Lana

New Luxury Vegan Handbags by Angela Roi

New Luxury Vegan Handbags by Angela Roi

Image: Angela Roi

As time goes on in this journey of mine through sustainable, ethical, eco-friendly and cruelty-free style, I continue to grow impressed with the high quality variety of vegan options out there. I’m not vegan myself, although I do opt for vegan or vegetarian alternatives often when it comes to sustenance. Usually I prefer leather in the form of bags and shoes, usually because this material is known for its durability and ability to improve with age. However, I’ve been enlightened on multiple occasions with several brands! Angela Roi is one of them—they a luxury handbag brand that caught my eye almost two years ago, with their beautiful collection of bags made from vegan leather (EPUL, or Exquisite Polyurethane Leather). The second thing that kept my attention was the fact that each bag came in a color that corresponded to a certain charity, which a portion of that bag’s proceeds. The cherry on top is sweatshop-free manufacturing with fair wages as well as support for skilled artisans, who craft these beautiful bags. They are all set at a great price point too! Read my post from October 2015 on Angela Roi here!

Today, the brand still thrives and has released several new bags and wallets with the same gorgeous modern flare as the ones that came before them. All bags support humane animal shelters that help our furry friends with rehabilitation, food supplies and medical care. Angela Roi bags are made with quality fabrics and durable thread, and feature gold hardware, magnetic snap buttons, and durable zipper closures. The EPUL is even processed multiple times to attain a special smooth texture! In addition, they offer free returns and exchanges on all orders. Their latest release is the super cute Sunday Mini below, and like all other bags, it comes in an awesome variety of colors toned down enough to work with any outfit or occasion (and you know me, I’m not all about those bright shades). I still haven’t had the opportunity to check out one of these bags in person, but they’ve been on my radar long enough, and have received so much positive press…I may just have to cave at some point…starting with that Mini!

“At Angela Roi, the belief is that the goodness of people has the calibre to alter the world for the better. In addition to the grandeur of luxury, we hope to pave a path of altruism. With passion, creativity and innovation it is not only possible to progress as a brand but promisingly make our planet a kinder place.”

“Nothing breaks a warm loving heart like seeing a mistreated puppy. Love for animals may have been the spark for this venture but it definitely did not stop there. From humans to animals, we believe a happy planet is where everyone is safe and jubilant.”

“We believe in constant evolution. We believe in improving unceasingly, from the quality of our products to the wellness of our world. We believe that by nourishing the world we nurture ourselves.”

“We proudly stand against animal cruelty and do our best to support mistreated animals with our donations to local shelters. In the quest of making the world a kinder place for animals, we will continue supporting humane shelters which help animals with rehabilitation, emergency care and food supplies. We will keep working to convey that fashion doesn’t depend on cruelty.”

“We pay special attention to the fair practice setting. We strive for a great work environment and fair wage. We firmly stand against child labor. To ensure all of these criteria are met at the factories, our correspondents visit them quarterly to inspect the conditions. We aim to create a different kind luxury.”

New Luxury Vegan Handbags by Angela Roi - Eleanor Satchel

Image: Angela Roi. Eleanor Satchel (Pictured here in Dusty Rose for Bloomingdales, available here)

How beautiful are these! Shop more at the Angela Roi website here or at Bloomingdales here.

Lana

Incredibly Unique Styles that Empower Women by Norma Kamali

A brand that excels at designing beautiful, unique clothing is one thing…but the photography that represents it all is another. It’s all about the whole package! Without good photography, even the coolest of clothing gets lost in the sea of competition. It’s a tough world out there and I get a bazillion emails every day (partially from many of the contests I enter so I’m always unsubscribing from things), and I’m a little A.D.D. so it takes a lot to catch my undivided attention! I don’t have to say that I created this blog to share some of the most beautiful, unique talent in the apparel world out there, or that it’s always a bonus if there’s good intentions behind it…at least, if you’ve been reading my work for the last several years. Norma Kamali is the latest brand to cross my paths and I have to say I immediately bookmarked the name as soon as I spotted my first newsletter from this amazing designer.

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Lana

The Many Faces of the Hudson Nico Midrise Skinny Jean

The Many Faces of the Hudson Nico Midrise Skinny Jean

Image: Hudson

For those of us who are fairly familiar with the premium denim world, we know very well the butt-lifting, superior fits of Hudson Jeans! As someone with a curvier shape, I find they fit me better than most and are always so flattering. I have a few models from them: the Beth Baby Boot (review here), Signature Boot (one of the original favorites from back in the day), Barbara High Rise Skinny, Colin Skinny and the ever so popular Nico Midrise Super Skinny. The Nico is a comfortable, figure-hugging in-between for those who aren’t so into high rises but aren’t partial to low rise jeans either, and it comes in several ankle-skimming or full length cuts. It’s one of my favorites, as I own it in a few cute prints as well as a gorgeous medium-dark blue wash. The Nico also has modest brand detailing, for those who like a more streamlined and clean back pocket design.

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Lana

Go Beyond the Basic Tee with LNA

Go Beyond the Basic Tee with LNA

Image: Shopbop

We all know how much of a staple the essential tee is. It’s always been marketed to us in the form of fashion articles or ads, and like a good fitting jean, the “perfect tee” can be hard to find. With the barrage of new trends and designs that have emerged over the years, it seems a modern, minimalist company with quality essentials has become a gem among the noise. Some of my favorites are DSTLD and Michael Stars, to name a few, with Alternative and Pact Organic being favorites in the sustainable and eco-friendly apparel realm. However, as much as I love a nice essential tee, sometimes I’m finding myself looking for something a little different to switch it up now and then; basic but with something modestly unique.

