The best part of owning these Soy Coy pants is feeling like a kid again! Yes, it’s true! Something about wearing a pair of pants under a skirt brought my mind right back to grade school just like the description says. I had to laugh remembering many days gearing up for recess by throwing on a pair of sweats under my skirt. Such an empowering feeling! I’m indestructible! I can do anything and wear a skirt, too! — I could climb any mountain ( or jungle gym), swing from the highest branch (or monkey bar) and play kickball with the best of them all while maintaining a “you go girl” attitude!! All these years later and I still want to do that as much as possible. 🙂
What I love most is that the skirt is a completely separate piece from the pants. Of course, together they are an amazingly dynamic duo but one never knows when an urge to go skirt-less (and sport the nifty nomad pants alone) could in fact happen. I think they are just way cute and ridiculously rad! The fit is extremely body friendly, creating very nice lines and a comfy but flattering fit. The feel is pretty unreal, they are luxuriously soft, move well with the body and nicely constructed.
Checking their genetic makeup, the tag says more then 50% soy material. I didn’t know much about soy in clothing but found that these fibers are stronger then cotton (or wool) and have pretty awesome absorbency and better ventilation then cotton. It’s also light, resists perspiration & wrinkles and dries quickly. Soy has the most lavish appearance among plant fibers (kinda the cashmere of the plant world). The fibers are even said to have antibacterial qualities and to be sunlight/UV resistant. Soy’s may even possess a super power – it’s natural amino acids – which are said to have a positive vibe effect on the wearers skin. Cool, we like vibes, right buds?
So now that we know soy makes these little coys extra strong, cool, dry and health helping, I want to talk about details. Yeah, definitely not coy in that area with all the beautifully detailed stitching throughout. A slight flare in comfortable pants is always welcome! The ruched pockets on the sides of the pant and skirt add great style. The color is neat-o too! The slate grey sometimes looks more brown and seems to change with whatever I’m wearing – love that! All in all, a whole lotta pzazz!
So, I say go jump on that swing in your soy coys and remember the joy you had as a child, everyday of your life! Everyday a new story begins… look at it with wonder and curiosity.
One of our favorite Do It Yourself crafts this holiday season is the Magazine Wreath. Not only is it easy, but it looks really freakin’ cool! Trust me; none of us are Martha Stewart here, so if we can manage to make this wreath, anyone can. 😉
It’s already here. Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. And we just want you to know that we’re incredibly thankful for you buds! We appreciate you not only as customers, but as friends. We all have so much to be thankful for here at Soul Flower, which is why we wanted to put pen to paper and take a moment to acknowledge the things that fill our hearts with gratitude.
Owning a Volkwagen bus, the iconic ‘hippie bus’, is a blast, buds! I own four, a ’79 Bay & a ’67 Kombi will be the ones I keep, but I also have another Bay & another Kombi as parts buses. Basically, I operate on a happy hippie bus vibe. It’s a good place to be.
One thing I can tell you about having a Vw bus… everybody has a story to share of a bus they owned, or someone they know owned, and those stories are usually a hoot to hear. Mainly because Vw buses are finicky little creatures with distinct personalities and particulars. It’s always an adventure in a Vw bus! Another thing is that Vw owners are one eclectic group of peeps. I’ve been introduced to some really flipped-out characters along the way. There’s a strong possibility I’m a flipped-out character myself 😉
If owning a bus is a labor of love, restoring one is a test of endurance. I’ve been working on my ’79 Bay for almost two years. I wanted to be part of the entire restoration. My hands have sanded every square inch of my bus. I was part of the engine removal from my parts Bay. See, that sounds easy enough, but what it really means is that I was crawling all around underneath it and even jumping up and down on a crowbar at one point! I’ve been greasy and I’ve been tired, but I am still in love with that bus.
That’s why the Travel Happy Bus tee is perfect for me! When it popped up on the New! tab, I just laughed out loud. Soul Flower, you just get me….you really do. The tee is made from organic cotton, which makes me happy. It is a soft tee and feels great when you’re wearing it. The color is natural, not a bright white. And, just like the real thing, the Happy (hippie) Bus tee is a conversation starter. People smile when they see you wearing it and they want to know where you got it!
If you’ve caught the bus vibe and just have to have one of your own, my advice to you is to check out Craigslist and the mecca of all things Vw…thesamba.com. Come on and take a free ride, buds! Peace!!
