two crazy patterns, or is it too much?

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The Perfect Summer Sandals {by Pikolinos}

Shoes by Pikolinos; dress from American Apparel; lipstick by Radiant Cosmetics

Last Saturday was the perfect summer day: my friend Victoria made us a delicious brunch, the weather was warm but not humid, and I got to wear my favorite new shoes!










I'm so pleased to introduce you to my new summer sandals from Pikolinos, a Spanish company that is clearly committed to being kind to people and to the earth. This pair has beautiful Maasai beading and is part of a recent collaboration with the Association for Development, Alternative Commerce and Micro-credits (ADCAM), which works to promote social projects in various parts of the world, and specialises in education, women and micro-credit.

Even though they are brand new, they feel buttery soft like I've been wearing them for years. Plus, Pikolinos uses a vegetable tanning method, water-based dyes and solvent-free glues. I'm in love!

I'd also like to say a special thank you to the sales team at Pentagon City's Nordstrom. When I explained that I was looking for shoes that were made in the USA or fair trade, they were so incredibly helpful, and I never would have discovered this lovely company without their expert assistance. Thanks, ladies!

Shop Pikolinos at Nordstrom here (free shipping both ways!)

Photography and styling by Victoria Corkhill.

Last but not least, I want to reassure you that I am hard at work on a few big posts, so please stay tuned for an exciting collaboration that I hope to reveal this month. :)

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for fair news, sales, and adventures!