SEARCH
SUBSCRIBE
social media
friends & sponsors

Visit Natural Parents Network

 


This form does not yet contain any fields.

    Entries in clothes (5)

    Monday
    Oct292012

    Giveaway: Comfy Skirt From Texture clothing - $72 ARV {Open to U.S.

    DateMonday, October 29, 2012 at 12:03AM
    This is a joint giveaway between Natural Parents Network and many other natural parenting sites. You may enter for all of the giveaways at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

    Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide

    Welcome to the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide!

    Natural Parents Network, Very, Very Fine, and 24 other natural parenting bloggers are giving away 89 items perfect for gifting for the holidays as part of the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide. The combined total value of all of the items is $2,550. Have you finished your holiday shopping? The NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to complete your gift-giving purchases for family and friends, while supporting many naturally-minded small businesses. The companies who have provided items for giveaway are almost exclusively made up of small businesses or work-at-home families. Please stop back to enter the giveaway. The Rafflecopter entry system will be live November 1 on this post (and on every post participating in the Gift Guide). Please visit some of the other review posts listed below and read about the fabulous companies offering giveaways in the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide.

    ***

    Texture Clothing is offering our readers a giveaway of a Comfy Skirt, a value of $72. Additionally, our readers can receive free shipping through November 29th, 2012 by using code veryfineship at checkout.

    From our reviewer, Stefanie at very, very fine:

    Texture Clothing is one of Northwest Washington's best kept secrets. Owner, Teresa Remple opened her business in 2002 and has since been outfitting pretty much every woman I know in her distinct designs. Using a unique blend of eco-friendly fabrics like silk, hemp, and organic cotton with just a touch of lycra, she crafts easy-to-love, easy-to-wear clothes that transition and travel amazingly well.

    Until I had kids, in my closet you were more likely to find cocktail dresses than, well, anything made from hemp. Slowly but surely, however, clogs have replaced my fancy knee-high boots and I've begun to build an arsenal of tried-and-true pieces that don't (necessarily) scream hippie (or worse, sleepwalker!) but allow me to comfortably and stylishly live my new life which involves a lot more crawling around and potential for stains. 

    I've also become more conscious of the fibers that I wear. With so much time spent holding babies, their sensitive skin against my clothes, the last thing I want is to worry about is how my clothing could be negatively impacting my children, not to mention the environment. 

    Enter: Texture. "Clothing with a conscience" is their tag line, and for good reason. Textiles are chosen carefully, and information about the fibers is available on the company's website. Profiles of Texture's seamstresses appear on the website as well: another clue that you're dealing with a business you can be proud to support.

    At over 70 dollars, it's spendy, and that's a drawback worth mentioning, but for those who can spring or save for it, the Comfy Skirt will be a workhorse in your wardrobe. In my opinion, it's worth paying a little extra to put a face to a product, and the quality and sustainable sensibility behind Texture definitely make yours a worthwhile purchase. 

    Texture's sizing is generous. While I wear a size 8 in most clothes, I easily wear a Texture size small (even while pregnant), so when ordering, keep this in mind. As with most natural fibers, the fabric stretches slightly with wear, but can be snapped back to its original size in the dryer. I choose to line or hang dry most of my clothes to save energy and prolong their life, but the forgiving nature of hemp and cotton allows for machine washing and drying as well. 

    The ease, simplicity, durability and comfort make the Comfy Skirt nearly universally appealing. Dressed up for an impromptu casual evening out, or pulled on to let out the chickens in the morning, it makes me feel like I'm putting in some effort, even when I'm not. Texture's other offerings include tops, dresses and the popular knit mitts, which are perfect for gift-giving. Whether you stock your closet from thrift stores, REI, or Barney's, I think you'll find room in your life for Texture's simple, sustainable styles.

    BUY IT!

    You can purchase your own Comfy Skirt at Texture Clothing for $72; shipping is available worldwide! And just for Natural Parents Network and very, very fine readers, Texture Clothing is offering free shipping on all orders from now through November 29th, 2012. Enter code veryfineship during the ordering process.

    WIN IT!

    For your own chance to win a Comfy Skirt from Texture, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below. The winner will receive one comfy skirt in the color and size of their choice, from the selection available on TextureClothing.com. Contest is open to the US.

    MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Texture Clothing and tell us one thing you have learned about the company! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

    Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. This is a joint giveaway with very, very fine and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

    Our Rafflecopter entry system opens November 1.
    MANDATORY ENTRY: In the box provided in the first Rafflecopter entry, tell us where you would have your prize shipped if you are one of the winners. You must enter your name and email address while leaving a comment in the Rafflecopter system for your entry to count.
    Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. This is part of a larger giveaway hosted by Natural Parents Network. You may enter the whole giveaway at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy all of the participating sites! Please note that each entrant can win only one prize, and NPN will be randomly assigning prizes to the winners. One of the giveaway questions asks which are your top five prizes so we can try to match winners to their preferences. BONUS ENTRIES: See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email sponsorship {at} naturalparentsnetwork.com or leave a comment if you have any questions!
    a Rafflecopter giveaway
    ***
    Thank you for your interest in the Natural Parents Network Gift Guide! We invite you to read the reviews of other participating bloggers and return to enter the giveaway when it opens. Our Rafflecopter entry system will be live at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 1, 2012. Please stop back here — or at any of the review/giveaway posts participating in the Gift Guide — between November 1 and 25 to enter. Many of the giveaway items are open worldwide! Here are the participating sites and companies. (Reviews go live between October 25 and October 31, and all links will be live by November 1.) We’ve included any coupon codes the companies have offered so you can get your holiday shopping under way! Publishing on Thursday, October 25, 2012 Publishing on Friday, October 26, 2012 Publishing on Saturday, October 27, 2012 Publishing on Sunday, October 28, 2012 Publishing on Monday, October 29, 2012 Publishing on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 Publishing on Wednesday, October 31, 2012
    Disclosure: Our reviewer received a sample product for review purposes. Some links are affiliate links. We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If we don't like a product, we won't be recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.
    Authorstefanie | Comment3 Comments | Reference13 References |
    tagged , , , , , , , in
    Sunday
    Nov132011

    thrifty sunday: boring

    DateSunday, November 13, 2011 at 5:19PM

    I'm still alive. Sometimes barely, as this baby keeps me awake all night with punching, kicking, somersaulting and various other acrobatic moves we can only guess about. George was never so active. I mean, he kicked and wiggled and everything, but as memory serves, it was pretty tame in comparison. Added to the sleepiness is the fact that it gets dark before 5pm, and every day seems a little shorter...because it is. By the time the solstice rolls around, it'll be dusk at 3:30 and I'll never change out of pajamas. 

    During the Halloween season, George was really into "spoosy" -- or spooky -- stuff. When it was rainy but we felt cabin-feverish, an easy outing was strolling the local, newly-moved-into-a-huge-building Value Village. They had aisles of masks, wigs, hats, sparkly wings, and clothes being sold as costumes that I would usually buy to wear as normal parts of my wardrobe. I am somewhat shameless in my appreciation of thrift stores' ramp-up to Halloween policy of gathering everything I like into one section -- 70s prairie dresses, fur vests, 60s minis and sequined formalwear -- and I try to ignore the stigma. This year our budget didn't allow for much and I don't fit into anything without at least 10% spandex, so George and I roamed the store with mostly empty pockets as he begged to see more "spoosy stuff." Here are the things I decided we couldn't live without:

    A sweater-romper-thing with oranges on it! $2.99 - The thought of leaving this on the rack was unbearable. The cinched waist is a little hilarious given six to nine month-old babies' chubbiness. 

    A teeny little velveteen and eyelet dress, $1.99 - For a baby born circa Valentine's Day.

    A fancy-ish wintertime dress for a little lady who's moving to a colder clime. San Diego doesn't have much use for long sleeves or high necks or things that go nicely with wooly tights, but no Pacific Northwestern six year-old should be without a few calico statement pieces. A belated birthday present still waiting to be sent. 

    Awesome coloring book, untouched by crayons, $.069! Another present, as George is still too little to appreciate creative prompts like the ones found here. No outlines of cartoon characters or funny-looking animals, just open-ended ideas bound in a book. I think its intended recipient will love it, as she has a newly-found interest in art. One holiday gift down.

    A new shirt for George, $1.99 - Poor George is kind of low on clothes. He has t-shirts and leggings but not many long sleeved tops or regular pants, and with his opinions on daily outfits growing stronger I want to give him realistic options that don't leave him looking like a clown when put together. Not that there's anything wrong with a toddler dressing like a clown. 

    You've undoubtedly noticed the weird, shady quality of these photos. There's no daylight indoors and I hope you'll excuse me for not standing outside in the wind and hail(!) to snap some pictures of my meager thrift store finds. Have you gotten anything good lately?

    Authorstefanie | CommentPost a Comment |
    tagged , , , , , , in
    Monday
    Sep192011

    an autumn jacket (and a little something extra)

    DateMonday, September 19, 2011 at 8:17PM

    I've had this pattern sitting on the top of the pile for quite awhile, waiting until I didn't have to scale it to fit George. He's finally a true pattern size 2, and with a few alterations, I had visions of the perfect fall jacket. 

    I'm a sucker for a peter pan collar, and the necessary changes were so easy -- lengthen the sleeves, turn the buttons into toggles. The clincher was a couple of yards of plummy quilted cotton I'd been saving for just the right occasion. I cut it out and decided against the collar, in favor of a generous hood, good for pulling over your knit cap for extra protection against the elements. I had some navy and white striped twill left over from making George the Oliver + S sailboat pants and lined the jacket with that, making it a little more masculine (though, I really consider plum to be a sort of neutral). 

