Fashion|Conscious: Hither and Thither

The weather has been so perfect in the last few days that I have taken the plunge and packed away my winter wardrobe. I may well be tempting fate but, quite frankly, I am too excited to care. As I envisage picnics, power naps on the lawn and chasing after my daughter in the park, I am filled with a child-like glee. Such high jinks would, of course, call for a dressing-down of sorts.

/Images: 1. Scarf by Tamasyn Gambell 2. Classic 301 aviators by Toms Eyewear 3. Macy Oversize Tee by People Tree 4. Belt by Elvis & Kresse 5. Drifter jeans by Howies 6. Taua leather trainers by Veja/

Once upon a time, I thought nothing could replace my adoration for the boyfriend jean. Alas, I was swayed by its more svelte heir apparent and I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why. They are the next best thing to pyjama bottoms and are, therefore, an absolute joy to wear. I find that shopping for them in the men's department gives me the best slouch effect. I roll them up to reveal a sliver of ankle and team them with my ubiquitous trainers. The jeans above are on my wishlist and I am giving them some very serious thought indeed.

P.S. I used an ingenious tutorial for the collage in today's post and it made the process far quicker and a lot less frustrating, I must say! So, Erin, how did I do?

Hunter Gatherer: Sprung

Spring is finally here! Now get out there and revel in it.

Have a superb weekend, everyone!

Hunter Gatherer Homage

During my recent hiatus, a lovely reader very sweetly paid homage to my Hunter Gatherer series as part of her new Blog of the Month feature. It was the most wonderful of welcomes and totally unexpected. Deepa Paul-Plazo, who goes by the moniker The Curry Strumpet, is a Manila girl happily ensconced in Amsterdam with her husband and cat.

We met on the Blogging Your Way e-course last year and I have (rather vicariously) been immersing myself in her adventures ever since. She is an incredibly funny and talented writer, which makes me especially honoured to have been featured by her. You can read her post and get to know her a little better here.

Thank you for being so kind and supportive, Deepa! I hope you know how much it means to me.

Fashion|Conscious: Day In

Working from home could all too easily make one neglectful of one's appearance, especially with no-one but an adoring toddler for company all day. I find, however,  that if I repurpose or donate my clothes before they become too tatty, I am never likely to be tempted to wear them  - not even for the most odious of jobs. My previous batch of loungewear is on its last legs so the discovery of a new ethical brand could not have been more serendipitously  timed.

 

 /Image: EKO Womenswear Spring/Summer 2012 lookbook/

I was so excited at the plethora of laid-back loveliness before me that I knew I had to share. EKO is based in Cornwall and makes a range of mix-and-match seperates in hues so gentle, they are sure to add just the right amount of Zen to your day. Overflowing inboxes would be dealt with serenely and the rubbish would be put out with decorum and style.

I put together a little fantasy outfit (using a few of my favourite things) for your delectation.

/Images: 1. Clemence woven necklace by Jennifer Loiselle 2. Caz casual jacket by EKO 3. Bex simple tube dress by EKO 4. Friendship bracelets by Gina Stewart Cox 5. Grande chain ring by Gina Stewart Cox 6. Gold Converse trainers/

I just love the fact that every single item can be dressed up with a few clever additions for those unplanned, spur-of-the-moment trips to the shops or for play dates. One problem, though - what to buy first?

Visit their online shop to explore the possibilities therein. I would love to know which are your favourites!

Six Items Or Less: The Aftermath

In the past, I am ashamed to say, I shopped without much consideration for the origins of my purchases, how they were made and who was shortchanged in the process. I honestly felt that teaming designer labels with High Street finds was very good thinking indeed (see below).

The seeds of change were initially sown when my husband and I decided to become parents. I could not bear the thought of our tiny, vulnerable child swaddled in pesticide-infused cotton so I made sure that her bedding and clothes were organic and natural where possible. This progressed naturally into taking sustainability and ethics into consideration. I wanted to become part of the solution and to stop contributing to the alarming growth of the elephant in the room.

Participating in Six Items Or Less and visiting the Everything Must Go exhibition further underlined the fact that I needed to be more savvy and responsible in my choices both as a consumer and a designer. I now shop a lot less than I used to and what little I do buy is very carefully considered. I no longer shop on a whim and I have a strict quality-over-quantity policy. Quality to me means timeless, effortless style that has cost neither Man nor the planet adversely.

Having said that, I am a product of my own industry and certainly not above lusting after the latest It item. Baby steps.