I love these jeans. I bought them on an impulse when they went on sale a couple weeks ago at ModCloth. They're made in the USA and oh so '70s, right down to the dramatic seaming.

I wore a 1970s peasant dress on Christmas day, so I'd say this has been a pretty far out week.

Ethical choices are bolded below. Retailers taking steps to become more ethical are bolded in gray.

• Top - Target


• Cardigan - H&M


• Jeans - made in USA


• Loafers - thrifted


• Necklace - etsy

   

Christmas by fracturedradiance on Polyvore

Daniel and I made out very well this Christmas. We got everything we wanted and more! We even have enough money to buy a new mattress, which is sorely (literally sorely) needed.

Daniel got me an iPad mini, his dad and girlfriend got us a coffee grinder, and friends and family showered us with money and gift cards to buy exactly what we want from our favorite retailers. Paired with giveaway winnings from 6pm.com and Threadsence, I'm basically drowning in awesome new things.

I really enjoyed being part of the choir for the Christmas Eve service. We sang complex, beautiful pieces and got to celebrate as a team and with the congregation. Yesterday we headed to rural Woodstock, VA to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We fed hens, startled a flock of guineafowl, ate delicious food, and opened presents by the fireplace. For photos, check out my other blog shortly.

I hope you had a warm, meaningful Christmas. Remember that the traditional Christmas season doesn't end until January 6, so keep on celebrating!

*Click on the styleboard to be redirected to product sources.

   

Did you get some Christmas money early? Are you planning on spending the day browsing online shops? Well, you're in luck!

My sister sent me an etsy gift card for Christmas so I've been clicking around the site more than usual. I have to make sure I spend it on the perfect item.

A few of my recent favorites are (clockwise from bottom left):

• Geometric Earrings by AlmostDone


• Floral Dress from saintmoon


• Floral Coffee Set from BravaVintage


• 1990s Top from NubeMente


• Felt and Leather Bag by FancyfeltShop

What's on your Christmas list?

   

And so capitalism is about to seize defeat from the jaws of victory all by its own hand. That's the astonishing end of this story, unless we reverse course. Unless we take into consideration, if not the remedies of Marx then the diagnosis, because he saw what would happen if capital triumphed unequivocally, if it got everything it wanted.

And one of the things that capital would want unequivocally and for certain is the diminishment of labour. They would want labour to be diminished because labour's a cost. And if labour is diminished, let's translate that: in human terms, it means human beings are worth less.

From this moment forward unless we reverse course, the average human being is worth less on planet Earth. Unless we take stock of the fact that maybe socialism and the socialist impulse has to be addressed again; it has to be married as it was married in the 1930s, the 1940s and even into the 1950s, to the engine that is capitalism.

 - from "There are now two Americas. My country is a horror show" by David Simon (producer of The Wire) in The Guardian

This outfit from A Little Dash of Darling is a little over-the-top for me, but I like the silhouette and the mix of fancy and casual.

My ethical outfit includes layered tops from People Tree, boots and a baseball cap from American Apparel, a domestically produced skirt from ModCloth, and a fair trade ikat handbag. I love that emerald tone in the skirt, but royal keeps to the jewel tone aesthetic just fine.

*Click the styleboard to be redirected to product links.

   

So, I wore this on Thanksgiving. I hesitated to post it after reading that children were found working at an Old Navy production facility in Bangladesh. More recent reports also note that 70% of Gap Inc.'s production takes place at a factory where workers are "routinely forced to work over 100 hours a week, while being shortchanged of their legal wages — which are already well below subsistence levels" (Global Labour Rights).

Gap Inc. is often listed as a top ethical company for its policies, but it's becoming more and more clear that the company doesn't actually follow its own rules. That coat is the last thing I plan on buying from the company until they can guarantee proper regulation.

Ethical choices are bolded below. Retailers taking steps to become more ethical are bolded in gray.

• Dress - vintage


• Leggings - ModCloth (old)


• Boots - vintage


• Coat - Old Navy


• Cardigan - thrifted

   

Sometimes I see a few items next to each other on my Etsy Favorites list and decide they'd make a great outfit. This time I went ahead and assembled them into one. Etsy is giving away a $250.00 gift card every day for twelve days; you can enter here if you're interested.

All items are handmade, vintage, or fair trade. Click on the styleboard to be redirected to product links.

   

Clothing company, Everlane, offers an innovative alternative to the typical retail experience by providing specific information about the factories that produce their understated line.

image source

The Factories tab opens to a map that allows users to click on a location to get detailed information on each manufacturing plant, including name, materials used, and owner. Though there are plenty of domestic options, factories are spread out throughout the US, Europe, and Asia.

In terms of aesthetics, Everlane leans toward high end classics. Think J. Crew elegance mixed with American Apparel's penchant for solids and basics.

image sources: button down, backpack, sandals, tshirt

Everlane's transparency may be the answer to widespread abuse and corruption in the clothing manufacturing industry. Knowledge is power for consumer and factory worker alike.