Shelter: Your Necessities Meet Must-Have Purses

Can't decide which Shelter purse I love more, so I'll let you choose for yourselves:

The Taplin Purse/Earthy Cross-Stitched Style, $104

The Taplin Purse/Bright Geometric Pendleton-Style, $129

And there're more styles where these came from, plus some great Rolston Bag/backpacks perfect for a jaunt or trip to the coffee shop with your trusty laptop:

Ralston Bag with Bright Geometric Print, $184

Each piece is designed and handmade in Asheville, leather is stoned oil leather from domestic cows, and it seems like the creators make a decent attempt to keep the fabric locally sourced/created as well.

Visit the Shelter website or Big Cartel yourselves. Makes me want to pick up and move to the country, live in a rustic cabin, and plant a ton of raspberry bushes.

(All Shelter text and photos by Karie Reinertson)

Mercado Global: Fair and Blingin'

OK, Mercado Global isn't just blingin', it also sells great pillows and accessories. Check out some MG goodies below ("exclusive products [that] combine exceptional Mayan craftsmanship with modern design," all crafted by Guatemala highlands artisan cooperatives):

 Unity Bracelet, $24

Tres Soles earrings, $78

Ikat Clutch, $30

Triple Striped Brocade Clutch, $75

Dip Dye Pillow, $50

Zigzag Brocade Pillow, $44

Mercado Global is a nonprofit focused on fair trade that works with 31 indigenous women's cooperatives. Learn more here.

Check 'Em - Sexy Osborne Collaborations

Osborn's new collabs, available at International Playground, are drool-worthy. As is their new Greyci Bootie:

Me gusta!

Happy Aloha Friday, everyone!

You Lucky iPad, You - Shannon South

Yes, for just $175, your iPad can ride classy, mink and leather style. I kind of really want this. It would be like having a permanent cuddle buddy that can give you directions and tell you words you forget. What else do you need?

Oh yeah, and the mink is repurposed, as is the rest of Shannon South's collection; in this case, from a stole from the 1960s.

Happy Thursday!

I Have an Excuse! And a Killer Outfit!

OK, first, cute outfit:

So much goodness it this picture. First is the Falling Whistles necklace, worn over an American Apparel crop top. I paired this with a striped mullet skirt (sexy name) and Goodwill-found leather/cork wedges. Final touches: my Charity : Water and Kwiat diamond waterdrop bracelet; a wonderful Lionne ring, and the Lionne leather satchel I just had to buy after discovering on Ethical Ocean.

I also added a seaglass and shell pendant my friend made for me to my Falling Whistles necklace.

This was my Saturday night get-up, which I wore to get the most delicious pizza in Hawaii at 1 a.m. If you ever make your way to Honolulu, you should probably head straight to Vlounge. Or the beach. Whatever.

Ready for the sob story excuse for pushing off "tomorrow" until tomorrow repeatedly? K go: I got rear-ended, had a tire punctured by a screw, and then my credit card, ID, and phone stolen out of my poor, now-beat-up car while out for a "relaxing" surf sesh, all within a four day span. I'm going with my friend's take, which is, "this means you're doing something right and something is trying to stop you." Don't mess with me, mystery force!

Anyway, here's the pretty ring Lionne was kind enough to send me, with a lovely, African-print pouch, handwritten note, and all:

The bronze must have a bit of copper in it, because it can leave a slight green hue on your finger. HOWEVER, with a bit of clear nail polish, you can sharpen that ring right up. Plus, the bone inlay is handpainted by Kelly Krafts of Kenya, which makes up for the band. Oh, and did I mention it's only
£7.50? Just sayin'. Check out Lionne here.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow + Denim on Denim

Aaaah, did I say tomorrow three days ago, fail to present, and am I saying tomorrow AGAIN? Yes. However, I wore an outfit Saturday night that rocked my world, I want to have sufficient pictures to represent the Lionne fun/Saturday night, and I'm on some camera delays.

So, in the meantime, enjoy this beaut:

DENIM ON DENIM. So many other examples, but this one is from Refinery29. I borrowed a faded Levi's denim halter from my friend, had to give it back, and my life has never been the same. Pairing it with some ancient denim shorts and my Proof sunglasses (which are boy-getters, BTWs) had become the go-to (though slightly impractical) beach look. Whyyyyy, Chelsea, whyyy did you allow me to return it???

And that's why I need to go to bed. G'nite, all -- and tomorrow, I promise (fingers 95 percent likely to not be crossed.).

I Am in Love. And It's with Lionne.

And it's only partially because they made this beaut I just got in the mail available:

And it's gorgeous. And you'll never need another bag again. Oh, and did I mention it's handmade by Kenya's Leather Company and is somehow now only £20.00? WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS AND NOT BUYING IT RIGHT NOW???