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Lana

New Beautiful Activewear Designs from Zobha

I’ve started to see activewear a little like I see jeans…I just can’t have enough! The explosion of the “athleisure” trend a few years back brought us so many beautiful designs that crossed between gym and street life, and I just love shopping and collecting unique pieces! It probably helps that I’m very active myself, but that’s only part of the appeal to me. Zobha is one of the activewear brands that I follow, and I already own four items from them. It all started when I found an army green jacket on RueLaLa which really looks more like something to wear everyday than on an active endeavor, as well as a super comfortable black and white tunic (also from RueLaLa). Since then I acquired their Dakota Sleeveless Hoodie and Jett Wide Sleeveless Hoodie, both of which I used at the gym when it got a little chilly this past winter. Everything is of such amazing quality, and so well made and beautiful that it’s hard to want to sweat in it all! I wrote about Zobha a little over a year ago, and it’s definitely one of those brands that deserves a revisit here.

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Lana

New Vegan Backpacks and Totes from MeDusa Bags

As someone who basically prefers shopping for leather bags or shoes for their durability and ability to age beautifully, I rarely ever considered any vegan alternatives. Of course, as a young college student, I shopped for the cheapest items I could find…and eventually learned the true cost of that as pieces gradually fell apart! Now, I understand the value of investments, but I’ve also learned something else over the last few years: that leather doesn’t always have to be the only guarantee for a quality product. I’ve been impressed with such brands as BLANKNYC, American Eagle Outfitters, Matt & Nat and MeDusa for their incredibly sturdy vegan leather items, and although I am no vegan, and still love my hard-earned leather pieces at home (and still treat myself now and then), I’ve gradually moved towards more vegan products with a much more open mind. When I find one of true quality, I share it here with all of you! I’m giving MeDusa a revisit for this post, after I first wrote about them in 2015 (see that post here), as I’m so happy to see they’ve expanded their amazing product line with some brand new totes and backpacks!

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Lana

New Handcrafted Rugged Boots from Freebird by Steven

For most ladies it’s shoes. For me, obviously it’s jeans. However, I’ve started to see my focus sway a bit more into the shoes department again, especially ever since discovering the amazing rugged looking, vintage inspired collection by A.S.98 on various models at Nomad’s Hemp Wear. Although fast fashion still is alive and thriving, it seems there has been a slow but steady shift to more quality items as awareness grows and people start to understand how to take advantage of stretching the real value of the dollar. Handmade items tend to last longer, as they were most likely made with more love and attention to detail and quality. In addition, you can be sure to get that true, beautiful, well-worn, vintage appeal when things are made with the careful, creative touch of a true artisan.

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Lana

21 Sultry Mesh Looks to Get Your Party On

21 Sultry Mesh Looks to Get Your Party On

Image: REVOLVE

If you know me well enough by now, you know I like the darker looks. I’m not much of a girly girl, so you can assume I usually dismiss the lace, frills, and absolutely anything pink—black makes everything better! I know that my tastes aren’t totally unique in that sense though, as black is always a go-to for a sultry night out. We all know about the classic LBD. However, that basic little black dress can only go so far, as much as it is a closet staple, right? Add in some mesh, and even some frills or lace at times (ok, sometimes they aren’t so bad), and you’ve got yourself a hot little number. Revolve has you covered in that department, with their new Party Girl edit, featuring mesh!

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Lana

Apparel and Accessory Picks from Cost Plus World Market

This post almost became an addition to a fairly neglected category on my blog here in terms of home goods and design, but maybe I’ll save that for another post. Cost Plus World Market is one of my favorite local shops to peruse and fantasize about how I’d go all out with the decor in the home of my dreams. It’s also entertaining, of course, to shop all the fun and delicious treats and wines from around the world! Either way, I’m pretty sure this popular chain is best known for their selection eclectic pieces to make any room of your home look like it came right out of a land far away. I’m always oohing and ahhing at all the rugs, tapestries, furniture and even random items that serve no purpose other than to set a theme or tone. However, I always wonder how many people really know that the place offers a lot more than that, in the form of apparel and accessories! Every trip I make to my local World Market always includes a little window shopping in that department. My local store doesn’t have a lot of apparel, but the bags, jewelry and scarves are always such a treat to browse through.

When I first looked at the Cost Plus World Market website, I honestly didn’t realize how much apparel they had since I haven’t really seen any in the store! Dresses, vests, tops, wraps and more are all available to fit your ethnic or “boho” tastes. I still think it’s the jewelry that stands out the most to me, as I noticed while collecting images for this post—I wanted to share all of them and ended up a lot more pieces to share than any other category! I wanted to share this side of one of my favorite stores, and see if any of my readers also frequent the store for items other than home goods, consumables and decor!

Do you have one of these awesome stores near you, and if so, what do you prefer to shop for? Shop Cost Plus World Market online here!

Lana

My Current Most Unique Picks in Premium Denim

As I’ve mentioned countless times before, one of the reasons I love denim so much is that it seems virtually unlimited in what you can do with it. It is an art form of sorts after all, and it’s amazing to me to see the endless stream of new cuts, washes, and designs that come out every season from the industry’s top contenders. Every now and then I love window shopping all of the latest looks in denim, from all price ranges. I find it sparks my own creative juices, and of course, it gives me ideas on what to write about next! When it comes to denim fits, most of us think of the obvious: skinny, bootcut, flare, straight…you get the picture. However, brands continue to push the limits and come up with their own every now and then, and sometimes you’ll see one that makes enough of an impression to become a new thing across the board. Old styles are always coming back, whether as they were remembered or as rehashed versions—we’ve seen culottes and overalls make it back on the top trends lists, for example. I even remember when the now all-too-familiar boyfriend jean was new. You never really know what the denim industry is going to churn up next! View Full Post