Bath in Fashion

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin

First of all Happy Earth Day! If you don’t already know Earth Day is a global event involving a billion people including individuals, businesses, charities, organisations and governments all raising awareness of climate changes and making changes to combat it. I have written a post Sustainable style and Earth Day at style-is.co.uk with some very easy things that you can do today and for the future to make a difference.

This weekend I managed to get myself over to a few of the events at Bath in Fashion. Bath is one of my favourite places ever and definitely such a fashionable and stylish place. I particularly love that the city has so much amazing history with amazing views and architecture. Bath is also a great place to shop sustainably with some amazing charity and vintage shops. If you happen to be visiting please check out my post A Vintage and Second Hand Guide to Bath.

My weekend started with a conversation with Liberty London Girl. I have followed Liberty London Girl for nearly 6 years since I first started blogging, so was really interested to find out a little more about Sasha Wilkins, the blogger behind the blog. Sasha was incredibly entertaining and interesting to listen to. She talked about her life as a journalist and a blogger, blogging and working with brands and her sausage dog amongst other things. I am really inspired by the huge success of Liberty London Girl but her stories about how difficult things were in the beginning have also made me feel really motivated about both my blog and own business. I was far to busy enjoying listening to make notes but if you wanted to read more about what Sasha had to say, there is a great post about it on Mission;style. Following the talk, I have decided to make a few changes to the blog and will be introducing three new monthly columns about natural beauty, natural food and recipes, eco gadgets and green lifestyle. Although they aren’t exactly ‘ethical fashion’ I thought they might be interesting to read but more importantly I think I will enjoy writing them.

I finished off the weekend perfectly when I went for lunch with my friends at Carluccios and a wander around the Vintage Fashion Fair at Green Park Station. I treated myself to a lime green lace dress which I am sure will be featured in an outfit post soon!

You can check out my instagrams of this weekend above. Also really pleased this week to have been featured on Ecosalon – New Green Voices: The 5 Best Green Fashion Blogs.

I hope that you have had a lovely weekend and a good start to the week. Are you doing anything for Earth Day?

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

Skunkfunk and A Question Of

Posted on March 25, 2013 by admin

I have been raving on about the brand Skunkfunk for some time now on Twitter. When I was recently approached by retailer Zalando to see if I would like to review some items from their site, I jumped at the chance to try out this amazing dress that I have been admiring for a while. In my opinion, Skunkfunk are one of the most amazing fashion brands around at the moment combining a fresh and unique vibe with sustainability and affordable prices. What’s not to love!

When the dress turned up, I was very pleasantly surprised. It was made from organic cotton making it comfortable to wear and suitable for the warmer weather when it finally arrives. The print was really unusual – described my daughter as pixellated. I love wearing dresses but don’t go out in the evening that often so loved that this dress could work equally well for daytime and evening.

I love reading up on the brands that I buy from so it was great that the label had plenty of info. Unfortunately you can’t really see what it says on the label here but some of the key points about Skunkfunk are that they transport by boat, use organic cotton, wood pulp cellulose (Modal and Lyocell) and recycled polyester. For their packaging they use bioplastic (made from Cornstarch) and use as much recycled paper as possible. Their clothes are also often multi option and reversible.

I was also lucky enough to get an organic cotton t shirt by another really cool brand A Question Of. The t shirt is lovely and soft and a great fit for me. I struggle to find t shirts that are not too long but this one was spot on. With my GCSE knowledge of French, I have worked out that the t shirt says something like To say I love you, believe in yourself, live life (please correct me if i’m wrong). This kind of sums up what I really need to do more of!

I would definitely recommend checking out Zalando for some other innovative sustainable brands including Komodo, Monkee Genes and Hemp Hoodlamb.

I am determined not to let this freezing cold weather get me down, despite having to cancel our camping trip for Easter Weekend. This weekend I kept myself busy making cocktails with vodka and Innocent smoothies (kiwi, apple and lime) which were really delicious and definitely a great way to top up on vitamins. I also went to see the local performance of musical Annie with the children. I loved it as a child and it was fantastic to see it again. Definitely a great way to spend a cold wintery Sunday afternoon. What have you been up to?

