support adult education and literacy week

last week was adult education and literacy week in boston.  i know this because i am a volunteer for the literacy volunteers of massachusetts. for the past year, i’ve been meeting every week with a girl my age who moved here on her own from Africa 8 years ago.  i help her with her writing skills so that she can confidently take the GED test and pass.  it has been an absolutely amazing experience seeing her improvement and dedication over the year and learning about her family and culture.

i can go on for a long time about my experiences, so please feel free to email me if you want to hear more.  please visit the LVM website to learn more and donate and i encourage you to find a literacy volunteer program in your city.  if i haven’t convinced you enough, here are some astonishing stats about literacy (from proliteracy.com):

- there are 774 million adults around the world who are illiterate in their native languages

- two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults are women

- in the U.S., 30 million people over age 16 — 14 percent of the country’s adult population — don’t read well enough to understand a newspaper story written at the eighth grade level or fill out a job application

and because this is a fashion blog after all, here are some cute letter inspired tees and totes!

DaDaDa studio

art2theextreme

Bonbi Forest

real people wear clothes from independent designers

sometimes it helps to see clothes on people versus a clothing rack or mannequin.  and i think it’s also fun to see the different ways people wear the same piece of clothing.  that’s the fun part of fashion – it’s individual.  people have their own ideas on colors and patterns that go together, accessories to add to an outfit, etc.  so here is some inspiration from chictopia.com of real people wearing clothes by independent designers that have all been written about here at the clothing menu.

dear creatures

lamixx

i’m your present

dainty june

mary savel

(ps – i have this skirt too!)

do you wear clothes from independent designers?  send your picture to theclothingmenu@gmail.com and i’ll post it on this site!

san francisco independent designers

this week i’ll be out on the west coast for work, where i’ll hopefully be able to enjoy some sun and napa valley wine! there are a lot of talented san francisco independent designers that i’ve read about online, which makes me excited to see the style and maybe bring some of it back to the east coast.  here are 3 unique san francisco designers to give you a taste of the creativity from the city:

Christopher Collins started out in the luxury fashion industry making evening wear.  in 2008, he launched his own line of ready-to-wear designs inspired by his background of luxury, high-quality and femininity.

there aren’t many independent shoe designers, so i was excited to find Form & Fauna.  what makes these stylish shoes so great is that they are sturdy for everyday life and they are made of sustainable materials.

for a completely girly outfit, browse through Alyssa Nicole‘s spring collection.  it is very pretty in pink!

for more on san francisco fashion, check out sfindiefashion.com

365 days of sustainability for charity

it doesn’t seem like it’s been a full year since i first heard about the uniform project, but as of may 1, it’s complete! if you haven’t heard about it, check out the video below or this great interview from modcloth.com with Sheena, the woman who wore the same LBD for 365 days in a row and raised enough money to send 221 kids in India to school. can you imagine wearing the same dress for a full year?  Sheena definitely did a great job getting creative with it through the seasons!

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

independent ethical clothing line: Nixxi

Nixxi is an independent ethical clothing line that carefully picks fabrics that are from fibers not treated from pesticides and works with a local production company to make sure the work environment is fair for employees.  on top of all that, the clothes from Nixxi work for any woman’s wardrobe.  they are versatile, comfortable, and work great as part of a layered outfit.  find out more from Jada-Lee, the designer behind Nixxi in this interview with the clothing menu.

How did you get started creating your clothing line?

I’ve always had an attraction to details and lines, both artistically and practically.  Combined with my love for fashion, designing clothing was a natural fit for me. I started by taking existing pieces and revamping them and then from there, I began designing original styles to sell at the local market. I co-created a previous line for three years and then started Nixxi independently in 2007.

What three words would you use to describe your current collection?

edgy, organic, flirty

What do you think makes your designs different?

Nixxi’s aesthetic is mixing contrasts: draped silhouettes with structured lines; soft knits with textured wovens; taking contemporary shapes and refining them into versatile classic designs.

What do you see in the future for your collection?

Textile prints, accessories, and artist collaborations.

Why should people buy clothes from an independent designer over a mass-market store?

Mass-produced styles can sometimes lack a certain essence and quality. When I buy something from an independent designer, I treasure it so much more knowing that it is unique and that their heart was put into creating it.

fashion event in boston – this thursday!

what are you doing this thursday?  no plans?  then you should go to the cambridgeside galleria for the passport to style event.  bring some friends and enjoy a night of spring and summer fashion previews, including a a pop-up store from local independent clothing designer, Lily & Migs.  sounds like fun – maybe i’ll see you there!

clothes from independent designers – all under $50!

one rumor about clothes made by independent designers is that they are expensive.  however, just like clothes available at the mall, indie clothes come in a range of prices.  some are expensive because a lot of time and artistry was put into the clothes and/or the fabrics and materials are of a high-quality.  but most of the clothes from independent designers are very reasonable priced, along with being of good quality and unique.  here is a sampling of clothes all under $50 from some of my favorite indie designers:

every little counts makes tees and sweatshirts inspired by romance and love.

zelaya is a family business from el salvador that makes everinomentally sustainable clothes.

andwhatelseisthere handmakes and tailors fashion-forward clothes from bangkok.

lamixx makes wardrobe staples that are comfortable and made to fit well on a woman’s body.

top 10 spring/summer fashion must-have list

the good thing about the fashion this spring and summer is that many of the trends are revivals of past season’s trends, so if you keep items in your closet long enough, you may already have these!  here are the top 10 fashion must-haves for this spring and summer:

1 – maxi dress

2 – jean jacket

3 – layered bracelets

4 – stripes

5 – white or gray blazer

6 – leopard print accessory

7 – clogs

8 – aviator sunglasses

9 – black skinny jeans

10 – military inspired prints and shapes

what time is it?

i have this thing about watches.  i don’t like them.  i’m stubborn and i don’t like to have to do things on a schedule on someone else’s time.  yet, my job revolves around making sure things are delivered on time and going from meeting to meeting and staying on schedule.  somehow i’ve managed to get by ok, but have been thinking lately about getting a watch.  it’s a big decision though because it’s something you’re wearing every day!

so that’s why i was really excited when i came across May 28th.  these watches are so beautiful and unique and fun!  May 28th hand makes one-of-a kind watches, in hundreds of styles.  it’s a lot of fun browsing through the site at all of the fun styles. which is your favorite?


3 ways to dare to be bold!

sometimes it’s good to stand out a little.  maybe by wearing a bright colored shoe or mixing patterns or trying out a new trend before it hits The Gap.  here are 3 examples of how to be bold in what you wear:

this bright floral bag by drika.b will definitely make your outfit pop and will brighten up your day for sure!

the model makes this daal jumper look easy to pull off, but it takes confidence to wear this!  the tank and pant are actually one piece with the belt.  it’s really cute!

i’m personally not one for bright colors.  instead, my favorite way to stand out is to mix patterns.  i am in love with the contrast of the tan and white top of this dress from Eskell mixed with the black and white graphic bottom.

what do you wear when you’re feeling bold?