fair trade

We may be well past Black Friday, but I have for you a hefty serving of last-minute gift ideas all those Patty Procrastinators out there. (I decided that should be a thing.) And this is not just any list of gift items, ladies and gentlemen. Within the pages of My Fair Gift Guide are over 175 green gift ideas collected by Rachel of My Fair Vanity, along with a small group of guest curators – including myself! It’s a vast offering of eco-friendly, made in America, and fair trade gift ideas that will empower and inspire you to make thoughtful gift choices. Now you don’t have to feel so bad about being so last minute.

It was an honor to be included among such fashionable ladies who are also known for being so kind to the earth. Each one of these ladies picked out things I would seriously love to call my own. This bright yellow journal that Rachel picked out would be perfect for on-the-go sketching. Dominique of Let’s Be Fair picked out these uber-cool letter openers that would make opening credit card statements a little less painful. The city-centric selection from Alden of EcoCult has the cutest tassel necklace from Krysos + Chandi that I would love to sport. This cardigan from David Peck chosen by spades + siLK can shut up and get in my closet right this minute. And wouldn’t these yoga socks, picked by yogi Carissa Ciuca, be the perfect solution to cold toes on the one day a year I make it to a yoga class? Maybe if I had them I would be better about that? Sounds like a legitimate reason to buy them, right?

And then there are my gift picks. For the pattern lover if your life, duh. I was sure to include some of my favorite designers currently contributing to the world of surface design, including the likes of Nikki Strange, Kindah Khalidy and Wind & Willow to name a few. So pick up something last-minute for someone you care about. Or buy something for yourself. I’m pretty sure it’s never too late to do that.

My Fair Gift Guide

 

 

 

Only four days remain to show us your fall color mood in Fair Vanity’s Fall Style Challenge, so we’re hooking you up with a little concentrated color inspiration to get you going. If you think sending us your style submission is too much trouble, think again.

Whether you use an outfit you’ve already posted or make a whole new ensemble/collage, email fairvanitydc [AT] gmail.com the following before midnight on Thursday, November 1st to see your style featured on Fair Vanity:

1.  A 640 width (max 853 pixel height) image of your fall outfit or collage inspired by one of our color boards (indicate which one in your email).
2. Describe the one Fair item in your outfit (vintage, used, fair trade, organic, vegan, made in the USA, borrowed, upcycled or recycled).
3.  Don’t forget to include a link to your web site or blog so we can see more of your rockin’ style!

Check out the full details and show us your color mood.

Style Challenge Color Groups via Aaryn West

Style Challenge Color Groups via Aaryn West

Style Challenge Color Groups via Aaryn West

Style Challenge Color Groups via Aaryn West

Style Challenge Color Groups via Aaryn West

Have you ever wondered how to incorporate our Monday Color Moods into your own personal style? We teamed up with Rachel of Fair Vanity, a Washington D.C. based blog focused on fair trade fashion and accessories, to bring you a fun style challenge with exactly that in mind…

 

And it really couldn’t be much easier. Start by picking out a color board to use as your inspiration, and style yourself an ensemble featuring at least ONE fair trade item. This includes anything made from sustainable materials, made in the USA [or your home country, for my international peeps], vegan, organic, up-cycled, vintage or hand-made. Snap a photo to submit by the November 1st deadline to see your style featured on the Fair Vanity blog! Camera shy? We’ve got you covered. Show us your color mood with a crafty collage like the one below.

What's Your Color Mood? via Aaryn West

Rachel chose A Hint of Mint, and even I got in on the action just to show you all how simple it can be [choosing Primary Agenda]. Email your image to Rachel by Nov. 1 to see your style on Fair Vanity, and see the original post for full details and guidelines.

Aaryn's Style via My Fair Vanity

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