Peacekeeper Truth Serum Blog

It’s the end of June, and that means that it’s smoldering here in NYC!  Whether you’re in 90-degree weather like us here at PeaceKeeper, or you’re in a somewhat more forgiving climate, you can increase the temperature with the sizzle of a hot new outfit!
To match the heat of the weather (and the current trends), fashionistas everywhere are indulging their bolder sides with creative, vintage-inspired prints with just enough edge to keep it trendy—perfectly showcased in the latest collections by Boxing Kitten!

This New York based fashion label uses 100% cotton fabrics with vibrant African wax block prints, making each garment totally unique. The pieces are woven by founder and designer Maya A. Lake (pictured at top), a Brooklyn native, and have been worn by superstars like Beyonce,  Erykah Badu, and Alicia Keys. “Her current collection is driven by the political and cultural climate of the Civil Rights Movement,” states Boxing Kitten’s website. “Each garment fuses bold print combinations with charmingly demure patterns and flawless construction”.

Recently, Boxing Kitten has instigated a socially conscious team-up with New York’s Osborn Design, a fair-trade shoe company run by Carla Venticinque-Osborn and Aaron Osborn.  Osborn Design, in the spirit of sustainability creates all of their shoes with African Kente cloth, recycled clothing, and hand-woven Guatemalan fabric.  Their inspiration draws “from human relationships, the vibrancy of life within its conflict and resolve, and artisanal grit.”

Boxing Kitten x Osborn Design Limited Edition Handmade Shoe

Even better?  The heel on this gorgeous, 100% handmade shoe is made from recycled tires!  Now That’s Beautiful!™

Only fifty shoes have been produced in this limited edition line, and even at $180 a pair, they are sure to go fast!  So hurry and get yourself one!  And while you’re at it, check out Boxing Kitten and Osborn Design for some bold, Summer-tastic fashion inspiration, too!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editors:  Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.  All images and quotes courtesy boxingkitten.com and osborndesign.com.)

A few weeks ago, we here at PeaceKeeper stumbled upon what we can safely say is the most gorgeous jewelry line in the entire world:  Erin Jane Designs.

Erin Jane, a Minnesota native, has been designing jewelry since 2006 from her headquarters in Seattle.  “My design philosophy,” she writes on her website, “is to create pieces that beautifully balance simplicity and femininity with a modern aesthetic.”

Jane designs and makes her gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces by hand, and only uses high-quality materials; sterling silver, natural stone, and 14-karat gold.  In the spirit of sustainability, she uses recycled metals from eco-friendly refiner Hoover & Strong, as well as recycled packaging.

“I create each design with unique combination of colors, textures, and metals,” writes Jane, “ while at the same time retaining simplicity.”

Unfortunately, Erin Jane doesn’t retail in Manhattan—but you can buy her jewelry online!  Check out her website at erinjanedesigns.com; she’s constantly updating the site and offers custom designs for special occasions.  Additionally, you can click on any of the above pictures to buy (unfortunately, the blue stone necklace is sold out, but you can request a custom piece like it at her site!)

The items we showed here are only the tip of the iceberg, so what are you waiting for?  Go check her out! And when you do, come back and leave us a comment telling us what you thought!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Renee Estey.  Editors: Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.  All pictures courtesy erinjanedesigns.com.)

“Many times children can’t attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don’t have shoes, they don’t go to school. If they don’t receive an education, they don’t have the opportunity to realize their potential.”

That’s why entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie decided to start TOMS Shoes, the most comfy and most charitable shoe craze to sweep the nation.  Every time you purchase a pair of TOMS shoes, the company gives a new pair of shoes to a child in need!

Besides the classic slip-on flat, TOMS offers wrap boots, sneakers, and an assortment of ‘wedding styles’, and they offer a number of vegan options for the sustainably-minded.  But this Summer, their popularity can only skyrocket with their take on the iconic feminine summer shoe—the Wedge.

Touted by the website as “the first heels with heart”, the Wedge is available in a multitude of colors and made out of breathable, foot-friendly canvas.  And with its boho-chic jute rope accents and adorable peep-toe, this shoe can be easily dressed down for a day on the boardwalk or classed up for those hot summer nights.

