Fashioned for Freedom

Posted on November 14, 2012 by admin

Image Credit – Chris Barnby

On Monday evening, I attended the Fashioned for Freedom Event which was held by House of Beth and I.O.M. to raise awareness and funds for the victims of human trafficking. The event was held in the stunning St Mary’s Church which had been beautifully decorated with a Muriel wall by Becca Gore and an Tree Art Installation by Marco Turcich and Matilde Marangoni. The evening was filled with wine,the premier of short film ‘Flight’ , music by Digital Farm Animals and Colourblind and of course lots of fashion fashion. Some fantastic designers and brands including Ada Zandition, Beulah, O’nitaa, Goodone, From Somewhere, Henrietta Ludgate, Shadowplay NYC, Zoe Bloomer and People Tree had donated clothing to be auctioned off at the end of the evening.

Image Credit – Chris Barnby

House of Beth is an online marketplace selling a combination of clothing and accessories by ethical fashion brands and also high quality preloved clothing both designer and high street. 50% of all profits from clothing sold by House of Beth go towards fighting human trafficking. There were plenty of rails of amazing clothes and jewellery and accessories by including jewellery by the House of Beth in house designer.

I treated myself to one of the beautiful headpieces (pictured above) which have become something of a signature for House of Beth, I hope to be featuring in an outfit very soon.

Image Credit – Tom Selmon

Talia Chain and Sarah Kendal, the Directors of House of Beth opened the evening, their enthusiasm for using fashion for supporting the Charities that help Human Trafficking was both inspiring and infectious. Olivia Godfrey (Sky Sports) and Nelufar Hedayat (BBC) were presenters for the evening and looked fantastic modelling one of the dresses to be auctioned and a headpiece by House of Beth. Claire Allman, the marketing manager for Ecover also gave a speech where she highlighted how big business can and is working towards sustainability.

It was also lovely to meet Rebecca of Bexceptional who took part in my recent ethical fashion blogathon to talk ethical fashion, blogging. If you haven’t checked out her blog, I would thoroughly recommend it!

Image Credit – Chris Barnby

There was a great upbeat feel to the event, so many beautiful and glamorous people and so many rails of lovely clothes but the very serious and important side of the evening was not forgotton, with an address by Baroness Butler-Sloss, GBE highlighting the impact that Human Trafficking has on so many lives. Perhaps I am a little naive but I really had no idea of the scale of human trafficking, which can be likened to modern day slavery. An estimated 27 million people living in slavery and it affects a range of people from children to women and men forced to work in manual labour all over the world including the UK.

The Redlight Campaign, which will benefit from the funds raised at the event helps survivors of human trafficking through pragmatic means based on individual needs. The International Organisation for Migration is an inter governmental agency which promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all and has been working to counter trafficking since 1994 helping over 17,000 trafficked persons.

Congratulations to everyone involved for a fantastic event!

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

Pick of the Ethical Fashion Sales

Posted on August 17, 2012 by admin

I have seen so many amazing ethical fashion finds in the sales over the last few weeks, I thought that I would share with you some of my favourites. As I mentioned in my last post, if you have never tried buying ethical or eco fashion before, the sales are a great time to give it a try. I guarantee you will be really surprised by the amazing quality and how different it is from much of the clothing you will find on the high street.

komodo fair trade zoe dress black 1 Pick of the Ethical Fashion Sales

Zoe Fair Trade Cutout Dress by Komodo

If you saw my recent posts about the 6 Items challenge (where I wore only 6 items of clothing for a month) you might recognise this dress as one of the six items that I choose. It has become one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe as it is so comfortable and easy to wear and can be accessorised in so many different ways or worn without accessories. It is now on sale at Fashion Conscience with just a few sizes left. Use code SALE10 to get an extra 10% discount.

Garat T Shirt Dress by Skunkfunk

I am a big fan of neon and this dress would look amazing with any of the brightly coloured beaded sandals or accessories from the amazing www.Aspiga.com. Definitely a look for those who like to stand out from the crowd! this dress is also on sale at Fashion Conscience along with more items from the Skunk Funk brand. Again you can use code SALE10 to get an extra 10% discount.

Orla Kiely Navy Cabins Dress

I love People Tree sales and I love the Orla Kiely collection at People Tree. This dress is one of the items that I have been admiring on the site all spring and summer and it is now reduced by 50%. It looks like a perfect every day dress and a really flattering cut.

Denim Dress by Outsider

This beautiful dress is part of the Eco Age by Livia Firth Collection on Yoox. It is made from organic cotton denim with silk detailing at the neck. A really beautiful wardrobe staple for a sophisticated daytime look .

