Whenever we have a hard day at the HQ, there’s only one two things that can fix it:

Coffee + Shopping.

It’s true – every time. We fight with our partners – coffee + shopping. We show up wearing the same thing – coffee + shopping. The moon falls out of the sky – coffee  + shopping. Our collective, next-to-each-other, shared BFF epitaph – coffee + shopping.

You get the drift.

After a tough work day yesterday, we decided to coffee + shopping and head into Nordstrom Rack for some eye-candy and affordable fashion. As we walked the three story Seattle store, we started to feel a little odd. Other-dimension-odd.

Everywhere we looked – there were ethical fashion and beauty products.

A massive Burt’s Bees & Origins display!

Don’t get me wrong – we’re born’n'bred Seattle girls – Nordstrom is an amazing store (one of the best ever, we say!) and they have been carrying ethical designers and products for years, but we’re not used to seeing high-end ethical brands so deeply discounted! We’re talking insane-level discounts here…

We only covered a small portion of the apparel section (much to our dismay), but within that time, we found more eco-friendly clothes than we were prepared for.

This top that I’m holding was pulled from the activewear section (we’re having a year of running & yoga, so, you know, gotta go coffee + shopping). It’s a long-sleeved, hooded, running top made by super-reputable company, Under Armour. As a part of their UA Green line, it’s made from 100% recycled fabric & printed with soy-based inks. What even? This is awesome! Even better – $27. (Here it is on the Under Armour site.)

Okay, eco-fashion-philes, ready to have your mind blown?

I hold in my trembling hands an EDUN dress for $9.99.

I know, right? Sadly, I left it at the store (easily distracted by shiny things – in this case, there was a shiny quesadilla calling my name), but EDUN was everywhere! We also found an adorable skirt (straight from the runway) for less than $70.

Amazing ethical brands carried at Nordstrom & Nordstrom Rack, not pictured:

• Threads4Thought
• Alternative Apparel
• R44 Standard Issue by Rogan
• Stem
• Splendid
• Nau
• Dayna Decker
• SPROUT Watches
• Petunia Pickle Bottom
• Timberland EarthKeepers
• Eileen Fisher
• Whish
• Tela Beauty Organics
• L’Occitane
• Jack Black
• Kiehl’s
• Jedidiah

…Amazing, right? Definitely count the Nordstrom stores as part of your eco-arsenal! Stay tuned for more eco-shopping sojourns…

The Pacific Northwest is blessed when it comes to ethical fashion – many Seattle & Portland designers hopped on the sustainable train years ago… Not to mention, each neighborhood of the metro area is guaranteed to have at least one eco-friendly shopping destination other than a thrift shop. We’re pretty lucky to have been planted in such a progressive area!

While traipsing around the harbor-side Ballard neighborhood (very adorable, you all should come visit), Jen and I snuck into one of our favorite shops, Horseshoe, to scope out their latest wares. I’d been coming to Horseshoe for years, but had never really inspected their inventory at any level of depth. Usually, I just cruised through with my girlfriends and half-assedly whipped through hangers while laughing and neglecting my “inside voice.” Our latest trip was different. We set aside two hours to painstakingly go through each garment, each brand and really get a feel of the Horseshoe vibe and aesthetic… We left with a pretty enormous list of “To Covet“s.

A glorious Eva Franco dress against the rugged Horseshoe decor.

What could possibly be better than a small business that stocks local and indie designers? Nothing, I tell you. Nothing.

Some of the brands carried by Horseshoe are already near & dear to our hearts…

Eva Franco

Eva Franco makes the most beautiful dresses… They’re tailored and classic with modern fabrics and silhouettes, but not too new to diminish the vintage vibe they give off. All of their dresses are made in the US (Los Angeles)!

Here’s a dress they currently have at Horseshoe – I kind of need it, badly.

Evangeline Dress | $238 

Market

We were so excited to see a good number of Market tees on cute, rustic tables! Jen has been a fan of Market for a long time, ever since she won a shirt in a blog giveaway! She’s been hooked ever since.

Among their common brands: Prarie Underground, Butter London, Soia & Kyo, Raw Earth Wild Sky, and tons of others.

I’m obsessed with these socks by OZONE!

You can find Horseshoe…

On the ‘net at HorseshoeSeattle.com or in their Ballard store in Seattle, WA:

Horseshoe
5344 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle WA 98107

eco

When Lindsay first heard of Sandmaiden Sleepwear, this was her response:

“I don’t think many people would connect the idea of panties and lingerie with a name like Sandmaiden… but there’s a first time for everything.”

