Let’s talk about Independence Day today. Just in case you were thinking it was all about celebrating ‘Merica, enjoying family and the great outdoors, or maybe, well, hot dogs (did I just expose one of your innermost thoughts there?), allow me to enlighten you: it’s not. It’s all about the fashion! Fair trade fashion, that is.

We love holidays around here, and July 4th is no exception. If you’re still contemplating what to wear to your day at the beach or backyard BBQ, let us help show you the way. And you can wear these fun finds all summer long!

Here are a few of my fave reds, whites and blues from Seven Hopes United:

Clockwise from the top left, we’ve got:

1. Sseko Sandals in Navy
2. Tagua Chip Earrings in Soft Gray
3. 31BITS Cascade Necklace in White
4. Recycled Plastic Shoulder Bag in Navy and White

All kidding aside, we know that the 4th of July is a wonderful time to celebrate life with loved ones and give thanks for the land of the free and the home of the brave. And we can remember that through purchasing fair trade items as opposed to mass-produced, we are taking an active part in helping foster independence for our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Olga Moran and Cesar Yamberia, our artisans in Ecuador who hand-craft the beautiful necklace you see above, state: ”Our life has been difficult, but our children will have a better future, thanks to the people like you who buy our jewelry.” They receive fair wages for their labor and have access to nonprofit services, such as scholarships and training programs, that previously would not have been available to them. Let’s make it a goal as we enjoy time with our own children this summer to actively invest in the future of children and families across the globe!

XO,

Casey

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Fashion! I just love it.  For a brief time in my early 20s I lived in New York City, the Bronx specifically.  The year following my college graduation I volunteered as a 6th, 7th and 8th grade teacher.  Let’s just say that teaching was a remarkably difficult (did I also mention that I moved there in late August of 2001) and a remarkably profound year, but that’s a different story for for a different day.

One of my most favorite things to do while I lived in New York was to check out what the women were wearing.  I grew up not caring much about fashion or how I dressed, in large part because I wore a school uniform until I was 18.  But living in NYC changed all that.  The clothing ranged from way laid back to way high fashion and I loved every bit of it and learned a lot too. On one very long train ride from lower Manhattan to the Bronx I ended up on the train with a woman wearing the coolest laid back outfit (a colorful Mexican inspired skirt with a zipped up sweatshirt…I thought ‘how cool is that’?). I promptly tracked down a similar outfit that weekend!

Now I’m head over heels in love with fashion, though my outfits don’t always show it, and I love putting outfits together in my head.  Today, I wanted to bring you a fair trade outfit idea that comes from the jewelry of Seven Hopes United and the clothes of the UK’s People Tree.

I like to wear black a lot, it’s flattering and elegant and always chic.  This outfit would be great for work and you could wear a colorful little cami underneath, I would wear pink, or forgo it too, the blaze doesn’t seem to be too low-cut.  The earrings are simple but lovely and the bracelet adds just enough pop of color to brighten things up.

Sterling Silver Heart Earrings

31 Bits Penelope Bracelet

Black Stripe Hannah Blazer

Brooke Ruched Pencil Skirt

Happy Tuesday & I hope you enjoy! – Dawn

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You may have heard it said that a girl can never have too many pairs of shoes. But what’s a thrifty Carrie Bradshaw to do? Well, when you purchase the Sseko Sandals base, you can make endless pairs of shoes out of it. Pretty clever right? Just buy the base, then you can go to town on the many pretty straps you can buy separately. If you’re on a budget though, never fear—you can still create a ton of different looks using just one set of straps!

Behold:

I love all of these looks. And they’re fairly to simple to master once you know what you’re doing. Check out this link for how-to’s! There are several different videos showing you how to get the above looks and more.

And don’t forget to accessorize. How cute are these fun add-ons?

If you haven’t heard of Sseko Sandals before, here’s a little more info on the talented women that make them from our Website:

About Sseko Designs:
Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for a nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly toward their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war.

Enjoy the end of the summer! And don’t forget to check the 7 Hopes site frequently for new Fall merchandise!

XO,
Casey

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Today for How Tuesday we show you two of the many ways you can tie fair trade Sseko sandals: The Classic tie and a more complex looking but truly easy Bohannon’s Best Tie! You can purchase Sseko sandals, straps, and all of the accessories I use in the video at: http://www.sevenhopesunited.com/fair-trade-shoes-sandals

Enjoy – Dawn

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Ecuador is a beautiful country, and one many of our artisans call home. But amidst the natural beauty, these women and their families are fighting extreme poverty and often hunger and sickness. Sales of our lovely new lightweight scarves, handmade in Ecuador, will help provide sustainable income for these families.

Check out these soft, brightly colored scarves—they’re great for a cool summer evening walk along the water. They’re also perfect for throwing over your strapless dress on an evening out!

Gorgeous, right? I’m not sure which is my favorite! The colors are striking, and these are one-of-a-kind {meaning once we sell out of them on the Seven Hopes site, they’re gone forever}. So if you’re in need a lightweight scarf for the sunny days ahead, you’ve found it.

