MarketPlace: Handwork of India

The other day I was contacted by a company called MarketPlace: Handwork of India with the offer to review one of their products.  I had never heard of this company so I did a little research and they’re pretty amazing.  They are a nonprofit Alternative Trade and Development Organization that works with 480 women artisans around Mumbai, India, to produce clothing and home décor items showcasing authentic techniques such as hand batik, ikat and hand embroidery.

The women work in supportive, non-exploitative work environments in the form of 14 cooperatives around Mumbai, which the women organize and manage.  And, addition to the much needed employment, MarketPlace works in conjunction with another nonprofit organization in Mumbai, SHARE, to provide social programs to the artisans.  And the women in turn use their own social program, Social Action, to get involved in their communities, tackling everything from garbage collection to domestic abuse.  

So, yeah, pretty amazing.

And so are the items they produce.  Like the Majuli Tunic:

Here is a close-up of the hand printed pattern and the hand embroidery at the yoke:

I don’t wear a lot of purple, but I love the dusty plum of the tunic.  And I love that the embroidery inspired me to pair the tunic with a mustard scarf:

Really, what's not to love about a company that empowers women and inspires the wearing of mustard?!  That's right, nothing.

To share in the love and learn more about MarketPlace: Handwork of India, please visit them here.

And have a Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Hats, Flowers & Rabbit Deer Creatures

I don't like wearing hats.  I never know how to wear them or what to do with my hair.  And because my head is kind of small for a giant, they often don't fit me right and tend to blow off.  Even when it's not windy.  So, no.  Not a fan of hats.  But, I'm even less of a fan of sun damage.  So, I'm always looking for a sun hat that fits my wee head and protects my face.

Enter the roll-up visor from the Dorfman Pacific Scala Collection*:

This thing is brilliant.  First of all, it rolls up for slipping into a beach bag with ease, and because it's paper braid, it does so without wrinkling.  Speaking of wrinkling, I firmly believe the 5-inch peak, which offers the equivalent of SPF 50 protection, will help keep me from doing so as well.  And, it's adjustable, so it fits my tiny head perfectly.  The best part though?  I can wear a bun or a pony tail with it, because it's a visor, not a hat:

No more having to wear my hair down and getting all sweaty and angry.  And, it's perfect for laying in the sun (with sunscreen, of course) as well, because it doesn't continue all the way around.  It's just seriously altogether brilliant.  And reasonably priced as well; it retails for about $25.00.  You can find them, in multiple colors, from brights to neutrals, here.

This past weekend was beautiful here in Oregon, so I took my visor out on a test run to the farmer's market.  And it was perfect; it stayed put, even with the strong breeze, and I don't appear to be any more wrinkled.

Also perfect?  The market:

Purple Dutch iris

Blue Dutch Iris

Cascade Baking Company Bread

A red sedum for my nephew's collection.

The center of this thunder egg kind of looks like a leaping rabbit-deer-creature.  Kind of.

Dutch iris in zinc pails.

Potatoes.  I don't know.  I just like them.

So, in summary, this visor is awesome.  Farmer's markets are awesome.  They are awesome together.

Happy Tuesday, All!  Don't forget to enter my Shabby Apple Giveaway!

Gracey


*This sunhat was sent to me courtesy of Dorfman Pacific.  However, all of the opinions voiced in my review of the hat are mine and mine alone.

Watercolor and White

This weekend I received a gorgeous watercolor-print scarf from FRAAS:

It is the Mystical Waters scarf, in turquoise, and it’s great.  It’s actually pretty big (40 x 72 inches) and can be used as a wrap, but isn’t too bulky when tied as a scarf, which is how I wore it today:

I wanted to keep the focus on the scarf, so I kept the rest of the outfit neutral, pairing it with a gray tee (Target), trouser jeans (Banana Republic) and a white blazer (Banana Republic).  I also added a clear belt (v. old, Old Navy) and platform booties (Nine West via TJ Maxx).

I think the scarf adds just the right amount of color, texture and interest to the look.  It’s definitely a piece I can see myself wearing all spring and summer. 

