shak-shuka

Gobstoppingly Gorgeous Necklaces

Things are becoming increasingly busy over here at Shak-Shuka headquarters: think holiday rush, taxes, moving, child-raising....just to raise a few! Surely many of you identify, so I'll keep this post short and sweet so you too can get back to your "regular program".....

Gorgeously delicious. That is how we would describe the new collection from Kris' Color Stripes: necklaces features ruffles, double loops, and the famous "Mama+Me" necklace sets in new colors. We're thinking these are all perfect gift ideas for the holidays: the mama+me set for the girls, and the ladies necklaces for the lucky mamas. The only problem will be to decide what color? Just like a scrumptious candy, these necklaces could cause a rush of excitement and desire for more, more more!

Studio JUX your (eco) Wardrobe

It's really funny when your weekly blog posts seem to have a theme that you weren't even aware of - as if the posts start to take on a life of their own (fun and scary thought at the same time!). This week's subliminal theme is everything Dutch. But not the Netherlands that you are used to. I think that's really exciting (for me, since I live in the Netherlands!) and it goes with the slow food motto: keep it local. For us at least!

A very exciting breath of fresh air into the Dutch fashion design circuit, or at least for us "greenies" or ethical shoppers, is the brand Studio JUX. Exquisitiely cut garments for women, and surprise surprise gents - for you too! What I love most about this company, besides the fact that they use organic materials and fair trade labor, is that their clothing would fit right in in a high-end boutique and would not blaze "green/eco/hemp-y/organic". If you've ever got an organic item of clothing, you'll understand that is a rarity, even nowadays as so many designers are dipping their toes in the "green" water. One of my favorite items from their collection (available for purchase online at their own shop) is the Cute PET Jacket with a military-band collar and made from a mix of hemp and recycled polyester. I'm trying to resist the Dresses section, but for some reason that's where my finger always clicks first......one item at a time, and as Studio JUX says, "sex up your wardrobe with some eco fashion". Oh yes, thank you, I think I will!

Slovz-ely Boots

I'm probably not the only one who has fashion flashbacks. For instance, our friends at the Dutch blog Kleine Zaken recently wrote about Slovz boots, and when I saw them, it was like I got hit in the stomach by a wave of deja vu. I had seen these boots somewhere else a few months, or even years back, so it was wonderful to re-discover something old all over again.

Slovz are traditional Russian wool felt boots that keep your little tootsies warm, even in Russian-esque temperatures. Wow - that's some seriously toastiness! I remember the image that I had seen of the boots: a girl wearing a short corduroy a-line dress, thigh high thick socks and these boots. To-die-for fashionable. The boots somehow manage to marry a certain "ugly chic" with the function that a woman wants in a winter boot. Slovz come in a few classic colors, are customizable (you can cut them off to make them shorter if you want!) and the boots don't have a left or right foot, and the sizing is in centimeters based on your foot length - a totally unique concept! To make the boots even more desirable, there are "mini me" kids versions, which you just know mamas and kiddos are gonna be rockin' together. Little Miss and Mama Shak-Shuka will walk the streets in toasty warm Slovz style this winter!

Loop-d-Loop Scarves

Ever since we started Shak-Shuka, I've been obsessed with keeping the "mama" section accessible to all women - not just budding mamas-to-be (who we all know need special pampering!) but also the ladies and friends who visit our site to buy for little ones! We've even toyed (excuse the child-related pun) with the idea of calling it "women" or "ladies" section, but think that it fits the feel of our shop - everyone's a hot mama in our book!

So my obsession over the mama section has paid off as we have a wonderful addition from Itsus. Scarves - Loop Scarves which are a unique spin on the traditional scarf - Loop Scarves that are a circular tube rather than one straight scarf that you have to loop yourself (perfect for the scarf-wearing-challenged)! These scarves are great for winter when everyone is covered from chin to chest in scarves or in the warmer months when it morphs more into a necklace shape. I love the versatility of the scarf, and of course, it really caught our attention when we saw that it was made from super-soft organic cotton. As if it were a match made in eco heaven, Itsus' Loop Scarves have found a perfect home in our mama section, for all the future lucky eco ladies who visit Shak-Shuka!

Inner/Outer Scarf Warmth

It's officially chilly weather around here, and that means only one thing to me: keeping my neck covered at all times. For some reason, I could be in my underwear and a huge scarf and I would survive a long winter (ok, almost, but seems that way...). That leaves me longing for the perfect scarf each season, just like most women do searching for the perfect pair of jeans.

Currently I discovered this brand, called A Peace Treaty, who creates unbelievably beautiful scarves with an even more stunning story behind the creation of the garments. The scarves are made by widows in Afghanistan using ancient embroidery skills, and once the garment is completed, the woman embroiders her name and attaches a piece of her burqa symbolizing her liberation. A Peace Treaty has already assisted more than 200 women to provide economic support to themselves and their families. I personally cannot think of a more beautiful way to stay warm this winter (both inside and out), and even though the scarves are rather expensive, I personally think that they are more like works of art with a rich and deep history that will last for generations. I might have just found my perfect scarf my neck has been searching for all these years....

Swiss Lingerie Treasure

Since clearly this week I will spend reminiscing about all the great things we saw, ate, (bought) and did during our vacation, I thought I'd share another gem. I'm lucky that I've been able to travel enough, and know the origin of many of the brands that I buy, so that when/if I get lucky enough to pass through that country, I can stock up on the local products and avoid being gouged with the price hike at home.

