Small Talk (plus discount code)

Sustainable Smalls:

Underwear can pose a bit of a problem when it comes to dressing more sustainably. We are quite demanding of our smalls (we want them smooth but supportive, invisible but opaque, cool but warm...). And, a cursory glance about any lingerie department in a large shop will show you a huge range of styles, because our tastes are so individual.

Bras pose a bit more of a problem, as the fit is so personal, and us women vary so widely in terms of our shape. However, I've taken a peek at some sustainable pants and put together a small selection to get you started, hope you like them! 

N.B. there are no pictures of my actual tried and tested pants! 

Merino Wool:

Yes really. If you haven't caught up with my craze for everything merino then see here- I'm a convert!  

And, I do now own merino pants. Merino is light and temperature regulating, moisture wicking, anti-smell, sustainable, completely biodegradable, and contrary to what you might expect it is also smooth, comfortable, and easy to care for. 

Cornish brand Finisterre make nice-looking woolly pants, or you could try Icebreaker, although reviews are mixed for their pants. Mons Royale make pretty longer-leg pants too. 

Merino Wool Tank Top from Finisterre, which matches their undies.

Silk:

Silk is also entirely natural, breathable, and biodegradable. Traditionally a luxury fabric, it is strong and light, and temperature regulating. 

Greenfibres sell a range of undies made from organic silk jersey, which looks supremely comfortable, (unlike some silk undies made from woven fabrics which can feel a bit papery).You can use code PIXIE10 for a discount at Greenfibres.  

Bamboo:

I have some of these undies from No Balls. They are the most comfortable pants ever! Completely seamless, they are soft and stretchy, and they fit really well. They are £11 a pair, or cheaper if you can find what you need in the clearance section. They also make a boy short. 

Other suppliers of bamboo undies include BAM.

Organic Cotton Stripes from Seasalt. Their pants are designed in the same vein. 

Organic Cotton:

Seasalt Cornwall make pretty organic cotton pants, including their signature sailor stripe. Watch out for Mighty Good Undies too who have a good range of styles available soon, and again Greenfibres who also stock a pretty range of pants (again don't forget to use code PIXIE10). 

Enjoy shopping for sustainable underwear, and if you have any favourites that I haven't mentioned then do let me know :-)

Coral Colour Pop!

Trend Alert: Coral

Seasalt scarf from a charity shop, People Tree stripes,
and floral fabric from the V&A, from which I sewed a top.

I am really loving the current trend for all things coral. For those of us who aren't that fond of pink, coral is an accessible way to feel feminine and spring like. Coral is flattering on all skin tones, and whilst it typically has a more lighthearted, holiday vibe, I reckon you could you could work it into a formal wardrobe with careful selection of the right pieces. 

Whistles silk dress: a few years old but still lovely! 

My Coral-coloured Wardrobe:

Handmade top, crops from People Tree

Top from People Tree, handmade skirt

Linen top from Sweaty Betty

How do you wear coral...?

You can of course wear head-to-toe coral, if you are having as much of a passion for the colour as I am. But in the unlikely event that you want to dilute it just a little bit, coral seems to work well with cream, grey, and (my other favourite) indigo blue. 

You can go for just a small accent, a whole block of colour, or even patterned separates. Stripes are always good.

How do you wear yours?

Where to shop for coral colours:

Ethical style from around from around the web:

There are plenty more coral-coloured beauties on the People Tree website, or, try my picks below: 

Coral Cowl from Greenfibres

Organic Jute Tote, from East

Recycled Plastic Ring from The V&A

Chilli Chocolate from the Design Museum Shop

Debbie Bliss Eco Baby Yarn

Click below to shop more great ethical styles from East:

Ethical Dressing from People Tree

Feel Good Fashion

Way back when I wrote this post, I was already thinking about how to dress more ethically, more rewardingly and more sustainably... or how to dress 'better', if you like. 

Well, I've done ok since then; I've made quite a few items, picked up the odd bit from a charity shop or a boot fair, or second hand on eBay. Of course, I haven't totally stuck to my rule of not buying anything (I'm not that strong willed), but I don't routinely head to the shops either. 

My hand-making has had to take a bit of a back seat for a while now though, so when I discovered that I could order this gorgeous parcel from People Tree, and actually feel like I was doing something positive for the world at large then I was thrilled. Plus, it was in the sale and I had a discount code too- did I need a further excuse...? I thought not.

