Ethical Fashion – What To Wear To A Birthday Party

Posted on April 4, 2014 by admin

Dress – SkunkFunk (still available here)
Leggings – People Tree
Glitter shoes – TOMS (available here)
Clutch bag – Junky Styling
Earrings – vintage shop

Here is an outfit that I wore for the birthday party of a very good friend a few weeks ago. The dress is by SkunkFunk and I wear it with either tights or leggings depending on the occasion/ temperature. If you are a regular visitor to this blog, you will have probably seen me posting about SkunkFunk before. It is definitely one of my favourite sustainable fashion brands. I treated myself to the TOMS shoes for spring as I needed a new pair of casual flats, I hope to write a review about them very soon. The bag was a reward from project that I funded on Kickstarter.

Now spring has finally arrived, I am pretty much flat out keeping up with all of the plans that I have been making throughout the colder months. We have decided to upgrade our camping this year with the addition of a cute little caravan, an Eriba Puck and can’t wait to get out and about and using it.

I have also signed myself up for TrekFest where I will be walking 27 miles across the Brecon Beacons in aid of Naomi House childrens hospice, a charity that has provided a huge amount of support to members of my family. The hospice has recently launched a the Caterpillar appeal to raise the 4 million pounds needed to refurbish the hospice. If you would like to donate, you can do so through my Just Giving page here. I have already begun training with an 11 mile (uphill walk) last weekend. I have been spending quite a bit of time online researching which clothing/ equipment to buy for the trek and which brands are most sustainable. I hope to share my findings soon.

This weekend looks to be busy with lots of fun things planned? What will you be up to and what plans do you have for the spring and summer?

With warmest wishes

Ethical Fashion – What to Wear for an Early Dinner Out

Posted on March 8, 2014 by admin

Hat – Pachacuti
Dress – People Tree
Scarf – New Look
Leggings – People Tree
Boots – Clarks

Last Saturday I went out for an early dinner with Mr S and the children in Bath. It was probably one of the first outings where I haven’t encountered extreme wind or rain since Christmas, so I took the opportunity to wear my new hat by Fairtrade and ethical fashion brand Pachacuti.

The last week has been super crazy not only with work but with choosing a few new pieces to go in my newly decorated lounge (more on that in a post soon!) and planning and booking up lots of amazing stuff for the spring and summer, I can’t wait. With a little bit of sunshine over the last week and more forecast for tommorrow, I definitely feeling bright and happy. Amongst my plans I have signed up for a charity trek across the Brecon Beacons, booked a music festival, a vintage event, a day in London as well as some holidays and weekends away. Spring and summer are going to be super busy but I am definitely going to be sticking to my new years resolutions to live life to the full this year.

Do you have any fun plans yet for spring and summer? Have a lovely weekend!

With warmest wishes

What to Wear on a Sunny Day

Posted on February 20, 2014 by admin

Dress – the Feather Tree
Leggings – People Tree
Shoes – Melissa
Cardigan – second hand from a friend.
Necklace – Etsy

We had a lovely sunny day on the weekend so I decided to grab the opportunity to wear my new dress from Feather Tree. If you are interested to learn more about the brand, you can check out my story behind the brand post here.

Life has been pretty crazy over the last few weeks and I have been struggling to find the time to blog. I have now been struck down with a cold and am struggling to find the energy to do too much other than work. Instead of a lengthy post, here are a few instagrams from the last week or two.

Red Roses from Mr S on Valentines Day

Heart shaped eggs, they tasted lovely!

The handmade coconut buttons on my dress

Lovely lady, well she is when she is asleep and not tearing the house apart.

Bracelets from ornate.me (more about them in a post soon)

Feather earrings by The Feather Tree

I hope you are well! Have a fab Friday and an amazing weekend!

With warmest wishes

What to Wear on a Rare Night Out

Posted on February 1, 2014 by admin

What to wear on a rare night out
Dress – EDUN
Bag – Reclaim Bags
Coat – Vintage (from my Grandma)
Earrings – Bristol Harbourside

Last weekend myself and Mr S went for a rare night out. I haven’t had a night out without children since November as all my plans over Christmas got cancelled for one reason or another, so was really looking forward to it. We went into town for food followed by a few drinks.