You can buy these new Summer treasures online (only $69!) at TOMS.com or at any one of the retail locations in New York and Brooklyn. They can be found in places such as Kaight, Zoe, Urban Zen, and Whole Foods (for further listings, check out their store locator!).  And when you finally slip these comfy beauties on your feet, you can walk taller knowing that your purchase gave one child an education and helped protect their tender tootsies from harsh roads and nasty bugs.

Already own a pair?  Love ‘em?  Leave a comment below!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Renee Estey.  Editors: Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn. All images courtesy www.toms.com.)

Father’s Day is here!  From  all of us at Peacekeeper, we wish all fathers (and even mothers, sisters and brothers) a wonderful and peaceful Father’s Day!

Are you taking your Dad out to celebrate?  If so, whether it’s to a sports game or a museum, out for  burgers or filet mignon, or even beer or champagne, it’s important that your Dad looks his best for his special day!

For all of the Dads out there (new or old), shoes provide comfort, but they also make a statement.  Instead of your Dad slouching around in his old Nikes, why not get him a comfortable, casual, shoe that he’ll love for the rest of his life?  Better yet, why not get him a comfortable, casual, sustainable shoe that he’ll love for the rest of his life?

Look no further than the 100% African-sourced and made SAWA shoe, which launched in March. For only $85 (a small price for a handmade sneaker!), your Dad will look fashionable and fashion-forward anywhere you take him—and you’ll be donating to the African economy in the process. ” Now That’s Beautiful!”

Of course, if your dad’s a little more formal, another popular item is the good ol’ necktie.  Pierrepont Hicks makes beautiful, whimsical ties, so when he goes out to a nice restaurant for dinner (on the kids, of course!), Dad will be the standout guest of the evening!

Have any other great ideas for Dad? Tell us about your Dad’s Day Plans!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editors:  Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.  Pictures courtesy sawashoes.com, pierreponthicks.com, and barrydean.wordpress.com

There is a name that keeps popping up everywhere I turn and that name is Samantha Pleet (pictured above). At the tender age of 27, this New York designer has been on the up-and-up since her debut in the fall of 2006; her eco-friendly fashion sense has gotten her the peachy job of stylist to hot indie bands like Au Revoir Simone, Chairlift,
The Pains of Being Pure of Heart, and Apache Beat.

Samantha Pleet's 'Poppy' bathing suit, featured in Teen Vogue.

She’s well-known for her fashion collaborations, like her ‘Rapscallion’ line for Urban Outfitters and a sustainable men’s fashion line called Patrick Pleet. (Her collaborator on the latter?  Her husband, Patrick McGovern.  How cute is that?)

Rapscallion by Samantha Pleet Romper, part of her collaboration with Urban Outfitters.

The Samantha Pleet HQ is in Brooklyn, but her designs are available in several boutiques around Manhattan, including a showroom at the Parlor Showroom (7 Mercer St),  Honey in the Rough, Eva New York, and Kaight NYC .  You can also check out her website, www.samanthapleet.com!

Samanth Pleet Boat Dress, available at the above boutiques or at www.samanthapleet.com.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editors:  Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.  Images courtesy samanthapleet.com and hipsterchic.com.)

As the weather heats up, the beach is the place to be—but before you dive in, you have to get yourself a new suit (skinny-dipping is soo out, you know).  In the spirit of going green for Summer, why not get yourself an eco-friendly bikini?

Born in Britain and based in New York, Katharine Hamnett is an environmental crusader.  This Summer, in collaboration with YOOXYGEN, the eco-icon launched her “Save the Sea” capsule collection on June 1.

The collection is made up of 14 beach pieces – suits, cover ups, tees, totes, and towels- all featuring the slogan “Save the Sea.” The pieces were inspired by the bombshell beach fashion of the 1950s, like the itsy-bitsy teeny weeny polka-dot bikini pictured below:

This is hardly Hamnett’s first foray into sustainable fashion; in 1989, she launched her “Clean Up or Die” collection in response to the despicable practices involved in mass manufacturing.  This time around, she is campaigning ‘Save the Sea’ to increase environmental awareness; “ the sea we love is dying,” she writes.  “It’s important as consumers and people with the power to vote to be aware of the facts so we can do whatever is possible to save it.”

