eco chic


Margaret O’Leary sweaters

san francisco designers sweaters

pictured: Chelsea Pullover in spice stripe /

Margaret O’Leary is a fabulous local designer with a beautiful boutique on Fillmore in San Francisco. She came to San Francisco in 1989 from Ireland and instantly realized San Francisco had the perfect climate for sweaters! I mean, it is the city where Mark Twain declared “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Margaret O’Leary was on to something! She quickly began knitting, and by 1990 was selling sweaters to local boutiques and was soon picked up by Barney’s. Her company is still independently owned and operated, making it an amazing San Francisco design house. I even had the honor of meeting Margaret O’Leary herself while sweater shopping last week! She was amazing!

If you have not stopped into her shop on Fillmore, what are you waiting for? The boutique is filled with beautiful sweaters ethically made as well as party attire, scarves, and ethically sourced handbags and shoes. Love!

I instantly fell in love with this Chelsea sweater in spice stripe. I have also added to my wish list this grey and white version called “marble” and pictured below.

quiet luxury sweaters san francisco margaret oleary

pictured: Chelsea pullover in marble /

Isn’t it fabulous? I am in love! There were more sweaters to fall in love in with as well. I loved the beautiful hues in blue, green, and purple. There is a lot to love at Margaret O’Leary! If you are local, definitely pop into her shop! You can find her boutique locations online at MargaretOLeary.com and you can also shop her beautiful collection online too! Love that!

So, I ended up taking home this beautiful Chelsea pullover in spice stripe. Isn’t it fabulous? It will look amazing with jeans and casual skirts, as well as casual pants. Love!

margaret oleary sweaters san francisco

Try-on: Chelsea pullover in spice stripe (This is what I took home) / tweed jacket in background / holiday nail polish / jeans / hoops /

Of course, I did shop around with my mom! She took home a sweater too! I can’t believe I didn’t snap a photo of her in it! Stay tuned, next time I see her I will snap a photo of her wearing it and share it with you. She bought the sweater pictured below in spice. It is named the Molly pullover. You can find it online here. Apologies for the grainy photo of us, I used my iPhone instead of my camera.

Margaret O’Leary’s designs are all investment pieces, so when you invest in one, you know it will be part of your wardrobe for years and years. Love! Timeless style is where it’s at! Her sweaters will also make fabulous gifts this holiday season, so be sure to check out one of her boutiques or her online shop. Love it!

You can learn more at MargaretOLeary.com.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

*I was gifted a sweater by Margaret O’Leary, all thoughts and opinions are my own. My mom loved the collection so much, she purchased a sweater.

quiet luxury sweaters margaret oleary san francisco

An exercise in being sustainable

neutral outfit ideas

wearing: earrings / sunglasses / summer sweater (sold out, similar here) / summer nail polish / silver bracelet / black belt / neutral jeans (sold out, similar here) / black handbag / espadrilles /

What is being sustainable when it comes to fashion? It is a popular buzzword we hear often when people talk about manufacturing, farming, energy production, etc. While it has a lot to do with the production of goods and services, it is also related to how we, as consumers, actually consume.

Think about things you have purchased in the past, which ended up hanging in your closet unworn. Have you ever pulled something from the back of your closet only to find the tags still hanging on it? Yeah, we have all been there. There is no shame in making a mistake with a purchase, we are human, and have items in our closets we only wear once, if at all. This can be helped.

Back in the 1990s I used to buy something because I loved it, but I didn’t really think about where and when I would wear that item. So, you know the story. Said item would hang, unworn, in my closet. I had to put a stop to my habit. I worked really hard to not only think about where and when I would wear something before buying it, but how long would that item last? Was it good quality? Would it last past one season? Was the style timeless? If it was overly trendy, I would put it back on the shelf. I found myself saving a lot of money, and I created a much smaller wardrobe which was more sustainable over time. That is the ultimate goal.

When internet shopping entered the chat, I was thrilled! It really is an easy way to curb spending and really think about something before purchasing it. I always put something I want in my shopping cart and then walk away from my computer. If I still want it the next day, and can justify the purchase, then great! If not, I delete it. I have found nine times out of ten, I delete what was sitting in my cart. Love that! In the 1990s, those items would have come home with me, and very rarely would they have been returned.

In addition to being careful when shopping, a sustainable closet also contains clothing and accessories which can be used over and over again. It is important to buy things which transcend trends and can be re-integrated into one’s wardrobe every season. This is why it is important to shop your closet every season before buying new items. You might find the color of the year or the perfect top from two years ago to update your jeans.

