A New Chapter

     I guess I took an unintentional hiatus.  

     Initially, I was so energized and excited about starting a new chapter of my life that it felt like I could do anything and everything.  I didn't realize how exhausting it would be to really start adjusting.  

     As soon as I was starting to feel at home and normal in my new environment, my priorities changed.  I made new friends and spent time doing things other than go to work and to the gym.

There were margarita nights and date nights and karaoke nights.  

Large margarita at Mexico Lindo.

There were Bloody Mary Sundays and brunches at Luce or at Uncle Loui's. 

Bloody Mary bar at Bowery Bros pub at the Radisson. http://instagram.com/p/ekqFHwlMNa/

There was beer and a lot of whiskey.  

Leinenkugel Summer Shandy at Germanfest in Milwaukee!  http://instagram.com/p/cR_fgMFMKW/

There was travel for work and travel for fun.  

Trip to the Cooper Lighting facility in Denver  http://instagram.com/p/hM-WtbFMPj/

There was hip hop, punk rock, and Bob freaking Dylan.  

Trampled by Turtles and Atmosphere http://instagram.com/p/bNgqO5lMNw/

There were art fairs at Bayfront and second Friday exhibit openings at the Prøve. 

Labradorite and butterfly wing necklace by ISMS (based out of MN) from the Bayfront Art Fair.  http://instagram.com/p/dPMUdhFMCQ/

There was beer. 

All Pints North Summer Brewfest tasting glass and program.

There was a gin bucket and tequila before noon. 

Gin bucket at a Halloween party

There were bonfires on beaches both at sunset and at sunrise, and even one in the snow.

Beachfront bonfire at Glensheen mansion for the company holiday party.  http://instagram.com/p/jDZU4plMM5/

There was the symphony orchestra, the ballet, a pizza filled scenic train ride, and a haunted ship. 

Not even half of the programs and tickets I acquired.

Did I mention there was beer?

Surlyfest at the Surly Brewing Co grounds http://instagram.com/p/ek0_OfFME4/

There was a graffiti graveyard. 

Some kind of adventure.  http://instagram.com/p/Z8FtufFMMN/

There was gay pride weekend and gay marriage legalization.  

Wedding cake at the first gay wedding reception at Tycoon's.

There was dancing, fashion, and retail therapy.  

Highlights from Envision: Artopia Fall 2013  http://instagram.com/p/ehvPhGlMGl/

There was also beer. 

Sampling Colorado brews in Denver  http://instagram.com/p/hNJ2MHlMMG/

There was loss and a lot of facing fears and testing limits.  

     Even through the ups and downs, things are going just fine.  I'm learning so much at work and have made great progress since I started.  I'm registered and studying for a few professional certification exams and am excited to achieve those qualifications.  I'm now the secretary of my Toastmasters club which helps the club (and me) stay organized.  Also hoping the added responsibility motivates me to keep working at completing the projects on the path to becoming a DTM.  I have met a lot of great people here in Duluth through work, Toastmasters, meetup.com, and just from going out on the town whose company I enjoy and hope to continue making memories with.  

I'm excited about all these things but now that they're feeling less new (and stressful) and more normal, I can get back into writing about my explorations in local fashion and culture including all about Voltage, Envision, and some of the boutiques around town.  Thanks for reading and I hope to write more soon.  

Spotlight On: Glimmering Adornments from Objets d'Envy

     I've written about a lot about a lot of women's wear brands but want to share one of my favorite fashion jewelry brands.  Objets d'Envy is a Chicago based jewelry brand created by Kirsten Goede.  While not being touted as "eco", Kirsten's focus on keeping her jewelry handcrafted in small batches and sourcing only genuine Swarovski crystal elements definitely makes it a conscious brand.  

     

Love my Violet colored Amie earrings! http://instagram.com/p/LBpbDMFMEq/

     One of my favorite things about the brand is how each piece is sparkly and girly without being too overwhelming or cutesy.  I could never go to the Macy's on State Street without stopping to check what Objets d'Envy pieces they had in stock!  My personal favorites are the Initial + Birthstone necklace and the Tetra ring (which does feature a sustainable Indonesian Sono wood base).

     Another thing I love about Objets d'Envy is the use of Swarovski elements.  In addition to a commitment to quality, Swarovski has a corporate responsibility focus.  They plan on finding more safe and sustainable ways to formulate their crystal.  The 2010 sustainability report [PDF] highlights points of their commitment to safety in the workplace, fair treatment of employees, energy/emissions reduction plan, and how they give back to their community.  

     Also have to enjoy the price point - quality accessories without a huge price tag.  The Spectra collection, coming out later this month, features color-blocking in fun geometric shapes and starts at $38.  

So far, I am digging the Chromage necklace ($78): 

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Goede

I also like the Blocagette earrings ($38):

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Goede

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Goede

The real showstopper in the collection though is the Blocage necklace ($186).  Love the color palette and arrangement of shapes:

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Goede

     Keep an eye out on the Objets d'Envy website for the rest of the collection!  Of course, if you'd like to pre-order any of these items, you can contact Kirsten here: http://www.objetsdenvy.com/contact.cfm.  