One of my favorite things in Switzerland has to be Hanro lingerie. I was first introduced to this line about a decade or so ago (when I was 8 of course....) and have been a devoted fan ever since. Hanro uses only natural materials in their underwear and loungewear, and each piece is a classic style that will literally last for ages. I have all of the original pieces I bought that same decade ago! Although Hanro underwear isn't cheap, it's a serious investment and a million times superior to the "average" underwear. Plus I really believe that the items breathe really well, meaning I can actually wear the wool camisoles I have from them in the summer! Only thing to watch out for with Hanro is their sizing is a bit strange, so make sure you try before you buy. You won't regret it - consider it your own little Swiss treasure!

Spice Up the Eco Boudoir

Yesterday I stumbled upon a famous lingerie maker's website (think someone's "Secret"), and thought to myself that it's a shame that there isn't a sexy eco lingerie company who could give them a run for their money. The lingerie industry is full of cheap, un-ethically made garments that are made from equally toxic materials. Even though the pictures (and ok, models) on the shall-remain-nameless lingerie site may make you want everything on their site, I don't like the idea of waters being polluted or sweatshop conditions on my private parts......

Thankfully the UK brand Eco Boudoir has sexy-as-hell lingerie that definitely will put the fire back in your relationship (if only with yourself!). Made from only organic cottons and naturally harvested silk, these are some pieces that you will be making a sound, ethical investment in. Beautiful chemises, kimono robes, and naturally the balcony-esque bras and panties that are seriously drool-worthy. And it's only fitting that we mention a lingerie company seeing as Father's Day is this coming weekend, so maybe Eco Boudoir could be solving two birds with one stone? One for you, one for him, one for you, one for him......

Dress Me in Mo'Popomomo

I've been shopping for long enough, that I really shouldn't get that surprised or excited when I discover a new green label. I just can't contain my excitement, because I think I've been disappointed for so many years, rocking Birkenstock's and burlap-sack dresses that as soon as I see something that I really like that's organic or eco-friendly, I feel like a hyper dog spinning in circles.

That's where Popomomo comes in. I discovered them when their Spring-Summer line came out, and was smitten. Although the name sounds a bit funny (it stands for post post-modern movement which means gibberish to me) the collections are 100% serious and sexy to boot. Popomomo uses only organic and sustainable fabrics, low impact dyes, and all the garments are produced locally in LA. Well enough with their eco cred, let's move onto the clothes! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the one pieces: like the dresses, rompers, basically anything that allows me to get (un)dressed in a micro second. My favorite piece has to be the Garde Romper, with it's sexy open back and hemp/organic cotton material. Not sure if I have the body or the weather to rock it, Popomomo is firmly on my fashion radar, and I'm sure will be on yours too.

Boa(d) Over with Prints

Sometimes I feel like I've seen the full spectrum of organic women's fashion: recycled fleeces, plain organic t-shirts, hemp-style dresses. What I always find myself missing are prints. Normally I wouldn't categorize myself as a print kind of girl, but there's nothing more depressing than looking into your closet and only seeing monotone colors and no pops of patterns to mix it up.

Since most of the world's organic cotton comes from Turkey, it's only fitting that one of the most innovative organic clothing brands for women is Turkish! The brand, Boa Studio, totally satisfied my craving for something ethical as well as pattern-friendly. Run by a duo of truly green ladies, Boa Studio creates new collections each season (current collection is Mother Nature, Father Moon) representing different design themes. Even more refreshing is that the designs or patterns on the Boa Studio line (like an organic jumpsuit? gotta love it) are done by one of the designers themselves, so you know it's a true original. Better yet, very soon we'll be carrying their new and equally exciting Bamboo Collection which is also pattern and eco-friendly!

(Beyond) Simple Shoes

Clearly I am a bit shoe-obsessed at the moment. It seems like nearly every one of my Tuesday posts revolve around shoes. Oh well, if it ain't broke, you know what they say!

In actuality it makes sense that I'm shoe-obsessing, as May is official "closet swapping" time at our house. I rummage through all my winter clothes to see if there is anything that needs mending or donating, and then I put it all in boxes and switch it out for my spring/summer clothing. Yes, I am spoiled, and yes, I am super organized when it comes to my clothing. Although it's not warm enough to sport open-toed shoes yet, I have been seen rocking flats without socks which made me feel nearly naked!

It is however, warm enough for some people to bust out the flip flops and Birkenstock sandals. Don't get me wrong, Birkenstock's are some of the most comfortable shoe on the planet, but not always the hippest. So lately I've been looking for a pair of stylish, but yet comfortable sandals that will help me welcome in the warm weather. I don't know if they're in style, or if it's just me, but I L-O-V-E gladiator sandals. My old pair that I got in Greece (no joke, gladiator sandals from Greece!) are nearly falling apart so I need to find a new pair, and this time I'd like them to be more eco-friendly. Leave it to Simple shoes, one of the first companies to make eco-friendly kicks from hemp, organic cotton and recycled materials, to create a gladiator style (called the TanTan) that I would willingly fight for. Plus I know that Simple shoes are renowned not only for their eco-friendliness, but also for their comfort, making that one less battle my feet have to fight. So bring on the warm weather, I'm ready to go like a gladiator!