Lost in Paris

I'm sorry for my very long absence... I've been settling into life in Paris, and cramming in all the touristy things before I start work in September! I've also been a bit nervous about taking photos out in the street. Being a typical Parisian apartment, the place where I live doesn't have a private garden that I can set my tripod up in, and I'm not too keen on plonking it down in the street. So posts from Paris may be a bit limited, except times when the boyfriend is visiting and where a quiet side street is available.

On to the fashion: I didn't really believe that Parisians would be as chic as everyone makes out. Well, turns out they are. It's the little touches like the hair clasps, dainty sandals and ankle length trousers that do it, that and the fact that their colour palette rarely varies from black, navy or tan. I have slightly adapted my look so I fit in, as, after a while, you just don't want to be treated like a tourist anymore (I live here, daahling). So here is my monochrome Parisian ensemble.

Couldn't resist adding a pop of colour with a skinny green belt though.

The top is vintage (ebay), skirt from a charity shop (originally Monsoon), belt from my old dressing up box, and bag and shoes were naughty new and not strictly ethical purchases.

Ohhh... and I just braved a French hairdresser and got my chic Parisian bob, hehe.

Sadie xxx

Beyond Retro

I bought this snazzy new (well, vintage) dress at the Beyond Retro warehouse whilst on holiday in Brighton earlier this week. I wanted a nice souvenir to remind me of the holiday, and this will now forever be my 'Brighton Dress'. I wore it out today in my slightly more conservatively-dressed town and got a fair few surprised/bemused looks. But in my books there is definitely nothing wrong with wearing every colour at once... besides, with Britain's current offering of sunshine, people really need an excuse to wear sunglasses!

If anyone else is heading to Brighton, I'd definitely recommend a trip to Beyond Retro. Housed in a giant warehouse, they had so many clothes that I hardly knew where to begin! Luckily everything was arranged by garment type, as specific as 'Dresses with Collars' and 'High Neck Dresses', making the vintage finding mission much easier.

A quick stroll through North Laine will reveal plenty of other vintage clothing shops, including one of my favourites 'To Be Worn Again', 'Dirty Harry's' and the very popular 'Snooper's Paradise' which seems to sell every object imaginable (rubber ducks, old garden tools, retro furniture, plastic crocodiles...). There are plenty of other great shops but I can't quite remember the names!

What do you think of the dress?

Sadie xxx

P.S. Moving to paris TOMORROW aaaah wish me luck! Let me know if you have any recommendations for vintage shopping!

Zig Zags

I've been having a bit of a work-wear-buying-bonanza recently, trying to find things that are smart but not totally boring! My placement in Paris is looming and I don't fancy being sneered at by those oh-so-chic Parisians as I bumble around looking utterly lost sporting un-ironed dresses and cardigans with missing buttons! Obviously I've been busy sewing up all the holes and replacing buttons on my current clothes, but my dress selection was looking alltogether rather uninspiring or completely unsuitable for a 'sophisticated' intern. Hence the new dresses from my #1 Fave: People Tree.

I'm totally enamoured with People Tree at the moment. It is without doubt my favourite ethical company, and seems to be slightly more fashion-led than some of the others. I've been astounded by the quality of every item I've ordered so far. You know when you feel a fabric and it just feels, well, luxurious? That's what you get - none of this flimsy throwaway Primark nonsense.

This little number is still available on the website, in the Outlet section, an absolute total bargain at £18.75 (reduced from £75!). That is the same price as your average Primark dress, so there are no excuses not to buy ethically!

Cheesey lovey-dovey alert: forget-me-nots handed to my boyfriend/patient photographer - he had better not forget me whilst I'm away! haha.

I was informed the other day that people in France tend not to wear too much colour so perhaps I'll tone down the tights when I first arrive...