Ahh holiday gift shopping – you either love it or hate it, right? Help take the stress and guessing game out & get what you really want this year: create your very own wishlist at Soul Flower! No more size guessing, or even worse – style guessing. Show them what you want instead. You can add any item from Soul Flower to your wishlist, then share it with anyone.
If you’ve never used Wishlists on Soul-Flower.com before, here’s a quick tutorial:
These are the words that come to mind when I think of a young girl:Blog Image
These days, I step into a mall and wonder where all the young girls have gone. A tween should not be a rude, sassy, sexualized t-shirt paired with a mini skirt, and hot pink lipstick; and I don’t think this is a case of being old fashioned. It seems like this shouldn’t even be up for debate, whether tarting up a child with negativity is right or wrong. Kids are starting to look like little Bratz dolls, and it’s weirding me out. But, that’s just me. I was born in 1984. Growing up, all of my favorite outfits were the playful ones: princess-like night gowns, skirt-pants, black mary janes, bibs, tie-dye, and let’s not forget, anything that sparkled. I wore makeup when I played dress-up. As a tween I was wearing baggy Disney t-shirts, and I concerned myself with trying to hide the fact that I still liked to play with Barbie dolls; I had no anxieties whatsoever about my level of sex appeal. No tween girl should.
Take for example Urban Outfitters “Eat Less” T-shirt. Thankfully, due to blogger outrage, this shirt was pulled, but the fact that it was being marketed and sold to anyone is troubling. What kind of educational message is a shirt like this giving a young girl; a girl just beginning to acknowledge her reflection in the mirror? Sadly, there are many shirts out there with messages similar to this that aren’t being pulled; there are more trendy, mean t-shirts out there than I’d care to count.
So, when did we start forgetting how to let kids be kids? Innocent, playful, goofy, optimistic, kids…
What we wear says so much to others. On a no shower and sweats day I would prefer not to believe this, 😉 but it’s true. Our clothes are like a public letter, so we might as well invest our time (and money) in some positivity.
That being said, kids have such worthwhile, colorful, cheery messages to send! Why on earth would we want to sabotage that? One thing that makes me super proud to work for Soul Flower is that our clothes have such upbeat, encouraging messages. The Soul Flower Originals teach us to embrace ourselves, the Earth, confidence and happiness. There’s no negativity here! Just simple messages of “Be Yourself,” “Take it Easy,” and “Love your Momma.”
Kids absorb things like sponges, so why feed them such rude unhealthiness? It’s completely unnecessary! I think it’s time to take back innocence and playfulness, and encourage little girls to be just that – little girls. No padded bras. No provocative clothes. No more mean messages! It’s time for the good vibe. After all, these little girls will grow to be women someday; let’s teach them to be strong; let’s teach them to be happy. Just please, for the love of playgrounds, don’t rush them! What positive message/quote would you put on a t-shirt for all to see?
My husband and I are a good pair, even though truthfully we’re very different. We don’t agree about politics, religion, food, or music. But we both have a deep bite from that old travel bug. We wander the world together debating the merits of social policy and eggplant and kombucha and never really come to an agreement. But that’s because we both realize and savor the journey, literally and figuratively. So when I saw this hat, I knew he had to have it.
“All who wander are not lost,” is a phrase that gets tossed around in many contexts. But J.R.R. Tolkien fans will know it’s from the The Fellowship Of The Ring. My husband is a big fan of these books so I knew that would hook him in. He’s usually not a fan of hats or t-shirts with messages, so I was a little tentative that this hat would get nowhere with him. But he went for it – Score!
Of course he wears it on all kinds of wandering journeys from kayaking to sailing to geo-caching with our 7 year old son. Here he is in the cockpit of our boat checking the GPS. Are we wandering honey or are we really lost?
It’s made from organic cotton and recycled poly mesh which is all good earth loving stuff to me. He loves that it keeps his eyes shaded and his hair hidden on those big hair, roll out of bed days. And we both love the sentiment. If there is one thing we can agree on it’s that wandering it good. And if you can find good threads like these to wander in, well who can argue with that?
I have always had a strong connection with nature, in mind, body and soul, so for me the saying “Tree Hugger” goes way back. I respect nature of all kinds and couldn’t be more in love with the outdoors. Yes, I’m a tree hugger to the fullest extent.