    Well, here's the thing. It turned out adorably and fits like a dream, but despite those facts, it's not exactly what I would call a hit. 

    Alas. Maybe he'll warm up to it? I used some scraps from Nathan's beat-up old laptop bag to make the toggle patches and bought some navy bias tape and cording for the edges and button loops. It's a good crisp weather-weight, and I'm hoping it will fit him in the spring, as well, though that seems unlikely. 

    I had plenty leftover, and another pattern on my mind, so I whipped up a little something for the new baby to wear come February. We were at a total loss, wardrobe-wise, with newborn George when it came time for those refreshing walks around the block immediately following the sequestered period post-birth. We bundled him up as best we could and wore him close, but I'd have liked to put him in something extra snuggly. 

    God, do I hate that synthetic fleece, though. It was admittedly more effort to line the entire thing with cotton chenille, but worth it to know my poor kid won't be feeling the icky slick softness of what was formerly soda bottles. 

    These pictures suck, by the way: no need to point it out. We've entered the part of the year when our house requires lamplight during the day and outside it starts looking like dusk while I'm fixing lunch.

    There it is: cozy-soft and so freaking tiny. It boggles the mind that someone's stretched-out arms will fit inside those sleeves. 

    Since I have such an enormous stash, all I had to buy was the bias tape and the cording to complete both the bunting and the jacket. I can't wait to see them both on my littles. And with any luck, at least one of said bundled-up littles won't be miserable. 

    Authorstefanie | Comment3 Comments |
    tagged , , , , , , , , , , , in
    Sunday
    Aug282011

    thrifty sunday: not thrifty at all

    DateSunday, August 28, 2011 at 12:04PM

    My maternity wardrobe will be decidedly different this time around. No business attire means no scrounging for the most acceptable black pants to wear with whatever hand-me-down tunic I resorted to once my dresses got too short to wear, even with tights. I recently discovered what I had neglected to figure out before: that instead of looking futilely for an affordable, decent pair of maternity skinny jeans, I should just take in a pair myself. I had some dreadful bootcut ones I'd kept because, well, you can't just wear sweatpants, and I turned them into perfect everyday jeans. Good thing, as none of my pants have fit for weeks. 

    After a lengthy Polyvore break (it's worse than Facebook), I threw together a Fall maternity set. Fall, being my favorite season to dress in, during my last pregnancy was the one I least looked forward to. I felt like I couldn't be myself when I had to dress a pregnant body for office work on basically no budget. But now, there's nobody telling me that my skirt's too short (unless it is, then tell me) or making me wear shitty polyester pants instead of jeans or leggings. I can follow the lead of this lovely lady whose maternity (and non-maternity style) is an inspiration to me, and should be to us all. 

    fall

    A lot of this stuff is similar or identical to things I already own. The trench, the boots, the leggings and jeans and skirt and tights are all in heavy wardrobe rotation already -- or, have been in Falls past. Some of this group, of course, are dreamy never-gonna-happens, like the long, beautiful Lanvin dress and the sequin mini, but in thrifting I can usually get the same feeling for a lot less money. 

    As I said in a previous post, last pregnancy, there was a dearth of photos of me. Partly because I'm usually the one holding the camera, and partly because I felt fat and weird-looking. I'm looking forward to dressing like myself as this baby gets bigger, and maybe someday s/he will look at old photos and think, hey, not too shabby, mom! 

    Authorstefanie | CommentPost a Comment |
    tagged , , , , , , in
    Thursday
    Apr072011

    romp

    DateThursday, April 7, 2011 at 1:00PM

    I made a romper. Okay, technically I made a jumpsuit, but something in me doesn't want to call it what it is. While virtual window shopping the other day, I came across this Alexander Wang number and fell a little bit in love. The fit would be unfortunate on me, however, because of the color, the wider leg and the drop waist (not to mention that I don't exactly have $675 to spend on a jumpsuit OR romper). I've had a truly delicious piece of black brushed silk in my fabric stash for years, attached to various projects that I never got around to cutting before they fell out of favor or fashion. Well! Rompsuit, I guess we were destined for each other. 

    I didn't have a pattern, just used a top whose fit I like and some pants of the appropriate width to make a rough template and adjusted as I sewed. To be clear, this method rarely works, but when it does, it's glorious. 

    It's arguably unflattering, but I don't really care. It's silk. It's got an elastic waist. It's black. It goes well with elaborate macramé jewelry. I kind of never want to take it off. Don't mind me -- I'll just be lying on my flokati, propped up by floor pillows, listening to Fleetwood Mac. Summer*, here we come.

    *Wait, black silk in summer, you say? Isn't that too hot? Oh, ha ha ha; here, I shiver in the evenings until August. 

     

    Authorstefanie | Comment4 Comments | Reference6 References |
    tagged , , , , , , , , , in