Faire Child: Outdoor Play, No Matter the Weather

June 26, 2018October 27, 2018Leave a comment

Faire Child Hippie in Disguise Sustainable Weather Rain Wear Canadian Ottawa Canada We love to be outside year round, snow, rain or shine, but to be honest enjoying rain has been hard. Rain is often cold in Canada and can feel harsher than a snow storm. That being said, playing outside, exploring and living in the elements is really important developmentally, and for engendering an ecological consciousness in children. That’s why I’ve always tried to suit my children in clothing that would make weather fun, so that exploring and learning would not be encumbered by distracting clothing. But good quality, comfortable rain gear has been an elusive thing. Fully waterproof clothing for children is generally plastic or coated, which makes the clothing heavy, rigid, and often noisy. The lighter gear is prohibitively expensive or simply unavailable in small sizes.

Sen is a sensitive child and has never been able to find a way to enjoy himself in typical heavy children’s rain gear, he is upset by the noise it makes when the fabric rubs against itself, he dislikes the weight of the fabric and the rigid nature of it, and how hot it makes him due to lack of breathability. Until recently, clothing discomfort was truly getting in the way of Sen enjoying playing in the rain and strong winds.

Faire Child Hippie in Disguise Ottawa Canada

Enter Faire Child: a small Canadian sustainable weather wear company. If I tell you everything I love about them you will think they pay me! (They don’t). I TRULY cannot praise this company enough. Their clothing is beautiful, highly durable, functional, sustainable beyond compare (for example, their clothing is recyclable and they innovated compostable packaging just to name two awesome things they do!). Beyond this: Sen can now enjoy himself for endless hours in rain or windy weather. Their clothing is unbelievable light and soft, which you can only fully understand by touching it yourself. Happily, Sen can now play to his heart’s content in the weather and focus on doing what he loves: to play, explore and imagine.

Please read on below for an interview I did with Faire Child designer and founder, Tabitha, where she talks about her passions, being a creative mother, and her dreams for children. Make sure you check out the end of this post where you’ll find a giveaway to enter for $100 shop credit with Faire Child. You’ll also find a beautiful colouring sheet to download for your children (or yourself!). Enjoy!

Tell me a little bit about yourself, the person behind Faire Child. What is your background?

My name is Tabitha Osler and I am the designer and director of Faire Child. I was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia and have recently returned after my daughter was born. I studied fashion design at Antwerp Royal Fashion Academy and then worked in the fashion industry in both Canada and Europe. I have also taught sustainable fashion at the University of Edinburgh and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

What are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about making positive change in the fashion industry. The way we have been doing things isn’t working anymore, and hasn’t worked for quite a while now. I feel that designers and tastemakers have the power to dictate trends and encourage the industry to make responsible choices. I am empowered by that and it motivates me to be a change maker. I want to be part of the solution when it comes to the social and environmental impacts of fast fashion. I want to help educate consumers about how to be responsible stewards of the Earth. I want to see people change their buying habits. Buy less and buy things that will last. Even better if, like our outerwear, it doesn’t ever have to end up in a landfill.

How many children do you have and how would you describe them?

I have one child, a 2 year old named Charli. She is an adventurous, playful, outgoing and curious creature!

What is your favourite thing to do as a family?

We like to spend a lot of time outside. We have some really great walking trails and parks in Halifax so we take advantage of that. The ocean is really close as well so that’s really great. Tickle wars also get big laughs in our home!

What did you want to be when you were a child?

Oh, I definitely wanted to be an astronaut! The world felt too small, I wanted to see it all.

Did your career aspirations change once you had a child?

Yes, hugely. I didn’t want work to dictate my family’s lifestyle and I wanted to be in control of my schedule.

What is Faire Child and why did you decide to start this business?

Faire Child is pioneering a new future for children’s outerwear. After I had Charli I had this new found motivation – I wanted to actively make a better world for Charli to live in. I was concerned about what she would be left with. Questions like ‘would there be less access to clean water?’ were constantly floating around my head.

So I had a goal of developing a line of clothing that wasn’t just doing less bad but was doing more good.

As a new mother I was also recognizing the positive effects that being outdoors had on my child. Mother Nature is both a teacher and a healer. I wanted to connect children with their environment and give them an opportunity to fall in love with the natural world. So my design challenge was to create garments that would allow children to be outdoors – everyday, all day, whatever the weather, all while having a positive effect on the planet.

How would you describe Faire Child in 5 words?

Well, we are loving our new tag lines! Weather the World and For Young Pioneers

What inspired you to start designing?

My mom sews and growing up watching her make clothes from scratch was like magic. I needed to know how to do that!

Craftsmanship and sustainability are important to you. How do you translate these into your designs and their production?

They definitely are important and it goes back to those ideas about fast fashion and this place we seem to find ourselves in where we throw away clothes as easily as paper towels. Through my research I found beautifully constructed garments that were made to last. I was particularly drawn to vintage workwear from the early 20th century. The designs were so thoughtful and they were meant to be worn outside all day long. So, basically I made mini versions for kids most important job – making and playing. As far as production goes, I was adamant that these pieces be made in Canada.

Where and how (by who?) are Faire Child products made?

