new year, new resolutions

I hope you all had a great time ringing in 2011!  I had a very low-key night with new friends, fresh guacamole, bilingual conversations, sparkling wine, and indie Pandora stations.  I'm behind on uploading photos from last year but I do have this set for today.

scarf: my mom's, jeans: thrifted, Buffalo Exchange, boots: gift, bag: giveaway win from Keely,
This was taken in downtown Walla Walla.  It's the wall of a new restaurant called Graze were Chris and I had some delicious mozarella and basil paninis washed down with some cucumber soda.  Mmm. 



I'm so thrilled to embark on another year of documenting life and style here on Lizzypunch.  As I reflect on 2010 and look forward to 2011 I want to write down some intentions for my blogging and shopping choices.  These 4 resolutions are already running through my head every time I go out shopping and I want to embed them even more into my way of life this year.

i. buy less
I started doing this last year as a way to save money and I feel I have made significant progress in not going into stores and buying as much as a can for what I can afford.  Instead I want to focus on items I would really use and perhaps invest more in them.  

ii. avoid chains
I learned last year to vote with my wallet following the Target controversy.  I don't want to support big business and no matter how cute the latest designer collaboration or trends are it is isn't worth it to me to support the ideas of those I disagree with.  Chain stores also are able to provide such low prices because their items are made cheaply at the expense of unfairly compensated adults and children in sweatshops.  Walmart, Target, UO, Forever21, and others are out in my book because of these reasons.  I'll do more research on other companies but for now it's best to avoid as many of them as possible so I can get my facts straight.

iii. thrift
When I do have a desire for something new in my wardrobe I'll turn to thrifting.  I don't avoid the above mentioned brands when buying used since it does not profit the company and as long as I don't do any free advertising by listing what brand the thrifted item was, I figure I don't do as much harm.   Perhaps this is a loophole but without exceptions I think I'll find it difficult to continue with my resolve.  Someday I'll be able to buy new ethical and green clothing but for now I need to work within my budget.

iv. made in the US
I am aware that sweatshops exist in the US but by combining the avoidance of big name brands I think there is a fairer chance that my clothes were made ethically.  For example, my sister wanted to get me some ModCloth items for Christmas so I scoured the site for US made clothes, luckily there were a few options to choose from.  The tops have an unknown label on them and say made in the US and since ModCloth works with a lot of independent designer that make limited quantities for a costlier price they aren't likely making a profit off of cheap labor.  I can't be sure and I can't vouch that the fabric was made ethically, but it's a step.

How will these resolutions affect Lizzypunch?
This year I continue to only label items that were gifts, thrifted, DIYed, or from ethical brands.  I still have many old items from some of the prohibited stores I'm avoiding now but it doesn't make sense to get rid of everything and start anew.  I think the most important thing about style blogs is the inspiration you get from seeing people in new combinations.  I rarely see a look that I want to completely copy with the exact items, rather I try to recreate the look with pieces I already own.  However, if you are every dying to know where something was bought that I haven't listed you are welcome to ask in the comments or e-mail me but it will likely be from previous seasons.

I want to focus on changes you can make if you're interested in the ethics of shopping choices buy featuring more spotlights on thrifting, eco-friendly DIY projects, and beginning my search of ethical stores. I'll also share some of the books or articles that I'm using to learn more about ethical shopping.

Lastly, I hope to make Lizzypunch a resource for you.  I'm working on a re-design of the blog and pages that will provide easier access to posts such as this one.  I'll also be compiling a list of stores or brands that fall under my avoid or support categories.  As I've been pondering these changes and searching the world wide web, I have found it extremely difficult to find answers.  Hopefully, Lizzypunch can be a small beginning to answering those questions.

Thanks a million to all of you dear followers that keep me motivated to try new things and continue blogging.  I hope you'll be inspired and that you're 2011 shapes out to be fantastic!

{here's to new beginnings!}