Image courtesy of Vedran Lanc

Well, the festive season seems to happen earlier each year. I always find a shopping outfit the trickiest of beasts. Here in the UK warmth is of great importance, but going in and out of well-heated stores can result in steamy unpleasantness. Thin layers, teamed with easily removable scarves are the way to go, and I opted for a thin thermal vest under a black fitted cashmere jersey, tucked into high-waisted skinny jeans and my faithful caramel flat calf leather boots. Rather than a bulk coat, which can impinge your ability to squeeze by the rotund lady in her 50s who spotted that must-have Hermes scarf moments before you did, a couple of well-placed scarves, mixing silk against the skin with a rough knit wool over the top, allows warmth and maneuverability.

Gifts purchased, work done, I’ve had ample time this month to catch up with friends. It was my dear friend LB that got me thinking over green tea and nostalgic music from our youth one evening as we got to talking about love. LB’s recent romantic disappointments have left her despondent, and we discussed where we thought we’d be as we headed towards 30. This generation, more so than any other, seem to be settling later, opting for career advancement over procreation, world travel over wedded bliss. But are we happy? Is this almost petulant independence creating true fulfillment? Financial freedom is certainly empowering, but from my experience many young women still crave the affectionate dependence that a relationship tenders. Having both, it seems, is the dream of most 20-somethings. But is it possible in a world where dedication and commitment are more regularly associated with job loyalty than love? In a world where world travel is so often a part of a vocation, working long hours, weekends and holidays are part and parcel of “making it,” is there really room for a mutually fulfilling and satisfying relationship?

Later in the month, I had the chilly experience of attending an outdoor Winter Wonderland-themed fashion show (necessitating a gigantic fur hat and floor-length plum coat with thick black patent leather cinch belt). Spending the evening with one of the freelance photographers I regularly cover events with, RH, talk of a recent job offer had the topic of success once again rearing its uncomfortable head. She had been offered the opportunity to work in the Far East for a while, much to her boyfriend’s dismay. Having been together for three years, co-habited for two, their relationship was plodding along quite satisfactorily. But since when has satisfactory ever been adequate? These days, dizzying, dangerously delicious love has become the baseline to which all else is measured. Comfortable partnerships are quickly dismissed as boring or unfulfilling. But this hasn’t always been the case. In a world of profligate and decadent consumerism, women expect fireworks, and anything else has us impatient and complaining. I wonder if this will make us happy in the long run.

Until next time, stay beauty-full, ladies!

career, Carrie Barclay, fulfillment, holiday season, love, shopping, uk Hide

We all know that driving SUVs and smoking cigarettes are harmful to the earth, but how many of us pass over that $20 party dress at H&M to save the environment? A cloud of black exhaust doesn’t hover over the hanger and a thin wisp of smoke doesn’t trail behind after you’ve slipped it on, but that cute little number leaves a not-so-pretty pollution footprint all the way to your closet.

For starters, let’s talk fiber. With the consumer demand for cheap, fashionable clothing on the rise, man-made fabric is once again being manufactured so the fashion industry can keep up with the latest trends at affordable prices. Polyester — the most widely used fake fiber — is made from petroleum and the process uses a lot of energy while requiring crude oil. Many textile manufacturing plants produce mass amounts of harmful emissions into the air. The by-products of production include acid gases and other virulent compounds which seep into the ground surrounding facilities and make their way into water. Workers at these plants are required to wear protective gear and sometimes end up suffering from respiratory complications.

Cotton is okay though, right? It’s natural and softer than polyester at least. Cotton may not require the manufacturing synthetic fabric does, but it certainly contributes to the deterioration of the environment. The growth of the cotton crop depends heavily on pesticides, which are sprayed into the air, contaminate the soil and not only kill insects attacking cotton plants but also non-threatening bugs beneficial to the earth. When the cotton is ready to harvest, herbicides are applied to make picking easier, exposing manual laborers to toxins that increase the risk of cancers as well as respiratory and neurological disorders. The wind carries all of these toxins to the trees and water affecting surrounding wildlife and the natural ecosystem. In the United States alone, non-organic cotton crops account for a quarter of all the pesticide used. In developing countries, where regulations on pesticides are even less strict, spraying cotton plants and other crops is often more toxic.

Fiber is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how clothing manufacturing affects the world. International outsourcing of labor to ensure lower prices in stores accounts for abusive working conditions across the globe. It also requires transcontinental shipments of goods, widening the environmental footprint of manufacturing.

Designer styles are practically disposable today — especially for women — but before you trade that Andrew Jackson for a one-time-wear outfit, consider the consequences of its creation. Swapping apparel, shopping consignment and mending clothes looks even more appealing now — thanks to the state of the economy and for the sake of the planet.

photo by taryn domingos

acid gases, clothes, cotton, emissions, environment, fiber, green, H&M, pesticides, polyester, shopping, suv, toxins Hide

It’s hard times in Moneyville, ladies, and you know how I know this? Because I accidentally threw away my brand new mascara in the kitchen trash and rather than replace it with a brand, spanking new one, I went diving in after it. Sifting through old milk cartons, egg shells, and coffee grinds, I finally found my CoverGirl eye wand awaiting her rescue. Let’s be honest, six bucks goes a long way these days; it’s a Starbucks date on you, a promotional foot long at Subway, daytime valet, an hour and a half long distance call to Brazil, a medium Cold Stone ice cream with a single topping, or half of a Papa John’s pizza split between you and your best friend.