Not convinced yet?  A percentage of the profits will fund Fashioning a Better Future, a charity that funds farmers in West Africa!

Saving the Sea and Saving West African Farmers, all while looking retro-glam—now that’s a great way to spend a day at the beach!  To buy the collection, visit YOOXYGEN’s online store.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editors:  Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.  All photos courtesy yoox.com).

Linda Loudermilk is a name to know—and not just because it’s a really awesome name!

A visionary designer of eco-couture, she’s been called “The Vivienne Westwood of eco-fashion” (ELLE Magazine) and listed on W’s “Top 20 Innovators to Watch”—not to mention her infamous moniker, “The Soul Stylist”!

Loudermilk’s website describes her design mission:

“to ignite expressiveness, encourage clarity in the choices of [our] daily life and, through awareness, bring about gratitude of this planet, our home.”

With a motto like that, why wouldn’t you want to buy her clothes?  Especially when the clothes are as gorgeous as these:

Selections from Linda Loudermilk Spring 2010. Photo courtesy geteconow.com

Can you tell these beautiful, sexy clothes were made from bamboo and soya?  Neither can we.

For Loudermilk, change—particularly in the way we treat our environment—is the only path to a better future.  Nowhere is this vision so aptly demonstrated than in her line of jewelry:

Slowly but surely, we’re becoming more and more conscious of how to lead eco-friendly and sustainable lives, from the foods we eat to the electronics we use, and even the clothing we wear (like Lara Miller or Eco-Chic Swedish Fashion!).  Many modern parents out there are taking this idea of sustainability one step further; they want their children to lead healthy and eco-conscious lives as well.

For Carina Schott, natural parenting was a top priority—but difficult to find information on, especially once she moved from Manhattan to suburban Rhode Island.  So she started the website Nonchalant Mom, a source of information on all aspects of raising a ‘green family’—and a place for ‘natural parents’ to come together and share their own experiences.

The website is a fantastic source for all your eco-friendly needs—clothing (brands include Sweden’s Shampoodle and NY-based Lucky Wang, Matta, and Layla), home décor, toys, books, and even music!

It also provides a great online community center for families looking to live sustainably.  In its official blog, Carina shares great tips for family outings and vacations, recipes, and stories from other ‘green’ parents from around the world.  There’s even a section for the ‘Nonchalant Dads’ among us!

For any parent looking to raise their child the natural way, Nonchalant Mom is an indispensable resource.   Check it out (www.nonchalantmom.com) and tell PeaceKeeper what you think!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editors:  Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.)

We here at PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics would like to officially welcome you to the FIRST BLOG OF SUMMER!

And what’s “afoot” in NYC this Summer?  Why, SANDALS, of course!  Now is the time to show off those perfectly pedicured tootsies– and if you need help showing them off, why not try PeaceKeeper’s Mani-Pedi Prep Kit?

Go ahead, click to order.  We’ll wait.  You bought it?  Excited for all those great vegan nontoxic nail products, right?  Right!  Okay, back to the blog…

Sandals are the must-have summer accessory, and now, thanks to Simple Shoes, they’re a great way to live the green life!  Dedicated to making 100% sustainable products, Simple Shoes uses materials like organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, recycled carpet padding, and car tires (among other things) to make comfortable shoes that  make you feel gorgeous every time you take a step!

Here’s a taste of their latest collections:

How perfectly Summer-chic are these “TeeTOE” gladiator sandals?  And guess what–they’re VEGAN!  The straps are organic cotton and the sole is made from cork, latex, and recycled car tires!  If that’s not living green, we don’t know what is.

These “Tantan” sandals are made of leather from an eco-certified tannery–and since Simple Shoes believes in fair labor practices, they’re worth buying over those Forever 21 sweatshop-made ‘pleather’ sandals you’ve been eyeing (it’s cool, we all have!)

Simple Shoes makes fantastic bags too!  This “Combover” messenger is made from organic cotton (VEGAN!) and has all the pockets you will ever need–including a seriously cushioned one for your laptop.

To see more of Simple Shoes’ products or to locate the store nearest you, visit their website at www.simpleshoes.com.

Happy Summer, and Happy Shopping!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Renee Estey.  Editors:  Jessica Smith and Eva Kuhn.  To learn more about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics and our products, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com .)