She has a point.

Still, Sandmaiden has been one of my favorite Etsy sellers for a long, long time, and here’s why: everything is ethical, adorable and above all, body-loving. Owner Amanda Boyd, a Seattlite (hilet’sbefriends), says it thusly:

“Sleepwear, pajamas and lingerie handmade to order for apples, pears and string beans in organics and natural fibers. Mix and match pieces to create your own set, choose your color and leave your personal sizing information in “notes to seller” at check out.”

Apples, pears and string beans. I love it.

Bamboo Panties with Lace Trim: $32

Bamboo Knickers with Flounce Trim: $32

It’s hard to find truly feminine panties that fit a wide size range and are made from sustainable fibers. I love the colors, the styles, and the fact that I can send my measurements and make sure they fit me perfectly.

But my favorite item from her store is yet to come…

Tencel Boxers with Wrap Detail: $48

Linen Boxer with Cotton Lace Trim: $44

Boxers! How cute are these?! I love the wrapped boxer, and tencel is such a great fabric: it’s totally breathable and processed using non-toxic agents.

Even better, most of the above items can be paired with camisoles and bralettes to create sets. Here are a few of my (other) favorite sets:

Garcon sleep sets: $50 bralette, $48 high waist panty

Cherish sleep sets: $80 cami, $50 boxer

You’ll notice I said “sets,” not “set.” That’s because the above options aren’t even close to the only pairings available for each style. There are bikini style panties, wrap boxers, camis, bralettes, pajama pants…

Jewel Tencel Chemise: $80

Jewel Cami and Panty Set: $60 and $40, respectively

I think my favorite collection is the Jewel collection: everything looks so soft and flowing, perfect for curling up in front of the fire with a book. If I fall asleep on accident, I know I’ll wake up feeling warm and cozy.

If you’re the do it yourself type, Sandmaiden also offers patterns and supply kits! A cheaper option for the seamstresses out there.

Sandmaiden makes everything to order, fitted to your measurements, so there’s no guess-work. She’ll even swap fabrics! It only takes one to two weeks for her to produce your purchase, and another two or three days to ship it to your door. (International orders take one to two weeks to ship.) She offers the occasional promotion (sales, anyone?) on her Facebook page, so it’s definitely worth a follow.

eco

Earlier this month, we were invited to attend a one-year anniversary party for my favorite ethical beauty brand, Melvita. We arrived, sleepy and worn out from a long week of work, and found the place absolutely packed with people.

And we had the best time.

The Seattle Melvita is located in Pacific Place, and though its storefront is tiny, their products pack such a punch. I personally use three Melvita products, and picked up two refills while at the event: the Bio-Excellence Facial Scrub and the Nectar de Rose Day Cream. (My other Melvita product, which I use every day, is their Cleansing Milk. It’s the first face wash I’ve ever used that doesn’t irritate my skin, and it doesn’t even use water!

The event was catered by Gourmondo Catering and Snoqualmie Vineyards. Washington’s Columbia valley is becoming a mecca for wine, and Snoqualmie Vineyards brought their organic Merlot and Chardonnay for tasting. Lindsay and I both loved the Chardonnay, and overheard a number of people raving over the red as well!

See those clear faces? That’s eco beauty, baby.

This I did not know: Melvita has a toothpaste line! The line uses all natural ingredients to freshen breath and prevent tooth decay.

We had to snap a photo of my favorite facial scrub. Seriously, this stuff is like washing away all your face-related sins.

(PS: All of these were taken with my phone on the moody-as-all-get-out LOMO setting. The more I look at them, the more I want to cuddle up with my phone each night and whisper sweet nothings in its ear.)

This photo was completely unintentional, but yum, Chardonnay!

That’s my Cleansing Milk on the left. I really like the way Melvita utilizes space in their stores – this cubby displays products, and also allows you to test them before you buy.

The end of the night. We were so tired, but had so much fun. We received parting gifts at the door, too: I got hazelnut massage oil (great for strengthening skin and moisturizing) and Lindsay was gifted exactly what she’d been pining over: shampoo!

Dear Melvita: please invite us back any time. Dear everyone else: if you’re thinking of having a low-key, eco-friendly, super fun anniversary party, please call Melvita’s people because they did it right!

eco

We are bombarded by eco-friendly product advertising every day. Online banners, television commercials, billboards…eco-friendly’s the new thang, and everyone’s in on it.

The trouble is that, being bombarded with all this organic, naturally-derived, free of parabens and chemicals stuff, we often let advertising choose our eco-focus, and forget to think about what in our daily lives could be greener.