Sadie xxx

Ethical Shoes: Toms

One of the reasons for my drastic slow down in posting is that after reading Lucy Siegle's 'To Die For', I promised myself that I'll try to shop ethically - both cutting down the amount I buy and being careful about where I buy it from. So that, combined with 2nd year exams has provided me with a shortage of material :(. But I'm officially making a come back now as I've missed blogging so much. So watch this space.

Ethical shoes (how ever you may define 'ethical') are probably one of the most difficult things to buy, largely because most ethical retailers sell online and I like to be able to try shoes on before buying. I've been looking for some nice summer shoes for a while - ones that can be worn barefoot, something I've always hated doing because well, without socks or tights it feels fundamentally wrong! Please say I'm not the only one... So, Toms, with their breathable canvas uppers and comfortable leather inners, are just about acceptable (they're actually rather amazingly liberating).

I'd count Toms as ethical thanks to their promise to give away one pair of shoes to a 'child in need' every time you buy a pair; 'One for One', as the website states. They are often a required part of school uniform, so giving shoes also means education as well as better health. It's a great cause and one that I am very happy to support!

(I really admire the simplicity of the design!)

Sadie xxx

I'm still here!

Just a quick post to say I'm still here, just a little overwhelmed with revision at the moment! Still - it's a great opportunity to show off my new mug, isn't it a beaut?

At the moment my days are typically spent wading through revision notes (sorry trees...) and making trips to the kettle as much as possible. I've restricted myself to one biscuit a day but that doesn't stop me utilising my sneaky chocolate supply from time to time... cue revision induced weight gain!!

Anyway, please forgive me for being a terrible terrible blogger and ignore the fact that my last post was over a month ago... to make up for it, I promise lots of exciting blog posts from my new abode in Paris, as of August!

Empty chocolate bar wrapper :(

Sadie x

Monkee Genes!

When I made the decision to start buying ethically earlier this year, I was a bit worried about how I'd buy

ethical jeans, having not heard of any companies who sold them - or at least, companies who had a choice of more than one or two styles. But Monkee Genes have saved the day with their huge range of design options... with 'Skinny', 'Supa-Skinny', 'Skin', Flares, 'Slim Fit', Shorts AND Chinos to choose from, in the largest selection of different fabrics and finishes I have ever seen (have a look here).

I chose their 'Skin' Fit style, which is the skinniest of all the styles available on their website. And I must say I'm genuinely very very impressed. These jeans use their 'Bamboo' fabric which is made from natural fibres known as Tencel (more sustainable than cotton), making them super soft. But the best thing I noticed about the fabric is that it somehow maintains the shape of the jeans. I've worn them most days since they arrived and they still feel as good as new every time. Nothing worse than baggy knees!

The jeans are made in a factory in Indonesia which is certified by the Soil Association, and has commitment to not using sweatshops and child labour - one of the brand's biggest selling points in my eyes. That, and the fact that they are so well made... I doubt I'll have any trouble with zips breaking or seams ripping after a close inspection of the details.

It's surprisingly hard to model jeans but I hope these photos give you an idea! Thought I'd roll up the legs a bit as it was a sunny day :).

Jeans c/o Monkee Genes, Vintage Lace top: Carboot, Vintage Blazer: Charity Shop, Shoes: Vintage shop in south of France!

For these photos I dared to venture to a public place with my tripod and camera remote. I spotted this location on my university campus a few weeks ago: a strangely 'forgotten' old changing room that is still in use as a ladies bathroom but contains hints of its former use (and décor!). The pipes I'm standing on were still connected to the central heating, and I assume once heated benches under the pegs. As soon as I walked in here I knew it needed to be used as an outfit location... just needed to pluck up the courage to face the risk of people walking in and having to awkwardly explain that I'm a 'fashion blogger', not just really weird...

So... who here hates posing for photos in a public place? I'm never doing it again, haha!

Sadie xxx

P.S. Monkee Genes have kindly offered 20% off for the rest of the month if you enter SADIES1220 at the checkout :). I'd really recommend them if you want to invest in a good quality pair of jeans. And they do half sizes too! Who'd have thought you could buy size 9 jeans?!

