Many of us will be doing a Zoom Thanksgiving this year, and it’s still an occasion to get dressed up for- more for yourself than anyone else! Anyone else need to give your athleisure getup a break?! In this video, I give you some outfit inspiration to primp just a bit and bring some holiday cheer to the table. xx
Ice Queen
Do you ever feel you have to be the strong one for everyone else? That it's your job to keep it together so you can be the pillar others lean on? I think I've felt that way my whole life. Maybe it's the caregiver in me or just my optimistic nature to always look towards the good in every situation. And I don't think it's wrong per se, but sometimes it gets in the way of allowing all that needs to be felt and expressed from coming out. Like an ice queen keeping it on lock down.
(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)
Recently I've been going through something challenging and I felt a shift in myself. I wasn't able to keep seeing the bright side. I got sucked into the 'reality of what is' and it had me gripped tight. Then I found myself in a discontented place of fear and negativity. And I was upset about that. And that made me feel ever worse. Until one night, as I was drifting to sleep I had an epiphany...
I wasn't far from myself at all. I was just going through the motions of life that reveal to us more of who we are and what we want. I was expanding. The minute I had the thought, I felt relief. I felt the judgement I had placed on myself for not being stronger or more positive lift off of me and I truly felt elated. Sometimes it is so easy to make feeling bad or uncertain or sad wrong, but I think without them we might be bored and stagnant. They move us forward by revealing the complexity of who we are and showing us more of what we want (sometimes by showing us what we don't want). It felt like a movie director pulling back to see the full scene, and I could appreciate the role of those hard feelings. So now, I remain committed to my default way of being (positive and uplifted) and hold space for the other emotions that show up too. No need to freeze them out. They're part of the bigger picture.
Eco Outfit Details
CINDY CASCADE GOWN Nha Khan via Rent the Runway #sharedfashion
PLAID CASHMERE SCARF #naturalfibers
I'm sure you've heard me talk about renting fashion before, and I can't get enough of this genius concept! For this shoot, I knew I wanted to create something more artistic and a gown in the snow felt like the perfect thing. I do have a couple of gowns in storage (one of them is my high school prom dress!), but I wanted something to fit my vision and with my Rent the Runway Unlimited subscription a plethora of gowns and designers were at my fingertips! The best part is this gown will be warn many times- not just once or twice by moi if I had bought it. Shared fashion is one of my favorite ways to participate in sustainable fashion, and it is oh so stylish.
The Happiness Lens
Do you ever feel so many hints and nudges from the Universe trying to tell you something, that you finally have to stop, surrender and acknowledge what's being shared with you? That's exactly what happened to me this past week. 'You've got mail!'... From the Universe! The message was simple: if you want to live a happy life, choose to see life through a happiness lens. In other words, la vie en rose is a lot easier to see when you've got rose colored glasses on.
(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)
I'll be the first to admit that it's more easily said than done. For whatever reason it feels like our predisposition is to see life through the scarcity lens with fear and concerns over uncertainty attached. Perhaps this is a primal default designed to keep us safe (ie: from falling off a cliff), but I think we've leveled up. Our consciousness and ability to create and participate in this world has transcended this primal reflex.
If you're on the Law of Attraction train with me, you'll relate to this notion on an even deeper level. Because what we think about, we bring about into our lives. The Law of Attraction is constantly working in the background to manifest that which is aligned with our frequency. If you focus on what you want and tell others about what you want, you attract it to you. Likewise, if you focus on what is not wanted and speak of what currently is (versus what is wanted- even if it hasn't shown up yet), that's what's delivered. High frequency thoughts and alignment yield high frequency living. I've seen and felt this play out in my own life many times.
It's simple, and it's also a muscle that needs to be built and conditioned. Sometimes we slip out of our higher frequencies, and back into thought patterns that don't serve us or align with the life we want for ourselves. Been there done that. And, I will likely do it again and again as I move through life. The important thing is to give ourselves compassion and celebrate the awareness we have when we can see we need to adjust. And I must say, having that outlook feels pretty darn rosy.
Eco Outfit Details
SWEATER, Iris & Ink #naturalfibers
LEGGINGS, XCVI (gifted) #lowimpactdyes
FUR VEST, via Rent The Runway #sharedfashion
BOOTS, (similar to ones shown) Lulu's #vegan
Shop This Look
Photos taken in Boulder, CO by Kind Honey Photography.
Secret Identity
I relish the start of a new year. For me, it's less a time for 'fixing things' and more a time of introspection and reflection that translates into intention for what's wanted going forward. I'm not a huge fan of goals. Not sure why. Maybe I feel there is too much pressure? Either way, this year I did feel motivated to set somethings down on paper. And I thought to myself, 'how can I write out what I want in a way that feels good to me?' So, I created a master To Do list for 2018!