     You can also catch her at the Objets d'Envy warehouse sale on March 16, 2013 in Chicago!  She will be setting up shop at Flourish Studios (3020 N. Lincoln Avenue, near Wellington, Chicago IL 60657) from 11 am - 2 pm.  Items will be priced up to 75% off and there will also be a table of items selling for $5, RSVP is encouraged.  Inventory will include items from past collections, press samples, one of a kind pieces, prototypes, and more.  If you bring an item to donate to Flourish Studios's charity event, you can also get a free Objets d'Envy gift!  Please check out her events page for more information.  

     

     Objets d'Envy jewelry can be purchased online, at Macy's on State Street in Chicago, and at various other shops and pop-up events.  Keep up with the brand on Facebook and Twitter for the latest information.  And be sure to sign up for the Objets d'Envy email list - it gets sent out monthly and is truly always full of event information, fun style tips, and sale/GWP codes :-)

MAGIC MARKET WEEK Recap

     Last month, I had the exciting opportunity to attend Magic Market Week in Las Vegas, NV thanks to Indigenous.  Actually comprised of 9 different apparel trade shows spread over two different locations, my day at MAGIC was really exhausting!  

http://instagram.com/p/V9h5cQFMJ3/

     I want to give a big thank you to Indigenous, who I worked with on their #worthwearing styling campaign, for inviting me to attend a panel they were hosting at WWDMagic about eco-branding and for extending a way for me to attend the show.  I learned a lot and had an interesting experience taking part in the panel - a story for another post.

     Each show brought a different focus of the apparel industry to light so I really wanted to hit them all, and glad I was able to spend at least a little time exploring each one.  If I had more notice, I would have taken time off work to experience more.

     WWD Magic was at the heart of the Las Vegas Convention Center and I loved seeing new collections from favorite brands as well as checking out up and coming designers.  The day was filled with panels, fashion shows, and seminars hosted by bloggers and brand representatives as well as trend forecasters and stylists.  

Kiara (Tobruck Ave), Stephanie (Honey & Silk), Tiara (The Dope Girl), and moderator Audrey talking about social media platforms and blogging.

Part of the WWD Magic floor

Super smart idea to have a universal charging station.

    Sourcing at MAGIC was all about the supply chain in the fashion industry.  Really interesting to see all the fabrics and findings behind favorite brands.  The floor was organized by country and there was also a lot of trend forecasting - posters boasting color palettes and inspirations for 2014 were all over the place!

Me at Sourcing...and yes, that is water.

     FN (Footwear News) Platform is a huge shoe show and definitely had me drooling.  There had to have been millions of beautiful shoes!  Expect a lot of beautiful bronze items from Elliott Lucca coming up in the fall - they definitely caught my attention.  Really excited for the fun sandals from dv dolce vita - especially if there's going to be a summer hit like last year's Archer.  

Also really loved the iridescent jewel tones from Rebecca Minkoff!

Kristin Cavallari stopped by to talk about her line with Chinese Laundry.

     The other part of the show was held at the Mandalay Convention Center and included PROJECT, PROJECT Menswear,  PROJECT MVMNT, POOLTRADESHOW, Tents at PROJECT, and ENK Vegas.

     I wish I could have grabbed more photos at PROJECT MVMNT!  The show featured urban culture brands and was really interactive and energetic.  I really appreciated how they incorporated art into fashion and each brand was almost like a lifestyle rather than just a business.  If I get a chance to go again, I'd love to spend more time there.

#ekocycle

   
     Interesting concept I saw at PROJECT - #ekocycle brought together by Will.I.Am and Coca Cola.  #ekocycle is an initiative to use recycled materials in products.  They showed phone cases and snapbacks made from recycled plastics and fibers.  

Phone cases made with recycled material from casemate/#ekocycle

     Didn't see a whole lot of PROJECT Menswear but definitely eye opening to see how many different aspects to the apparel industry are.  A lot of buyers, exhibitors, trend forecasters, consumer behavior analysts, media, marketers, business owners…so many people with different interests and focuses come together to make the fashion industry happen and it is really mind blowing.

   Tents @ PROJECT featured what seemed to me as being higher end independent brands like Ben Minkoff, J Brand, Billy Reid, Edun, and Vince.  ENK Vegas had a lot of popular, youthful brands like Wilfox, Unif, Nicole Miller, Splendid, CC Skye, and Rebecca Minkoff.  

Inside the ENK Vegas tent

     

     POOLTRADESHOW was really interesting too - a completely different vibe than the rest of the show featuring a lot of trendy boutique brands like Motel and Jeffrey Campbell.  They also had a cash & carry area and I wish I had more time to check out the vendors.  

Trying out sunglasses by Proof Eyewear made from recycled skateboards at POOLTRADESHOW.