Like our body hair.

If you choose to shave – and you should know your hair removal history before you do – you should take into account what it’s doing to the environment. What happens to those disposable razors, that moisturizing strip, and the cutely-colored, curvy handle when you throw them away? What kind of environmental waste are you creating…and could you change your routine so you create less waste?

Let’s find out.

Razors

If you’re going to shave, do it with eco-friendly razors. What are eco-friendly razors, you ask? Why, they’re those single-blade “retro” razors we all used before the companies that made them got advertising-happy and started offering us two-, three- and four-blade razors with moisturizing strips and plastic handles.

You can buy eco-friendly razors and full shave kits on both Etsy and Amazon. (This one’s by Orange Fuzz.)

At first, the idea of using a single really sharp blade will seem scary, but from everything I’ve heard and read, that one blade will give you a closer shave, again and again, where a modern three- or four-blade razor will knick and become dull. The handle itself is intended to last decades, the blades are smaller and create less waste than their plastic-encased counterparts, and after the initial investment in the handle, a year’s worth of replacement blades won’t cost you more than $20.

Again, if you must shave, a safety razor is the way to do it. I’ve already vowed to get one for my beau and one for myself.

Wax vs. Sugar

Image via The Sweetest Skin Co. in CA. My Seattle recommendation: Sugar Sugar.

In short: sugaring is better. While waxing one’s legs and bikini lines is a time-honored tradition (to the sixties, and beyond!), sugaring is easily more eco-friendly and hygenic.

Those who have been waxed remember that flat piece of wood, the hot wax (that is always a little too hot or a little too cool) sticking to the skin, that irritated redness that waxers try to diminish with ice. It sucks.

Have you really thought about the process, though? Each time the waxer reapplies, she dips a wooden stick – sometimes the same one that she rubbed all over your junk – in the wax. Ew.

Sugaring, on the other hand, uses the same little ball of natural materials – a paste made from sugar and lemon juice – to pull those persistent hairs from your pantyline. No hot wax, no redness, no sticks or cotton strips (aka waste products).

Threading

For smaller areas, there’s also threading. This is what I really want to try. It looks so easy!

Threading is the eco-est of friendlies: all it takes is a single strand of thread (sewing thread works) and your hands. Done and done.

Do you remove your body hair? If so, have you tried any of the above “removal systems”?

eco

Lulu Smith is an artist whose work rarely goes on sale. With beautiful designs, hand-poured detail and bright, unique colors it doesn’t have to – people are willing to pay full price. So, it’s rare moments like this that get me all kinds of excited: Lulu Smith Jewelry is currently offering 25% off everything on her show page.

Lulu is a true colorist. She hand-pigments and hand-pours resin into each design, creating bold, graphic jewelry from her studio, located here in Seattle. I had the pleasure of meeting Lulu through my non-blog job, and was even given  a pair of her earrings for my birthday.

Earrings by Lulu Smith, necklace (which I didn’t buy and really, really should have) by Rainforest Native.
…my god, this picture is old. Look at those bangs!

“Lulu had an early interest in jewelry and color. As a child, she vividly remembers her mother hand-dyeing wool to make folk art style rugs and talking to her casually about theimportance of color in people’s lives. She discovered her affinity for adorning the body when she became preoccupied with sewing, making friendship pins and hand-braided bracelets as a young girl. This same obsessive habit had her signing up for metalsmithing classes while in high school and later for two apprenticeships with local jewelers while in college. She completed her BFA in 1995 with a double emphasis in painting and ceramics, not realizing at that time that jewelry was really her calling. Shortly after college, Lulu Smith Studio was created, selling to jewelry stores, American Craft galleries and to small design boutiques nationwide.“

Here are a few of my favorite Lulu Smith pieces. Click any of them to be taken to Lulu Smith Jewelry’s website, and tell me your favorites!

Magnolia Pendant: $210

Bamboo Earrings ($86.25) and Venn Earrings ($67.50)

 
Prose Pendant: $101.25

Hobnob Earrings: $75

Burst Pendant: $116.25

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We’re big fans of Seattle’s independent artist scene – and we definitely have an impressive craft population.

Every year, around Solstice, Seattle hosts I Heart Rummage (which we’ve talked about before) which brings 30 of the best of the Seattle scene to the same Fremont location to offer up their wares.

This year, I Heart Rummage fell on Father’s Day, and it was my pleasure to jaunt through the Fremont Solstice Festival and share independent craft with my family. It was held in an old parking garage in the center of the fair, and while there were tens upon tens of amazing artists present, there aren’t enough pages online to talk about them all. Here, we’ve collected our favorites from the event for you to be jealous of. Enjoy that.