Thank you for asking! I am all about transparency and I think it’s important that companies, clothing companies in particular, start opening up about the people making their products. Our products are made here in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, about 15 minutes away from our studio, at Climate Technical Gear. They also make gear for the fishing and marine industry so they are experts in functional clothing. We have a small team of people there, cutters, sewers and tapers, that work with us to produce the Faire Child outerwear.

What’s special about the materials you use?

There is so, so much to say about our fabric. I will try to not geek out too hard. Our fabric is manufactured by Sympatex, a German company working on the edge of textile innovation. The top reason I chose this material is because it never has to end up in a landfill. The fabric is made from recycled PET water bottles and PET is a pretty amazing material. Many other materials become weaker through the recycling process but PET has the ability to be recycled over and over again without compromising quality. On top of that it’s also functional – 100% waterproof, windproof and breathable – and it’s actually quite soft – especially the inner layer.

The fabric we use is also Oeko-tex and Bluesign certified. This ensures that the fabric is safe next to skin and that no harmful chemicals were used to make it. On a related noted, many of the popular outerwear brands rely on PFC and PTFE to make their fabrics waterproof and windproof. These are hazardous substances that take a very long time to break down and can now be found in even the most untouched places on earth. It seems silly that a lot of the bigger brands promoting an active outdoor lifestyle are not being more serious about the effect they are having on our world. You can learn more about this through Green Peace’s Detox campaign.

What’s your favourite piece you’ve designed?

My favourite piece from the current Faire Child collection is the raincoat because of the complexity and ingenuity of the pattern from which it was inspired. It’s the thoughtfulness of things like underarm gussets for ease of movement that make it a really special piece.

This is getting pretty nerdy, but please tell me about your amazing packaging?

You are our kind of girl! We spent months getting nerdy over packaging. I would first say that we try our hardest to be thoughtful about all the materials we use and the impact they have on the environment. With that mindset, we couldn’t overlook the packaging. We were able to source a compostable material from Swiss Pack in Ontario and with them we designed Canada’s first compostable poly bag. To take things a step further we are also using direct thermal compostable labels to print our mailing addresses on. All that being said, our packaging can go into your green bin!

[ editor’s note: For people outside Canada, a green bin is the household recycling and/or compost bin that is collected usually weekly by the city as part of waste management ]

Faire Child Hippie in Disguise Sarah Silks Ottawa Canada Petits Vilains

Can you tell me about your Take Back Program?

Of course! I created the Take Back Program so I would be taking responsibility for the end of life of the garments. After many, many years of use in your own family and then another and hopefully another, our Faire Child pieces can be sent back to us for recycling. When they are back in our hands we disassemble the garment and make sure that those materials are recycled in such a way that they have the most value.

[ editor’s note: for interested readers, Take Back is a version of extended producer responsibility (EPR), a concept that has been implemented in many European countries, where producers of goods are responsible for the entire life cycle of the product, one of the outcomes of this policy is that manufacturers have an incentive to create long lasting products and for their recycling once they are not longer useful ]

What has made you the most proud of what you’re doing?

Well, we are definitely doing things the hard way. We aren’t taking the easy road and we aren’t cutting any corners. So, although everything seems to take so much longer it feels really good when you find the right solution. Even when a small detail falls into place it’s an occasion to celebrate!

What are your dreams for Faire Child?

Oh man, big questions! Well, we have had a lot of requests to make pieces in adult sizes and I am really excited to explore that opportunity! I am also really inspired by Forest Schools and that educational model. I would love to be partnering more strongly with Forest Schools. The thought of a group of kids learning outdoors outfitted in Faire Child coveralls is pretty dreamy!

What are your dreams for children?

There are a couple of things. The first would be that we want kids to be outdoors more, playing and interacting with the natural world. By encouraging this we are hoping that they build a strong and life long love for the outdoors and for our earth.

The other piece of this future vision for the next generation would be to inspire them to be stewards of their environment. I hope that they will see waste as a resource in the same way as I have with how I’m using fabric made from discarded plastic bottles to make the jacket they are wearing. I want their imaginations to be sparked, I want them to be empowered to explore creative solutions.

***

Thank you Tabitha! Readers and interested folks, we got 4 items from Faire Child and I absolutely cannot endorse their products enough — they are sustainable, ethical, top quality, comfortable and beautiful! We got the Knapsack, the Rain Jacket, the Cap, and the Rain Pants.

Faire Child Hippie in Disguise Sarah Silks Ottawa Canada Petits Vilains

*** GIVEAWAY***

Do you want to win $100 gift card from Faire Child? Of course you do! To enter for a chance to win here’s what to do:

Follow @fairechild on Instagram
Like and comment on my Faire Child post on Instagram @hippieindisguise
For an additional 3 entries tag 3 friends in the comments on my Instagram post, please comment each name in a separate comment to make the ballot cutting easier!
For an additional 5 entries download the *Amazing* Faire Child colouring sheet shown below and post about it on your Instagram account and use the hashtag #fairechildXhippieindisguise
Open worldwide! Contest closes on July 1, 2018 at midnight Vancouver time. Winner will be announced on my Instagram page on July 2.

