Story Time

I love stories. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d want my mom to read to me or just make up stories so I could imagine the story playing out in my mind. The story lover in me only grew as I got older, which is one of the reasons I started this blog!

Yesterday, I introduced you to the charitable online boutique, To the Market. Today, I want to tell you the stories behind each of the items I’m wearing!

First off - this adorable skirt
This was the first thing I fell in love with on the To the Market website. Each skirt is handmade by a single mother working at home. It’s made of cotton with just a tad stretch (if you’re ordering, I recommend sizing up!) Proceeds from this skirt go to WPP, an NGO providing health care to children in Central America and the Caribbean.

The notebook
I carry notebooks everywhere. I simply CAN NOT deal with the notes app in my phone, I need to physically write something down or I’ll most definitely forget it. This adorable one is designed by a girl named Besjana Kryeziu, who is currently studying painting at the University of Prishtina. For every 25 journals sold, a young woman in Kosovo is supported for an entire semester in college. AN ENTIRE SEMESTER! These notebooks are made in the USA with 150 pages ready to absorb your stories.

Necklace:
I’m a huge proponent of chunky necklaces with sweaters this season. This piece is made with seed beads on a natural locally sourced horn circle which hangs from a soft, adjustable leather chord. The necklace is named after the artisan’s daughter, Seadley, and was handmade in Haiti.

Bracelet:
I’ve continuously talked about how comfort is key for my style and jewelry should be no exception. This woven bracelet is made from a parachute chord and features the US Coast Guard insignia. Through purchasing a bracelet, we’re empowering the women who make these in Afghanistan to earn a fair wage in a clean and safe environment, attend classes, use the laundry/shower/tearoom facilities, and make friends outside of their immediate family (a rarity in rural Afghanistan.)

Thanks for tuning in for the latest “Story time with Julien” today ;) Head on over tomorrow for another super fun look with more To the Market pieces. And story time. ;)

Wearing skirt, bracelets, necklace and notebook via To the Market, Callahan oversized boyfriend sweater, and Veja marble sneakers via Anthom

To the Market

I received an email a couple months ago from a reader. He talked about how he really enjoyed the aesthetic of the blog and how he can’t wait to find a girlfriend so he can show her all the style inspiration. And then he said, “You SO need to meet my friend, Jane.”

I get referrals all the time - do photograph someone, to work on a campaign, but not very often do a get a friend referral! And when he started to tell me about his friend Jane, I knew I had to meet her too.

Jane started this amazing company called To the Market, a website that sells curated survivor-made goods. Women who make these items have been trafficked, abused, diseased or abandoned…but thanks to Jane, this is no longer the case.

To the Market provides a platform for these women to share their stories and their handcrafted items with the world. From the most darling ornaments (this yeti one is in my cart because OF COURSE IT IS) to the most luxurious cashmere scarves (which you’ll see on the blog later this week!), giving back has never been more fun. ;)

Be sure to tune back in tomorrow for another look with things I found on To the Market! And save the date for this weekend as I'll be taking over the To The Market instagram page! (@letsgottm) and curating a list of my favorite pieces from their shop! Until then!!

Wearing bag, necklace (yellow version is so cute!), and shoes via To the Market, Achro jacket, CoH jeans via South Moon Under c/o, and Tees by Tina tank.

Be. Bangles Giveaway

This time of year, everyone’s thinking of gifts. Whether it’s picking the perfect present for someone you love or wondering what’s inside that pretty package under the tree…it’s something that sort of takes over during the holidays.

But I’d like to take a second and talk about a different kind of gift. I want to talk about talent gifts…which are things you’re naturally good at. Let me give you an example, I have the gift of encouragement. I will complement people ALL DAY LONG. People thought I was a big kiss-up back in my school days, and would always say ‘ok, JULIEN. What do you want?” But I honestly just loved cheering people on with my words!

Someone else using their words to encourage others? This cool jewelry company called Be. Bangles. They inspire girls to be the best version of themselves through their pretty, encouraging bracelets. I love this quote from their website about their mission:

“We’re here to remind you of your greatness. Especially in those moments you’ve forgotten how extraordinary you are.”

— Be. Bangles

Their bracelets have positive sayings written all over them like, “Live what you love,” F*cking Fierce” and “Let Your Light Shine.”

And if that wasn’t cool enough, they also partner with One Girl to give girls in Uganda and Sierra Leone access to education. Each bangle sold can fund a day of education in some of the poorest countries in the world. Each of us has the power to change the world.

In honor of spreading holiday cheer around Christmastime, I’m giving away one of their bangles!! To win the SOLD OUT “Live What You Love” bracelet, just enter below! I’ll be picking a winner this Friday! Good luck!

(And if you want to see a familiar face or are inspired by Be. Bangles, head over to their fundraising page! They’re hoping to raise $20k by the end of the week!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wearing Everlane top, Calvin Klein jacket (similar), Free People jeans, Sophie Blake earrings and Be. Bangle bracelet.

Holiday Lip Shades

I have this vivid memory from 5th grade - I’m sitting in my mom’s car waiting to be dropped off for school. I clumsily threw my hair into a half pony tail (my signature style back in the day) and swiped on some brown lipstick. Next, I got out my blue eye shadow (YES BLUE) and swiped a bit over my eyelids.

How my mother let me out of that car I’ll never know, but such was the start of my obsession with makeup. While I would not (I repeat - WOULD NOT) sport blue eye shadow ever again, brown lips are certainly coming back into style.

This holiday season, I wanted to share three fun lip shades that I’m loving at the moment!

First is this super cool relish brown lipstick from Erwin Gomez (in SAB), a local makeup artist and salon owner. In the tube, this looks sparkly and red, but it’s totally not. When I wear this, I’ll typically forgo blush and strictly stick to bronzer for contouring. It’s such a bold color and I’ll be honest - I wasn’t sure if I’d love it on me…but one swipe and the 5th grader in me was in heaven.

This gorgeous red color seen above is called "Serrano" from Makeup Meltdown. This is your red if you’re not committed to looking like you placed used a red crayon on your face (which is not a bad thing, but not always the look you want!) It has just a touch of pink in it too, which I really love. I only did one coat, but for a deeper, darker red, apply a couple.

Finally, the greatest bright pink shade ("Grenada" by Makeup Meltdown.) This color is not for the faint at heart. It's bright and it's beautiful. This tint would look great with a black holiday dress or even a casual light grey sweater and jeans for brunch out with the girls. I also just did one coat on this one, but if you’re looking for a brighter look, go for round two.

What makes the last two shades so special is that $5 from the $20 retail price of each lipstick will be going The Beauty Bus Foundation, a non-profit that provides "Bags of Beauty" to the terminally ill and their caretakers nationwide.

Hesitant to purchase before trying? You can try out the last two shades by Makeup Meltdown next week at Kendra Scott in Mosaic District on December 10!  And 20% of all Kendra Scott and Makeup Meltdown sales from that evening will go to benefit Active Minds! Hope to see you there!

Wearing Sophie Blake earrings, Everlane tee and Calvin Klein coat (similar)