I used to call this "an affordable fashion blog", but since August it has become a rule that I shop with heart. For me that means instead of chasing every new trend and accumulating a lot of "fast fashion" or throw away items, I want to encourage women to consider pieces that can transition from season to season and from year to year. As a by-product, that means that I also want to promote a new way of thinking in the world of style blogging: affordability second only to product longevity and humane working conditions. I plan to promote upcycling, repeat wearing (or "remixing"), DIY projects, vintage clothing and swapping more. I plan to publish a guide of online retailers that offer a great selection of made in the USA clothing, vintage, or eco-friendly clothing. This means that instead of being an "affordable fashion style blog" I will start showcasing a wardrobe that still has a relatively low cost per wear but above all were purchased or accepted with heart and thought. Any "investment piece" that I purchase should be of the highest quality and produced in a country with regulated, monitored, and fair working conditions.
These guidelines are in place for not only the things I buy but also for the courtesy items I receive, the brands that I work with, and the giveaways that I do. I will encourage Adored Austin partners to carry more items that fall into these guidelines and to make it easier to find "Made in the USA" items. In the reviews that I do, I will candidly say where the garment or product is made. I don't want to burn any bridges here, but instead I want to welcome and perhaps even help usher in change. Hundreds of Adored Austin readers have contacted me in support of my new guidelines. It seems a lot of us want this kind of change.
I'm not wholly against products made in China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mexico, Vietnam, or Turkey [and etc] but I do want the retailers who I work with and the companies who I purchase from to be able to vouch for both the work environment of the places that produce their products as well as the quality of the goods they're selling.
If you have any questions concerning my "I Shop With Heart" guidelines, please feel free to contact me.
