Apr 8

Apr 8 Hola Lili || Wearable Art

I've got another amazing Kickstarter campaign to introduce you to today! One of my favorite thing about ethical fashion is that the people who own most of the brands I've worked with have literally built their brand from the ground up, and Hola Lili is no different.

Hola Lili is another emerging brand in the eco-fashion world that was born out of a desire to change the way people buy shoes and to empower artisans in the Philippines, growing the local economy and supporting traditional weaving methods. They are doing things very, very right and creating gorgeous shoes while they're at it — or at least they hope to once their campaign ends.

Their Kickstarter campaign launched only a few days ago and they're already fully funded — proof of people's desire for beautiful shoes that don't come at the expense of others or the planet.

Apr 6

Apr 6 ENAT || Handcrafted Handbags

Olivia Youngs

Slow Fashion

If there's one word I've said more than "simplify" or "slow" on this blog it's "versatile". In almost every ethical brand I spotlight and in every capsule wardrobe round up I post, I try to highlight how important versatility is when it comes to selecting pieces for your wardrobe.

I had been lacking a basic, oversized tote for a long time so when I heard about ENAT and connected with the two beautiful souls behind the brand, I knew it was a piece worth adding to my closet.

Aside from being quite literally the perfect catch-all bag — which is essential for my life as a mom of two toddlers — it has the most beautiful story behind it.

Apr 3

Apr 3 Spring Cleaning || Detox Your Schedule

Olivia Youngs

Slow Living

With the change of the seasons comes an inevitable change in mindset. Whether you're a big "spring cleaner" or not, there's something about the season that inspires change, detoxification, and a fresh, clean slate. In honor of spring and the boost in motivation that many of us feel, I'm planning to do a mini-series on nontypical ways to spring clean your life.

There are plenty of posts out there on physical things to declutter and lists of the places in your house that need a good scrubbing down every spring (hello, refrigerator). But the lists of the other areas in our lives that need a good de-cluttering are harder to come by.

Today, I want to touch on decluttering our lives from busyness, or more specifically, detoxing our schedules.

Mar 30

Mar 30 Olli || Fair Flip Flops On A Mission

Olivia Youngs

Slow Fashion

I've mentioned before that when it comes to footwear, like most things in my life, I like to keep it simple. I need shoes that I can throw on easily, wear with 94% of the pieces in my closet, and chase a 3 year old and a 1.5 year old around in. While it's pretty safe to say that heels (of any shape or size) aren't for my lifestyle (or level of walking ability), flats, sandals, booties, and of course, flip flops most definitely are.

When the ladies of Olli reached out to me about their Kickstarter campaign for fair trade, ethically made flip flops, I immediately knew I wanted to get involved. Believe it or not, for the past two or three summers I've been without a pair of flip flops for a few reasons. A) I was too lazy to buy a new pair, and B) I couldn't find an ethically made option that was in my budget AND higher quality than the Old Navy pairs I had been used to.

Mar 29

Mar 29 Only Child || Elevated Basics

Olivia Youngs

Slow Fashion

There's nothing more exciting to me than when I find a brand whose entire collection makes me think "I can honestly see each and every piece from this brand in my closet". It's a dangerously beautiful feeling and it's one of the first things I thought when I first browsed Only Child's collection.

That was a few seasons ago, and still, after several product launches, I'm as obsessed as ever.

Anyone who has seen a sneak peek into my closet knows that I'm a "basic girl". (For lack of a better term — I can't believe I just wrote that.) I don't own many statement pieces or items that are difficult to pair together. I fall hard for clothes that are versatile enough to wear a million ways — helping me feel put together whether I'm spending the day at home, traveling with my family, going to the grocery store, or meeting up with friends. The Alta top in beige linen was exactly the top this "basic girl" needed for my spring wardrobe to feel complete.

Mar 27

Mar 27 Let's Chat about Birth Control || Part Two

Olivia Youngs

Motherhood, Slow Living

I'm a fan of talking about the taboo, the deep, and the pushed aside topics here on SL&Co. More often than not, those topics take the form of the fashion industry, ethics, and living with less, but today, I want to chat about birth control. For the second time.

Although *thankfully* the topic of fertility and birth control is getting more and more mainstream attention in recent years, I think most women still feel a lot of pressure when it comes to taking "the pill" and either aren't aware of or don't feel comfortable considering the other options available to them.

In my first post on the topic a few months ago, I shared about how at 22 years old, I went on a birth control pill (a progesterone only pill, since I was breastfeeding at the time,) for the first time in my life. I shared about the side effects of that supposedly "mild" version of the pill and how for the entirety of my time taking it I had a feeling that something was "off" with my body, mood, and hormones.