La Ru

The necklaces and drawings on these pieces by La Ru are SO CUTE. Adorable hand-drawn skeletons (complete with mustaches) were my favorites of the several designs presented.

My favorite part about La Ru’s designs were the bright colors and the honesty that these drawings conveyed. None of her pieces were trying to be anything more than they wanted to be. Not trying to be fancy, not trying to be ultra-classy, not trying to be cutesy… but managing to achieve all of those characteristics by just being. You can purchase your own piece of La Ru on their Etsy page for $12-$35.

Pirouette Essentials

Beautiful scents and gorgeous packaging are definitely two things that make Pirouette really memorable for me. I’m definitely someone who is easily swayed by design and packaging, and – because of the quality of these products, I would buy them if they were unmarked and presented in sandwich baggies.

Black pepper citrus, cucumber coriander, burnt sugar… The creativity involved in the creation of everything Pirouette creates is so inspiring. Their products are available in many Whole Foods, but they have a full list of stockists here.

Bella Luz Studio

It’s been years since I’ve used a night light – but I was definitely a night light kid. I had a rainbow, maybe a shooting star, a heart… It’s time, I think, for a grown-up version to add some warmth to my bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom… Pretty much everywhere I can put one of these beautiful pieces of handmade glass, I’d be happy to.

The metal on these pieces is weathered and aged, and the colors are so vivid with the light behind them. Seeing a wall full of these luminettes is such a magical sight. You can snag your own for less than $50 in the Bella Luz Studio store.

Deviant Decor

I hate picking favorites. It’s not in my nature to place one amazingly talented artist over another, and I definitely won’t! That being said, I can’t deny my aesthetic draw to Deviant Decor’s wall pieces. After talking with Krystal Kerr – the deviant genius behind the operation – I know the scope of work and effort that goes in to these pieces, and am extra coveting a piece of her mind!

Each frame is hand-painted by Krystal, and each figuring painstakingly decorated and mounted. The amount of creativity involved is staggering, and I am beyond enamored with the vision of my hallway speckled with these pieces. You can get one of the many designs from Deviant Decor’s Etsy shop.

I Heart Rummage used to be a monthly gathering of creative artists, but has since become an annual event. If you’re a Seattle indie craft lover, please consider supporting these, and all other independent artists so we can encourage more events like I Heart Rummage and support our city’s brilliance!

And the milliner sits down and passes a girl in nerdy glasses a piece of paper. It says “Trunk Show.” Do you know what the girl said?

“OH MY GOSH, DO YOU MAKE HATS? TELL ME YES RIGHT NOW.”

This is not a joke, unfortunately. I am simply recounting a series of events that took place a couple weeks ago in my local dive bar, the Streamline Tavern. Full of old salts, boisterous whiskey drinkers, and a killer jukebox, it’s truly the last place I expected to run into a world-class independent designer. Ever graceful as I am, my natural response was to vomit verbally and ask question after question about her inspirations, her work, and her history.

Kelly Christy Hats are designed by… well, Kelly Christy, a New York City to Seattle transplant. She previously owned a boutique in Nolita before she made the trek across the country to be closer to her family. We went on an on about the genius of Phillip Treacy, public relations, and the direction that fashion and quality of craftsmanship is moving in this decade. As we gabbed, my boyfriend dilligently whipped out his smartphone and dialed up Kelly’s site so we could check out the products in real time.

Frenchie

Holy. Cats. I’ll be honest… When someone comes up to me, learns that I’m a fashion writer, and hands me their cards exclaiming “I MAKE HATS!” – the most common result is an Etsy page with cute, hand-knit beanies and/or tiny hats attached to headbands. This… this is not what I experienced, obviously. These are incredibly meticulous, hand-crafted, artisan hats made from fine materials at the hands of a dedicated, passionate woman.

Frankie Two-Tone

Pretty

Frenchie

I find out later that she’s worked with Diane von Furstenburg, Cynthia Rowley and Isaac Mizrahi during her lengthy stint in New York, not to mention that her work has been shown in the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Her headwear has been seen on Mos Def, Bjork and David Byrne… What? Inmy bar? Talk about right place, right time.

Kelly Christy’s “Road To Spendor” hat, which was featured in the SSmithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
(Photo courtesy of Don’t Shoe Me)

She crafts her hats with a present mind, and a heart in the past. Her creations lend the imagination to decades and eras past with references to Amelia Earhart and the French chic from the 1960s. We talked about the trend in hats lately, and how my generation seems to drift towards headwear with less commitment, like… well, headbands with things attached to them, and fascinators.