My lil Treehugger
I believe that all things living should never be cut down or destroyed in any way. I try my best to do my part in taking care of the environment. You see we wouldn’t have anything without Mother Earth. She provides us with food, oxygen, and endless resources. Why wouldn’t I want to protect and take care of her? On a less serious note, my daughter is my little mini me. I’ve been raising her to enjoy all that the outdoors has to offer. She loves going for adventures, or “venters” as she says in the “jungle.” Be it digging in the dirt, helping me plant flowers, swimming in a lake, or riding her 4 wheeler, this girl is 100% nature girl!
When it comes to finding clothes to fit her personality, that’s not always so easy. I have found her some cute peace tees, but nothing that truly stated, “I’m a baby environmentalist!” I was checking out Soul Flower’s new toddler tees and I found THE cutest tee!
Soul Flower’s Hug Me Toddler Tee
It’s too darn cute! This organic cotton tee screams “outdoors kid” and I just adore it. My daughter loves it too, she says, “Mommy, I wear tree shirt please!” The tree on the shirt reminds me of a Disney movie, it’s a big eyed gentle part of nature. It’s super versitile, if fact she’s had several spills on it already and they came right out in the wash.
What I really love about this shirt is the message it sends. Not only is it a darling shirt, but when adults see it they’re instantly drawn in to read it. So it’s also putting the message out everywhere to be kind to mother earth. I’ve already received so many compliments on it, asking me where in the world I found a shirt like that, I reply “Soul Flower of course!” Soul Flower has a variety of like minded toddler tees and onezies.
Lost in the Jungle
My lil nature girl had a blast outside the other day wearing her Tree Hugger tee. She blew bubbles, played kick ball, went on an adventure, but most importantly she enjoyed the great outdoors!
The Kid’s Patchwork Pants should be renamed “Mom’s Favorite Pants”. Here’s the lowdown on these threads. First, they are stinking cute! They are the perfect combination of unique enough for mom to fall in love with and cool enough for the little guys to want to wear. The patches are done in fun forest colors that work in any season or setting.
Next, these pants are “sooooo comfy mommy!” That’s a direct quote from a 7-year old who rarely notices IF he’s wearing clothes when he walks out the door, let alone how they feel. Made of cotton and hemp they’re airy, but still sturdy enough to stand up to kid play. So far he’s worn these at the beach, in the woods, at the park, to a birthday party, out to lunch, to the museum, they work in every occasion.
Finally, these pants are awesome because they hide dirt. Yes, the pants have magical powers to make kid goop disappear. Ok, maybe it’s not magic, maybe it’s the wonderful color and pattern combination that manages to keep your kid looking decent even after a romp in the great outdoors. Oh, and they have pockets to hold stones, shells, dead bugs, and toy cars.
Soul Flower Originals are our exclusive designs that feature original artwork and reflect positive messages of peace, mother nature and music. We choose organic cotton and other natural fibers, like recycled PET, whenever we can, and this fall we’ve just released our “greenest” line-up yet!
While the Soul Flower line has always been environmentally focused, the Fall / Winter 2011 catalog has improved even further on fabric selections and manufacturing techniques that impact the environment even less. As our X-Factor Mike says —
Soul Flower’s line of original eco-friendly styles are now dyed and manufactured in the good ol’ U.S.A., while the screen printing is done locally in small batches to reduce waste. This season’s line includes fashion forward styles like concave T-shirts, long sleeved scoop dresses, soft hoodies and lounge pants.
Our organic clothing concept comes from the idea of getting back what you give – simply put, karma. We love both you (our customer!) AND our Mother Earth – so we work hard to please you both by creating unique, quality products and focusing on sustainable fabrics and earth friendly practices.
Be Kind, Be Soulful, and always Be Yourself, Soul Flower
It’s finally happened! The Soul Flower Fall/Winter 2011 Catalog is here! We are so excited to introduce you to our newest line of clothing and accessories! We’re also proud to say that this season’s line of clothing is more eco-friendly than ever! Many of our products are organic, eco-friendly, US made or Fair Trade, and we continue to incorporate purposeful messages that give our cool threads for kind heads that funky, positive attitude we love so much. Watch next week for our blog post, “Soul Flower Originals: More Eco-Friendly than Ever” to learn more about the earth-friendly fabric improvements we’ve made.
If you’re already signed up, you will be receiving your catalog any day now. If you would like to receive a free Soul Flower catalog in the mail, and haven’t signed up already, click here to do so. However, if you’re too antsy (like us) or prefer viewing the catalog online, simply click here and ENJOY!