I decided to get a bit dressed up as I don’t get that many chances to wear a nice dress. I bought this EDUN dress the year before last for the Ethical Fashion Forum Source awards but haven’t worn it since. If you would like to find out more about EDUN, you can check out the page I have written on style-is.co.uk here. The neckline was slighly gaping and needed a small dart putting in. In my usual cycle of procrastination, it has taken me over a year to get around to it but I am really glad that I did because it fits perfectly now.

I bought the earrings on a market stall on Bristol harbourside last year when I was there for Bristol Green Week Fare fashion show. I am not really sure whether the earrings were made ethically, I hope so but definitely prefer to support small independent traders than many of the bigger retailers.

What have you been up to lately? do you like to get dressed up for a night out?

With warmest wishes

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Fashion Revolution Day #Insideout #Whomadeyourclothes

Posted on January 27, 2014 by admin

Today’s post is all about Fashion Revolution Day. If you haven’t already heard, Fashion Revolution Day is going to be annual event from 24th April this year. It has been organised by key figures from the fashion industry and beyond including industry leaders, press, campaigners, consultants, representatives from charities and campaign organisations and academics, all with one common goal to drive change in the fashion industry to prevent another disaster like that of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh and to help raise awareness of the true cost of fashion.

The theme of the first Fashion Revolution Day is ‘who made your clothes?’ with the aim of encouraging us to become more curious about how our clothes are made and who made them. If you would like to get involved or find out more you can:

Checkout the website http://www.fashionrevolution.org
Follow Fashion Revolution on Twitter @Fash_Rev

You can also wear an item of clothing inside out, showing its label and share it through instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the #insideout and the question ‘who made your clothes?’

I have been taking a look at some of the labels on my own clothes and considering who, where and how they have been made. Here is what I have found out.

This label is on a top which I got from a clothes swap. It is originally from the Cacharel Vintage Collection at Uniqlo. It was made in China. Whilst they do rate better than many of the other high street shops in the Ethical Consumer Shopping Guide to the High Street there is a lack of information about how their clothes are manufactured on their website. You can read more in this post on Ethical Nippon.

This label is from a red New Look dress which I bought from Oxfam. It was made in China. New Look actually come out top of the list in the Ethical Consumer Guide and they do seem to have a fairly comprehensive ethical policy although their score 10/20 would suggest that there is still a fair amount of room for improvement. There is also some more in depth information about them on Labour Behind the Label although it is from 2011 so I guess things may have changed.

This dress is from the Orla Kiely collection at People Tree and is made in India from organic and fairtrade cotton. People Tree have made a strong commitment to fair trade and ethical manufacture of clothing and they work to create sustainable livelihoods for people in some of the poorest parts of the world. Organic and Fairtrade cotton also means that the farmers receive a fair price and that there is no child labour in the supply chain. There is plenty of information about the co operatives that People Tree work with on their website.

Do you every look at the labels on your clothes and wonder who made them?

With warmest wishes

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What to Wear to a Museum? and Looking Forward to 2014

Posted on January 12, 2014 by admin

What to wear to a museum!

Hat – Pachacuti
Scarf – Vintage
Jeggings – Oxfam
Top – really old
Ankle Boots – Dream in Green

I have been struggling a little to decide on any new years resolutions for 2014, of course there is the usual new year stuff to be more active, I am upping my gym classes from 3 to 6 per week, eat better, I have invested in a flask to take my homemade soup to work and a slow cooker for healthy meals after work, now I have to just cut out the snacks. I have already committed to buying only ethical fashion for a few years now but will continue to try and buy less.

I have decided rather than making the usual resolutions that I know I probably won’t stick to for very long,I am going to set myself some goals/ things that I would like to do instead. So here goes

For me…

Decide where I want to go next with work. I am currently working full time on a temporary contract and running my business.

