I am always on the hunt for amazing brands to add to my list of conscious consumerism products, & I can't wait to tell you about Naot today! Naot (means oasis in Hebrew) shoes have been made in Israel since their factory was founded in 1942, & they have maintained their commitment to quality + comfort since the beginning. I love the natural cork insoles that are found in all Naot shoes - they form to your foot like footprints in the sand & these sandals certainly provide all day comfort!
Every Naot sandal is a shoe of peace, as each one is handmade in Northern Israel by the joint effort of Israelis & Palestinians. Naot is passionate about providing beautiful + stylish products that allow you to walk all day in comfort. See more by checking out the tag #shoes4peace on Instagram.
top: Old Navy tank (from last year, similar styles from this year's Summer collection below - all under $15)
jeans: Nordstrom distressed jeans (sold out, but linking 5 similar pairs below, all under $60!)
shoes: sandals c/o Naot (can you see the awesome brown to navy ombre? It is so gorgeous in person!)
Adulting update: Tyler & I have been saving our buns off to make our dream of owning a house an actual reality, & the time has come for us to pick one out! I am simultaneously so stinking excited/terrified! After living in apartments/shared houses for our entire 8 years together, we keep pinching ourselves over the fact that we might get our OWN yard, driveway, garage, and HOUSE! I don't even care if we have any furniture, every night will be a dance party for 2 anyways!
Denver has a HOT housing market right now, so we have already seen about 10 houses, put in a bid, gotten in a bidding war, lost a house, & kept on trucking! We saw 2 amazing ones over the weekend that checked all our wish list boxes & while I think they might have forgotten some numbers in the price, we are going to put in a bid today (attempt #2) so please cross all your extremities for us!
Another thing that is HOT, is the weather in Denver. People (AKA me before I moved here) assume that Denver is in the mountains, but really it is NEXT to the mountains & that makes a huge difference when we are talking Summer heat! I call Denver the HIGH plains - because it is literally a mile above sea level, but flat as a pancake - a pancake that is baking a mile closer to the sun. During our recent 100+ degree days, I have been enjoying the ease of simple dressing - throwing on a sun dress with my quick sandal slides & hitting the door (makes these last minute house showings less hectic!) - & this outfit is my go to basic combo. I love maxi dresses for this time of year because I am already over shaving my legs since moving to an every day effort when the sun made her appearance in May & maxi dresses transition easily to night (scarf stashed in my tote!), while also easily going from casual to fancy with the right accessories.
I also can't gush enough about my latest Nisolo purchase - these slides! I have been a long time supporter of Nisolo, because they have an incredible mission, my high school friend co-started it, & their products are gorgeous, comfortable + make me feel good when I wear them! I have previously shown you my Nisolooxfords, strappy sandals, wedge sandals, & leather bag, but these slides might be my favorite yet. The only word I can think up to describe them is BUTTER! They are so soft & just the most delicious color of leather. If you are looking to get on the slide trend in a classic way, this is your ticket!
After 6 years of living happily in Nashville, my husband & I are talking about where we want to live next. This chapter of our lives is so exciting (we can live anywhere, do anything!) & also super scary (how am I going to find a new job, how can I leave my dear friends, ... but Nashville is where we met, fell in love, got married).
I truly am a creature of habit - once I find something that works for me, I prefer to stick with it! After graduating from college I moved to Nashville knowing only 1 person (who I proceed to break up with soon after - whoops!), & then made it my job to cultivate a life here, dedicated to finding friends, good coffee shops & my spots around town. During all 6 of my years living here I have made a list of all the new experiences I wanted to complete in Music City & even after 6 years my list continues to be longer than I can ever accomplish! So now that I have put so much work into this place, I am fearful about having to do it again, especially now that I am no longer a student, but supposedly a fully formed adult (still questionable on that front).
Because I am simultaneously a ball of excitement & nerves about what the future holds, I am making my word for 2016 "CHANGE". I want to embrace the unknown & throw myself into living for now with out fear for what comes next. To remind my self of this intention, I am wearing my word around my neck, thanks to The Giving Keys.
The Giving Keys is a great organization that not only employs individuals transitioning out of homelessness, but they encourage you to wear your word, and then give it away when you no longer need it, or find someone who needs it more. It is my dream that I will be able to make the most of this season of CHANGE and give my key away in our next city... wherever that might be!