Jumpsuit

Lectures were cancelled today, so I got up to some serious procrastination in the form of prancing around in the 'conservatory' of my house, posing with pretty cupboards (?!) and experimenting with upside-down outfit shots. Needless to say, the reason why you don't see many upside down outfit shots is because they are hugely unflattering... Anyway, thought it would be the perfect occasion to show off my new vintage jumpsuit, which is a cross between crazy 80s maternity wear and something that is exceedingly cool. But mostly the former. Nevertheless, it's very comfy, so it's a winner in my books!

And you can do this...

(Out-take: You can never be unhappy in a jumpsuit!)

Sadie xxx

And then it was gone

'And then it was gone' is the latest fashion film by photographer Claire Pepper, showcasing ethical designers such as People Tree, Made, Hattie Rickards and Hentrietta Ludgate as well as vintage items in this stunning setting, an old victorian school building in London. The video draws attention to the ways in which we use our resources, and how they may eventually be gone.

As a fashion blogger, I love a good fashion video, especially ones as pretty as this! I really appreciate the fact that this video specifically showcases ethical fashion, showing that it can fit just as seamlessly into an elegant fashion video as its unethical counterpart.

I think perhaps ethical fashion has had a bad name in the past... hemp yoga pants anyone? (I do secretly own a pair of these, but purely for household wear!). It's great to see the recent surge in fashionable clothing 'with a conscience', and it's lovely to see videos like these doing justice to the designs.

Sadie xxx

The Cleo Blouse by People Tree

Sorry to have been a bit absent over the past month - I've been a very busy Sadie, with a year abroad placement to secure (Hello, Paris!!), Oxfam blogger meetings to attend, fairtrade fashion shows to organise, societies to run and coursework to do... However, I had some daylight hours spare today and thought I'd take the chance to showcase my new People Tree blouse.

I bought it a) Because it's ethical, b) Because it's beautiful! and c) Because I'm going to need lots of office wear for my placement in Paris later this year. It's super chic, very comfy, and very easy to style, which makes it a winner in my books! It was also half price in the sale, bringing it down from £75 to £37.50, which is very cheap considering it contains silk and is handwoven, and the workers are paid fairly!

I'm now taking time to consider my wardrobe's ethical credentials, and aside from a small slip on a bag earlier this month, I think I'm doing fairly well. Of course, it helps that I don't have much money to spend anyway! I'm hoping this blouse will be a good investment, and take me through my 20s without losing its quality & stylishness.

I promise I ironed these!

Wardrobe-wise, I'm pretty pre-occupied with trying to find clothes suitable for the office but without losing my personal style too much (every worker's nightmare!). I refuse to become a corporate clone! Has anyone got any tips on what to wear at work?

Sadie xxx

The Birds

Just before leaving home to come back to uni, I was lucky enough to spend some time in the company of a small flock of beautiful birds, all hand made by talented mosaic artist Kate Rattray. Quite unlike what the title of this post might imply, these birds were all very friendly and happy to co-operate for a photo or two!

Each bird has its own individual personality, and I can't quite decide which one is my favourite! They are designed to be hung either indoors or outdoors - don't they just look fantastic twinkling in the trees?

Kate produces her mosaic creations in a workshop at the bottom of her garden. Her pieces range from large framed works of art (have a look here), to wall sculptures (my personal favourite is this homage to Dali's 'Ruby Lips'), to smaller items like these birds, as well as necklaces, all available through Folksy. Flower brooches, eye brooches, and 'flying ducks' have been promised for the future, so keep your eye out for these!

It was a real privilege to borrow the birds for a mini photoshoot in the garden out in the winter sunshine. I hope you like the photos!

Kate also has a blog, so if you are interested in seeing how her mosaics are created, as well as background information on the inspiration for various pieces, be sure to have a look :).

What do you think of the birds? Where would you hang one?

Sadie xxx