Here’s the deal, we’re in a financial crisis and it’s time we buckle down and get serious about our spending. Speaking of, I was recently the “plus one” to the premiere of Confessions of a Shopaholic and was pleasantly surprised by the glossy chick flick. Our leading lady, Isla Fisher, is hysterical and the storyline actually had some relevant advice for young women today: Get in control of your finances! Admittedly, something I am desperately working on!

I will never forget talking to a business graduate from Harvard, explaining to her how passionate I was about “empowering girls/women and how I just wanted them all to feel beautiful.” Her candid and rather trite response was, “That’s great, but if you’re not teaching them how to be financially independent, then you’re crippling them because it doesn’t matter how ‘pretty they feel’ if they can’t pay their bills.”

She had a valid point. From that moment forward, I knew that I wanted to build a company that was not just a “warm and fuzzy, feel pretty” company, but one that gave tangible tools to better equip women for what life might throw them. And if you want to see what is important to you, if you want to know where your priorities lie, check out your bank statement. Where you spend your money is a direct correlation to what matters the most to you.

For instance, while I wouldn’t throw down three hundred dollars for a new purse, I have no problem dropping a grand on a plane ticket to Tibet; because, for me, I simply cannot put a price tag on an adventure. Similar with experiences, I’d much rather pay for a dinner out with my friends as opposed to a new pair of shoes. Obviously what motivates my spending habits are adventures, new experiences and opportunities to hang out with the people I love.

So whether it’s shoes, clothes, food, entertainment, international tickets abroad, gym membership, art, school tuition, etc., you can quickly learn a lot about yourself. Who needs horoscopes, astrology or palm readings? Your bank statement will tell you more about who you are than all the fortune telling combined.

As for the current economy, figure out what are the “musts” and what things you can go without for a bit. Whether it’s fishing out your yoke covered mascara from the bottom of the trashcan or just being more conscious of your random credit card swipes, keep your purse buckled a little bit tighter, practice your restraint and together we’ll sail through this economic hiccup.

economy, finances, isla fisher, money, shopping Hide

Obviously, the girls we have been working with the past week come from some of the most difficult, unfathomable circumstances: poverty, abuse, neglect, diseases on levels I’ve been spared to see up until this point in my life. However, when a child is accepted to one of the six schools at CCF, they are given room and board in a beautiful facility, three meals a day (plus snacks), endless clean drinking water, one of the best educations in Cambodia, priceless English lessons, new school uniforms, vital vaccines and access to around the clock medicine and doctors.

CCF is to these kids what The Chocolate Factory was to Charlie; only the everlasting gobstopper comes in the form of a brilliant education and the endless chocolate river, a limitless future. One of the perks, along with the obvious, is that each student, once a year receives a new outfit and a fun filled day that would make the wealthiest kids on Christmas envious.

We had the honor of using some of the money we raised to take eight girls on their annual shopping spree. We hopped in the car and headed to the main mall in Cambodia with the youngest of the girls, who had never crossed the threshold of such a goody-filled fantasy land. Her eyes lit up as we walked into the multiple story, mega-complex and it was hysterical to see her little body jolt at the sight of an escalator, like the gods had just handed her supernatural abilities to transport herself from one location to another. She stepped on and looked to me, confused how I could be so nonchalant on such a super shuttle.

We walked into the first store and straight out of Pretty Woman, I beckoned the women over to take “very” good care of our precious girls. For the first time, I understood why our parents spoil us, because I had no problem shelling out money at the site of these little girls’ twirling around in pink dresses that they had only seen in old, ripped-up, magazines among the other debris littering the landfill.

What a transformation, we walked out with eight bonfire princesses and headed to the Mecca of Cambodian pizza. From the outside, we looked like any of the other wealthy, private school outings, until the food came. We ordered more food than a frat party watching football could eat: chicken wings, french fries, several large pizzas and an endless pitcher of coke. You wouldn’t know it by their tiny, misleading frames but these girls can eat three times their weight in food. By the end of the meal, there was a plate full of chicken bones, several empty cups and every plate was shiny, as though licked clean (literally).

Our part three to this trilogy was an ice cream stop two floors below us and, to my dismay, the extra stomach girls claim to have with respect to ice cream reigns true in Cambodia as well. Our girls each got a huge bowl of their favorite ice cream and our day was coming to an end until their excitement exponentially exceeded the four story mall ceiling when they witnessed for the first time ever, balloons.