Bamboo Sunglasses by Kayu

These unusal sunglasses are another item I have been admiring all summer. They are great for a quirky and fun summer time look. They are also from the Eco Age by Livia Firth Collection at Yoox.

Keiko Maxi Dress at Monsoon

This beautiful Kimono style dress is reduced by over 70%. An amazing bargain especially if you have a special event to go to.

As you probably already know, I am a big fan of charity shopping. Oxfam is the best place to charity shop online and has some amazing pieces which can easily be searched by price, brand etc. They currently have a 30% off sale. You can check it out here.

Have you found any ethical fashion bargains in the sales? please share?

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

Ps just to let you know that this post contains some affiliate links.

House of Beth Launch by Katrina of Muffin Top Vintage

Posted on July 4, 2012 by admin

Hi All,

I am Katrina, from Muffin Top Vintage. I was asked to pop a long to the House of Beth Launch Party on the behalf of Ceri.

Right from the start I was intrigued, I arrived and the venue was with in a small theatre,
Unfortunately the lift was broken so four flights of stairs in a new brogues was not a great start but as soon as I reached the top I knew it was worth it.

I was greeted by one of the many helpers who offered me a cup cake and glass of wine; then the lovely Talia (CEO of House of Beth) gave me a tour and she introduced me to her business partner Sarah.

House of Beth is an ethical fashion platform, which aims to raise the awareness of the fashion consumer to question the labour behind the label and the ethics of prioritising consumption and production over humanity. It aims to promote the concept that a beautiful piece of clothing can be made from sustainable fabrics, by fairly treated workers. House of Beth is a platform for promoting ethical fashion but not to the detriment of the quality or style of the clothing and passionately believe that fashion can be both ethical and beautiful.

This year House of Beth supports the Red Light Campaign with 10% of profits being donated to help the support their continual crusade against human trafficking in today’s society.

The clothes to be recycled by The House of Beth Team gives charity shops a much higher percentage of profits and it also provides an upcycling service for charity shop clothes. Where the focus is on styling and collections in order to help charity shops move into a more fashionable sphere. The clothes are styled into collections based on women who have inspired House of Beth. This promotes the idea that the clothing will be timeless with beauty, quality and integrity at its core whether or not it has been worn before. The pre-loved clothing sold is of the very highest of standards. House of Beth is also working on supporting and selling new ethical brands that work within poor communities around the world.

First was the Virginia Woolf room that was just beautiful, the setting was amazing, the oak fireplace and turquoise walls were just a lovely setting.
The modals were just lovely they allowed me to snap away while remaining in character.

Then I went on to Sappho inspired room, which there were another bunch of beautiful ladies all dress in the most amazing costumes, all the outfits were pieced together using upcycled clothes so well and the head bands were all hand made.

The Audrey Hepburn inspired table, what I like most about the launch was that the models where of all different shape, sizes, ethnicities and ages. I think it shows that not matter what sourcing ethical clothing is possible.

Talia told me that herself and Sarah, had been inspired to start House of Beth when working at a Human Trafficking Charity and they wanted to combine it with their love of Fashion.

Why don’t you pop along to the website & blog and be part of their fabulous journey.

Thank you Ceri for introducing me to such a wonderful company. I wish Talia & Sarah the best of luck the future.

Ciao for now

Love Katrina x

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Swapping, Selling and Giving at Friendly Fashion

Posted on May 3, 2012 by admin

Denim jacket – swapped
Necklace – Made
Dress – Oxfam
Shoes – Dkode

We are all kind of guilty to a certain extent of buying clothes that we need or just getting bored with what we already have and fancying a change. Swapping, selling and buying preloved clothes is a fantastic way to refresh your wardrobe and it is better for your purse and the environment than buying new. I also think it is really fun and a great way of trying something new that you might not usually buy in the shops. I am so passionate about swapping that I set up my own clothes swapping website Posh Swaps a few years back to encourage people to get swapping. Since then there has been an explosion of Swishing (swapping) parties and clothes swapping websites which gives everyone plenty of opportunity for everyone to recycle their old stuff and get something amazing in return. The denim jacket in the image is the result of a swap I did and I wear it all of the time.

I recently recieved an email Friendly Fashion, a great new swapping site. They have some fantastic stuff listed on the site and I would definitely recommend checking it out if your wardrobe needs a little refresh. The site is free to use, allows you to swap, buy, sell and give away itmes and has a fantastic widget which can be customised and adding to your blog to help promote any items that you list.