“They’re not fascinators! We are not in Europe!” screams Kelly. “They are cocktail hats! We live in America!” Listen to the hat lady, believe and agree with her, because clearly, she knows her stuff.

That being said, she makes some seriously beautiful cocktail hats located in her bridal section.

Pe’tits Four

Bella

It’s pretty rare that I get to sit face-to-face and have a chat over a beer with such an impressive and talented designer and artist. To say that I share my city with Kelly Christy is a privilege, and you better believe that we’ll be tracking her progress and successes as she takes over the Left Coast.

You can view all of Kelly Christy’s beautiful hats on her website or locally at Charley + May in Queen Anne. Also, the men’s hats are highly recommended! They are some of the best hats I’ve ever seen for the boys, or girls with big heads (hi, that’d be me).

After reading about the Plastiki, I felt inspired to peruse Etsy, looking for ship-inspired items to share with all of you. Instead, I found a brand new Etsier, Little Kicking Bird.

Little Kicking Bird is a husband and wife team from Seattle, and they’ve managed to represent my love for the locale perfectly with the chaos of seagulls, the joy of fresh foods at the Pike Place Market, and the dark beauty of the bridges spanning each of our numerous bodies of water.

Eyeing That Photography

Bamboo Block: Your Side My Side

Prints by Little Kicking Bird come in both standard format (like the first image) and on bamboo blocks. While I love pictures in frames – classy, obviously – using blocks gives a 3D effect, like paint on canvas, but less expensive. (Ha.)

Bamboo Block: Stuck on You

This, along with Your Side My Side, seems to be a fan favorite thus far. Maple trees are a staple of autumn in Seattle – I can’t tell you how often they get stuck in fences, gutters, wheel wells…

(I’d hang these above the kitchen table, or set them like tiles behind the sink.)

Bamboo Block: Seagrid

Bamboo Block: Public Market

Fading Out

There’s still more art to be seen, including an award-winning shot of Lake Union and the Aurora Bridge at night. To view all of Little Kicking Bird‘s beautiful prints and bamboo blocks, head directly to their Etsy page.

On August 20, my boyfriend went into surgery to have his wisdom teeth removed.

Today is August 30, and he’s going back to the oral surgeon for the fourth time to see if his body’s ready to heal, or if his lower jaw is still having a party to which everyone is invited.

Our fridge is filled with mashed potatoes, yogurt, vanilla pudding, and Ensure.  Our medicine cabinet: vicodin, ibuprofen, cephalexin, percoset.  Boyfriend is exhausted.  I’m exhausted.  At one point, we actually discussed the mechanics of not having a lower jaw, just because it seemed comforting.

Throughout this process, I’ve come to discover two important things about my life:

1. Baths really do make everything better.  One day, Boyfriend took six of them just to get some sleep.  (Side note: he finished the Erba Organics Milk and Oat Bath.  “Can we get more?  It’s soothing, and smells really good.”  Take that, Boyfriend.  I knew you’d love it.)
2. During this…event…my outfits have been both the most amazing and/or ridiculous ever, due to the insane Seattle weather.

Seriously, this weather is insane.  First there’s summer heat, then random cold-ass rain, and hey look a gigantic windstorm of doom. My muddled mind and exhausted body cannot keep up.  I’ve paired cropped yoga pants with men’s extra large dress shirts, wool slacks with baggy tees, and once spent the day in a jersey bubble dress, a pair of sneakers and a Converse hoodie because I could not be bothered to put on pants.

I need more comfy clothes.

Rogan Asada Boatneck Sleeveless Sweater

Because Seattle’s weather is so temperamental, I’m big into layering.  This neckline is interesting enough to wear alone, but the sleeves aren’t so voluminous you can’t put a cardigan over them.

Vicarious by Nature Sexy Back Tee

I know, right?! I don’t even have to say anything.

Prairie Underground Petal Lapel Blazer

For sudden prescription-filling trips, this blazer would have been a lot better than my hoodie.  (It’s also available in gray for those taking this neutral trend to extremes.)

Vicarious by Nature Crash Dress

Short, ribbed, long-sleeved amazingness.  Tights and wedges, jeans and boots – or, um, just tennis shoes when I’m in a hurry.  (Or unlaced boots!  That would be so amazing…)

Prairie Underground Romp Around the Clock Romper

You’re damned right it’s a romper.  This whole week would have been a million times easier if I could have tossed this on and run out the door.

What do you wear when life just sucks?