     

     Took time after the show to check out the WWDMagic reception at the Wynn.  The food by Chef James Benson was really good - loved the sweet and spicy goat cheese stuffed peppers and the dessert!  The cheesecake macaroons were way better than any other macaron I've ever had.  

Off to the WWD Magic reception!

     Had a blast at the show and wish I had more time to really take it in.

So many totes!  And a tee by 213 apparel.

Super psyched about these nail polish strips.  Had great wear with the Sally Hansen and OPI ones, hope these are good too!

     I learned a lot about fashion, social media, branding, and have tons of inspiration for upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

Spotlight On: Green Apple Active athletic apparel

     Now that my first cold of the New Year is done with, I can get back to my (non) resolutions.  Getting more active, making better food choices, and making more sustainable choices are on my list of (many) things to do this year.  I've figured out that cute work-out clothes motivate me to get moving so gone are my old basketball shorts and ratty t-shirts.  I've incorporated cute shorts, dri-fit tanks, and fun colored sports bras to my work-out wardrobe.  

     Thanks to credit at Ideeli*, I shopped one of their athletic apparel blowout sales and ended up with a Green Apple Active sports bra.  Green Apple Active is a California based athletic apparel brand encouraging an "eco active lifestyle for free souls". 

     The bra is made of mostly bamboo fabric and comes with removable molded cups.  Most of my current sports bras do not have molded cups, but I do like the extra protection from friction or frigid weather. 

     The thick, cross-backed straps give great support and shock absorption to keep me comfortable throughout my whole work out.  I love that they use bamboo fabric because, in my experience, it is very soft and comfortable.  

     I am disappointed that the item is "designed in Manhattan Beach, CA" yet also "Made in China".  Because of this, I requested further information from Green Apple Active.  Cristofer, CEO/VP and Creative Director of the company let me know that they used to be produced in California but the factory was forced to close due to lack of workers.  There are still garments produced in the Arizona and some in Mexico, however production of certain garments has moved to a facility in China.

     The other day, they tweeted about an upcoming sale and I am pleased to have more information.  From now until January 18, 2013, you can get 25% off your order with promo code "BAMBOOLOVE".  Other than their website and Ideeli/other flash sale sites, Green Apple Active can be found at various yoga studios or retailers.  Check their retail locator for more information.  

     Does anyone have any eco-friendly athletic apparel suggestions?

*This link contains a referral invite.  If you sign up with this invite and make a purchase, I will receive a $25 Ideeli credit.

Spotlight On: A Scarf #worthwearing by Indigenous

     Following Kelsey Timmerman's suggestion of wearing "one story a day",  I'm sharing a recent outfit of the day.  This scarf, sent to me by Fair Trade USA Certified eco-fashion company, Indigenous as part of their #worthwearing campaign, is made of 100% organic cotton.  I love the rich red-wine color (called Zin) and the funky fringe makes it a unique item in my closet. 

http://instagram.com/p/SEvqbXlMBC/

     Over the weekend, I had to run a bunch of errands including dropping off eBay items at the post office, grocery shopping, picking up lunch for my family, and Christmas shopping.  I paired the scarf with jeans and a white tee during my trek around town.  Luckily, the weather here in Vegas is pretty mild during the day so I was able to make it more of a fun, off-the-shoulder accessory.

http://instagram.com/p/TAPeaLFMKB/

Tassel Scarf c/o Indigenous, Tee Shirt by James Perse, Forever Skinny jeans by Jessica Simpson, Cally Moccasins by Minnetonka, Hawthorne Wallet by Hayden-Harnett

     The scarf also looks really great worn around the neck for warmth!  It's also very comfy and warm - I wish I had this scarf during those frigid Chicago winters in college.  I'd probably pair it with my favorite leather jacket and black booties in the evening, for something warmer and dressier. 

     Each garment produced by Indigenous comes with a QR code on the tag.  This QR code can be scanned to find out more about the origin of the garment.  The tag on my scarf took me to this page:  http://www.fairtracetool.com/profile/innercityopportunity/.  I learned about Berta, an artisan in Peru who assures that my garment is made by workers who enjoy their job.  She loves design and is truly an artist, as simply producing isn't enough.  I really appreciate how Indigenous keeps the consumer connected to the producer.

Tags on my Tassel Scarf

     As I discussed in my last post, being Fair Trade USA Certified is a big deal since it requires both a monetary commitment, commitment to rigorous standards, and testing of ethical commitment.  The retail price of this scarf is more than some comparable looking scarves, but being 100% organic cotton makes it more comfortable and longer lasting than an acrylic or other synthetic scarf.  The price is about the same as scarves of similar material, but the clear commitment to using organic and cruelty free fabrics as well as fair trade practices make it #worthwearing to me.  

     Indigenous also makes luxe sweaters and coats made from cruelty free alpaca wool.  Learn more about why they choose alpaca wool from Christie at icanstyleu.  Check out the Indigenous website for more information and to shop their products - they are having a 30% off sale with guaranteed Christmas delivery if you order by December 19 and use promotional code "GIFT30" at checkout!