Spring is the perfect time to have a good clear out. You can make yourself some extra cash or get something lovely and new in return for the clothes that you don’t wear. Here are some of my favourite items listed on the site.

I definitely have plenty of pieces of clothing I would love to swap. How about you? Have you every tried swapping?

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

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A Vintage and Second Hand Guide to Bath

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

I feel very lucky to live near to Bath. It has so many shops and cafes, I could spend hours just wandering around the back streets discovering new places. In particular, it has some amazing places to shop for vintage and second hand clothes. So on one very wet and rainy day (Monday), I decided to take my camera and do a bit of research for the Second Hand and Vintage Guide to Bath that I have been promising for quite some time.

If you don’t live near Bath and fancied visiting for a weekend or short break there are also plenty of other things to do, my favourites being the Bath Costume Museum, the Roman Baths and Thermae Spa where you can enjoy a post shopping spa session.

View Vintage and Second Hand Guide to Bath in a larger map

Oxfam Boutique

This shop really doesn’t look anything like a charity shop. It is well lit and airey with a contemporary feel. The clothing and accessories have been carefully selected for their quality and timeless apeal and are in excellent condition. They are creatively displayed by colours and even have their own Oxfam Boutique tag making it feel like you are buying something brand new. Prices are very slightly higher than you might normally pay in a charity shop but still a fantastic bargain. I managed to get myself a beautiful Monsoon cardigan for £12.

Black and White

I really loved this shop which is jam packed with an eclectic selection of second hand and vintage clothing ranging from high street to designer. I can’t believe I never wven knew it was there, it is definitely now on my must visit list when I am in Bath. Allow plenty of time to look around if you are visiting as their is just so much to see and accessories every where, there is even some retro homeware and a staircase with pairs of shoes on each step. I loved all of the beautiful colours and patterns and came away with an amazing brightly coloured pom pom adorned paisley scarf for £10.

Scarlet Vintage

Scarlet Vintage is a gem of a shop hidden away down a back street where you probably wouldn’t think of looking. It has a great selection of colourful vintage and second hand designer clothes. The clothing is really wearable and affordable. They had plenty of maxi dresses and summer dresses. I tried on a really lovely Diane Von Furstenburg dress which cost £30. If you live locally, they also run a Private Vintage Club running events for the chance to get dressed up in your finest vintage wear.

Vintage to Vogue

Down a little alley way and away from the hustle and bustle of Bath, Vintage to Vogue is a place for the serious vintage and designer enthusiast to shop. It has a beautiful and top quality collection of both mens and womens wear from the forties and fifties onwards but also some more modern pieces from iconic labels like Chanel. I spotted a lovely fifties shift dress for £60 that I would have loved to have bought.

Mint

Just a stone’s throw away from the railway station, Mint feels just like a designer boutique. The only difference being that it is filled with preloved designer clothes. The clothes are all in top condition and are by a wide range of designers from D&G to Chloe, Missoni, Joseph, Alice Temperley and Paul & Joe. Everything in the shop has classic appeal and you certainly wouldn’t guess that it was from a previous season. Prices ranged from about £60 upwards. I spotted a nice pair of what looked like nearly new Etoile Isabel Marant jeans for £95. Definitely the place to visit if you want designer clothing at a fraction of its new price.

The Frock Exchange

Another fantastic place to shop for designer wear that looks as good as new. The Frock Exchange is a dress agency selling beautiful designer ball dresses, cocktail dresses, shoes, bags and accessories. If you want something to wear for a special occasion, this is the place for you. You will get the rare opportunity to wear something from recent collections by labels like Yves St Laurent but without bankrupting yourself in the process.

Apart from all of these amazing shops, Bath has a good selection of charity shops and regular vintage fairs and markets including The Bath Vintage and Antiques Market at Green Park Station on the last Sunday of every month and the Bath Flea and Vintage Market which is held up on the race course.

If you live nearby, I hope I have tempted you to take a second hand and vintage shopping trip around Bath and if you live a little further afield to visit Bath for a weekend to check out these fantastic shops. I have had an amazing time researching and visiting these shops (and doing a little shopping on the way), I hope you enjoy them too.

If you do happen to know of anywhere else that I have missed please leave a comment below.

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

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Swap In The City

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

When I went to the Good Fashion Show on Saturday, I also participated in the Swap in the City clothes swap. Anyone that knows me will know how much I love a good clothes swap, I even have my own clothes swap website!