If you’d like a FRAAS scarf of your own for the upcoming season, this particular scarf (Style 623949) can be ordered by calling 212-575-0191.  And other scarves are available at fraas.com and amazon.com.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Shop the Look:

Similar trouser jeans (available in Tall)

Gray Target tee

Similar white blazer (available in Tall)

Similar clear belt

** Disclosure: Actions taken from the hyperlinks in this blog post may yield commission/compensation for the writer. Please see the Disclosure tab for more details.

 

Stripes and an eShakti Review

According to most of the fashion magazines I read, stripes are in for spring.  And wouldn’t you know it, I wore stripes today:

When the lovely people at eShakti contacted me and asked me if I’d like to try a piece from their Pre-Spring/Resort Line, I jumped at the chance.  There were several pieces I loved (you can see them in this post) but I ultimately decided on this cream and blue striped knit dress: 

It’s my first knit piece from eShakti, and it’s pretty great.  It’s as soft and as cozy as pajamas, which is fabulous, but the lovely green belt, which came with the dress, also adds some structure.  I added a bit more structure, and some warmth (this dress is sleeveless) with a black blazer (Gap), charcoal herringbone tights (Hue) and ankle boots (Nine West “Darsy”). 

Really my only nit to pick, and it’s a small one, is that this is a LOT of dress.  The skirt is pleated, and therefore pretty full, and because the fabric is a nice, heavy knit, it can be a lot.  If I had it to do again, I’d probably order it a bit shorter to balance the weight of it.  This particular dress is currently out of stock, but if they re-stock and you do order it, I suggest ordering an above-the-knee length.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

Gracey

Shop the Look:

Similar striped eShakti dresses: this one is the same fabric, different cut and this one is the same dress in red/white stripes

Similar black Gap blazer

Nine West “Darsy” boots

Emerald green belt

** Disclosure: Actions taken from the hyperlinks in this blog post may yield commission/compensation for the writer. Please see the Disclosure tab for more details.

New Glasses, Mustaches and Finger Guns

As I mentioned yesterday, I got new glasses:

When the folks at Firmoo asked if I’d like to try out their glasses, I was pretty excited; I’d been wearing the same pair for two years and wanted to try something new.  The Firmoo site was very easy to use and has an avatar you can try glasses on, or you can upload your own picture to see how the glasses will actually look on your face.

I used the avatar, but probably should have uploaded my own photo because I’m not sure I picked the best glasses for my face.  I wanted something a bit bigger than my old pair because they had a tendency to cover my eyes at times, but these might be too big.  They might, in fact, be so big that I’m a mustache and a leisure suit away from being a 70s lounge singer.

See:

The glasses themselves are great.  I got style # SD2395, and they’re nice and lightweight, they don’t pinch or rub at the nose or above the ears (often a problem for me) and they came with both a soft and a hard case.  I’m just not convinced they’re great on me.  Luckily, I won a voucher for Firmoo from Heidi at Heidi-and-Seek, so I can try out another pair!

And you can try out a pair too!  Firmoo has a world-wide First Pair Free Program where anyone can try their first pair of Firmoo glasses for free; all you have to pay is the shipping.  You can get any pair of glasses as a prescription, including sunglasses, or you can order a non-prescription pair.  And, if for some reason you aren't satisfied with your glasses, you can get a refund or exchange them for something you like better.  But, I suspect you'll like them and I know you'll like Firmoo's customer service.

Happy Saturday, Everyone!

Gracey

Uncooperative Weather & A FRAAS Review

A few weeks ago, the lovely people at FRAAS sent me one of these fabulous scarves:

It's the Fair Isle infinity scarf and it comes in four color combinations: navy/turquoise, camel/ivory, rose/petal and black/grey.  I received the black/grey scarf and it is the softest, coziest, warmest scarf.  I am a big fan of infinity scarves; they're just so easy.  And this one really is lovely.  It's long enough and soft enough so that when it's doubled it doesn't look like an Elizabethan neck ruffle.  I love that the Fair Isle pattern is subtle enough that I can pair it with other patterned pieces with no problem.  All this and it retails for only around $40.00.

When I received this scarf, I couldn't wait to wear it.  Unfortunately, the weather has been uncooperative and way, way to too warm for a wool-blend scarf.  But, I can tell you that when the weather finally cooperates, I plan on wearing it with oxblood, cream, mustard, red, black and grey pieces all fall and winter long.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! 

