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. 

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Many thanks to Cole Buckhart for yet another awesome shoot! 

Snow Skirt

(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.)

Eco Outfit Details

CASHMERE TURTLENECK #naturalfibers

QUILTED SKIRT Nohmii #ethicallymade #madeinUSA

LEATHER JACKET (similar to one shown) #vegan

BOOTS (similar to those shown) #vegan

In a ski resort town such as Jackson, we're pretty familiar with the term 'snow skirt.' Only, we're usually talking about that bit of extra fabric that cinches tight underneath your ski jacket to keep the powder from pushing up underneath. Yet, the snow skirt I'm talking about is the nifty thing you see me sporting in this post. Nohmii's quilted skirt is not only stylish, it's your best friend on a cold day in ski country. Like a puffy for your legs, it truly is a wonderful winter staple. 

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Thanks to Nohmii for sponsoring this post, and to Cole Buckhart for the beautiful photos. 

Sloane Girl

It's London Fashion Week and it feels appropriate to share an eco outfit post from my time there this fall, roaming the streets of Sloane Square with Kit Lee. 

(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.)

One of the things I love most about London is it's encouragement to dress up. You can go from a corner pub to a five star restaurant wearing the same thing because everywhere you go everyone else it also dressed to impress. Do they dress up from themselves? Or each other? I'm not sure. My answer is: both. This summer I started putting more into my everyday looks, and doing even a little makeup or styling of my hair before leaving the house. I did it for me. To feel my best and what I found is it actually made life easier because I was able to go from one thing to the next appropriately attired. Hmm, those Brits are on to something...

This was one of my favorite looks that we shot while I was in LondonTown. It just feels completely and utterly like ME. Many of you know that I lived in London while attending university and I always say that London is where I found myself. My sense of style and being-ness as a woman. Maybe that is why it will keep a piece of my heart forever, and remain one of my most cherished places. 

MY TOP THREE ECO BOUTIQUES TO SHOP IN LONDON.

ETHICAL COLLECTION- Pop up shop usually making an appearance in Notting Hill. A fab curation of wearable and also a little more fashion forward pieces.

THE ACEY- Cool girl staple. Think vegan sneaks and minimalist shirt dresses. 

69b BOUTIQUE- The most extensive offering of eco chic pieces in one place. Founded by an ex-editor at British Vogue, this store makes shopping for stylish pieces while appeasing your conscious seamless.

Eco Outfit details:

WOOL COAT, Wintervacht via Ethical Collection #recycledfabric #ethicallymade #sustainblefabric #naturalfibers

TURTLENECK SWEATER, Everlane #transparent #ethical #naturalfibers

JEANS, Paige Denim #madeinUSA

BOOTIES, (similar to ones shown) Fortress of Inca #ethical 

BAG, via Rent The Runway #sharedfashion

SUNGLASSES, Carla Colour via Ethical Collection #recycledmaterials #sustainabilityproductionpractice

Many thanks to Kit Lee for these fab images and to Ethical Collection for lending some brilliant eco fashion pieces.

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

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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.