The summer is here! I couldn’t be more thrilled for warm weather-appropriate clothing and accessories, and relishing in the splendor of unexpected adventures that being outdoors more often brings. For example, the hubby and I took a detour from our normal route through Brooklyn, and drove right by this fabulous Ren and Stimpy adorned wall. We stopped for an impromptu photo shoot, unable to resist the cool ’90s throwback and the vibrant colors in the art that were, coincidentally, a great match for what I was wearing.
Plus, talk about happy, joyful surprises: as you can see, I went with my stylist’s vision (Anderson of Sassoon Salon) and lost almost five inches of hair in order to produce this lob (long bob), which will most likely serve me quite well in the summer heat. I can still pull it back into an itty bitty ponytail for when I’m working out and/or the humidity becomes unbearable. The decision wasn’t a calculated one, and as much as a control freak as I am, it’s nice sometimes to let things happen without too much planning involved.
Speaking of things happening organically, I recently found out about the brand IX Style, whose mission is to provide clean drinking water for children and communities, specifically in Guatemala. The sale of each pair of shoes, and updated huarache sandal style (pictured), provides clean drinking water to children by funding water filtration systems, rain collection units, and wells, so that children are safe from disease, and also don’t have to travel and spend time patiently collecting water from potentially contaminated sources, for survival.
IX, the Mayan word for water, sees to the hiring of several hundred artisans, mainly women, to construct the shoes, bags, and accessories, and thus, provides another stream of revenue into the community. In addition, a tree is planted for each item sold, which correlates with clean water, as it can improve soil quality and prevent soil erosion and mudslides, which in turn effect the water sources.
Some of my favorite brands and retailers have already gotten on board wit IX Style, such as J.Crew, Gap, Anthropologie, and Shopbop.com, and overall, I love the comfort that the shoes provide, which in turn, leaves a constant reminder of its charitable nature.
In This Look:
Proenza Schouler for Target Dress (no longer available)
IX Style Purple Woven Leather Huarache Sandals (c/o)
Wink & Winn Custom Duffle Handbag (c/o)
Sorrelli Pyramid Jewelry (c/o)
La Mer Floral Watch (c/o)
Polaroid Cat Eye Tortoiseshell Sunglasses (c/o)