Gracey

Size Up and Get Sweaty – Marika Tek Review

Some time ago, the lovely people at Marika were kind enough to send me some of their Marika Miracles workout pants.  I love those pants; they are my go to workout pants (you know, when I work out).  So, I was absolutely thrilled when they offered to send me this workout tee*:

My fame-scoffing nephew took this.  He cut off my feet.

Image via Marika

It is the Venus Crew Neck Dry Wik Short Sleeve Tee and like the pants, it helps keep my oh-so-very-sweaty self comfortable when I’m working out.  Even having previous experience with Marika’s Dry-Wik technology, I was a little apprehensive about this review because they sent me purple and I prefer working out in black, to hide the sweat.  But, I gave the purple a shot and I am pleased to report it was only a little discolored by the end of my workout:

Yes, that's a picture of my sweaty back.  You're welcome?

Really, my only complaint about this tee, and it’s a minor one, is that it seems to run a bit small.  But, that could just be because while I don’t mind working out in tight pants (as is obvious in the photo above), I try to avoid tight shirts.  If you feel the same, I’d definitely recommend sizing up.  For reference, I’m wearing an XL.

I can honestly say that the Marika Tek line is pretty great.  And, if you want to see for yourself, you can get 20% off at Marika by entering the code TEK20 at checkout, now through the end of September.

Happy Shopping!

Gracey

*Yes, Marika sent me this tee for free, but the opinions in this post are mine because you know I love my opinions too much to let someone else dictate them.

Gracey Works Out

I do.  Sometimes.  Sort of.  But, I hate to buy workout wear.  Mostly because I sweat like a mad woman when I work out and I hate to spend money on clothes I’m going to sweat all over.  Which is why these pants from Marika are just perfect:

One, because they were sent to me to try for free (I love free) and two, because of their DryWick moisture-wicking technology.  And, as an added bonus, these are the Slimming Capri Legging with Tummy Control, so they not only wick away my sweat, they slim me while doing it.

Seriously though, these pants are great.  The Elasta-Tight fabric did feel like it was holding me in, but it didn’t squeeze me or make me uncomfortable during pilates last night.  I also like the fact that they have a high waist.  I hate my pants falling down during workouts and these stayed put the entire time.  The best part though was definitely the fact that my lower body wasn’t soaked with sweat when I left class.  That is always, always a problem for me but it wasn’t last night.

In fact, I’m seriously considering purchasing one of the Marika Miracles tanks also.  If you want to purchase a pieces of Marika Miracles workout wear yourself, you can get 20% off of any full priced Marika Miracles purchase through the month of May at Marika.  Just use the promo code: MIRACLES at checkout.

If do you purchase some, be sure to let me know how you like them!

Gracey

P.S. Size-wise, these particular pants come in sizes S – XL and I’m wearing the XL, but other items are available in up to 2XL.

Another Animal Print Piece? I’m A-Fraas So

It’s no secret that I love animal print; I am, in fact, one of those people who consider it a neutral.  So, when the fine people at Fraas offered to send* me a new animal print scarf, I jumped at the chance.  And I was not disappointed – this Fraas scarf is just lovely:

It’s nice and lightweight so I can wear it throughout the spring and even as a wrap on cooler summer nights.  And the coloring is pretty neutral, both proving my point and allowing me to pair it with a lot of different items in my closet. 

Today I paired it with a cream, tiered blouse (Nordstrom), coral waterfall cardigan (Nordstrom), dark trouser jeans (Banana Republic), heeled booties (Nine West via TJ Maxx), lion earrings (vintage) and a turquoise-bead bracelet (vintage).  I wore the scarf long to match the flow of the cardigan and felt long and lean all day, despite the ruffles and layers.

Interested in an elongating and versatile Fraas scarf of your own?  They are available at department & specialty stores across the world and can also be purchased at fraas.com and amazon.com.  Not a fan of animal print?  Fraas makes all sorts of different patterns, from dragonflies to stripes to watercolor-like florals, and they're all gorgeous.

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

*Yes, this scarf was sent to me free of charge, but you all know I’d tell you if it were less than awesome.