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

Sapellé – a Paradise of Prints

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

Sapellé is an online multi-brand retailer of stylish women’s fashion
and accessories. Products combine modern styling with increasingly
popular African design influences, creating beautiful unique
contemporary pieces that are perfectly adaptable for today’s discerning
woman who seeks classically trendy pieces for her wardrobe.

For lovers of bold and bright prints like myself Sapellé is like paradise! The designs featured take the most amazing prints and styles from Africa but adapt them for a wearable look that can work for anyone, even with our weather in the UK!

Daphne Kasambala, the founder of Sapellé is passionate about bringing beautiful clothing made by innovative designers and talented crafts people to women seeking something new and fresh to complement their style. Sapellé’s ethical focus is on creating fair employment and pay through Fair Trade with African suppliers, and the company sources its products from a variety of design labels, independent artisans and social enterprises that have ethical and sustainable production principles.

Here are just some of the fantastic brands that you will find on Sapellé.

Choolips

Perhaps one of the most well known African inspired brands, Choolips is fun,contemporary and also affordable. This hand-batiked cotton dress is from the Gold Coast Collection and showcases traditional textile dyeing methods from West Africa.

Modahnik

A fantastic blend of avant garde eclecticism of Congolese art and culture. I love the vibrant colours mixed with cutting edge styles by Modahnik. How amazing is this dress?

Adjoa Osei

I love this label for the way that it translates African prints into clean lined staples that look so classic and are also easy to wear.

Sapellé also have their own range which includes this beautiful pencil skirt.

Please check out www.sapelle.com to see the full range of brands.

Vintage Fashion at ASOS Marketplace

Posted on October 12, 2012 by admin

I love the way that ASOS has branched out into providing such a wide range of clothing and accessories including both ethical and sustainable in the Green Rooms and vintage, second hand and indie labels and boutiques in the marketplace. Not only can you find some really unique and unusal pieces of clothing but also sell on your own clothes when you no longer wear them.

I also love that in contrast to some other market places (which will remain nameless), they have a strong policy and zero tolerance on the sale of conterfeit goods with their Fashion not Fakes campaign.

All in all I think ASOS marketplace offers a great online shopping experience with a great selection of clothes displayed in a fresh and contemporary way but also with a high focus on quality. Perfect for someone like myself who doesn’t have much time to get out and about shopping and wants to be able to look at lots of different pieces all in one place.

There are over 200 vintage boutiques based all over the world on ASOS market place. I have put together a few of my favourite pieces that I have found.

Bright Yellow Jumper from Mad Elizabeth Boutique- Cosy but colourful, this jumper is perfect for brightening up a dark winters day.

Another bright piece to add some colour to your winter wardrobe, this pleated skirt is both classic and right on trend. I found it in the Liar boutique.

The perfect vintage little black dress in Just Vintage Boutique - what can I say? I love the style the cut and the keyhole back on this dress, great for Christmas parties, just a shame it isn’t in my size.

Another lovely party dress this time with both lace and beading at Marmalade Vintage Boutique.

This bright red vintage sixties dress at Girl Stole Vintage Boutique could easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

This oversized vintage coat at Bertie and Gertie Vintage Boutique offers yet more colourful cosiness, just what my wardrobe needs right now.

What do you think of ASOS marketplace? have you ever bought or sold anything on there?

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

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How Does the High Street Help Out?

Posted on October 9, 2012 by admin

Not every name on the High Street scores high marks when it comes to ethics, but you might be surprised to learn that many are taking steps in the right direction in terms of
sustainability, social responsibility and fair trading. New Look in particular is championing the way for the High Street to get serious about ethical fashion. From New Look’s signature shoes and dresses right down to their jewelry and hair accessories, New Look is absolutely committed to the cause of ethical trading. Additionally, the
brand is dedicated to animal welfare, meaning all clothing, jewelry and hair accessories are not only on trend but also guilt free. That’s right, those fashionable feather earrings, snakeskin heels and pearl hair accessories are man made—no birds, snakes or mollusks were harmed in the process.

How else are New Look pioneering ethical fashion? The brand has set out a rigorous code of conduct which all of their suppliers must sign and abide by. According to their
website, New Look has 4 principal aims for their brand:

· Be a good neighbour to the world.

· Deliver value and ethical values to our customers.

· Continuously improve.