A clothes swap, or swishing party as they are also known, gives me even more of a feeling of excited anticipation than I used to get when I went on an occasional clothing shopping spree with the added bonus that it is completely guilt free. I am sure I don’t need to tell you, swapping is the new shopping!

I carefully lugged my heavy bag of clothes all the way to London on the train, the tube, the fifteen minute walk to London house and around the Good Fashion Show until it was time to hand my clothes in. I took along what I considered some really lovely pieces of clothing that I really loved but just didn’t suit my shape or colouring, a Burberry Prorsum safari jacket, a 1950′s heavily beaded floral pink knitted top, a 70′s midi dress with a pleated skirt, a printed chiffon By Malene Birger maxi dress, a People Tree jacket and a nearly new pair of Gap Jeans.

The clothes were hung on rails of either vintage and designer or high street clothes and we were given tickets with the number of vintage/ designer and high street pieces that we could pick. There were probably no more than 10 or 12 people swapping but a nice selection of clothes which suited me fine, as sometimes as too many clothes can make choosing something so much more difficult and too many people (as I have experienced at swaps in the past) a bit of a scrum . The swap commenced with the ring of a bell and it was no more than a minute or two before just about everything was gone.

Here is what I got:

A Cacherel Top (I think from the Uniqlo collaboration), worn with necklace and ring by Made UK, old denim skirt and shoes by Irregular Choice.

If you look carefully, it has a tiny bird and flower print on it.

A knitted animal print tunic (labelled Lusa), worn here with a refashioned bleached jacket. I have been looking for the perfect top to wear with this jacket for ages. I think I have now found it!The necklace is also by Made UK.

A fifties floral dress and red belt worn here with Irregular Choice shoes and a bag from Oxfam.

I also got an amazing double layered vintage white lace skirt. I haven’t quite worked out how I am going to wear it yet. I would either like a delicate and lacey sort of white camisole top which I don’t have at the moment, so will be keeping my eye out for in the charity shops or perhaps I should go for a complete contrast?

All in all I was really pleased with what I got. It all fitted me which is amazing. Despite it being a little questionable as to whether all of the pieces could be classified as vintage or designer and probably being worth less (in money) than the pieces I took along, I was completely happy to come home with something I would wear. The clothes that I exchanged had been sat in my wardrobe unworn for ages and I probably would never have got around to listing on ebay.

There were a few people who seemed intent on grabbing everything in sight but I think everyone seemed to get a least a few things they wanted. Had I been a little more grabby I could possibly have got more but it is not really the way I am. I would definitely recommend a clothes swap or swish to anyone and Nicole of Total Renewal who organised the swap has lots of experience in organising such events. My advice would be to take lovely pieces of clothing that you are proud to enter in the swap but that you are completely happy to part with and to try and grab a few items that you like the look of quite quickly to ensure that you come home with at least a few items you love. The great thing about a clothes swap is that you quite often end up trying something new that you would not have neccaserily picked up in a shop.

I hope you are having a fantastic week and for those at London Fashion Week, I hope you aren’t too exhausted.

With warmest wishes

Ceri x

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Second Hand Clothing

Posted on February 14, 2012 by admin

Cancer Research
An online charity shop with vintage, second hand and dead stock clothes, shoes and accessories for men, women and children.
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Oxfam Fashion
The biggest and best online charity shop featuring thousands of clothes, shoes and accessories for men, women and children.
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Find out more

Charity Shop Chic AW11 – Forties Style Faux Fur

Posted on October 5, 2011 by admin

Dress – Sandwich
Faux fur Bolero – Oxfam
Necklace – Swarovski Crystalized
Shoes – Irregular Choice

Today I have finally got started on a charity shop chic series for AW11 that I have been meaning to do for some time. I wanted to illustrate some of the trends for the season using charity shop clothes. If you hunt hard enough it is pretty easy to find on trend stuff in charity shops. I always think we have kind of been there before with most trends one way or another with .

I have managed to get some usable pictures although I really must get on and send my camera off for repair. I think part of me is scared that it might get even more broken in transit or just never come back. Any way I have played about a bit with the settings and editing on the two photos above and this is what I ended up with.

Todays charity shop chic trend is forties style. This is probably one of my favourite looks of all for the autumn and winter and was seen at Miu Miu, Donna Karen, Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier to name but a few. I spotted the faux fur bolero in my local Oxfam, I can’t remember whether it was £6 or £8 but either way, I see it as an amazing bargain as it is originally from Marks and Spencers and good as new.

Next up on my Charity Shop Chic AW11 series is tunics and trousers. Have you managed to find anything on trend in a charity shop lately?

With warmest wishes

Ceri X