In my weekend reading post (full post here), I mentioned that I am on the hunt for a legit pair of snow boots, because while my Hunter's keep my feet nice & dry, they aren't exactly the warmest pair of footwear.
I can't knock the Hunter's too much though, because I trudged everywhere in my Hunter's during our last bout of Winter weather here in Nashville. While I mostly think of my Hunter's as being more about function than looks, I cannot get over how adorable they are with these bows from Poppy Clips! They have so many styles to add a twist to your rainy day style!
Loving these boot bows? Head over to Poppy Clips to get a promo code to purchase your own.
I also get a lot of questions about how I keep my Hunter's looking new & shiny. Because these boots are made of out a thick plastic, when the plastic gets dried out, it gives a chalky appearance that frustrates many Hunter boot owners. I found this plastic rejuvenation spray that I apply to my Hunter's whenever I start to see the white chalky spots (meaning that the plastic is getting dried out). I think this is a great product, & definitely believe that it helped my last pair of Hunter's last so long (almost 10 years, & then I cracked the sole of one shoe). Shop the boot spray on Amazon.
Shop exact items from this outfit:
This sweater is pure perfection & available in lots of colors!
In the past 6 years, the fashion scene here in Nashville has drastically changed, & I am amazed by some of the artists + businesses emerging not only on the local, but also the global stage in an incredible way. Two local businesses that I have had the pleasure of working with before* have recently joined forces, so that fashionABLE is now able to employ women who have overcome challenges - women from Nashville, & Africa.
I love that all of their products - from the amazing leather bags, eye-catching scarves, or delicate jewelry - are made with intention. These are pieces you will love for many years to come, & prepare yourself for lots of compliments and comments from strangers when you rock these items for Fall!
When founder Aram of Nicaraguan fair trade furniture, Masaya & Co, reached out to me about their new Nashville showroom, I headed over in my car to visit!
The gorgeous showroom is housed in a lovely home along Music Row, here in Nashville. All of their amazing pieces are made by Nicaraguan artisans, using sustainable Nicaraguan trees. In fact, they plant 100 new trees for every piece purchased, to improve their own community & global footprint.
The Masaya & Co piece I most wanted to smuggle into my car? The unique hammock chairs - made by hand, using hand spun threads!
Read on for my interview with founder Aram + an awesome giveaway!
1. How did you get started in woodworking? Do you use traditional Nicaraguan practices, or is your work inspired by the country in any way?
I came to Nicaragua in 2002 as a Small Business Development Volunteer. We started our company to do reforestation on deforested cow pastures in 2007. This same year there was a hurricane in the atlantic coast of Nicaragua that knocked down 1,000,000 acres of forest. We started salvaging lumber and exporting. This grew over the years into production of finished products. I have always been intrigued by furniture making and they wood here is very beautiful. All our production is in Nicaragua so we use the local methods and everything is made by hand the old fashioned way. We like ornate joinery and contrasting wood details as the woods we have here are very colorful and have wonderful grain patterns.
2. Why Nashville for your showroom? What is it about Music City that was attractive to you & your business?
I grew up in Nashville and my family still lives there. My father is the major investor in the company and he still lives there and oversees the us sales side. Its also a booming market with a lot of construction and a good central location for internet sales.
3. The idea of "conscious consumerism" is definitely on trend these days, how has that effected the way you make and sell products? How do you stand out from the "trend”?
We don’t just talk green and sustainable, we actually plant trees. We are planting 130,000 trees this year in Nicaragua and will plant 100 trees in 2016 for every item we sell in 2015. The original goal of the company was to create a business that makes money by planting trees. This is still the goal and as we grow our sales in US we want to reforest as much as possible in Nicaragua. I think tying our tree planting directly to our sales will give the consumer a clear picture of the impact they can have.
4. What is the future of Masaya? What can we look forward to seeing from you next?
We would like to expand sales nationally and increase our planting activities as much as possible. All of this will depend on our sales but responses have been good so far. Our Nashville showroom is a pilot retail outlet that we would like to develop and recreate in other cities once its up and running. We also intend to sell through other retailers and online.
But wait there's more! Masaya & Co is giving away the hand crafted cutting board, salad fork + spoon, & a sauce bowl pictured above. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter, a random winner will be selected next Saturday.