A few facts about rural Ecuador:

–A a family’s basic needs, including, food, water and shelter, is equal to about 400 US dollars per month. However, the base salary for most Ecuadorian workers is only US $160.

–More than half of those living below the poverty line in Ecuador live on only US $1 a day.

–Children are required to attend the First through 12th grades in public school. But public education is not accessible for the majority of poor children living in rural areas.

–Although there are several universities in the larger Ecuadorian cities, only 1% of college-age students in rural areas and 5% of those in urban areas attend them.

When you purchase items from Seven Hopes United, you are helping to provide a steady income and hope to not only our talented team of artisans in Ecuador, but to our artists all over the world. Thank you to our loyal customers—and be sure to order your scarf before they’re gone!

XO,
Casey

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Emma Watson showing off some fair trade fashion.

So today I thought I would give you a few tips that I have learned over the years about fashion, my own little style guide and also pair up some fair trade jewelry with some of my favorite outfits.

Dawn’s Personal Style Guide (please note that this little guide isn’t exhaustive):

1. Be Yourself!

2. Animal print (in small quantities) goes with just about everything.

3. Don’t spend as much on super trendy pieces; they won’t be long enough to get your money’s worth.

4. A beautiful bag and lovely shoes make all the difference.

5. Accessories are a must, along with the bag and shoes, earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces can make the most drab outfit look fun and fresh.

This is the short list; there’s always more to add but these are my favorite. Now on to a couple of outfits.

Casual Outfit Pairing:

A simple white t-shirt is always a good piece to have. It goes with everything and this one has a lot of detail but not too much to be over the top. The jewelry really pops on the white and those are mint green skinny jeans underneath.

Dress Up Outfit:

I’ve worn this outfit to work and out for drinks as well. I like how the colors really stand out on the black and white of the zebra print. Here’s also an example of using a little bit of animal print to jazz up an outfit and along with the blue pencil skirt and jewelry I think it’s a fun outfit!

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Fashion Photos!

Seven Hopes United has such a lovely array of jewelry and accessories so we want to show them off!!! Keep an eye out for the Seven Hopes United team featuring these gorgeous items on our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages!

Rippled Links Earrings

How Tuesday!

Every other week we have been posting recipes under “Tasty Tuesday” and now on the off weeks we will be sharing tips on “How Tuesday.”  Things like different ways to tie a scarf or how to set your table for the holidays.  If you have some ideas for How Tuesday let us know and we will do our best to include it.

Have a wonderful day – Dawn

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Are you gearing up for a fun Spring Break trip in the next couple of weeks? (We may be adults, but who decided that Spring Break is only for school kids? I would like to formally issue a complaint with them, if you happen to know their email address.)

I’m heading to Florida next week with my family and I couldn’t be more excited. So what’s a girl to pack in her lime-green suitcase, other than her fave sunnies, a few strappy dresses, and five (ok, maybe six) swimsuits? How about some new fun fair trade finds? See my accessory picks below for a breezy, fashion-filled week at the beach:

1. Classic Tagua Bracelet in Jade This fab piece would be perfect with a brightly colored maxi for an evening walk to the pier!
2. Natural Agate Rings These beauties would add a little flair to your fave LBD.
3. Kantha Hair Flower Clip Could anything say “Spring Break” more?
4. 31BITS Gypsy Cuff Beautiful, especially paired with other pieces from this line!

So now that we’re perfectly accessorized, how about some more practical fair trade items to throw in your suitcase? Don’t worry, they’re just as much fun as jewelry:

5. Cocoki Market Tote Bag Perfect for toting a bottle of sunscreen, plus Us Weekly Mag War and Peace along to the beach!
6. Shimmer Sseko Sandal Straps I’ve waxed poetic about these gorgeous sandals and straps before, but these ones are shimmery! Enough said.
7. Dead Sea Bath Salts Every good Spring Breaker knows the ocean dries out your skin. Dump these into your bath at night for a soothing fix!
8. Recycled Ginger Ale Bottle Soy Candle And while you’re in there—make sure to light this unique fresh-smelling candle for a full spa experience. After all, you’re on vacation!

Are you going on a Spring Break trip? Will you be adding any fair trade goodies to your suitcase?

Bon Voyage!

XO,
Casey

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It’s Fashion Week in New York! I find many of the photos from the runway glamorous
and exciting. The designers are certainly talented. The one thing I don’t see, or haven’t
seen yet, is an emphasis on ethical fashion. That’s where fair trade can come in.

Seven Hopes United has made a commitment to purchasing fair trade fashion that is ethically
and consciously made. The beautiful items you’ll find at www.sevenhopesunited.com were made
in safe environments, and the artisans that made them earned a living wage. Choose
from gorgeous scarves, unique handbags and hair accessories, lovely jewelry and
fun sandals. And know that the money you spend at Seven Hopes United is not only
an investment in high quality fair trade products it is also an investment in the lives of those that made these great items.

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