shop and feed

doing good things is a good thing.  i'm a strong believer in karma, and i also just think that it's nice to help out someone who is not as fortunate as you are.  combine this with my, shall we say, "affinity" for shopping, and we get to the "shop for charity" happy place.  in this happy place today, we find this gorge handbag designed by Joy Bryant with Botkier.  sold exclusively at ShopBop -FIFTY percent of the proceeds go to Oxfam, a charity fighting hunger.  i know the bag is not cheap - but that also means a nice chunky donation to a good cause, n'est-ce pas?

bits and baubles

i am not sure why women love jewelry so much. it honestly is most likely the most simple answer. all things usually are. we never let go of the childhood quality of attraction to shiny objects. i, for one, am quite happy to have maintained my love for shiny things. jewelry can "be" a million things too. it can be a fun little thing you see at a street market in any city anywhere, it can be a wardrobe staple, and it can be an incredibly powerful talisman - a little physical link to a point in time on the map of your life. for me personally, to mark an intense moment in life, it's either a tattoo or a piece of jewelry. i feel a need to physically mark these moments - it makes me feel anchored - and i suppose i wear my decorations like the story of myself...

wow - ok, let's come down from there, shall we? let's move to the very practical idea that jewelry can make or break an outfit. a plain white tee and jeans can be brought up to SHA-BAM level with a strong necklace. little black dress can go from conservative (pearls) to bohemian (bangles piled up the wrist as far as you like), and hit every mark in between. and since it's right up top in plain view for all the world to see (as opposed to the glory of a shoe or a bag) it can shout out your style idea immediately. in short, jewelry is a wildly important part of a wardrobe. it helps seal the deal, if you will.

one of my favorite jewelry designers is Ippolita. my obsession began about 2 years ago - and i went on a little bit of a bender. i had just been "downsized" out of what i had believed was my career. i got a nice substantial severance, and i set aside a small chunk of this "blood money" for marking the occasion. with jewerly. (and 2 tattoos). thus began my fixation on Ippolita. it is everything i adore. the shapes are gorge - organic, wavy, sensual. and they throw in every possible amount of stone, so you can go from subtle sparkle to POW depending on your piece of choice. the silver and gold are both lovely - but i am in LOVE with the rose. it is the most amazing color ever - and sets of diamonds beautifully. i am currently attempting to work out a way to justify this necklace... and then to make things simple, if you are in the mode of hinting, they have kindly created a gift page full of delightful goodies.

and now for the best part. A) it's that time of year, that Valentine's day time of year. so you can either hint to another or be in love with yourself and splurge. and B) for the entire month of February - 50% of sales on Ippolita.com go to a relief effort for Haiti. and you KNOW how much i love that. shopping plus charity equals SUPERFANTASTIC. on a site like a friggin candy store of beautiful shiny things, it's nothing short of heaven.

carry around a good feeling

and a gorgeous bag too! it's a beautiful thing to see that people care about other people. part of looking good is feeling good - and what better way to feel good than to know you are helping someone in need.

from the 21st to the 29th of January - 15% of all sales at Kooba.com will go to Doctors Without Borders to help Haiti. this is an amazing charity -- and a big one considering all medical attention people need there at the moment.

in addition to doing a good deed - these bags happen to be drop dead amazing - i'm particularly fond of this little number here... think of it as Kooba Karma!

do (good)-esday

two for tuesday.

two facts. one: Alexis Bittar jewelry is gorge. two: one HUNDRED PERCENT of sales, through 1/22, will go to charity for Haiti.

it's what they call a no-lose situation. a win/win if you will. i hope you will!

do (good)-esday

today is world aids day. there are lots of different charities out there that give back - so it's a buffet to choose from. one that's been around for a while and to which i am partial is the Gap's partnership with Product-red. they always have a selection of really cute items that give proceeds to fight aids in Africa. different designers pop in from time to time to do products. this time 'round it's Stella McCartney, who did this tee. (who doesn't want a piece of Stella? you know you do...)

most of the stuff is in the $30 range. and come on now - i think that we can part with $30 on world aids day. there's a whole selection of new t's at the Gap. and if you're cruisin' for something else - there is a whole load of stuff available out there. i've even seen a Product-red netbook. (which, i admit, if i hadn't already got my little nettie, i probably would have purchased).

go on - get your charity on kids! it's do(good)-esday!