Of course, not everything we buy will be a timeless hit! Sometimes an item seems like it will integrate perfectly into our wardrobes, and other times it’s a bomb. This is when we need to sell or donate the items so that they can have a new life and make another Fashionista happy. Unless an item is heavily damaged and beyond repair, it should not be thrown in the garbage. We don’t need to fill our landfills with our old clothing and accessories. If it can be worn again, it should go to new a home, if it can be upcycled, it should go to someone who upcycles and creates new items. This is being sustainable in reference to our wardrobes.

I am going to start an exercise in being sustainable here on the blog. If I am a consumer for anything, it is handbags! I am quick to admit, I own too many. My justification is that I have two daughters and my handbags will go to them when they are older. That being said, I do sell the bags I no longer wear, so they do find a new home and life after me.

For this exercise in being sustainable, I am going to change how I post about my handbag capsule. Instead of featuring my newest bags in a seasonal capsule, I am going to start featuring my bags on rotation each month and include one from the archives. Instead of a five-year-old handbag sitting in my closet, I am going to pull out an unused bag and put it into rotation each month to show how investments are supposed to be used! haha I need to use my investments! I challenge you to do the same. Pull out a different bag each month and integrate it into your wardrobe each month. Let’s work on being more sustainable together.

Thanks for stopping by, and when we all shop for fall, take inventory of your closet first, then make a list, and lastly, shop for what you need. We can all build a timeless and sustainable wardrobe together.

XOXO

Cathy


Mulberry Amberley review in small

mulberry amberley small review

pictured: Mulberry Soft Amberley small /

How pretty is this Mulberry Amberley handbag! I am in love! Mulberry has been on my wish list for years, but I always seem to bypass it for other bags. I think I know in the back of my mind that Mulberry is timeless, and since their styles are classic and always available, I have not felt the urgency to purchase the bag of my dreams. Yes, I have a long list of “bags of my dreams,” but I digress. . .

The Amberley by Mulberry is a beautiful and timeless shoulder bag which can also be worn as a cross body bag. It is a casual handbag which can be worn as a daily handbag. Mulberry always has neutral and black in stock, and they also offer seasonal colors. If you choose a neutral, black, or seasonal color, you cannot go wrong with a Mulberry Amberley handbag, it is a classic bag!

I chose the Amberley soft version in black with silver hardware. The leather is thick, soft, and incredibly durable. This is a well-made bag which I find to be an incredible deal for the price! There are handbags on the market which are priced at double, triple, and more than Mulberry’s collection yet they don’t offer the beautiful craftsmanship and extremely high-quality leather as Mulberry.

In addition to quality and craftsmanship, Mulberry is eco-chic! Love that! Mulberry is committed to sustainability. They even have a manifesto on their website! Love! As we move more into conscious buying decisions, supporting luxury brands such as Mulberry is an important shopping decision.

If you are an investment shopper like me, Mulberry is also a fabulous brand to learn more about. Mulberry’s handbags are made to last, so the Mulberry Amberley will remain a style produced by Mulberry for quite some time. You can safely choose a neutral, black or seasonal color and always look timeless. This is a great wardrobe investment. Love that!

The Mulberry Amberley I chose is size small. While there are larger sizes available, the small is perfect for my daily handbag essentials. I can fit my wallet, phone, lipstick, keys, and a travel size package of Kleenex. The turn lock closure is easy to get in and out of, plus it makes the bag feel secure.

The strap can be worn cross body or over the shoulder. I have been wearing it both ways depending upon my mood, or activity. I find the strap to be comfortable and it stays put on my shoulder. Love that!

I have fallen in love with my first Mulberry bag! My wish list has expanded to include more handbags by Mulberry, and I plan to prioritize more Mulberry purchases in the future. They have so many beautiful styles which are functional and timeless. The perfect investment bags!

Shop the Mulberry Amberley handbag online:

If you have been eyeing the Mulberry Amberley handbag, I highly recommend buying one! I am thrilled with my purchase, and I look forward to investing in more Mulberry!

Side note: if you are following the so-called “quiet luxury” trend, Mulberry is a fabulous brand to invest in. You can be “on trend” while also ending up with a timeless handbag which will transcend whatever the next big trend in handbags will be that hits the streets! That’s win/win! Love that!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

mulberry amberley review size small soft amberly