Tag Archives: summer

New Sseko Sandal Styles!

- Posted by to Fashion General Product Spotlight

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Oh, summer, why do you insist on hiding for half the year?

It may still be a winter wonderland around here (bangs head against Starbucks cup), but we’re dreaming of sunny days ahead—and that includes fair trade sandals for summer! Specifically, gorgeous and comfy Sseko ones. This fun footwear line is always a summer best-seller, and if you want to get a sneak peek at the new collection, check ‘em out here!

Fair trade sandals are popping up everywhere these days, but Sseko still holds my heart for the cutest, breeziest styles. And there’s a color and pattern for every day of the week, as Shape Magazine pointed out above. :) These lovely black chiffon ties are perfect for a night out on the town, and I definitely am going to need these funky Addison straps for days spent beachside this Summer. Remember, you just order your sandal base, and then go to town ordering straps to match your whole wardrobe! And don’t forget that we have fun add-ons like turquoise and sequin accessories to give you totally unique fair trade shoes you won’t see the girl next door wearing. :) Watch the YouTube video for a quick how-to on all the ways you can tie your straps!

As always, your Sseko purchase helps to educate and empower women in Uganda.

Check out the whole line here and let us know in the comments—what’s your fair trade sandal style?

XO,

Casey

 

 

Summer Sandal Sale!

- Posted by to Fashion

Shoe 8
As excited as I am for Fall (hazelnut lattes! roasting marshmallows while wearing a cozy sweatshirt! pumpkin carving!), I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to summer’s warm breeze. I’m definitely not ready to give up on my summer fashion. If you’re feeling the same way, I’ve got good news, because our beautiful Sseko Sandals are on sale until the end of August!

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:
Shoe collage

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?
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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

Cotton Scarves from Ecuador {Product Spotlight}

- Posted by to Fashion

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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!
Scarves

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

Coffee Date for Your Friday

- Posted by to coffee date

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Hello to you!

It’s finally Friday! For me, that always means my Keurig gets the day off, and Starbucks picks up the slack. Usually just a tall coffee with cream is good enough for me—but sometimes I go for the fancier varieties. That’s what I refer to as a “Friday Treat.” :) Grab a Friday Treat of your own and join me for a virtual coffee date?

If we were having coffee right now, I would tell you how excited I am that today is officially the first day of summer! {Also known as the “Summer Solstice,” which just sounds all-around better, don’t you think?} I’m a Midwestern-girl-turned-California-transplant, so I’m still grateful for and amazed by beautiful summer scenes like this one:
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{From a Sunday night hike last week that was all fun and games until we saw a rattlesnake. Then it was back to walk around our safe neighborhood we went.}

If we were having coffee right now, I would tell you that my closet needs some summer updates, and our Seven Hopes Sseko sandals are just begging to be added to my shoe rotation:
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A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes, right? Especially fair trade shoes!

If we were having coffee right now, I would tell you that I’m thrilled to see that the fair trade movement is growing and catching the attention of bigger corporations. Check out this encouraging article for more.

If we were having coffee right now, I would tell you that my new puppy has stolen my heart. This face makes up for a multitude of behavioral “issues,” including but not limited to chewing furniture and pottying on rugs:

BarkerWhat would you tell me if we were having coffee right now? Hopefully that you have fun plans for the weekend with loved ones! Until next time, friends!

XO,
Casey

It’s Sandal Season! {Product Spotlight}

- Posted by to Fashion

Casey 7Summer is right around the corner! And in anticipation of the sunny days ahead, you might be itching to break out your warm-weather wardrobe. If you’re anything like me, you’re ready to shed those winter boots and give your newly manicured toes some room to breathe.

Luckily, here at Seven Hopes we have the perfect antidote to tired winter tootsies. Our Sseko sandals have always been a bestseller, but our newest accessories really take these comfy shoes over the top. Check out our freshest ways to wear these fun sandals:
PicMonkey Collage Sandals edit

sseko_sandals_redYou can order the comfy 100% leather base for these sandals right here, then go to town ordering straps and accessories to really make them your own! They’ve been featured in Redbook, Shape, and People Stylewatch magazines, and we’re thinking they’ll be everywhere this summer. And they’re perfect for tossing in your vacation suitcase when space is limited!

A few notes on the background of these sandals and the talented women that make them:
Each sandal has five anchor points to lace the straps through, and allow you to tie your sandals differently every day. You can also purchase additional straps to change the whole look of your sandals. Your purchase helps provide university fees for young women who are a part of Sseko Design’s internship program. 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. When you buy Sseko sandals and their accessories, you are truly empowering these women to live out their dreams.

What are you waiting for? Happy shopping!

XO,
Casey