Faire Child Hippie in Disguise Ottawa Canada

Eco Label: Plant-Dyed Organics by Shaadee Mae

October 3, 2016May 9, 2017Leave a comment

Shaadee Mae Hippie in Disguise Plant dyed organic clothing

In June I started a new blog series over on the Enfants Terribles Magazine blog today called ‘Eco Label Love’. For this series I share interviews with small companies who produce clothing and other products in a sustainable and ethical way. The fashion industry can be pretty terrible in terms of labour practices (for example, this). And, fast fashion is sorely contributing to landfill.

We need another way to clothe ourselves. With care. Slowly. Ethically. Mindfully. Sustainably.

While the most sustainable choice is always to buy second hand or thrift, thrift is not an option for everyone. This is why I want to celebrate companies who are leading the way toward a more sustainable and fair (or more than fair) industry. When it comes to sustainability, this means the fabrics are organic and renewable, locally sourced and sewn, or eco-dyed. In terms of ethical production, this means the garments are sewn and produced under fair conditions, as locally as possible.

Shaadee Mae Hippie in disguise Making Mindful Children Plant dye organic

For my second interview, I spoke with American Designer Shaadee about her new line SHAADEE MAE. Shaadee designs adorable one-piece jumpsuits for babies and toddlers, that are gender-netural, made from organic fabrics and sewn locally. Shaadee has been experimenting with using plants to dye her textiles, to take make her production that much more eco-conscious. The sleeveless suit Sen is wearing in the photos included in this post was dyed with pomegranate.

Please visit the Enfants Teribles blog to read my post here.

You can find SHAADEE MAE‘s online shop here, follow them on Instagram here and on Facebook here.

***

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Hippie in Disguise Sen Chassin for Vans Union Jack Boots in Nico Nico Clothing

Fleet of Foot: Enabled by Vans

July 15, 20162 Comments

A few weeks ago we were fortunate to get a pair of Vans shoes from Union Jack Boots to try out. As my frequent readers know, I don’t generally acquire anything new that we don’t need, but Sen was in need of new shoes. Let me explain a little more…

As the end of the school year neared, Sen and Ro were both quite excited for summer break. I didn’t ask why, I mean, the answer was obvious, right? No school, sleeping in, playing all day, staying up late.

On the last day of school, my parents, who normally pick up the children from school, were out of town adopting the most adorable little puppy (I could digress quite a lot here describing the cuteness…), so I had a great excuse to get off work early to pick up the children and see their elated faces as they exited school for the last time for a whole two months. Ro came out first, dropped her bags, gave me a hug and then skipped off to socialize with her friends and make very important ice cream-related plans. Then Sen came out, ran to me, but gave no hug — which is very uncharacteristic of this affectionate boy. He dropped his bag on the ground, sat down on the concrete yard and as fast as a superhero removed his sandals. He then pulled his indoor shoes out of his bag and put them on his feet. “Mama!!! I can wear my indoor shoes outdoors! It’s summer!”

It hit me, as he sprinted away and across the playground, showing me and all his friends how fast he was in those shoes, that his excitement over summer was at least 75% related to wearing these shoes outdoors. He felt fast, able, unstoppable in them.

When we got home many hours and ice cream cones later, Sen removed his shoes at the front door and laid down on the couch to decompress. A few minutes later we all noticed a special odour invading the house. (I know these are the exact details you were hoping for). His shoes smelled awful. It seems that the last month of school, in my brilliance of sending him to school sockless in his Salt Water Sandals for outdoor play, that his indoor shoes had over-marinated, shall we say, and developed a powerful odour. His shoes were also two entire school years old, so they had seen better days. We (ok, me) decided it was time to let them go.

So, the offer from Union Jack Boots to try out a pair of Vans ended up being perfect timing. We have a few small production, ethically made shoes in our home from Soft Star and Mikoleon, but have yet to find a typical athletic shoe from a small scale company that could really stand up to tough wear. We’ve been a fan of Vans for a long-time, the aesthetic is great, but more importantly these shoes are made for skateboarding and BMX-ing and so they are made to last. No one destroys shoes like skateboarders. In addition, Vans has quite a few canvas and non-leather options in their collection, so we were happy to find a mostly canvas pair in Sen’s size.

To summarize thus far:

Vegan friendly – checkmark
Durable – checkmark
Stylish – double checkmark

The only challenge left was to ensure that Sen would feel as inspired by these shoes as the ones we were going to have to unceremoniously say goodbye to.

When the Vans arrived Sen loved them at first sight, as he’d seen “cool dude guys” at the skatepark wearing them. He put them on immediately for a test run around the main floor. Fast? Checkmark! He then proceeded to put them through a battery of tests including, running up and down stairs, jumping off the porch, pedalling his bike and riding his skateboard. I’m happy to report they passed all the tests with flying colours. Sen was stoked! I was relieved!

I kept his beloved indoor shoes for a few days in case the honeymoon phase with his Vans faded. But it’s now been two weeks and he hasn’t asked for them even once. And I doubt I’ll ever hear mention of them again.

{ Sen’s Peace shirt and shorts are organic and made by Nico Nico Clothing in the USA}

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Label Love: Mikoleón Sustainable Shoes + Clothing — and a Giveaway!