Develop my marketing skills. I have been working in marketing for 5 years now, I would love a new qualification which will up date my skills and take them to the next level, plus I love learning.

Take up Spanish again. In 2013, I took up Spanish lessons with the children and really surprised myself about how much I learnt in such a short space of time. Unfortunately we had to give up lessons because of time but I want 2014 to be the year I make time.

Get out and about more. I live quite near to both Bath and Bristol and definitely need to make more of what these amazing city’s have to offer. In 2014 I want lots more visits to museums, theatres, art galleries and even restaurants. For me I want 2014 to be much more about doing stuff than buying stuff.

For my blogs and websites

I honestly think that 2014 could be the year that ethical and sustainable fashion starts to gain some serious traction. There are plenty of ethical fashion events going on and I have noticed a definite interest in ethical fashion amongst many of the fashion blogs lately. I would love for my website www.style-is.co.uk and this blog to play a key part in this revolution.

For this blog I want to try and see things in a slightly different way with more interesting photographs, perhaps more detail or different angles and lots more outdoors photographs.

I have already made a good start with my ‘to do list’ by visiting the Bristol Musuem and Art Gallery today with the children. I would thoroughly recommend it and it is free to get in. We also stopped off for Burritos at Las Iguanas on the waterfront, again which I would happily recommend as the food was delicious. In answer to ‘what to wear to a Museum?’, I decided to go for something casual and comfy and fairly plain giving me the chance to wear my favourite vintage paisley pom pom scarf and give my new pachacuti hat its first outing.

What have you been up to so far in 2014? Do you have any new years resolutions or a to do list?

Here are just a few instagrams from today and the last week!

A Giant Irish Deer Skeleton

A Dinosaur Skeleton

Stuck in traffic on the way to work

No wonder it takes me so long to write a blog post with lady helping!

With warmest wishes

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Christmas!

Posted on December 29, 2013 by admin

This year we spent Christmas with my family in Cardiff which was lovely. Unfortunately we had to cancel our break between Christmas and new year in a luxury hotel in Port Merion in North Wales because of the terrible weather. I was pretty disappointed to start with but decided to make a best of a bad situation by having a staycation at home. Yesterday we went out for a yummy Thai meal and today for brunch in Bath followed by crazy golf in the park, I have a few more plans before returning to work in the new year.

Coat – My Grandma’s
Bag – Reclaim Bags
Dress – SkunkFunk
Shoes – Clarks

Christmas!

Jumper – Seasalt Cornwall
Jeggings – Oxfam Fashion
Scarf – Handknitted in Wales
Boots – Clarks

I was definitely spoilt this year with some lovely Christmas pressies including this clucth made from recycled tyres by Reclaim Bags. I wanted a large clutch that I could use for both daytime and evening and this one which Mr S gave me was perfect. I also had this lovely warm jumper from Seasalt Cornwall from my Mum and Dad. The handknitted scarf, again from my mum and dad, went perfectly with it. I really love that my mum went to a special effort to pick out beautiful and unique handmade accessories from her travels in both the UK and abroad for my Christmas pressies.

This Christmas definitely felt less consumeristic than previous years. I just had a few carefully chosen pressies and I tried to do the same for my friends and family. I have also noticed a lot of people trying to buy less, locally and more unique and special gifts. I have tried to spend more time with the children going iceskating, to the cinema and playing games rather than buying too many pressies (although they certainly had quite a few new things).

What have you been up to over Christmas and what were your favourite pressies?

The Weekend Before Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2013 by admin

Dress – really old (from the high street)
Cardigan – Oxfam Fashion
Shoes- Clarks

Much as I love my job, I couldn’t help feel a sense of excitement and relief when I finished work on Friday for almost 2 weeks. Despite plans for complete relaxation, I haven’t actually managed to sit down once yet but I have had a fun filled weekend going to see santa with my youngest, to the in laws for lunch and to the cinema to to see Frozen (which was fab!).

