Empowering women is an important cause for me. A great company, MarketPlace Handwork of India, contacted me with an opportunity.
MarketPlace Handwork of India is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing economic opportunities for women artisans in India, and empowering them to bring about changes in their lives, the lives of their families, and their communities.
Since MarketPlace began in 1986, women who were formerly unemployed, “unemployable” or desperately underemployed have been building new lives around rewarding work, educational opportunities and social support. Over this period, MarketPlace has developed, refined and expanded its model of supported self-help, which involves the artisans directly at all levels of decision-making as they form and manage their own independent cooperatives.
I was blessed with the opportunity to try one of their beautiful creations. I chose this lovely Irla Dress in black and white, made by Nirmaan. It makes me feel good and special to wear a handcrafted garment. The picture below is the image from their website and how the dress was styled with leggings. I want to show you how I rocked this chic dress.
Irla Dress, Black, White
I wanted to style this dress in a way that would be uniquely me. So I folded the dress in front and added a thick black Anne Klein belt and Markon black wedges. It is the same dress; but with a totally different look.
Irla Dress w belt and black wedges
This look just clicked for work and the cotton is so soft.
I added a mulit-coloredpaper wood necklace and Aerosoles red wedges to add a pop of color. LOVE IT!
Irla Dress
I added my bordeaux Dooney and Bourke bag to finish the look. My doggie, Vinny has to always get in the picture.
Side view of dress
By adding the belt it made the dress have the appearance of dolman sleeves. Transforming this dress is such a chameleon effect. My doggie Gio making an appearance.
Perfect!
I truly had so much fun styling this dress. I have a few ideas up my sleeve for this dress in the future. Stay tuned!
Giveaway
I am collaborating with MarketPlace Handwork of India to offer my elegant readers the opportunity to win a $100 gift card to spend on their site. Please visit the MarketPlace Handwork of India website and leave a comment below on this post, on my blog, letting me know which item you like best. Please note, that this giveaway is only available to residents of the United States.
Please submit your comment by Sunday, April 15th and I will randomly choose the winner on Monday, April 16th.
I am so excited for you!
I would like to thank MarketPlace Handwork of India for the opportunity to learn about their great company and to be able to style such a beautiful handcrafted dress.
I am so honored to have my blog selected for this week’s Links a la Mode from the Independent Fashion Bloggers group.
A big shout out to Jackie Clark with the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance for writing such a wonderful and inspiring message to all the women who are battling cancer, to let them know that they can still look pretty and fashionable in spite of what is going on.
The turn of the season can trigger a serious need to purge, refresh and recharge our style. While the sun shines brighter and each day gets longer, our bloggers are finding fashion inspiration everywhere they look. From runways and designer collaborations to hip-hop and the Hunger Games. From gardens and fairy tales to rainbows and relics of beautiful starlets past, this week’s Links a la Mode is just a peek at what’s making bloggers tick this spring. Enjoy!
THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: MARCH 29TH
Arash Mazinani: 5 Things The Notorious B.I.G. Taught Me About Personal Style
All of us, in one way or another, have been effected by a loved one or a dear friend battling cancer. My mother passed away from cancer in 1994. My mother inspired me to dress the way I do because she truly was a stylish lady.
I have a guest post for you today by Jackie Clark, who does outreach for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Lovely ladies, we know that every woman wants to feel good about themselves. Jackie discusses how to stay positive and how to not to let cancer or anything get you down. Often I talk about fashion; but to me, it is more than just clothes. It’s how you feel inside. The clothes are an adornment that accentuates all the good qualities you already have inside. Please remember that having a good attitude is such a feeling of empowerment.
Whether you are battling cancer, feeling depressed or not having a good day; I have a verse for you. It is Joshua 1:9 (AMP) – which says, “Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Here are the words of wisdom from Jackie Clark ….
Whether it’s mesothelioma or leukemia, dealing with any type of cancer can be difficult and depressing for most women. Cancer weakens the immune system and depletes energy levels. Instead of going out with your friends at night, you just want to stay at home by yourself. Having cancer can also wash your skin out and make your hair fall out, which can make you feel very unattractive.