April 29, 2016April 13, 2018Leave a comment

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Growing up our family always had what it needed, but certainly there was no money to spare or to spend on being fashionable. Our clothes were most often second hand or sewn by my mother, and when we did buy new things we had to be price conscious. Shoes, however, were one thing that my mother would not spare expense on. She always said her children had to have good shoes — for the health of the foot, not for the sake of fashion. She bought us sensible shoes that fit well and since we only had one pair of shoes at a time, they would be shoes we could do anything in: climb trees, walk to school, play sports, and so on. When my sister, who was the fanciest little toddler you will ever meet (she went through a phase where she couldn’t be seen in public without a bridal veil), wanted fancy shoes my mother found a local shoemaker who made my sister Mary Janes that were functional and fancy (of course this was long before the online shopping era, so my mother had to locally source shoes, a good thing for sure).

I carried my mother’s concern for healthy foot development forward as a parent and have always done my best to outfit Ro and Sen’s feet with quality shoes that would let their feet breath and develop in a healthy manner. With Sen and Ro growing like weeds over the winter (I love weeds, by the way) I needed new shoes for both of them this spring. I had the good fortune of getting them handmade shoes from Mikoleón, which, by the way, have proven to be exceptional quality.

Mikoleón is a small company making children’s clothing and footwear. The production ethics are outstanding: their clothing is made from up-cycled fabrics, 100% cotton, chemical free, dye free, fair trade, reduced CO2, sustainable and handmade. Their shoes are handmade by cobblers in traditional slow production methods. The leather is processed in an eco-friendly and sustainable way. With all this production goodness I wanted to share more about the company with my readers (this is not a sponsored post!), so I asked Cony, the woman behind the company, if she might indulge me in an interview. She said yes and offered to do a giveaway too — yay! I don’t encourage frequent or conspicuous consumption, but do take note of Mikoleón for the next time you need to buy some beautiful ethically made children’s clothing and footwear. And make sure to read to the end of the post to see how you can win something from Mikoleón.

Mikoleon Shoes

Cony, could you tell me a little bit about yourself, the person behind Mikoleón. What is your background?

I’m a mom of 5 and now grandmother to 14 beautiful grandkids including triplets! I’m an entrepreneur at heart! I love the idea of creating something and watch it blossom…I like to figure things out; I’m fascinated and obsessed with anything related to textiles and natural fibers; and I’m committed to living a green life as much as I can!

How would you describe Mikoleón in 5 words?

A brand with a conscience.

Why did you choose Mikoleón for your brand name? What does it mean?

A Mikoleón is a Kinkajou also known as “honey bear,” but not an endangered species…yet. They are native to the jungles of Central and South America, they eat fruits and live among trees. Mikoleón in Spanish means monkey-lion, and for us, it was the perfect name to describe the soul inside our company.

What inspired you to start designing shoes and clothing?

I wish I could say that my dream was to be a fashion designer! But the real reason is…I saw an opportunity to help people in Guatemala with sustainable jobs and that combined with my love of textiles sealed the deal! I was in awe of their craftsmanship and desire to have a better life. I couldn’t deny the opportunity.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

I wanted to be a mom. Now that I’m one, I want to someday write a children’s book about love.

Craftsmanship and sustainability are important to you. How do you translate these into your designs and their production?

Even though we have skilled artisans, there’s always a learning curve to produce high quality products for them. Training our employees to understand the level of quality we want is imperative and essential to our production. We strive to make products that are simple in design and that showcase our specialty fabrics.

Where are Mikoleón shoes made and clothing is sewn? What is your relationship with the seamstresses?

Our shoes and clothes are made in Antigua, Guatemala. Our seamstresses and cobblers are skilled women and men that were in great need of a job to provide for their families. We were just lucky to find them…and have the chance to help them.

Our fair wage policy goes beyond what the local Guatemalan government considers a fair wage. Our in-house employees enjoy all the benefits the laws in Guatemala require, such as medical, social security, maternity leave, and vacation benefits. In addition, Guatemala laws require that you pay your employees for 14 months of wages but they actually work only 11 months! Twice a year they get paid for two months of work while working only one.

We take much pride to say that we pay fair prices for their goods.

What’s special about the materials you use? And your production methods?

Our denim is up-cycled. Basically, we collect new waste materials from the denim factories in Guatemala, and transform it back into threads; we then use the up-cycled threads to make new woven and knit fabrics. This saves a tremendous amount of water in the manufacturing process compared to traditional new fabrics.

We consider ourselves a slow fashion company, meaning, each piece is done in small quantities as needed. We don’t have a factory, I like to think of it more as a sewing shop, and much like a seamstress or tailor shop would be here in the USA. We buy raw materials from ISO certified factories (ISO 9000), and we are always mindful of the environmental impact of our production methods.

What has made you the most proud of what you’re doing?

Being able to empower our employees to believe in themselves and their worth; and second would be, knowing that we are providing our customers with products that make them feel good while making conscious fashion choices.

Do you plan to expand the line? What’s next for Mikoleón?

For now, we just want to educate consumers about the beauty of natural fibers, up-cycling, and the negative impact on our environment and the real cost of fast fashion.

When you are all caught up on work, what do you love to do?

I love a cup of chai tea, sitting on my back porch and staring at our beautiful Rocky Mountains, reminding myself how lucky I am for the chance to love my little tribe!

***

Thank you Cony! Readers you can find Mikoleón’s online shop here and follow them on Instagram @mikoleonkids

Mikoleon wants to giveaway a $100 gift card and a Nena & Co Mini Clutch to one of my readers! …Details below

Example of a Nena & Co Mini Clutch shown above **If you are curious about Nena & Co, you can read about them here

Sen calls his Mikoleon shoes his “Adventure Boots” — according to him the side pocket is meant to hold treasures collected while adventuring, I’m pretty sure he’s got that one right!

