Green Cinderella: proof that shoes can change your life

Smile and Take 40% off with Glee coupon

Song of the Day: Smile by Lily Allen, as sung by Glee kids

It's been a strange past month in NY. I never really wanted to live here, particularly in the winter. Fall was GREAT. But now that fall is essentially over, its been harder for me to find the positive, happy, glowing kind of vibe that was so easily cultivated in San Diego. Getting dark at 4:30 just isn't cool, nor is having to wear socks. (And coats, scarves, gloves, and, God forbid, a hat!) But I can't change my environment quite yet, so I have no choice but to change my attitude.

It hasn't been easy, but I'm really lucky to have some great people and activities to lean on. In addition to truly enjoying living with Lauren's wonderful family, there are 2 things that always, always get me in a good mood: yoga and watching Glee. If you haven't seen it, start from the beginning and just go with it. Its silly, heartwarming, fun and inspiring. Its been a long time since I got this into a show that wasn't cynical or twisted. (Well, its a little twisted, but in a sweet way.)

So to celebrate something so silly, heartwarming, fun and inspiring - we're offering 40% for the month of December! Its a perfect time to pick up some party shoes for New Years or start thinking about cute sandals for the winter vacation!

Just use coupon code "Glee" upon check out - and have a wonderful holiday season!

A great day in NY- ran into some Glee cast members at Bryant Park!

The Ugly Truth

Song of the day: Violet by Hole

I spend most of my time trying to radiate positive energy. And having a socially conscious business with very grateful customers often puts both Lauren and I in a peaceful, polly-ana-ish mood that is reflected in our designs. Our design esthetic is definitely ethereal and feminine. Part of this is driven by our personalities and part of this is in direct rejection of the masculine or sensible styles that many people expect to find in eco-friendly, vegan shoes. And in our marketing, we tend to keep it light and reject any kind of “angry activist” message that is sometimes associated with green or vegan causes. 

But despite all this goodness and light, sometimes I succumb to what can only be described as infantile rage. And although it’s historically made me uncomfortable (does not compute with Minnesota nice), I am starting to learn to channel it appropriately and see the value in anger… if it’s used to ignite change.

In truth, I rarely get angry with another person. Usually my anger is directed at myself for either not having enough patience & faith (being in a hurry is not a good idea when it comes to any kind of fashion manufacturing) or not having enough discipline (like the 5,436 calories I ingested at Lauren’s 4^th of July party. UGH.). Fortunately a good workout dissolves most of it and I can quickly make peace with myself. 

The kind of anger I am learning to deal with now is that larger anger at “society.” The underlying frustration that comes from being a woman in America- incredibly, undeniably lucky and yet still unsatisfied with the status quo and disturbed at the images dished out by pop culture. And it switches into both rage and sometimes helplessness when I think about the conditions faced by women in other countries. But that’s not useful, so in hopes of channeling this appropriately, I’m providing a small list of things we women (and men!) can do to help make society better for all of us. These issues range drastically in terms of gravity, but all the actions are focused on bringing women UP and supporting one another… while hopefully eliminating some of the anger and helplessness that affects many of us:

1)      Stop putting unreasonable demands for youth and beauty for women. Not only do men get more of a free pass when it comes to aging, but they are also often easier on us than we are. Don’t spend your time tearing apart other women (people usually do it to famous women, but sometimes its stretches into people you actually know) and commenting on how they need to lose weight, get botox, get some sun, etc. Focus on what’s beautiful about every woman you come across- famous or not, young or old… including yourself.

2)      I know many people find it a light escape, but I’d love to see a mass movement where people stop watching reality shows that encourage women to behave... well drunk and slutty. It’s a horrible message to be sending to girls- “you too can become famous by selling yourself out on TV!” While I know most people don’t take it all that seriously, the ubiquity of the ‘girl-who’s-famous-for-no-reason’ has got to go away. (I have to admit it would be tough to stop watching Talk Soup though. We’re all human. And Joel McHale rocks.)