Even though cancer is a terrible disease to have, you shouldn’t let it get you down. You should stay positive and go out with your friends every once in awhile. You should also keep up with your appearance, so you feel beautiful and confident when you go out in public. In addition to wearing makeup and wearing a wig, you should also wear the latest fashions. For example, you can wear a halter dress when you go out on a date or a pair of skinny jeans when you go out with your girlfriends.
Wearing the latest fashions does not mean you have to spend a lot of money on designer brands. You can save a lot of money on your clothes by bargain shopping. Look in the sales ads to find out which days certain stores are having sales. If your favorite store’s sale day is Sunday, for example, you can save up to 50 percent on some clothing items that day. It will make you feel good to get so many clothes for a cheap price.
LRS look page http://www.qvc.com/
After you get a cancer treatment from your doctor, you will likely feel weak and tired. Give yourself a day to rest. Then, spend a day bargain shopping with a close friend or two. Shopping for clothes will make you feel much better after getting a treatment. Don’t hesitate to try some clothes on in the store and model them in front of your friends. Ask them which outfits look best on you. Then, choose the outfit that looks best on you and wear it out the same night.
Don’t let the disease keep you from wearing the latest fashions and looking your best. Let you inner beauty shine out with a cute new top or your favorite pair of skinny jeans. Remember that you are beautiful, despite your cancer diagnosis.
Side note from Jackie regarding her article:
I feel that the reality of cancer treatment whether it is chemotherapy, radiation or surgery is grueling. A woman going through cancer knows the pain and exhaustion of treatments. I purposefully keep the tone of these articles light spirited as to encourage women to feel strong and beautiful despite the challenges they are facing. I am not a doctor and my articles are merely to show women that cancer doesn’t have to define you. The article of course is exaggerated, but I do that on purpose. I know several cancer survivors personally and they have all come to me saying how they would take their last bit of energy and fix their hair or wear a lip gloss during treatments. One mesothelioma survivor would put diamond earrings in before each of her appointments.
My writing is intended to inspire women with cancer. They are by no means prescriptions or Things To Do once diagnosed. Each article should be read with a grain of salt because cancer varies, treatment varies, and women are all in different places in their lives. Some are survivors, some are recently diagnosed, and others are mothers or daughters. I hope that readers take the nuts and bolts of my writing which is feeling beautiful despite cancer and follow my tips and suggestions when able. Even if a woman is at her worst she can say just once even to herself ‘I am Beautiful.’ Saying this can truly help her through her next round of treatments. Beauty, Strength, and Confidence are all connected and for this reason I write to inspire women during their toughest challenges.
I really enjoy using Josie Maran’s products. I love that her line contains argan oil, natural and good for your skin. I bought the set that I am doing a vlog on from QVC.com as a Today’s Special. It’s a treat to buy beauty products from QVC.com because if for some reason you don’t like what you purchased you can return them in 30 days with your money back and no questions asked. In this vlog I go into detail about each product so please take a look.
If I had my ticket, I would be on a plane to Paris to see the exhibit first hand. It’s pretty cool to know that Louis Vuitton has been around since the 1800s. What heritage and craftsmanship!
Marc Jacobs Fall 2012-2013 fall collection is so reminiscent of an era of Downton Abbey. You can see the show below. This collection looks like Jacobs is paying homage to the heritage of house of Louis Vuitton. Very fitting that an exhibition is in Paris honoring the design heritage of Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs.
This Louis Vuitton Marc Jacobs collection is from an era of style that I so love. The full hats, the waistcoats and dresses. And lets not forget those fabulous bags! Ladies we got some good things to look forward to for fall 2012.
This jacket I wore in a previous post comes to my mind when I looked at this collection. If you get a chance to go to Paris you gotta see this exhibition.
Learn More About JT
Bubbling with Elegance and Grace started out as an outlet for my passion for fashion but has evolved into a place for me to teach, collaborate, and inspire. My hubby has since joined the team and we have been digital creators for 13 years. We are thankful for those who believed in us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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