To enter the giveaway, visit my Instagram account (rules are explained there too) and make sure to:

Follow @mikoleonkids
Follow me @hippieindisguise
Like and comment on the giveaway photo to confirm your entry
For extra entries: Tag friends in the comments. Please separate each friend into a different comment so that it is easier for me to make the ballots No limit to number of friends tagged.
For an extra entry: Sign up for Mikoleón’s mailing list (and BONUS you’ll get a 20% off coupon sent to your inbox!)

Contest closes Sunday May 1st, 2016 at 3:00 pm NYC standard time and is open worldwide. The winner will be announced on Instagram on Sunday May 1st after 4:00 pm. Good luck friends!

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Shop Love: Rowdy Roddy Vintage

December 14, 2015Leave a comment

Back in October I shared an interview with Taralyn, the owner of Little Heirloom, an online shop based in Canada, as the first in a little series of my favourite shops around the world stocking sustainable goods. So, today, I have the second: an interview with the lovely Jolyne Colburn owner and curator of the fun online (and brick and mortar too!) shop Rowdy Roddy Vintage. RRV, as she likes to call it, specializes in vintage and organic clothing for children. Jolyne’s hobby of vintage hunting led her to open Rowdy Roddy Vintage. She loves searching for unique prints and hand knits, and thought it would be fun to do so for others.

Tell me a little bit about yourself. What is your background? What are you passionate about?

I was born in San Francisco, California and went to the College of Arts there for Graphic Design. I have always loved to paint, draw and read magazines, so I thought design was perfect for me. I have had the opportunity to work with some great companies and high fashion magazines in the past that taught me the ropes. And because of my love of art, I have always loved to travel and see new things. I try to travel as much as I can with my son Roddy too, as other cultures supply so much knowledge in addition to our own. One summer we stay in Europe, the other, America, and the next in the jungles of Costa Rica…

Now, living in Scotland, so many people ask me “Why are you here and not in California?!” Well, long story short I married a Scotsman and here I am. Yes, there are not as many sunny days here, but I do love it. It is filled with castles, beautiful scenery, and sheep (I love sheep)… The people are so lovely and I have so much amazing history at my fingertips. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss California! But there is a sense of peace here that I don’t get anywhere else. Maybe it’s because I don’t know as many people here, but the shop has created a wealth of friends, similar to family, for me.

The things that I am passionate about besides my business and family would have to be my love for cooking, traveling and my need for the softest fabrics known to man. I love a good dreamy linen or organic knit…

How many children do you have and how would you describe them?

I have one child, Roddy (4yrs), and one on the way in the spring. Roddy’s full name is Rodrigo, named after my uncle. My family is Costa Rican, so my husband and I wanted a name that would embrace both is Latino and Scottish cultures. With this spicy blood combo, boy is he a wee firecracker! But the best kind really, he is my best pal, so funny, so loving and clever. Every day he is surprises me. What is your favourite thing to do as a family?

My husband is a drummer and is away A LOT. So I would say when we can all be in the same place at the same time is my favourite thing. Whether that’s if we meet him on the road or he comes home and we ignore that he is jetlagged, just being together is the best thing in the world. What did you want to be when you were a child?

As far back as I can remember I always liked to be involved in art in some way. Whether it was drawing, painting or sculpting I wanted to be doing it.

Did your career aspirations change once you had a child?

A little, but just a little. I told my dad that I wanted to go to Art School for painting and he said “no way.” As much as that infuriated the teenager in me, I am glad that he forced me to choose another field at school. I knew I loved design as well and it was a good fit, and while I was there I could squeeze in some painting classes too. Win Win. The tools that I learned as a graphic designer were indispensable and great for the coming years. I still use them daily with RRV (Rowdy Roddy Vintage), whether its for a new shirt, our website or an email mailer. So, I’m not sure If I have said this, but thanks Dad!

What is Rowdy Roddy Vintage and why did you decide to start your own business?

My love for vintage is what inspired me to open RRV. I found it very difficult to find good vintage for babies and kids in the UK. So with my over active addiction to collect vintage, I had found a purpose! Being from the bay area and a wee bit of a hippie at heart, it fuelled my love for vintage as well. Wearing vintage keeps clothes out of landfills and helps the planet. We also support our community with our Buy Sell Trade scheme, where we pay you to recycle!
We are always trying to find new ways to keep our kiddos lookin’ good and help the earth at the same time!

What inspired your shop’s name?

We started the business when my son Roddy was just 7 months old, and we thought it was a perfect fit for his personality… Wee Rowdy Roddy…

How do you choose the brands and clothing you carry?

I started my business with just vintage items that I would bring from California. Not long after opening and from the growth of my shop to a bigger location and our popularity in Glasgow, we introduced Lapin & me, a vintage inspired company that we thought was a perfect fit. After that we went from strength to strength and added Beau Loves, Mini Rodini, Bobo Choses, Finger in the Nose, Noe & Zoe, to name a few. We choose these independent brands because they fit well with our ethos. Whether they are organic, recycle or made locally and in small batches, we take all these little things in to consideration.