Ethical Fashion

Judging a Book By Its Cover

The first thing that I loved about this happy package was the brown paper post bag with cute brown paper tape. There was no help for it: I was predisposed to love the contents. 

Fashionable Stripes

Here's a confession: I have no real interest in fashion. As I mentioned above, I don't go shopping, I don't consume the fashion press (or, shockingly, very much press at all), I don't listen to style icons, self-appointed or otherwise, I don't care about 'on trend', and I don't care about the celebrities. 

Don't get me wrong, I have a fashion degree! I love the art that is high-end couture, I'm intrigued by the semiotics of what we wear, I love clothes, I love design, I love colour, I love interestingly-cut patterns, I am intrigued by how things are made, I really enjoy seeing someone with fantastic style, I love feeling that something is a great-quality garment, I love interesting contrasts, and I'm extremely fussy about what I wear... but that's not really fashion is it? 

The reason I mention this is that apparently stripes are fashionable. They must be I guess, as they are everywhere- including People Tree, hurrah! I sense a whole other blog post about stripes coming on at some point, but I'll just mention here that I love them (if you're a regular reader you might even have noticed a few on my blog before), and I feel they are particularly appropriate for my Cornish life. 

People Tree Stripey Dress

A Happy Dress

Needless to say, I love my People Tree stripey dress. It is the perfect weight to wear over tights on a sunny March day, and I anticipate wearing it many times to wander around Cornish harbours and suchlike. 

The dress is beautiful quality, and I am over the moon that is ethically made: fairly traded and made from organic cotton- you can even find out who by on their website.

It is extremely comfortable: the loopback jersey is quite plushy and the fit is great. Two of the key features as far as I am concerned are the pockets (LOVE pockets!), and the full-length sleeves (so much easier to put a jacket over). 

I have long and sloping shoulders so not everything fits over them, but this is just roomy enough to be comfortable without being baggy. My go-to petticoat slip which I wear under most dresses was too long, but that didn't matter as it didn't seem to get caught on my tights like many others do (to my great chagrin). 

The neckline was flattering and neither too high or too revealing, and the sleeves were a great length and diameter. I feel like I could work layers both underneath and over the top if I needed to. I love that being quite snug, this dress will fit well under my longer waterproof parka-type coat for inevitable Cornish rain showers. I also love that it is not encumbered by those annoying back-neck zips which seem to have plagued beautiful clothes like this for a while now.  

Another feature I love is the blue/black colour of the stripes themselves. 

People Tree Organic Cotton Dress 

Accessories

I completed the outfit with my vintage Levi's jacket (from a boot fair many years ago), my Zerelda shawl which I designed and made for 'Knit Now' a couple of years ago, and leggings from GudrunSjoden, plus plenty of Celtic silver.

Stripey dress with Accessories

Crochet Shawls

Cornwall has been bathed in spring-like weather this week. I've really enjoyed going for a less-coat-more-shawl vibe. This one is my Abellona. It's stripey...

Crochet Shawl: Abellona

Miss Lemon, or what to wear in a Cornwall February

Colours for Spring:

I'm not sure whether it is my penchant for bright-coloured gym stuff seeping into my everyday life, my new found body confidence, or just a hankering for spring (probably a combination), but I have found myself inexplicably drawn to brightly coloured clothing.

As a life-long devotee of indigo-blue, grey, and just a few contrasting accents in my wardrobe, this has surprised me.

Where to buy bright colours:

I was overcome by the urge to go bright when browsing in 'Mistral'; I tried these beauties on, and simply couldn't leave them there. Ok, so I did have to check first with my trusty adviser that I didn't look like a crazy lady, but I just love them! 

I can't find the yellow on their website, but they have other colours, so you can click: Mistral

Seasalt Stripey Sailor Tops:

You may have guessed from my last post that I am a devotee of the Seasalt stripey sailor top. When I saw this cyan colour in their new collection I could not resist! 

I have been teaming it with my Dickies dungarees for a real rustic landgirl-inspired look.  The super-soft organic cotton is a so comfortable. This colour, which they call Poseidon Ecru, manages to  combine being bright with also being completely wearable.

 You can shop for this beautiful T-shirt here: Seasalt if, like me, you can't resist!