Barley & Birch: Reader Discount!

Remember my sustainable baby registry post from a few days ago? There was a pretty darling onesie on it sporting some chic cacti from Barley & Birch, a kid's fashion brand that's about as sustainable as you can get in terms of its production and materials quality, and their nature-inspired designs ROCK. They also have a wonderful blog that explores sustainability from many angles, and includes DIY projects and inspiration for readers.

When brands are transparent about their practices, it makes shopping so much easier for customers trying to be more conscious. 

I am thrilled to team up with Barley & Birch to share a discount code with you for their online shop - from now till the end of 2016, you can use the code MEANTGREEN2016 for an extra 15% off your order!

Before I share some of my favorite pieces from them, it's important to me to highlight what it is about Barley & Birch that can change the fashion game. Here's their mission statement on how they view sustainability from not just an environmental view, but also socially and economically as well:

"Environmentally, we decided to make every single facet of the line carbon neutral. Not only do we offset any emissions created by production and shipping, but we work with manufacturers and suppliers that are largely powered by solar energy. We chose only certified organic cotton and water-based inks, so we do not pollute the air and water with chemicals. We are made in the United States, so we do not emit the massive amount of carbon associated with trans-ocean shipping. We are largely paper-free and any paper involved with the line is 100% post-consumer recycled. Essentially, we chose to go beyond the level of convenience to be fair to our planet and to our customers.

Socially, we give at least 15% of our profits to a variety of organizations working all over the world to improve the lives of others. We fund everything from educating rural farmers on sustainable agriculture to providing shelter to victims of abuse. We are proud to aid in the growth of justice and equality throughout the world."

B&B does nature-inspired and fun prints SO well. Here are some pieces from them that spoke to my sense of design (many of these come in short sleeve styles as well, and kid Ts!) I'd definitely put my little boy in all of these, once he gets here!

The Creative Closet: A green dress for Fall

I’m late posting this, but I knew I had to participate in The Creative Closet when I saw this past Tuesday’s prompt: A Dress For Fall.

 I love me some dresses. They are the most comfortable, easy-wearing thing ever. I mean, you're essentially in a bag with sleeves, with plenty of room to relax. Well, that’s probably not true of tight tube dresses, but you wont catch me in one of those.

Staying true to the point and purpose of this lifestyle blog, I’m slowly edging into the world of sustainable fashion. Slowly meaning that I must find ways to rework what I already owned. Slowly because currently, buying truly sustainable clothing can get pricey. As hard as it can be to stomach (I love Target clothes you guys - and apologies in advance for any guilt trips!) the reason those are so inexpensive is because the true cost to make them is hidden to us.

The real cost is revealed to the people who make them. Clothing factories do create jobs, but workers don’t receive living wages and work in conditions that can and do make them ill. It’s far cheaper for a clothing manufacturer to pay a lower wage in another country, so this year I’ve decided to change my fashion world.

This summer I cleaned out my entire closet using the KonMari method and am down to about 60 pieces.

I would like the majority of my clothing to be:

• -       Made to last
• -       Made in the United States (or Canada)
• -       Produced as sustainably as possible if from outside the U.S.
• -       Classic and mixable. Trends just come and go too fast for me.

 This green dress caught my eye in one of our city’s boutiques in our most Brooklyn-like neighborhood a few months ago. It’s an area known for unique brands and handmade artisanal lovelies. The brand is Birds of North America, and their lovely, "contemporary, vintage-inspired" clothes are manufactured in Canada.

I had been on the lookout for a dress after purging most of mine. One that I could wear to work and out to play, one that was timeless. The jewel tone shade of forest jumped out at me at the store, then its little wood buttons finished me off. The fit was beyond anything I’d found at a department store. There’s so much craftsman ship here, every time I wear it I feel joy - and is that not the point of style?

No kidding, this may not be easy. But I think I now have the patience to try. We have everything to gain for ourselves and others if we can make the switch and change it all for the better. It's closer than we think!

The Creative Closet: Boho Babe

Welcome to my first style collaboration!

Last month I jumped on the opportunity to sign up and co-host Boho Babe with Life Could Be A Dream and The Modern Tulip when the chance came around. "Boho-classic" has always been my go-to style, even for my home! Which is why I wanted to host and share my style tips on this edition of The Creative Closet.