We bought them the bright air pillow of their choice and came waltzing out of the mall full-bellied, double-fisting ice cream bites, interrupted with rigorous balloon inspection. I don’t care what culture you are from, what country you call home, your class, ethnicity, religion or education level, girls will be girls. There are few things in life as rewarding as a day at the mall with pizza and ice cream except maybe vicariously experiencing it through little Cambodian girls whose appreciation transmission has an addition three gears.

And the best part: the ENTIRE day cost me less than 100 dollars. There were ten girls (including Emily and myself), eight new dresses, lunch, ice cream and balloons for everyone. There is not a thing in the world I could have bought myself that would have brought me as much joy as showering those girls with a shopping spree of love. Officially the best 100 bucks I’ve ever spent.

cambodia, cambodian children's fund, shopping Hide

Listen up, I’m going to break things down for you. It’s days before Christmas and like a fool you’ve left your shopping until the last minute. Forget relaxing strolls as you window shop for the perfect gift—you’ve now cast your lot with the panicked masses and you better be prepared to get a little down and dirty.

To complicate your life Wall Street, Main Street, and all those presidential buzzwords have gone and put a giant hole in your wallet. Your credit is maxed out thanks to those crazy gas prices last summer, and suddenly those 20% tips you got at work have gone out of style. You don’t have the time for a thoughtful shopping list, yet parting with your money for an obscure and useless trinket is somewhere on the pain-o-meter between bikini waxing and stomach pumping.

Just as you’re struggling with yourself, trying to justify buying a CD that’s $18.99 in a store when you know you could download it on iTunes for half the price, you look around and realize this problem is actually two-fold.  Thanks to Mr. Downward-Turn-in-the-Global-Economy, most shopkeepers are desperate for your business. Everything you’ve ever wanted is on sale. Danger, this is a trap!

Your budget is slim enough as is; you must resist the urge to snap up that ridiculous deal on the boots you’ve been eying all season. Thou shalt not buy-one-get-one-half-off at Victoria’s Secret. Remember, you’re supposed to be focusing on your loved ones during this special time of year…oh lord, do you smell those Cinnabons?

Focus, people, focus! If you’re like me and the siren call of $10 dresses at H&M is too much for you to bear, here’s a little secret: wear an outfit that is difficult to get in and out of. Personally I would go along the lines of long underwear and one of those sweatshirts that always kills your hair when you take off, or some good lace up boots will definitely make you think twice before trying on those jeans.

Alright, so now you’ve pried yourself away from the clearance rack at Anthropologie. You find yourself wandering in Macy’s with two hundred other befuddled shoppers wondering why they’re always pushing tweezers sets in the men’s department at Christmas. I don’t know a single man who uses tweezers and I don’t think your dad has been secretly wishing for a snappy travel bag to store them in. But time is ticking and they’re 50% off. You pause to imagine the look on your dad’s face when he opens them. You pause to imagine the look on your dad’s face when you don’t give him anything. You examine them closer. Suddenly the bikini-wax sensation is back, magnified as you consider how this piece of crap takes you further away from those boots you wanted…

It’s time to face the music. You waited too long; you can’t be picky now. Your mom is getting a lawn ornament for Christmas and she better like it. Go stand in line for 30 minutes and think about what you’ve done.

photos by jame tworow, peter hilton

christmas shopping, gifts, holidays, procrastination, shopping Hide

I’m a firm believer in shopping alone. There’s a sense of freedom and control that permeates when I peruse the aisles of my favorite boutique. But there comes a time when I need an outside opinion on what’s cool and stylish. Instead of turning to a friend, I go to my mother for her point of view, and I’m not alone. More and more, young women are shopping with their moms. These young women are the new luxury lovers and the ultimate consumers of the twenty-first century. They’re being called “the millennials,” and they’re responsible for shaping contemporary style and design.

The Millennials are the generation born between 1980 and 2000, and they tend to have a more optimistic attitude toward high-end, high-quality goods and products. These offspring of the baby-boomers want it all, and they want it now. This cohort feels entitled to the luxurious material goods that middle class society has fostered. Those who aren’t born into wealth are willing to work hard to sport high end fashion, luxury accessories and tricked out cars.

The relationship between millennials and boomers is a unique one. According to the marketing company Resource Interactive, members of the millennial generation are closer to their parents than are members of any previous generation. It’s not uncommon for millennials to text their parents, vacation together, and inform each other on what to buy. I know I’m not alone when I say that I send my mom pictures via cell phone just to get her opinion on an outfit. Millennials confide in their parents and vice versa.

Advertisers have caught on to the fact that our generation utilizes technology to become knowledgeable consumers, and ceaselessly bombard us, influencing our spending habits. They’re figuring out ways to influence not only the shopper, but the credit-card holder (aka the parental units) as well.

Designers and luxury executives around the world are doing whatever they can to appeal to this generation and their parents. Next time you see your friend texting on their Blackberry, sporting some Ray Ban shades and the new Juicy sweat suit, you might not only question their taste, but also if it’s their bff they’re texting, or if they’re asking their parents for a money transfer to their MasterCard.

consumer, designer, gen y, luxury, mastercard, millennials, shopping Hide