getting and giving all in one

today's little "do good" ditty is a shoe-good ditty. so we KNOW it's a good one, yes?
the shoe company Toms has always been philanthropic in nature - for every pair of shoes they sell, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. i, for one, think that is a spectacular idea. it's not trying to be anything huge - it's just a good deed done. i'm a big fan of the idea of doing small acts of kindness - and this falls into that category on a large scale. loves it.

lately the company has had its name out and about a bit more - sprinkle in Ashley Olsen photographed wearing the shoes, and boom! off to the races. now, Toms is offering up some exclusives to be sold at Neiman's and also in-store at Bergdorf's, ratcheting the awareness up a notch and giving it a little sheen of luxury.

the shoes are simple, cute and comfortable. (kind of LOVING the skull print!!) you buy, you give. it's a magnificent equation in its simplicity, and it's about shoes. happy good karma!


neimans

fashion hates you breast cancer

october is breast cancer awareness month. i've had a couple of family members and friends who have dealt with it, in various forms and treatments... so i tend to pay attention to this cause. i've done a couple of walks, and i donate... the fashion world a few years ago started its own little blitz to gain awareness - by selling promotional products and donating proceeds to a variety of foundations. this makes the-e-stylist happy. it's shopping, and it's doing good. me likey.

there are a number of cute things out and about - but this little number here tickled my fancy. Ralph Lauren has been doing the pink pony for breast cancer a few years now. and this water bottle is the newest little ditty. half of the proceeds go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. nice. AND it also is good for the environment, so you can stop drinking water, (free by the way) that people SELL TO YOU in plastic bottles that crap up landfills. so - before i rant on too much more - this water bottle is a win, win, win. cute, charitable, conscious. pardon me, i must go shop for this now.

(ps - Bloomingdales also has quite a lot of other BCA goodies. check them all out!)

paris, je t'aime

one of my truest of true loves, Charles, is off to Paris to be inspired tomorrow and wanted me to join. sigh. i wish i could - but i will have to wait till next time...god knows that city inspires like no other place in the world. it is in my blood. incidentally Charles inspires as well... he's in my blood as well. xoxo (he's a BRILL designer - have a look!)

anyhoo - back to business... there is a neighborhood that is my favorite place on this earth - called the Marais. when i lived in Paris, i was there as much as humanly possible. and when i go back to visit - same deal. i love to be there - it makes my heart beat stronger. in this little hood there are GORGE boutiques hidden amongst Judaica shops and falafel joints. stores like nothing else - including Merci, (no website for us web cruisers, sadly) which houses a delicious mash of stuff, from Stella McCartney to handmade beautiful things. now, in the universe's way of making me feel a teeny bit better for not being able to jet to Paris -- Merci is partnering with the Gap in a pop-up store that will be open from September 10 to October 4. a slice of Paris in NYC. HEAVEN!!!!

The Merci Gap boutique will feature the appropriate mash up of things -- gorgeous handmade jewelry and accessories, Gap "boyfriend" jeans with custom embroidery by Laurence Amelie, limited-edition trenches by French artist Soledad, beautiful paper and home products and some vintage pieces as well.

all of this delightfulness will be parked at 54th Street and 5th Ave in New York (next to the Gap flagship). and to make it even better - (i know, you're thinking HOW IS THAT EVEN POSS?!?!) all the profits made will go to various children’s charities and provide work for impoverished youth in Madagascar. tres cool. and Paris, my dear city, a bien tot.

some do-good spending...

it's back to school time. even if you're not in school, there's still that same feeling. try and tell me you don't feel it when you open the September issue of the mags... right?

'member that time when i posted about do-good charity tote bags? well, i'm gonna step it up a notch this time. Bloomingdale's is doing a charity shopping blitz. they are pledging to donate $75,000 to AMFAR. so what could possibly be bad about shopping the site in order to help them reach the goal???? and they are offering up all sorts of sales and price cuts. that makes it both a cheap thrill AND a do-good shopping spree. someone you know and love must be deserving a present, right? so why not buy it here. hey, maybe the someone is you. no rules against that.

i have lectured you enough. i think you know what to do.

beyond adorable

these bags are a) super cute and practical, as any good tote should be, and b) give 30% of the proceeds to a childrens charity. so, i ask you - what is not to love about THAT? hmmm... i'm going to add a c).
c) they are affordable, which plops them directly into cheap thrill territory my dear stylies.

i'm thinking this will be a perfect gift to give people - and i may just have to get myself one... if i behave. hey look! i behaved!

the website I am Beyond has a bunch of very cute things in addition to the bags - so check it out and do some good while you satisfy your itch to purchase!!! ( and then you can use the bag to carry all the other things you purchase!) it just keeps getting better. beyond better!