Here are our main hosts' boho interpretations for this week! I adore how well they each brought together looks that are very wearable. I wish I could be brave enough to throw a hat into some of my own outfits like Jana, and I love the shorter black outfit paired with the long white kimono and camel accents that Maegen created. It's all 'bout the textures!

Boho can get a little Coachella-y pretty fast for my taste, and my practical self needs things that I can wear into the office and also to go out at night. I'm about comfort and wearability, and I've found that keeping all of my clothing pieces in this vein let's me mix and match easily.

The other part of the boho equation is...texture! The skirt in these photos is gently pleated, and the top brings a soft and elegant vibe using toned-down lace and point d'esprit detailing.

Jewelry-wise I go for a minimal look, and the pieces here each have significance to me. The earrings are super-light wood with a hand-painted detail from a local craft fair, the bracelet is a carved East Asian-inspired piece from my mama's jewelry box, and the ring features Sagittarius, my husband's astrological symbol.

Hair, ugh. Hair is always tough for me. I only learned to braid a few years ago, and my crown of braids in these images is one of my most "intricate" styles in my toolbox. I've even used it for job interviews!

For me, the bohemian spirit is being comfortable in my skin. It's recognizing and staying true to who I am in each season, having the courage to grow and adapt as life demands, and holding to my values as I come to understand what they are. A quiet, self-confidence and kindness is the keystone for the whole structure. 

Photos by Cody Green.

Where it's from:

Skirt: Target, new | Shoes: Chinese Laundry, old | Top: TJMaxx, old | Jewelry: craft fair, family | Belt: Gap, old

 What does a bohemian spirit look and feel like to you?

An InLinkz Link-up

Wear: and the Color of the Year is...

Color of the year: Marsala. 

A rusty rich red (and a wine!). I had no idea there was such a thing before this particular Creative Closet challenge. Here are a few examples I swept from a quick Pinterest research session that resonated with me.

all marsala images via pinterest

Who decides this anyway? For the past 15 years, the Pantone Color Institute has, and I've dropped in a little info straight from the Institute about how all this comes to be. 

1. Why Marsala:

"Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability. Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in

to its embracing warmth."

 - Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute

2. How they choose:

"The Color of the Year selection requires careful consideration and, to arrive at the selection, Pantone combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the fashion and entertainment industries – including films that are in production, the world of art, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, the availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention."

- Pantone press release

It actually sounds like a pretty interesting process (and what a cool place to work!!), going about choosing the color of the year. I love most that this is such an earthy red. It reminds me of the rustiness of blood, or red clay that's wet. It's very human, very alive.

My fashion task this week was to incorporate it into my Tuesday Creative Closet post. I went to Pinterest to do some quick visual research on this color, and here are a few examples that resonated with me the most:

I ended up going with a pair of marsala tights paired with blues. Complimentary colors anyone?

Tights - my own | Jacket - Old Navy sale | Shoes - Target | Skirt - Anthropologie sale |  

Earrings - Pittsburgh craft fair | Scarf - Gap sale

Wear: a summer dress in winter

It's Tuesday - so this means it's time once again for The Creative Closet style challenge! These little pre-planned style posts give me a great creative outlet to see what I can put together while still staying true to the season we're in: The. Dead. Of. Winter.

This week we're trying our style hand at asymmetrical pieces. I dove into my closet and picked out a dress (one I also wear in summer) with a diagonal hem, teamed it up with my warmest running tights, prep school blazer, a beanie, Alpaca mittens, and loose braid to keep it toned down. My boots (a Christmas gift) are some of my most practical winter shoes that don't sacrifice design and quality. I know I'll wear them for many, many years!

Dress - Target | Hat - GAP | Handmade mittens - Peruvian Alpaca from La Feria | Boots - Luchesse | Blazer - GAP | Scarf - American Apparel

(I only highlight links where I think an item is still available, a lot of what I wear is from seasons past)

p.s. thanks for man-ing the camera Cody!

Wear: polka dotted with project creative closet

Today's post is inspired by the Creative Closet challenge I'm participating in, hosted by the lovely women of The Modern Tulip and Life Could Be A Dream. As you might be able to discern, the topic was....polka dots! 

My own take on polka dots was finding something I could wear that was work appropriate, comfy but interesting. The skirt here was an anthropolgie sale item, the top is Old Navy and the tights are Target. Apologies for the brown shoes, but I have to wear flats to work since I stand all day!