(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)
Drafting a list of things I want to do in the year ahead felt way better to me. I think it made it more relatable and actionable too, because I was listing things I know I for sure want to do. I organized it into three columns: Professional, Relationships, and Personal. And for each column I listed 4-5 things I wanted from each area within the next year. Here are examples from each of my columns:
Professional- Raise seed round of funding for my app (I'll share more on this in the near future!).
Relationships- Pen pal with my Dad.
Personal- Up my daily meditation to 15-20 mins and add a 10 min visualization workshop on after.
If this master To Do list approach resonates with you, try it! I'm finding a lot of excitement and power in it. I'm also pumped about a practice from a book I'm reading called Super Better: The Power of Living Gamefully. It helps you see life as a game and engage in ways that expand the brain and your experiences. There's a ton of research in the book, and lots of little things you can do to enhance your experience and enjoyment of life. One that stuck out to me is adopting a secret identity. Think of it as having an avatar for the real world. I know this may seem a bit out there, but I promise there is real value in this exercise.
According to the research we typically have five signature strength that we naturally exhibit and can actively call upon when faced with challenges or growth, known as the Value in Action Strengths. To see the whole list and take the survey visit this site. Choose the top five that feel most like you. Don't overthink it.
Okay, now use those strength to summon your secret identity name. Choose something heroic because you are the hero of your own game (or movie). You now have a secret identity that you can share with those closest to you or keep private. As you move through your day, or a challenge that arises, you have your own super powers to call on. They are your innate strengths and will help you show up as your best self. I love this and have it marked down in my Personal tab for the year. It's a game I can play in my mind to keep things light and help me feel powerful.
This is what I'm up to for the new year. I'd love to hear what you've set in front of you and any tools you are using too. Here we come 2018!
Eco Outfit:
OVERSIZED SWEATER, Elizabeth & James via Rent the Runway #rented #sharedfashion
JEANS, Current Elliot #madeinUSA
DUSTER VEST, R Collective x Barneys #ethicalproduction #ecofabrics #local #upcycled
BOOTIES, (similar to ones shown) Lulu's #vegan
CLUTCH, (similar to one shown) via Ethical Collection #handmade #local
A few years ago I attended an eco fashion conference in Raleigh, NC called ReDress. It was the start of something- something cool. A group of people committed to fashion and ethical production, without compromise. To date it was one of the conferences I've enjoyed most in the sustainability sphere. Today, they've upped the ante with an incubator of sorts that supports emerging sustainable designers with designs so on point they've partnered with Barney's NYC. Interested? I thought so. Check out the label The R Collective here. xx
Photos taken in London by the super sweet Kit Lee.
Outside View
Chatting with a couple of friends the other day, it became clear that we don't always see ourselves the way other see us. In particularly, we don't always see the value we naturally give. For whatever reason we tend to see our shortcomings more readily than the areas we thrive. Not only that, we can question our contributions as being worthy or not. That's when a little outside perspective comes in handy.
(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)
(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)
In a safe space with people who accept and support you, there's an opportunity to share your truest thoughts about where you are and what you want to do. And in that space is also an invitation to ask for feedback. We did this with a small group the other day and it was incredible. What struck me most was how clearly others see you and your value, while you might be questioning what you can give to the world. Sometimes we know what we want or need to do, but just need someone outside of ourselves (and minds) to say it, or to see the value we are ready to offer. Have you had this experience? I encourage you to share what you are up to and ask for feedback if you are unsure of how you want to proceed. Many minds are better than one, and may also see you more clearly than you see yourself.
Eco Outfit Details:
BE LUXE TRACK PANT, Made By Riley #ethicallymade
CAMEL SWEATSHIRT, Uzma Bozai #naturalfibers #ethicallymade
WOOL CASHMERE BEANIE, Everlane #naturalfibers #transparentproduction
NAVY OVERSIZE COAT, Jil Sander via Rent the Runway #sharedfashion
SMILEY CROSSBODY BAG, Anya Hindmarch #ethicallymade #handcrafted
SNEAKS, Pretty Ballerinas #ethciallymade #madeinPortugal
My first day in London I met my friend Mona Lisa Godfrey for a stroll around Notting Hill and we stumbled upon a pop-up shop called Ethical Collection. I was beside myself with excitement! And my enthusiasm turned to sheer joy when I met co-founder Annina Youngblood who graciously allowed me to pull pieces from her lovely store to style.
Absolutely everything in the store was curated to appease the most discerning fashionista and her ethics. It was a match made in heaven, and the best part is you don't need to be in London to shop their lovely collections- all you need is to follow this link. xx
Photos by the lovely Kit Lee in Chelsea, London UK. Many thanks to Ethical Collection for contributing so many cool and eco pieces to this shoot!