· Ensure that ethical trading is central to how we operate.

Above all, New Look is clearly concerned with welfare of the workers and craftspeople who make their products. The brand is constantly revising their policies to ensure health
and safety needs are consistently being met. For instance, New Look has put a
ban on the practice of sandblasting their denim and other products. Sure, that
pre-worn in look is chic, but to achieve it via sandblasting the fabric is
blasted with crystalline silica via air compressors. This practice poses great
health risks to the sandblasting operators who often inhale dangerous dust from
the machines which can cause silicosis, lung cancer and autoimmune diseases.
If you’re going for a faded denim look but don’t want to shop second hand, you
can be assured that all of New Look’s distressed fabrics have achieved their
faux-vintage patina through alternative techniques that didn’t put anyone’s lung
health at risk. Beyond all this, New Look has set up it’s own namesake charity which has raised over £750K for charitable causes through donations, fundraising and dedicated sales.

Additionally, the brand works with MacMillan Cancer Support, donating generously to the worthy cause of cancer support. Who says fashion has to be a superficial pursuit? New Look for one is working in the right direction.

Freda Eco Pleat Dress

Posted on August 10, 2012 by admin

We are aware that more focus is needed in the fashion industry when it comes to
ethical clothing. However some designers and big names are getting more
involved which is certainly a step in the right direction.

Aine Bence is doing her part by generating more focus towards ethical fashion with
her winning creation in last year’s Online Fashion Week competition produced by
Vogue.com. Aine created her winning design by spending hours gluing thin paper
strips together to create a dress made entirely from sheets of recycled tissue
paper. Her simple dress was inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s classic look giving
the design a timeless quality.

As expected the original design won’t be making an appearance in stores and so a
wearable version has been created and is now available at online designer
retailer Matches Fashion. The Eco Pleat Dress has been crafted in organic
Parigi cloth produced by organic mill Tessile Naturale to create a feminine
style for the eco-conscious fashion follower.

Freda Eco Pleat Dress Available at matchesfashion.com

The Freda Eco Pleat Dress may not be making big waves in terms of ethical clothing
but with designers and fashion retailers becoming more aware of their responsibilities
we hope it will inspire the industry.

EFB Outfit Challenge – Go Team GB

Posted on August 5, 2012 by admin

Since getting back from holiday, I have managed to catch up with a bit of the Olympics on the TV and have been delighted to see so many medals for team GB this weekend. With the news that Ben Ainslie has got gold in the sailing (and the sun is shining there), I kind of wish I was back in Weymouth.

Rather fittingly, this months outfit challenge for Ethical Fashion Bloggers has an Olympic theme. From now on the Ethical Fashion Bloggers outfit challenges are open to all fashion bloggers. All you have to do is post your a picture of you wearing your outfit for the given theme to your blog with a link to www.ethicalfashionbloggers.com. You outfit should contain at least one piece of ethical, eco, vintage, second hand or upcycled clothing. Even better if you include more! You can find out more and submit your posts here.

Here is my Olympic themed outfit featuring Red, white and blue in support of Team GB and sailing/ deck style shoes inspired of course by the olympic sailing.

Dress – People Tree
Top – Antiform
Shoes – Pikolinos
Necklace – a present
Ring – Made UK
Team GB nails – inspired by Lakota at Faith, Hope and Charity Shopping’s Olympic Manicure here (which is far more creative than what I have done) and created using a selection of old nail varnishes from the bottom of my drawer.

Enjoy what is left of the weekend!

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

Camping and Camp Bestival

Posted on August 4, 2012 by admin

I have been a little absent from blogging for the last couple of weeks. On Wednesday 25th July, I was in London for the Ethical Fashion Forum Source Summit – The Tipping Point. It was a hugely interesting event and I met and heard from so many inspiring people. I hope to be able to blog and share some more about this soon once the videos and notes have been published.

I was then off in our old camper van at 8am the next morning and on our way to Camp Bestival in Lulworth Castle Dorset with some fantastic music including Rolf Harris (my personal favourite), Happy Mondays and Rizzle Kicks and lots of other entertainment.