The dress I wore on Sunday (pictured above) was really old, bought on the high street long before I committed to buying ethically, but I had forgotton how much I loved its fit and secretely quite pleased that I can still manage to fit into it. For me sustainability is as much about making do with what you have already got (something I need to do much more of in 2014) as buying new things that have been made in a sustainable way.

Some of the highlights of the last week on Instagram

Saturday night in watching Elf, drinking Fruit Broo (as recommended by Laura) and eating gingerbread from Lidl with the girls.

The pressy wrappinging seemed to go on and on but finally now I am ready for Christmas!

I have also recently written a post for Style-is.co.uk – 3 Ethical Fashion Brands to watch for 2014!

How are you spending Christmas this year and what have you been doing to celebrate? I hope you have a fab Christmas and new year!

It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like……

Posted on December 16, 2013 by admin

Beaded top – local charity shop
Jeggings – Oxfam
Shoes – Clarks

Even yet a another weekend of completely trashed social plans due to the dreaded Noro virus taking its toll on oldest daughter, can’t dampen my Christmas spirit! Well actually I was pretty fed up but now she is all better again, I can’t help feeling just a little excited about Christmas, not least the prospect of a few weeks off work.

Next week we are going to see Father Christmas. I figured this may well be the last year its going to wash so might as well grab the opportunity while I can. We also have lots more exciting Christmas plans so really really hoping that no more illness to ruin things. In the mean time I am making the most of my week left at work by getting in the Christmas spirit and wearing something sparkly each day!

I hope you are enjoying the run up to Christmas and managing to stay germ free. What festive fun have you been having?

Here are just a few of my instagrams from last week

Reindeer in the shopping centre in town. Very cute but boy did they stink!

Ice Skating with Mr S and the children. This was so much fun, I definitely want to go again soon.

My Christmas wreath. Mr S though it looked boring and wrapped it in tinsel to try and jazz it up. I went mad but thankfully now have restored it to its rustic perfection.

A sneak preview of the lovely handknitted hat that I have just received from Ricefield Collective. I will be blogging more detail about the brand and photos of the hat tommorrow.

With warmest wishes

A Fedora and a Christmas Catch Up

Posted on December 7, 2013 by admin

Jacket – Upcycled Dressing Gown from Local Vintage Shop
Organic Cotton T Shirt by A Question Of
Jeans/ Jeggings – Oxfam
Boots – high street
Necklace – won in a charity raffle

It feels like a long time since I last posted an outfit post. Life has been pretty busy lately and I have been struggling to find time to eat and sleep never mind blog! Over the last few days my little girl has not been well which means this weekend we have all had to cancel all of our social and festive plans including 2 dinners with friends, a birthday party and a Christmas bazaar. On the plus side perhaps a lazy weekend around the house is just what we all need. I am taking the chance to catch up with a little blogging and reading of my favourites blogs plus sorting out my wardrobe. Can you believe I still haven’t got around to swapping over my summer and winter clothes yet.

My Christmas pressy from Mr S is a lovely Fedora hat by Pachacuti which I chose myself. I thought I ought to try it on to check that it fits and he agreed that perhaps I should just have it now to save him having to wrap it up. I haven’t had the chance to wear it out yet as stuck in the house for the next few days but hopefully will do soon. If you wanted to give someone an amazing Christmas pressy this year, Pachacuti do a great little package of a mini hat with a gift voucher so that they can pick out their own choice from the website but also have something lovely to open on Christmas day. Pachacuti have a great choice of classic Fedora in different colours and sizes but also a range of other styles. Love this idea!

Here are just a few of my festive instagrams from the last few weeks.

Christmas Tree Fairy

Pressies – Handknitted and Fair Trade Hats by Fair + True

Christmas cards from Oxfam

The next 2 weeks and the run up to Christmas look to be super busy with Christmas lunches, parties, school plays and carol concerts as well as the usual christmas preparations. Not that I am not looking forward to it, I love Christmas and all of its sparkliness! Definitely going to be ready for some time off over Christmas though.

What are you are you up to for Christmas, do you have any fun plans?

With warmest wishes