I love some of my scarves so much that there is no way I would stash them away just because Summer is here. Instead, I just think up new ways to tie one on! My favorite warm weather scarf tricks? Tie one on your purse, loosely around your neck, or on your sunhat!
It was my great pleasure to visit the local Nashville Ten Thousand Villages store & share their story on the blog (see the full post here), & I honestly can't stop thinking about this amazing company & the wide umbrella of artisans that they work with in 38 countries.
I am blown away by the fact that Ten Thousand Villages stores are mostly staffed by unpaid volunteers so that the artisans can earn a fair wage, while still having their products sold at a reasonable price.
Looking over the Ten Thousand Villages website brings tears to my eyes, as each product has a description of how it was made (many by 100% recycled or sustainable materials), & a note about the group of artisans that make them. Some are citizens disabled by the raging wars in their countries. Others are women who escaped sex trafficking. And many many more are men & women who are using their traditional trades to make a new life for themselves, their children, & their communities.
Often times ease of access & a high sticker price keeps me from purchasing fair trade, sustainably made products, but now that I have found Ten Thousand Villages (both online, and locally at my Nashville store), my excuses have been erased. Next time you are looking for a gift, or to add an unique piece to your home, please check out these amazing items & think about what you are actually buying!
Conscious Consumerism is thankfully something that is becoming more mainstream in the marketplace & I have been thrilled to highlight some of the game changers that are putting sustainable, ethically made products into the forefront of fashion & shopping. Recently, I had the opportunity to tour my local Ten Thousand Villages Stores (also found online, & at these locations) & I was blown away by what they have been doing for global artisans for over 60 years (!!!)
Founded in 1946, Ten Thousand Villages has been paving the way for artisans in developing countries to earn a stable & fair wage, while working in conditions that afford them dignity, respect, & the ability to practice a worthy trade. With artisans in 38 countries, & 390 retail partners in the US, Ten Thousand Villages has been such a successful model of sustainable & ethical consumerism that I was shocked I didn't already know about this company & their mission!
Ten Thousand Villages works with artisans during the entire process, beginning to end. Through training, working through the design process to make products maximally appealing to US consumers, providing up front funds for artisans to purchase raw materials & pay for other expenses, educating artisans about sustainable & environmentally friendly approaches, fair compensation for labor/time, commitment to long term relationships & development of new products based on traditional skills of each culture. The unique aspect of Ten Thousand Village stores that literally took my breath away? Ten Thousand Village stores are mostly run by unpaid volunteers so that the artisans can earn a fair wage, while still keeping the prices of each piece reasonable. The prices are unbelievably reasonable, especially when you consider that with each piece you get to know about the artisan that made it & the culture of the country in which it was made.
"…India is not to be found in its few cities but in the 700,000 villages…we have hardly ever paused to inquire if these folks get sufficient to eat and clothe themselves with." - Mahatma Gandhi
I loved learning about "tagua" a sustainable nut that serves as the raw material many artisans use to create gorgeous pieces of jewelry, intricate carvings & other beautiful products! Shop taguan items on the Ten Thousand Villages website.
This gorgeous, hand blown glass is Hebron Glass from artisans in the West Bank. The unique swirl patterns are present because their vases, cups, & other food-safe glassware are made by smashing & melting recycled bottles. Each piece is made by a true master, & you won't believe how affordable it is! Shop all Hebron Glass from Ten Thousand Villages.
Have you ever heard of Ten Thousand Villages before? Is there one in your town? I highly suggest you checking it out, either in person or online - it will be your new source for unique home goods & gifts!
Stay tuned for my favorite products from their online marketplace & an outfit with a gorgeous silk scarf next week!
Brands practicing conscious consumerism is something very close to my heart. It is one thing to make a eye-catching, quality product, it is something quite different to do so, & support your local or global community though it as well. I love that socially just companies are becoming more prevalent & am excited to have added another one to my radar - International Princess Project. (Check out all of the Conscious Consumerism posts too!)
The International Princess Project is using beautiful products to help solve a very ugly reality in the world - human sex trafficking & slavery. They estimate that in India alone, this could sadly be the reality for more than 3 million women & girls.
The International Princess Project partners with indigenous organizations to create pathways to freedom. Women learn a new trade (sewing these gorgeous sleep pants!) & receives an above fair trade wage for her craft. The company returns all profits to ensuring that more women & girls can escape their lives of slavery & have the chance of a fresh start.
