A New Leaf

(Pink hydrangeas on my dresser.)

Somehow it’s February, and I can’t believe it! The days are passing so quickly, and warmer weather is just around the corner. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been working on a new project, and while it’s still far from completion, I feel confident talking about it now. I’m in the planning stages of opening an online store that will feature ethically curated clothing and accessories!

My love for fair trade and ethically-made clothing is obvious, and while I also love supporting these brands and shopping for new pieces, it’s not really practical or necessary for me to buy things all the time. I try to limit my spending, and when I do buy new clothing, I always seek out ethical pieces. When I shop for gifts, I look for ethical options, and I enjoy giving fair trade presents to people who might not know about the concept yet. What better way to share ethical fashion than by providing it myself?

Over the holidays, I ran across an article about a local fashion shoot that featured several Austin-based ethical stores. The owners of the stores wanted to show that they are working together toward the same goals, and Austin is truly emerging as a leader in fair trade and ethical clothing and accessories. Since I technically live just outside Austin, I realized that my area of town could really use an alternative option to mainstream clothing stores, and the wheels in my head started spinning.

Opening a brick-and-mortar store requires an enormous financial investment, as well as hours and hours of blood, sweat, and tears. As much as I love the idea of running an actual store, that’s not in the cards for me at this point in my life. I’m a busy wife and mom, and while my boys are getting older, they are still quite young and require my undivided attention for large parts of each day. Still, it’s a long-term goal I hope to focus on at some later date.

In the meantime, an online store is a very feasible option, and since I’m pretty schooled when it comes to ethical fashion, this seems like a natural fit for me. I’m starting very small and getting all of my ducks in a row, but my goal is to open by late spring or early summer. I have a name in mind that I’ll announce at a later date, and I’m working with Kory Woodard again to design my store logo. Things are moving along at a steady pace, and I’m really excited about this project. My new store won’t take over the content of my blog at all, and I plan to keep the two quite separate. But I’ll be sure to keep you updated and let you know as soon as the store is ready to open!