What are your dreams for your shop and for motherhood?

As everyone who owns a business, I just want it to be successful. So much hard work goes into owning a business that you just hope for the best. I do have to say that I am very happy with what we have accomplished in the past years and I am lucky to have the great support of my staff, family, and lovely customers. I feel like I’m a winner already.

Now for motherhood, that is another story! It is a learning process that never ends. It is amazing to watch your child grow and try and teach them to be the best wee human they can be. Most of the time it is not easy, but it is always rewarding. I know the most interesting is yet to come with another on the way. When you are all caught up on work what do you love to do?

I don’t think I have ever been all caught up! I am always trying to think of new ways to promote the business, so it is a never ending thing on my mind. Wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep stuff. But when I really try and have a day off, I love to try new recipes and maybe attempt to knit, although I never have enough time to finish the project! Hopefully one day I can again, because I do love it so…

Thank you Jolyne! Friends and readers you can find Rowdy Roddy Vintage’s online store here, and you can also follow Jolyne on Instagram @rowdyroddyvintage.

You can also find an interview I did for Rowdy Roddy almost a year ago here.

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Released: The Ro Dress

November 3, 201516 Comments

It’s here! The dress Ro and I designed with Mimobee! It’s hard to believe that what started as an idea back in June, arrived in the mail last Friday, and is available for pre-sale today! Surreal, to say the least.

If you are new around here, Ro and I were invited to collaborate with Mimobee for their collaborative capsule collection this fall (you can read about the process here). A few Instagrammers and Bloggers were invited to design a piece that represented their aesthetic. The final collection includes our boho inspired look, a street-inspired blazer, a minimalist dress, and a conceptual shirt.

Ro and I always have ideas for garments we’d love to bring to life, but never thought a serious brand would come asking. So when Mimobee asked, we didn’t hesitate, even though we were pretty scared that our lack of any technical skills might sink the ship! We figured hard work could take us pretty far. However, we never imagined that our collaboration with Mimobee would be fun, so much fun! Being involved from start to finish we learned so much, and Ro is already starting to put together ideas for her next piece. Should she get asked again…But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

For our dress, we wanted to design a garment that was elegant, comfortable and functional. Something that we would want to wear everyday, but was still dressy enough for an occasion. We also wanted to make something that could celebrate all shapes, with the drawstring waist and sleeves, the dress is unfussy so it can grow or shrink as needed. Finally, in the interest of slow fashion, we wanted to ensure our design would be relevant beyond this season, by incorporating some classic design elements.

We hope you love the dress as much as we do! If you do, you can buy it here.

Important details:

The dress is available for pre-sale ONLY for the next two weeks (sales close Sunday, November 15th). The dresses will then be sewn and shipped by early December.
All aspects of production take place in California, in the same space where Mimobee owners, Tom and Helen, work and where all the designing happens, the sewers are paid fair wages and work in excellent conditions. It’s a Mimobee family.
The dress is sewn from 100% organic cotton and dyed using eco-friendly dyeing methods.
The dress is available in size 2 to 16. That’s right mamas, some of you will fit into that size 14 or 16, so get one for yourself!
In addition, 10% of sales will go directly to the Jane Goodall Institute, a charity close to Ro’s heart. The Jane Goodall Institute works to preserve great apes and to improve global understanding of conservation issues to safeguard the planet for all living things. (For the last two years, Ro has chosen to raise funds for the Jane Goodall Institute in place of birthday gifts. After getting a little package in the mail with the name, photo and story of the chimp she is helping, she told me she couldn’t imagine ever wanting gifts. Giving a gift on your birthday is way more fun!) You might remember that we raised money for the World Wildlife Fund when we collaborated with Gardner & the Gang.

If you’d like a chance to win a dress, follow my blog by email, WordPress or Bloglovin and leave me a comment letting me know that you did. If you are already following, just let me know in a comment that you’d like to be entered in the draw. I will be giving away two dresses, so you have two chances to win! Visit my Instagram account to find out another way to win a dress.

Thank you to the Mimobee team for being so amazing to work with. Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas and gave feedback on earlier designs. And thank you, in advance, for buying a dress and supporting the Jane Goodall Institute and a young designer’s dream. Find the dress here.

[UPDATE: Congratulations Piper and Poppies, who entered on the other blog post here, your name was drawn for the dress! Please send me an email to claim your prize]

Ro’s moccasins are from Canadian brand Manitobah and are available in a range of colours, in both children’s and women’s sizing. You can find them here.

Mimolab Collaboration

July 8, 20156 Comments

This past Monday, Mimobee, a children’s clothing line from California, launched its new experimental wing, MimoLab. Before I get into the details of the MimoLab, first a little about Mimobee. Mimobee designs simple, stylish clothing for kids (with the occasional matching mama piece!). They create clothing that lets children’s personalities shine through and express themselves, rather than being pre-empted by sequins and loud prints. Mimobee’s designs are guided by the principle that less is more. You know that is music to my ears!

Mimobee’s MimoLab is a collaborative design studio. MimoLab will be as busy as a bee. They have three projects in the works already. The first is a monthly Limited Edition Design that will be released for pre-order at the beginning of each month. Keep reading and you’ll find a 20% discount code for this month’s release. July’s design is a drapey tank available in both children and mama sizes and is available for pre-order until Sunday and then it’s gone for good. Find it here.

