Shopping for ethically made clothes has become second nature for me, but every now and then I realize I need to shop for something that I’ve never thought about before from a fair trade/eco-friendly/sustainable perspective. I had one of those weird moments last summer when I realized that Wes and I really needed a couple of beach towels. Could I possibly find some that were ethically made? I set out to try!
It’s been a solid six weeks since I took the plunge and ditched body soap, face soap, makeup remover, and shaving cream in favor of the Norwex body cloth. Am I still using the cloth? Do I still love it as much as I did when I wrote my original post? Keep on reading to find out!
The simple answer to whether or not I’m still using the body cloth is yes…and no. I am still using it for one function, but not for the others. I’ll break down how the body cloth ended up working out long-term for each of its proposed uses: Read More
Anybody else a big fan of the Kentucky Derby? Growing up as a horse-obsessed little girl, I watched it every year. Though I never raced horses myself, being immersed in the equestrian world taught me a lot about racing terminology, strategy, and culture. Once I met Wes, we quickly realized we had found our joint favorite “holiday.” I love horses and a good party theme (hello, giant hats), and he loves mint juleps and seersucker. A Southern match made in heaven! We try to have a party to celebrate the run for the roses each year.
The photos in this post are from last year’s party. The decor was our best yet! And, it was super inexpensive…we found ways to use stuff we already had, including my old horseback riding ribbons.
Many of us know about ways to “go green” on a micro level: taking reusable bags to the grocery store, using a water bottle rather than buying plastic, using good-for-the-earth dishwashing liquid. But I know that many of us, myself included, have rarely thought much about being eco-friendly on a larger level, such as how we design and furnish our homes.
I recently learned about a local-to-NC company called Caragreen, which produces sustainable, eco-friendly flooring and countertops (I actually won a giveaway they were running on Instagram….too fun!). They are headquartered right here in Raleigh, but they work to create amazing home interiors for companies and residences all around the country. I have really enjoyed learning about the way they do sustainable home design and wanted to share!
My initial reaction when I hear “sustainable homes” or “eco-friendly homes” is to think of ultra-modern, minimalistic tiny houses. What I hope to show you in this blog post is that you can still go for a classic Southern home even while using contemporary, eco-friendly materials!
This week, I did something I never thought I would do: I didn’t use body wash, face wash, or shaving cream for an entire week!
This was part of a week-long experiment called the Norwex Body Cloth Challenge. The rules were pretty straightforward: Anytime I normally would have reached for soap or shaving cream, I used the Norwex body cloth instead.
In this blog post, I’m going to give you all of the dirt about how things went in the challenge. I was not asked by Norwex to write about my experiences, nor am I being compensated for doing so. I did receive the body cloth for free from my Norwex consultant in exchange for participating in the challenge. All thoughts expressed in this post are my honest opinions!
Y’all, it is almost officially SPRING!! The air is a tad warmer, it’s staying light longer, and flowers are starting to bloom. It has given me such a mood boost, and I have found myself drawn to fresh, light clothing that matches the approaching season!
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take my mom to The Flourish Market for the first time. It was fun to show her a place that means so much to me! She purchased a fabulous knotted top, and I took home this bell-sleeved beauty. Read More
I’m not a huge exercise junky, so ethically made workout clothing was never something that was high on my list when I made the switch to fair trade and ethically made fashion. I honestly didn’t think about it at all until my sweet sister gifted me these high-rise leggings from Girlfriend Collective.
In case anyone has been living under a rock and hasn’t noticed, it has been exceptionally cold so far this winter. The temperature has frequently been in the teens and 20s the past couple of weeks here in North Carolina, and this thin-skinned Southerner can only take so much, y’all. Until winter finally high tails it out of here, dressing warmly is essential!
I think it’s actually kind of fitting that my regularly scheduled Social Justice Sunday post falls on New Year’s Eve so that we can end the year with a little bit of inspiration! Y’all know that I am a big advocate of purchasing ethically produced products–that is, goods that are produced in a way that is kind to people and the environment. This quote is something that I hope inspires all of us as we enter the new year:
When you think about it, the bridal gown industry can be pretty wasteful. A lot of time, money, labor, and materials go into these stunning dresses, which are worn for one day and then shoved into a box under someone’s bed for several decades.
Stacia Wilson of Raleigh, NC, has a solution to this problem. She recently started Oak City Bridal, a consignment bridal boutique featuring designer gowns. Y’all know I love the idea of purchasing an already loved wedding gown, so I sat down with Stacia a few weeks ago to learn more about Oak City Bridal and the heart behind her business.
