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This week's post is simply visual inspiration. I've been lucky enough to be surrounded by flowers and florals recently with mini vacations and New York Fashion Week. Nature is always inspiring but these images have really struck me this week and I hope they will do the same to you!
Los Angeles
Santa Barbara
Tanya Taylor Vogue.com
Alice + Olivia Vogue.com
Delpozo Vogue.com
Denim has been, is, and always will be a classic. The fabric has been revived every year to become something new and it's interesting to see how some designers have mixed it up for the recent Fall/Winter 2016 Ready-to-Wear collections.
VFiles Vogue.com
Creatures of Comfort Vogue.com
Rachel Antonoff Vogue.com
Designer labels often have the benefit of being able to take their time making quality denim products, but not all companies do. Denim is such a popular fabric and that can lead to mass manufacturing of jeans to meet the public demand. However there are some brands that are working hard to combat fast fashion that underpays and hurts the environment. These brands are less expensive than designer ones, however, are still an investment, and you'll soon see why. While brands like AG Jeans, Levi's (Water>Less Jeans), G-Star Raw and more are doing some things to get themselves into ethical and eco-friendly game, these brands have gone above and beyond:
Kuyichi
Kuyichi is a brand that is concerned with all aspects of ethical and eco-friendly fashion. The brand makes fair trade their top priority by working closely with suppliers and finding environmentally friendly ways to to carry out each part of the process. Check it out for yourself here.
Monkee Genes
This brand takes pride in their fair trade commitment and not forgetting the importance of fair wages. The company is involved in every step of the process to insure that it is organic in every possible way. A wide selection of styles and manageable prices definitely make Monkee Genes denim something to talk about. Check it out for yourself here.
Sonas Denim
Sonas Denim takes their mission one step further by creating a product that is ethical, eco-friendly AND completely vegan. The company believes strongly in stopping animal cruelty and donates a portion of their profits to building an "animal sanctuary" for rescued animals. Sonas Denim brings their own groovy style to the fair trade denim game. Check it out for yourself here.
Nudie Jeans
This menswear brand really knows its denim; from how to break in your new pair to how to repurpose them when you're done wearing them. Their website breaks it all down for you and includes a fit guide to help you find the perfect pair! Nudie Jeans preaches sustainability and is loyal to their organic materials. Check it out for yourself here.
JC Denim Co.
JC Denim Co. does their part by providing work for victims of human trafficking and sex slavery in Cambodia. The company works very closely with the girls and pays them fair wages to make JC Denim jeans. Their project helps keep many girls from further exploitation and provides them with stable income for their whole family. Check it out for yourself here.
This list just scratches the surface but there's plenty more where it came from. And of course there's always the option of thrifting your denim as well! To learn more about what brands are doing their part and what brands may be falling behind you can go to ethicalconsumer.org or ethical.org.au. Now if you excuse me, I have some shopping to do!
Social media is something that excites and terrifies us and these platforms can be a source of happiness and depression. I'm not a social media star or anything but I do have a routine I've fallen into so I'll share my small bit of experience.
I started posting pictures of my outfits on Instagram in high school and have continued to use #todayimwearing (#ootd) to this day. It's really interesting to see how it has evolved and I'm very grateful for the people who continue to support them. However, it's not always an easy or fun time. This might come as a shock to you (since I continue to post pictures of myself) but it gives me a lot of anxiety to take these photos. It's often in public and I'm obviously not a model so it can be a sort of awkward situation. I've "employed" everyone from my classmates to my dad to take my picture but I have to give a shout out to my incredibly patient boyfriend who luckily puts up with my high maintenance self. It usually takes SEVERAL tries to get a shot that I'm willing to post. And after all that there's sometimes the issue of regret; posting an outfit and realizing I'm not as proud of it as I thought I was. Instagram can become solely about likes, followers, and re-grams which is toxic and unrewarding. There is a reason that I keep doing it though. I love getting to share my passion and connecting with others through that. I've gotten some really nice feedback from people and that's a wonderful feeling but I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that at the end of the day what you post to social media should be for you, and not the approval of others. When all is said and done I'm most excited about my photos because I like them and it's fun to show others that.
These photos below are some examples of ones that I thought were really successful and not so much. The two photos on the right are both of outfits I felt really good in. They are also in good light and a nice composition. Those two things are everything. The two photos on the left are not as strong in my opinion in all of the areas I just discussed. It can be a little crazy to realize all that goes into an Instagram picture but it can really make a difference.
I love this color for a background, especially against my mostly neutral outfit!
Unfortunately the lighting was less in my favor for this one. I also wish I would have added a jacket or another clothing element.
This is one of my favorite photos because it was sort of spur of the moment! I think that it looks like I'm (somewhat) at ease which is always nice.
Again the lighting! This picture was taken in direct sunlight which I have learned is not good. This outfit was fun but could have benefitted from a different background.