MarketPlace: Handwork of India

The other day I was contacted by a company called MarketPlace: Handwork of India with the offer to review one of their products.  I had never heard of this company so I did a little research and they�re pretty amazing.  They are a nonprofit Alternative Trade and Development Organization that works with 480 women artisans around Mumbai, India, to produce clothing and home d�cor items showcasing authentic techniques such as hand batik, ikat and hand embroidery.

The women work in supportive, non-exploitative work environments in the form of 14 cooperatives around Mumbai, which the women organize and manage.  And, addition to the much needed employment, MarketPlace works in conjunction with another nonprofit organization in Mumbai, SHARE, to provide social programs to the artisans.  And the women in turn use their own social program, Social Action, to get involved in their communities, tackling everything from garbage collection to domestic abuse.  

So, yeah, pretty amazing.

And so are the items they produce.  Like the Majuli Tunic:

Here is a close-up of the hand printed pattern and the hand embroidery at the yoke:

I don�t wear a lot of purple, but I love the dusty plum of the tunic.  And I love that the embroidery inspired me to pair the tunic with a mustard scarf:

Really, what's not to love about a company that empowers women and inspires the wearing of mustard?!  That's right, nothing.

To share in the love and learn more about MarketPlace: Handwork of India, please visit them here.

And have a Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Birdie Awesomeness

As an Oregonian, I am, of course, unable to resist anything that has a bird on it.  So this shirt?

Yeah, this shirt was destined to be mine.  Not only does it have birds on it, but it fits my long arms even though it�s not offered in �Tall�.  Those two qualities alone are reason enough to love this shirt.  But then you add the fact that it looks adorable layered under my apricot sweater and it is birdie awesomeness at its best.

In addition to the awesome bird button-down (Caslon via Nordstrom) and the apricot sweater (Worthington via Goodwill), I also wore flared jeans (Gap), camel wedges (Corso Como via Piperlime) and neon studs (Kate Spade NY via Nordstrom).  

 

Friend Ferge thinks the neon studs don�t make sense with this look.  She is wrong.

Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

Shop the look:

Exact Caslon button-down (other prints also available)

Similar neon studs (save, spend)

Similar Gap flares (Tall available)

Similar apricot sweater (here, here and here)

Similar camel wedges

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