The second project you can follow under the hashtag #MimoLabLA. This is where anyone can submit design concepts for consideration by the Mimobee team. If they love it they will put it into production. Maybe there is something high end that you’d like a better price point?

The third project is design collaborations. Entries under the #MimoLabLA that really shine will be invited to collaborate on a garment to sell through MimoLab. A portion of the sales will go to you and a portion to a charity of your choice.

MimoLab invited Ro and I to collaborate on a ‘Hippie in Disguise’ garment for their fall Collaborative Capsule Collection. This collection will feature design collaborations with Instagrammers and bloggers with a diverse range of styles and aesthetics and will be available for pre-order in October. A portion (10%) of the sales will be donated to a charity of our choice (we haven’t decided which one yet).

Ro and I immediately knew we wanted to do a long, flowing dress, something with good movement and little drama. We got busy on Pinterest, pinning ideas for the design.

Hippie in Disguise Mimobee Mood Pin Board

Then we worked with Helen, Mimobee’s head designer, to develop the first sketches.

Here’s where it gets fun: we are looking for your feedback on the design. We are in the early stages of designing the garment and want to know what you like? Colours? Drapes? Sleeve details? Leave a comment here or on Instagram, or find me on Pinterest ‘Hippie in Disguise’ and send me some pins. Please let me know what you think!

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Discount code for 20% off the July Limited Edition piece: hippieindisguise

You can follow the design process and contribute yourself by following MimoLab on Instagram and learn more about Mimobee on Instagram and Twitter.

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In their Element with boy+girl

May 27, 20155 Comments

I am honoured to have collaborated with boy+girl this season to celebrate their lovely line of sustainable clothing for girls and boys. boy+girl asked me to capture photos of the children “in their element.” I interpreted this to be when the children are most themselves, most happy, most enjoying life. Some children are in their element when they are in the kitchen baking treats for their family, when they are curled up on the sofa with a book, or when they are building Lego masterpieces. Well, my children seem to be the happiest, the most free and creative, full of zest for life and adventure, and thirsty with curiosity when they are out in the elements. Our recent visit to the Montreal Botanical Gardens proved to be an ideal place to capture them in their element: in the elements – at least earth, water and wind.

I love hearing people’s stories and what inspires them, so I’m pleased to share an interview with Christine, the designer of boy+girl. In the interview, Christine talks about her family, cultural and work background, as well as her sources of inspiration for clothing design, the ethics of boy+girl production and what’s new for next season. I hope you are inspired by her ideas and perspective. { Gallery of images below }

Tell me a little bit about yourself, the person behind boy+girl. What is your background?

I grew up in Northern California in a very tight knit family. My mom was/is the ultimate artist/creative, she made everything from scratch from all our meals to curtains to clothes. She encouraged and inspired me to be creative from the time I was little, so I was always drawing or painting, cooking and baking, lots of hours at the dance studio… that is how I grew up so I always very drawn to a creative path.

How would you describe boy+girl in 5 words?

free-spirited. minimalist. pure. clean. california.

boy+girl, the brand name, is simple and yet intriguing. Why did you choose this name for your brand? What does it mean to you?

It came very naturally to me. I wanted something simple and understated and classic. I think it means a lot of things but I like how it describes very purely what we all are.

How did you get started designing clothing?

I started 4 years ago when I started boy+girl. I had never designed before, but I knew what I liked and I love materials.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

My dream was to be a dancer or a designer.

What are your sources of inspiration for the line?

For the boy, I am definitely drawn to my West Coast roots, that skater surfer California little guy. For her, I like things a little more bohemian, simple yet fresh and always feminine. For both I am drawn to styles that are really comfortable, natural, free.

Craftsmanship and sustainability are important to you. How do you translate these into your designs and their production?

We put a lot of effort into the craftsmanship. I am really proud to work with amazingly skilled people – from our fabric mills, to our dyers, to our cutters and sewers. They are the true experts and I don’t pretend to know more than they do. I am very hands on in the process. In terms of sustainability we try to do a lot of different things. I think for companies and individuals it’s about examining everyday decisions with an environmental point of view. Our hangtags are printed on recycled paper with soy based ink. We source organic cotton. We produce locally. There are little things and big things that you can do to increase the sustainability of your business.

boy+girl clothing is sewn in LA. Why did you choose to work with a local factory/sewers? What is your relationship with them?

Two reasons: one is sustainability, you create less carbon footprint when you work locally. And, secondly, I grew up in a very community-focused culture – you want to be connected and contribute to the area in which you live. Working locally provides jobs to amazing artisans in our area. Our sewers are true artists, I ask them a ton of questions and rely heavily on their work for a beautiful product. I pop in all the time, pretty much every single day when we are in production. I look at samples, and we go over what’s working and what isn’t. And they know I love to eat so they always try to feed me!

What has made you the most proud of what you’re doing?

The line is so personal, the work is so personal. It has been really nice just to have people react positively and have beautiful stores and lovely customers support what you do. I appreciate that every day.

So far, you have only designed one piece for women. Have you designed clothing for yourself?

I haven’t but at some point I’d like to!

Do you plan to expand the line? What’s next for boy+girl?

Fall is the launch of our baby line. A lot of people have been asking for baby styles since we start at age 2, so that was really fun and exciting to do. There are so endless projects and things I’d like to do so I’m just going where the wind blows.