Anyway, that was a tangent. I've just gotten some killer customer service from Lionne that reminds me how awesome it is to work with small, independent, good-minded folks. Makes me never want to walk into a department store again. I feel the love. (And if you need a reason to too, see this ring on sale at Lionne for £7.50, which is almost as awesome as the one I got in the mail today, which I will share tomorrow:

Oh, and I hit up Goodwill today. And score! HOWEVER it's late, I have work, and my camera is dead, so you must wait  until tomorrow to see even more about why I love Lionne, consignment shops, and Goodwill. But it's worth it.

T-Shirt Time, Classy Take: Farm Tactics

I keep threatening to go andro style (which means I really want to but lack the $/effort), but this Coral Summer Pocket Tee, $39, by Farm Tactics is making me wanna kick it up a notch. Made of seeded cotton in the United States, Farm Tactic's basic selection of T-shirts is comfy yet stylish looking. So seriously, don't take it off around a boy or you'll probably never get it back again.

Light Brown Ombre Tee, $37

Hopefully they come out with some heavier layers for fall so I have something to ogle.

Inspiration Motivation -- TEDdy Time

Writing a piece about a local TEDx conference, which doesn't leave me much blogging time but does leave me thinking about how engaging and inspiring the TED RSA Animates are. One of my faves is "Language as a Window into Human Nature:"

If you left this stoked, don't worry -- there are hundreds more RSA Animates and thousands of TED Talks where that came from.

Happy Aloha Wednesday all!

Pants Me, Heritage Research

I've been on the hunt for a good pair of pants, and if I could just get my hands on these, my life would be complete. Heritage Research's Autumn/Winter 2011 collection for women references pioneering female aviators, which I dig. I also like the Deluth Pack:

From the About page: "All of the fabrics we use are specifically woven for Heritage Research in the UK or Japan using traditional methods and looms. Aside from specialist or collaborative pieces, all HR garments are handmade in England, under one roof, by skilled craftsmen and women, there is no production line, the emphasis is on quality not quantity. Because of this the generic slickness of mass manufacturing is replaced with character, warmth and imperfection. HR is designed and crafted for the person who appreciates the stamp of an individual rather than a production line."

Just In Case You Miss Me... FAL

If you're ever heartbroken that there isn't a new dazzling find for you here, take your charming little self over to Fashion at Liberty. I contribute posts there, but the bulk of the work, done by Stephanie Carnes, is way more amazing. She's behind interviews with folks such as Lorrena Bariento, who designs a line of stunning embroidered jewelry,  as well as articles covering everything from new, ethical fall lines to a series on "Farm to Fashion."

As for moi, my most recent post with Fashion at Liberty is about ethical goodies that match this ethereal picture, taken by my friend one late night:

If you're curious about what I found, click away. With FAL, I get to play with longer interview pieces as well as create my own mix-and-match fashion and home decor stylings. It's a whole new set of playground equipment, and I hope you enjoy it too.

Happy Aloha Thursday!

Kiva-Funded Creators + Global Markets = Ahkun

This is genius. Nonprofit Ahkun (which means "thank you" in Khmer) connects Kiva loan recipients in Cambodia with the global market. So far, they feature four entrepreneurs/groups who create circle dresses, scarves and T-shirts.

(Krama scarf is made by Cambodian scarf-weaver Kakeda Sun; Wrap dress is made by entrepreneurial group Circle Cambodia.)

(Kakeda Sun at work.)

However, via some Facebook stalking, it seems like Ahkun is up to even more goodness including socially conscious pop-up shops and "ethicodes."

(Akhun Krama scarf, as modified by Study NY's Tara St James for the Ahkun Summer Pop-Up.)

The online Akhun shop seems down right now, but before they were offering amazing scarves for $18 and wrap dresses for $48. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what's next!

Get your snoop on here -- there's some good to be found.

Fallin' - SUNO

SUNO's fall line is here. Yes, you'll want it all (and you'll pay dearly for it, but hey. You know if it's worth it.)

Mohair Dolman Coat, $679 (thank goodness I live somewhere that's basically summer all year long.)

Hook and Bar Minidress, $750

Double Slit Dress, $775

Fitted Jaquard Mini Dress, $495

See the whole fall line. From SUNO's Brand page: "SUNO has evolved its business to include production in Kenya, India, Peru and its home base of New York. Via a combination of traditional, local techniques and high-end tailoring, as well as an emphasis on fit and fabric, SUNO is able to offer a global, unique view of the luxury world in an accessible way."

Hope everyone had a stellar Labor Day weekend -- mine involved the beach, good friends, and down time. Can't go wrong.

Things That Struck My Fancy

ONE.

WEAVE: Women's Education for Advancement and Empowerment. They mainly work with women in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma boarder, and have a gamut of projects that focus on social and economic empowerment.

TWO.

NY Times article "Generation Limbo: Waiting It Out." Ummm, hello.

THREE.

Laugh, Cry, Repeat. I want everything from this L.A. line ... but can't vouch for them as a socially conscious business. Yet! I'll get back to you on that one. (Above is the Patchwork Top, $144, which reminds me ... who am I kidding that I could afford it anyway? Sigh. But LOVELY.)

FOUR.

And hello, FREE Stanford Social Innovation Review podcasts.

Now put a little good and jingle into that Thursday step.