While working on this project, it struck me that I had no idea how such a popular pattern came to be. So I did a tiny bit of research and wanted to share some findings from 'polka dot history' I found at this site. 

"A vintage 1880s Victorian polka dot jacket that was worn by a polka club member" -historyspaces.blogspot.com

Cool jacket huh? I could imagine this one for sale at Modcloth! Did you know the word 'polka' is a Bohemian word for a Polish woman? Most people realize it as a pattern, but it is also a dance that appeared in 1830 to 1890 - it's a fast, quick-stepping romp! I learned it with my ballroom dance class in college (for Phys Ed, lol), and it is FUN!

The dance was so popular for decades, that polka clubs popped up and a polka uniform was even created. Guess what that uniform's main design element was? You guessed it! POLKA DOTS!

Wear: Flowers in Winter + Vintage valentine

Good morning! 

I woke up to sunshine :D but it was quickly obliterated by a gray sky and some very violently blowing snowflakes. That stuff is hitting the Northeast, hard. Again. Today I'm participating in my first linkup project with The Creative Closet! Here goes...

My dad has been sending me pics of a few little blooms coming up in our Louisiana neighborhood, and there have been more instances than I can count where moving back to that latitude sounds like something we should have done yesterday. I love the "green" smell of spring, earthy, neon and vibrant - it's life for me! Dreaming...

But we're here for now, so I've been practicing "flower therapy" when I have to get dressed. I shot these myself on 10-second timer last night, hence the rockin' desk lamp lighting - and sometimes blurred bits (deliberate of course). It was a laugh for sure, but Cody had some calculus to work on and I had to leave him be.

Speaking of hubs, this is definitely a date night look for me! And did I mention it's relevant to this upcoming lovey-dovey holiday? ;) #valentine'sday

 Apparently my mother used to have a love of big, flowery patterns. Enough so that dad coined them her "garden collection." Guess the petal doesn't fall far from the flower :)

 In addition to date-wear, this was also one of my work outfits from Wednesday this week, and I brought the bloom! I've never received more compliments on this vintage top than yesterday (guess we're all wanting some spring), so that was data enough for me to want to share it here for you. The brand is Elles Belles - I've never heard of it. I think I found it at Buffalo Exchange a few years back (a southern, second-hand clothing chain).

I had a gift card to ULTA that I spent on some wide, simple hair clips in rose gold, black and silver. I love the look of loose hair that is still held in check somehow, and adding this pinch of glint  modernizes the whole look. The bracelet is vintage find here in Pittsburgh's rather trendy Lawrenceville neighborhood. 

I just wanted to say before I go...

Not that it will be warm here by then or anything, but I believe in hope!

Wear: A walk in the wintry park

Here goes my first fashion post! The only downside is you have to deal with me as the model and Cody as the photographer, but that should make my fashion posts twice as amusing, right??

I love uniquely styled and comfy outfits, especially ones that use what you already have. Bonus points for vintage pieces and eco-conscious brands (when affordable).  Confession: I have the worst luck finding inspiration for winter outfits that are warm enough for the last three Pennsylvania winters I've survived, and I know I can't be the only one! Today I'm sharing an idea for a warm, cute and comfy winter date outfit. Cody and I spend a lot of time walking and hiking in the woods and parks near our home. It's beautiful, free and it just makes us feel better. Often we treat these walks as dates, time to just talk about how life is shaping up.

I usually go out in running tights and the same jacket, but this weekend I decided to try my hand at creating a nicer outfit while still staying warm. One of the things I wanted to make sure I accomplished here was using some vintage outerwear pieces I've picked up along the way. One of my best friends gave me the coat that belonged to her grandmother in the sixties (!) and the scarf was a recent thrift store find. Hat is from Target.

Cody was my photographer and he did a pretty darn good job - (we got six decent pics out of 120) keeping in mind that I have to work way too hard to feel comfortable in front of the lens, and I'm usually the one taking the pictures of Cody ;)

But, behold! A toasty-warm vintage outfit for an outdoor date in the snow! The dress was a recent buy on super-sale and can go through all seasons, the belt is from our rehearsal dinner, and the Hunter boots are a few years old but I got them knowing they'd last...forever.  I'm wearing super-light thermal tights and top under all of it.

Cody observed that I had a 'Snow White thing' going on here.

                                                The photog taking five for target practice.

Missed target.