3)      On a much more serious note, get educated about what’s happening to girls in other countries and do what you can to help. If you haven’t heard about the “sex tours” that take place in Asia and parts of Central America… well it’s about as bad as you might imagine. Here’s a few sites to get you started- and we are just getting started in seeing what we can do to help as well.

http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/learn/globalissues-stp

http://www.ecpat.net/EI/GetInvolve_speakout.asp

4)      Help another woman avoid above fate by donating to an organization such as:

a.       Women 4 Women

b.      The Girl Effect

 
And lastly, stop judging the women in your life for the choices they make. Whether it’s the choice to have kids or not, to stay home with them or work, to get married or not, whatever it is… stop judging… just support. We are way too hard on one another. Get angry, do something about it, and then go back to being your sweet/sassy/sexy self. Here’s some other songs to inspire you:

Right Through You

Don’t Let Me Get Me

Just a Girl

A Fashion Cleansing: Recycling your shoes and clothes

Song of the day: Waste by Phish

Despite the Phish song and the fact that we make shoes that are vegan, eco-friendly and sweatshop-free, the women of Charmone are no hippies. Not even close. So it bothers me that today as everyone is talking about waste, overindulgence and consumption, a lot of people are pointing fingers while others are feeling very guilty. Someone once told me that guilt was intended to prevent you from doing something that would hurt you or someone else- otherwise, it’s pretty worthless. So why feel guilty for doing something you love if it doesn’t harm anyone else? Unless you’ve forced your family into the poorhouse over your love of fashion, just relax… and recycle. Enjoy your new stilettos, wear them to death, and when you’re over them- send them off to Soles4Souls.
 
Soles4souls is a charity with the simple mission to impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes. I’ve known about them for awhile, but I was a little stuck at the idea of sending Charmone “dress” shoes to them – I thought they were too impractical for many of the countries they deal with. After talking with them, I learned that they accept ALL types of shoes and almost always find a home for them – including that odd single shoe that’s been hiding in the back of your closet!

And as for clothing, go through your closets at least twice per year and pull out everything that doesn’t fit (and never will), doesn’t look good (and never did) and that you really just don’t ever wear. Pack it up and get yourself to either Goodwill or Salvation Army before you change your mind! Don’t fall into the trap of “I paid so much for it, I really should try to sell it or give it to a friend” or the “well, it might come back in style/might fit again later/etc.” traps. Everyone makes fashion mistakes, let others benefit from yours. Don’t worry if an item is out of style or worn to death- both Goodwill and Salvation Army will even take the fabric and recycle it into dishrags or other needed items- there’s always a way to make a new life out of something! Cleaning out your closet is a great way to help others while also clearing both your physical and mental clutter- try it and see!

 

 

A Different Kind of Fashion Inspiration

Song of the Day: Magic from Xanadu

Last night I had the opportunity to re-watch the movie: What the Bleep Do We Know? 

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend this amazing look into Quantum Physics and the power of the mind. At one point the movie showcases the work of Masura Emoto, a Japanese scientist who found that water molecules became vibrant when placed on positive words and deformed when on negative words. The thinking goes that if we are 70% water, what would happen if we wore positive messages on our body?

Well a cool little company called ZENsei is trying to find out. I came across them late last summer when I bought the "Summer Dress"  pictured here,

largely because it looks fabulous with the Gingko flats and more pulled together for running errands than sweats (not that I would really wear sweats). What I didn’t notice until later was that there was a message on the inside of the dress that read:

Be Fearless.
Understand You Have the Strength and Power to Do
Whatever You Choose.

Now I tend to get really excited about dresses and may sometimes feel that I have a relationship with them, but this is the first time one talked to me! This was particularly cool because I was going through a bit of a rough time and I felt like this message was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. And now that it's summer again and life is getting more and more “interesting”, it’s once again the perfect dress at the perfect time.

For something more eco-friendly, check out this awesome hoodie made of organic cotton and lycra! 

And whatever you’re wearing, be aware of the subtle and no-so-subtle messages you take in every day. If they make you feel bad, stop listening to them. Life is too short, and, it could be the dress talking, but I do think You Have the Strength and Power to Do Whatever You Choose.

You have to believe we are magic.
Nothin' can stand in our way.
You have to believe we are magic.
Don't let your aim ever stray.