When you are all caught up on work, what do you love to do?

I love cooking, going to the beach, walking flea markets. Being with the people you care about in the California sunshine is always nice. And I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a bit this year which has been really amazing. Hopefully there will be more travel in my future, I love going to new places and taking in the culture!

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Spoiler: Keep scrolling, you might find a discount code…

boy+girl has generously offered my readers a discount code worth 15% off all new arrivals. Use ‘HIPPIE15’ for purchases through their online shop.

Find boy+girl on Instagram @byboyandgirl

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Hippies on Nordstrom

May 1, 20151 Comment

As Mother’s Day approaches, Nordstrom is publishing a series of interviews with moms on what motherhood means to them and what they’ve got on their Mother’s Day wish list. When Nordstrom initially emailed me I assumed they had the wrong person or had accidentally sent a bulk email. Oops. But no, after I had a few conversations with the lovely Nordstrom Blogs team, I realized that they wanted to represent a range of moms and perspectives in the interviews. The series does have one common thread and it has something to do with children’s art…I will leave you with that teaser, in the hopes that skip over to the blog and have read.

Thank you, Nordstrom, for including me in your mix! I love an opportunity to talk about my thoughts on fashion and acquisition, and, of course, my kids and their art! Link to my interview here.

Magic Feathers

April 29, 201512 Comments

Last September Kristin, the owner and designer behind the kids organic clothing line, Gardner and the Gang, decided to hold a children’s art competition. Children were encouraged to submit drawings under the theme for her SS15 collection: Magic and Rock ‘n’ Roll. The winning drawing, chosen through open voting, would be incorporated into the SS15 collection.

I loved the spirit behind Kristin’s competition, encouraging children to draw and supporting young artists to pursue their passion. I talked to Ro about it and she decided to submit her Magic Feathers drawing that she had drawn as part of her daily drawing project. The drawing itself had been inspired by a photograph that Kirsten Rickert had shared on Instagram. Isn’t it lovely the way the Instagram community knits itself together, connecting people across vast distances in these beautiful ways?

Initially, Kristin had planned on donating the profits of the shirt sales to support access for children to art lessons – a very worthy investment I would have to say. The value of art education should not be underestimated. When Ro wrote to Kristin about her inspiration for the drawing and her passion for protecting animals, Kristin decided to invest the money in another way: to protect endangered animals. This is what both Ro and I are most excited about, the shirts are symbolic of a greater cause and will hopefully inspire conversations between parents and children about animal protection.

This morning on the way to school I told Ro that her shirt design was for sale on the Gardner and the Gang website. She replied: “Mom, I’m just so happy that I drew that picture, because so many animals will be saved.” My heart is so proud.

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I have an inquiring mind and so I asked Kristin a few questions about herself, the competition and her clothing line. And, now, I can see why she was swayed by Ro’s love for all animals.

Why did you hold a children’s art competition?

I thought it was a nice idea to involve the people I design for and make it a fun happening. If we can help encourage children to use their artistic talent then that is a good thing and such a good feeling too.

What is the plan for the money earned from sales of the Magic Feathers shirt?

We will donate all the revenue from the sales to a cause chosen by Ro. In this case we will adopt endangered animals through WWF (the World Wildlife Fund).

What is your background, where did you grow up, what did you study?

I am from Sweden, I grew up in the countryside close to animals and nature. I have studied media communication, visual communication, photography and graphic design. My degree is in Visual communication.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

I had all sorts of dreams, but the main one was to have a huge farm. However, I have always been terribly allergic to furry animals, so that is a bit of an obstacle, and the fact that even if I am a country girl at heart, I am also an adventurer and I love the pulse of a big city. I get totally mesmerised by New York City. Like seriously, goose bumps constantly whenever I visit. I will live there some day, at least for a little while.

How did you get started designing clothing?

It all started with me having my first baby girl, Ava. With a background in graphic design and a strong fashion interest, these are what made it all start to move forward.

How would you describe Gardner and the Gang clothing in 5 words?

Quirky, fashion, meaningful, fun, comfortable.

Why does Gardner and the Gang mean? What’s behind the name?

It is named after my daughter Ava, she is named after Ava Gardner. I loved her strong personality and her story . The gang is all the other kids that want in.

What are your sources of inspiration for the line?

I always get inspired in the most unexpected places. A thread through all my designs would be a wish to convey a message to all kids: Do not live with prejudice, open your mind to new cultures, you will learn something. Even if the message is not so obvious I always draw characters that are somewhat outsiders, strong personalities. The message is simple, be yourself: that is as cool as it gets!

What has made you the most proud of what you’re doing?

The fact that children really seem to like wearing my designs.

Your design aesthetic seems perfect for a fun youth line. Do you plan to expand the line?

Yes, slowly but surely.

When you are all caught up on work, what do you love to do?

I love to do yoga, and to go running with some good tunes in my earphones. Clears my mind. These occasions are very rare though, haha, my life is mostly, kids, work, sleep…

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Thank you so much to Kristin for supporting young artists and the World Wildlife Fund.

If you are interested in buying a shirt visit Gardner and the Gang, the shirts are limited edition!

Hippie in Disguise

slow living, minimalism and connection with nature

Category: fashion