International Women's Day Fashion: Stunning, Hand-Crafted, and All About the Girls
It's easily to get a little emotional when scrolling through "International Women's Day" search results. Whether it's women fighting for climate change or just Beyoncé-themed "Who run the world?" tweets, there are so many good hearts out there — and not a lot of dry eyes at the moment.
The following brands are truly amazing. They support women in thousands of ways, from fighting girl-on-girl bullying to sending rural Guatemalan girls to school to providing at-risk women with employment. If you, like me, would really love to give your shopping habits an ethical makeover, these beautiful, hand-crafted pieces are a great way to start. *sniff*
Beaded bracelets
These delicate bracelets support women right here in America. Each one is hand-beaded by women released from Hudson County Jail, providing them with the training, skills, and employment necessary to rebuild their lives.
Benefit Bracelet Set, $50, samesky.com
A weekender bag
Krochet Kids, the brand behind this ridiculously hip bag, provides jobs, education, and mentorship to women in Peru and Uganda. Each product carries the signature of the women who made it.
The Pike, $99.95, krochetkids.org
A shirt from the guy's section
This one may be designed for the boys, but it’s too slouchy and cute not to pass on. It was made by women in Lima, Peru.
Pocket Henley, $35.95, krochetkids.org
Floral earrings
These springtime earrings were made from recycled paper, believe it or not, and hand-crafted by women in Uganda.
Blossom Dots, $26, 31bits.com
An anti-bullying sweatshirt
Every week, the startup Sevenly teams up with a different charity and sells limited edition T-shirts to support their cause. This week’s charity is the Kind Campaign, which works against the damaging culture of girl-on-girl bullying.
Be Kind Slouchy Sweatshirt, $48, sevenly.org
A crossbody bag
This amazing purse was made by Aj Quen, an association of artisan groups run by indigenous Mayan women who know their way around a beautiful Guatemalan print.
Ikat Crossbody Bag, $90, globalgoodspartners.org
Educational bracelets
Believe it or not, 16 of these bracelets provide one year of education to a rural Guatemalan girl. Buy one for your best friend, too.
Th(E) Bracelet, $10, globalgoodspartners.org
A cool tote
Not everyone knows this, but Invisible Children has a line of really stylish products called Mend, which are designed to empower women affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict.
Slingshot Cow Tote, $75, shop.invisiblechildren.com
A beautiful dress
Everything about this dress is fantastic: it’s made with repurposed remnant jersey, it empowers at-risk women in Phnom Penh to break the cycle of poverty, and, um, it’s gorgeous.
Grey Long Contrast Dress, $143, ravenandlily.com