Faux is not a 4-letter word

Song of the day: Damn it feels good to be a gangsta by Ghetto Boys

So often we say something without really thinking about the meaning behind it, especially if it’s a commonly accepted assumption. I’m always struck when people balk at the price tag on a vegan item and say something like “its not even leather!” The logic goes that if its leather, it must be better, and therefore it can (and should) be expensive. I used to fall for this myself. And rightly so – there were (are?) plenty of faux leathers out there that just screamed cheap and plastic! Rest assured, this type of faux goes no where near our shoes.

Part of the reason we started Charmoné was to challenge the status quo. We wondered why no one was making vegan shoes that were attractive and high quality, and our first assumption was that it couldn’t be done. In fact, no one was doing it simply because no one wanted to challenge the perception that leather is a requirement for high quality. It’s so ingrained in the world of luxury that none of the big companies dared to challenge it. And I can’t blame them – why risk it? I’m not wagging my finger at leather, I’m just saying, let’s broaden our experience and challenge our assumptions.

But we knew there was a demand for vegan/eco-chic, and we also knew nothing of making shoes- which made it a whole lot easier to go in with an open mind and evaluate all the amazing textile options out there. The high tech microfibers we use in place of leather are often more expensive than leather simply because they wear better, they stand up to water better and they last longer. Four years into this and I’m still wearing our first samples – to death- and they are in excellent condition!

And that’s keepin’ it real.

21 worry-free days ahead

Song for the day: Three Little Birds- Bob Marley

♪♫ Don’t worry

‘Bout a thing

Cuz every little things

Gonna be alright

 
When I first found out I was laid off, my mind vacillated between 2 extreme modes of thought:

-          Exuberance: I can go to yoga in the middle of the day! I can go to the beach- RIGHT NOW! (and I did)

-          Fear: How am I going to pay my rent?

-          Exuberance: I can work on Charmone any time of day – from anywhere. I can go ANYWHERE. I am free!

-          Fear: How exactly am I going to pay for yoga? How am I going to pay for all the big plans I have? Does this mean I have to cancel cable? (btw, that is a yes)

Seeing the opportunity to slide into whatever extreme state I wanted, I made a decision. I will choose exuberance. I made a deal with myself that I will be positive, joyous, excited and happy and not allow an ounce of fear or panic to cross my mind- at least for the rest of this month. There’s something freeing about telling yourself that it’s okay to worry, but you’re just not going to worry RIGHT NOW. You’re putting worry on a shelf and recognizing that it's there, but it’s not part of you. Does that mean I'm going to spend all day at the beach chillin’? No, but I’m certainly going to spend some parts of some days doing just that. Every day I’m going to focus on what I can do that day to affect the outcome I desire- whether it’s making Charmoné more successful, or looking for work or consulting gigs. And once I’ve done all I can for that day, I’m going to play! I’m going to enjoy this time off like I’ve never been able to in the past, without fear or worry. Because I can worry in June, if I must, but I’m kind of thinking by then this whole no fear/no worry thing just might be a habit. Try it with me- who knows what we can all accomplish if we put worry on a shelf?

Ask and it is given

Song for today: Brand New Day by Joshua Radin

Yesterday I wished for more time to blog, and the universe promptly answered me – I got laid off from my day job. No, not from Charmoné - we are committed to this thing no matter what the pay - but from my day job as a Marketing Manager. Ssshh, don’t tell anyone I had a day job! Working while running a business is not easy, but it’s a choice I had to make last year when it became clear this awesome little operation just wasn’t going to pay my bills.

At first I felt like it was this dirty little secret- like I was somehow a fraud for ‘working for the man’ all day. I didn’t want anyone to think that I didn’t take Charmoné seriously or that the business was fading away. Taking a job was actually a preventative measure to ensure we didn’t have to compromise the integrity of the company in order to make money. I figured, I’ll make money elsewhere and then we can stay true to our values at Charmoné - not move production to China, not compromise the materials, etc. But still, from 8-5 every day, I felt like I was lying to myself and to anyone that I spoke with regarding Charmoné.

I know there are a lot of artists and designers caught in this conundrum, and the only advice I can give is to stay true to the intent of your business. If that means you have to suck it up and work for someone else, do it, there’s a TON of value in working outside. It takes the pressure off your business, allowing you the space to be creative. It also gives you some sense of grounding and normalcy, which isn’t always exciting but often important when you’re in this roller coaster of entrepreneurship. And the connections you make will be priceless. I was lucky enough to have a job with really supportive, wonderful and laid back people, but if you don’t have that, at least you can use the desire to break away from the day job as fuel to make your venture successful.