After wearing only 6 items of clothing for the Six Items Challenge in July, I decided to have a go at packing lightly with just four outfits for a whole 8 day camping. I soon realised that this was a mistake as my choice of outfits didn’t really seem to work for the huge differences in temperature between day and evening. But never mind, I survived! I didn’t take to many outfit photos as I was suffering from uncontrolably frizzy and dusty hair most of the time and I didn’t take my camera remote so had to rely on the blurry efforts of the children and Mr Style Eyes. 187 Camping and Camp Bestival The picture above features my trusty green camping parka and zebra jumper from a charity shop. I never buy new clothes for holidays any more as it seems like a waste to buy new things just for a week or two of holidays. I try and make the clothes that I already have work for me. You can find a great selection of jumpers on www.style-is.co.uk.

This is me on a particularly hot and sunny day wearing hat by Pachacuti and top by Kuyichi.

We then went on to a fantastic campsite near Weymouth and although we didn’t have tickets to see any of the sailing events for the Olympics we had a fantastic time on the beach, having a go at sailing and lots of other sports. If anyone has any time off over the next week or so I would definitely recommend a trip to Weymouth, there is so much going on and surprisingly, not that many people there so plenty of vacancies in hotels and B & B’s and campsites.

I hope you are having a lovely summer and have been enjoying the fantastic weather. Despite having a fantastic time on my hols I am glad to be back to my comfy bed, own bathroom and hot shower. I can’t wait to catch up on reading my favourite blogs over the next few days.

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

Six Items Challenge – Week 3

Posted on July 22, 2012 by admin

Third week of the six items challenge and I will have to say I am getting pretty bored with my choice of clothes. Every morning when I open my wardrobe I am confronted by a rail of clothes that I can’t wear. Still not too much longer now and this week my new hat has arrived from Pachacuti ready for hols so I have been using it to add a bit of interest to my outfits.

I haven’t posted every single outfit this week as a few have been a little bit repetitive and I have had some fairly severe bad hair days.

My neckscarf/ accessory is from Round London.

This bag is from Oxfam Fashion – one of my favourite places to shop!

This neckalce is from ethical jewellery brand Made UK Everyone says the tights make me look like I have tattoos on my legs. I love this look but could never committ to having just one design on my legs. I would so change my mind.

This obi belt was handmade and is great for giving loose fitting clothes a bit of shape.

And here is my new hat!

Ands so on to the last week of the challenge. I am so pleased the sun has finally come out and really enjoying having dinner in the garden every evening.

Next week I am speaking on the visibility panel for the Ethical Fashion Forum Tipping Point Summit, it will bring together leading pioneers in fashion and sustainability from all over the world and across the entire supply chain to network, share ideas, learn from best practice, and collaborate. I can’t wait! Hope you have an amazing week.

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

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Six Items Challenge – Week 2

Posted on July 16, 2012 by admin

So here I am at the end of week 2 of the six items challenge. It has been a pretty busy week and I haven’t had the chance to spend much time thinking about what I wear and how to accessorise my chosen items in order to create a different outfit each day. I did manage to do something slightly different each day except one when I resorted to the easy outfit which I wore last week of just my ASOS printed trousers and t shirt. I also got the opportunity to wear some accessories that I have recently treated myself to a pair of earrings featuring Josephine Baker and a scarf from Accessorise.

This is my scarf by Accessorise and my first ever attempt at wearing neon

I got this scarf from Oxfam Online and the necklace is by ethical jewellery brand Made UK.

This beaded necklace is from People Tree and it is those black ballet pumps by sustainable shoe brand Melissa, perfect for the rain as they are plastic!

Thursday was a bit of an opt out on the accessories front but I am wearing shoe boots my my favourite ethical shoe brand Dream in Green.

This was the outfit I wore to my cousins birthday party on Saturday. I picked the scarf up in the week from a charity shop. The earrings are handmade using vintage bits by Lilygrace Originals.

Another simple outfit - I definitely need more colour next week.

Apart from doing the challenge this week I have also managed to get some goodies from a quick dash into a charity shop in Bath (inc the scarf I am wearing above). Too bad I won’t get to wear the green lace dress and angorra jumper yet.

I also went to London for the fabulous ’How to be an Eco Warrioress’ event organised by Bi.itch Online. I will be blogging about it more on www.ethicalfashionbloggers.com.

I hope you are having a good start to the week. What have you been up to lately?

With warmest wishes

Ceri x