So what’s next? Stay tuned – I’m envisioning big sales, some new styles and new partnerships. For today, I’m grateful for the job I had, grateful to now be free, and ready for the next adventure!

By Jodi

Offering Gratitude for my Aussie Adventure

As I prepare to leave Australia after living here for 2 months, I wanted to send some ‘shout outs’ to the people and things I’ve enjoyed most while here. This has almost nothing to do with eco luxury shoes, fashion or green living, but someone told me there was more to life than all that.

Let me start by saying that living abroad was a lot tougher than expected. I tend to think of myself as adventurous. Not in the ‘climbing Mount Everest’ sort of way but at least in the ‘I’m going to start an eco shoe company and go to Italy without knowing any Italian or having any experience’ kind of way. I was so ready to try something new and embrace the experience. What surprised me most was the utter loneliness I felt- mainly due to the dramatic difference in time zone. I’m used to waking up in Europe and knowing I have several hours before the US is awake, but to have no one around to chat to after about noon my time was much more difficult. So the people I’m sending some love to now are those that helped me enjoy myself more, ease the loneliness and see the joy in living: 

- Lovers Electric: Great band from Adelaide - I saw them at a bar in Kings Cross our first weekend here. Awesome energy, beautiful lyrics, cutest couple ever- assuming they are a couple which I desperately want to be true- check them out!

- Power Living Yoga Center in Neutral bay- Wow- I was flying high after nearly every class here- 90 minutes of sweat, breathing and centering myself. Duncan, Keenan, Molly and Dave are great instructors! Can't wait to find somewhere similar in San Diego- I am hooked!

- Maisy’s Café in Neutral Bay- free wireless and the most delicious lemon spongey cake things a person could eat.

- Erika- thanks for being so much fun, joining me for fashion week and for the great Anzac day party!

- Judy, Judy, Halina and Peaches from my art class- thank you for taking me in, making me feel at home and enjoying all the wonderful coffee and lunch breaks!

- Anothony- what would we have done without you?? If this post gets through the cynic in you, I'll be truly grateful!

I hope this post inspires anyone reading it to think about what they are grateful for and take the time to recognize the important people in your life. Hopefully while wearing a killer pair of shoes, but hey, barefoot is good sometimes too.

Redefining "Shopping Local"

I have barely shopped since being in Australia. It’s been partly by design - I have no room in my suitcase. And they are selling fall when I’m about to go home to a nice long summer. And sadly, clothing here is really expensive. Repeat after me Americans: we do not pay that much for clothes. We do not pay that much for clothes. Between taxes, shipping and import costs, everything costs more here.

Despite all this, nothing makes me happier than a day of browsing cool shops. With a full-on cappuccino buzz and a free afternoon, I hit the Paddington neighborhood of Sydney with a ridiculous level of excitement and anticipation. I was not disappointed!

While Oxford Street gets all the press, my favorites were on the side streets, particularly Glenmore Road and Victoria Street. Here, “shopping local” isn’t just about buying local fresh produce- many of the clothing boutiques specialized in local design and production- proudly Made in Australia or New Zealand. This is a great way to find something unique, fair trade and more eco-friendly as there is less shipping involved. Two of my favorites:

- Sally Smith: Sydney local that uses beautiful fabrics that drape across the body just perfectly- check it out at www.sallysmith.com.au

- World Factory of Ideas and Experiments: a New Zealand company (how did I miss them in Auckland?) with super cool t-shirts, fun jackets and funky gifts. Very creative stuff. You can find them online at www.worldbrand.co.nz.

I’m planning to do more “local shopping” when I return to the States as well, something that has only become an option as a result of the weaker dollar. For Charmoné, it was less expensive for us to manufacture our Spring ’08 collection in LA than Italy- but only because the Euro was so high against the dollar. Clearly I would prefer a stronger dollar, but if you believe in making lemonade out of lemons, take this opportunity to seek out more US-made goods! Shoes, jeans and handbags can all be found Made in LA with excellent quality and design. I’ll do my best to keep you posted on the gems I find- in the meantime, please send us your favorite “made in the US” items and we’ll add them to the blog!