The online version of our Fall/Winter 2011 catalog is especially exciting this season with a newly added Quote Hunt. Follow the catalog’s quotes to find a special surprise – our own easter egg hunt. Find all 14 quote designs for an extra dose of daily inspiration.
All in all, we hope you love this collection as much as we do!
If you are going to buy this dress you better be a people person. Everyone, and I mean everyone from old ladies to burly dudes to squeaky tweens, will stop you and tell you just how cute this dress is and how adorable your daughter looks in it. You will do a lot of chatting, so be ready to meet and greet and share the love for the Little Flowers Dress.
This has been our go-to dress for summer time because it’s so light and cool made from gauze cotton and a beautiful crocheted top. But with the weather cooling we can not bear to say goodbye to this little beauty for the season just yet. So we pair it with leggings and a cardigan and voila! We can still go out and and chat with strangers in the cooler fall weather.
I love that this dress is Fair Trade, which is hard to find in baby dresses! A little further reading revealed that some families of Inca descent make these dresses in South America. Hey cool, we are from Inca descent too.
The best part is, this dress is not just for babies. It goes all the way up to size 6! You can bet I will be getting the next size up. And the next one. And the next one. Afterall, we like meeting new people, and my little girl loves her beautiful dress!
Ever wonder how our Soul Flower Original designs come about? Well today, all those questions are being answered by our graphic designer, Leiah – the talent behind those positive, upbeat, gotta-have-it Soul Flower designs!
So…Tell us a little about yourself, Leiah.
My name is Leiah and I am the (self-titled) Pixologist here at Soul Flower! The term Pixologist (to me) means a graphic designer who mixes handmade and traditional art techniques with digital processes and pixels to create cool stuff.
I studied Studio Art in college, and first got into graphic design creating posters for my school’s choir. After graduating, I worked for the University of Minnesota graphic designing, and then found my niche at Soul Flower doing what I love most—a mix of graphic design AND art. Originally, I got into graphic design because there was a need for a creative person to produce marketing pieces. I knew the basics of Photoshop and studying art helped develop my eye for aesthetics, so I was the girl for the job!
How long have you worked for Soul Flower?
Soul Flower hired me at first to help out in the warehouse picking and packing orders in the summer of 2009. Working hard on the side doing graphic design projects for Soul Flower gave me that extra push I needed to snag the best position I could ask for at Soul Flower – as their graphic designer! I’ve been Pixologist since May 2010
Do you have a favorite Soul Flower design that you created?
I really like one of our newest designs, Soul Rebel Cycles. For this design, I really pushed myself to come up with something super creative and a little bit badass, which was fun. Another favorite is Be Yourself, a tweener and now women’s tee design. It’s super simple, but has a great positive message, which I love.
One of our new tee designs – Road Warrior – captures me as a person pretty well. I love basic line drawings, and this one is a little bit quirky and not quite perfect – just like me!
What process do you go through to create a T-shirt design?
First of all, I’m always on the lookout for inspiration. I’m constantly collecting images that grab my attention and that I think could inspire a sweet design. The Karma Captain (Peggy) and I then talk through some concepts we think our Soul Flower customers would love. If you haven’t noticed already, here at Soul Flower we especially love peace, love, nature, and music!
Then comes time to draw! Depending on the concept, the design will either stay pretty true to the original sketch (like Road Warrior, Soul Rebel Cycles), or it gets a sweet digital treatment (like Gypsy Soul, Soul Flower Nouveau). Most of my designs started as a hand-drawn sketch, and evolved from there.
I like keeping it real with the designs I create. Along the way, I use real pencils, ink, crayons, and paper. I used a linoleum block to create Soul Flower Block Print, and a stencil and spray paint for Free Your Mind.
Cutting pieces of paper helped me create Cattails and Love You Make. The texture on Take It Easy came from crayons. And Feel All Right was born from a doodle
Line and color. I love lines and see them in everything: line drawings, outlines of tree branches, strands of hair, the veins on a leaf, stitching on clothing… And color: I love color! Since childhood I’ve been a huge fan of Lisa Frank, Rainbow Brite, everything rainbow, tie dye, and just bright colors in general.
Blog Image Did any Soul Flower designs come to you like a lightning bolt, like, BAM! Yes, I have to make that!? One in particular – Peacock. One day I thought, “I really feel like drawing a peacock.” I didn’t even know if we’d end up using it, but I drew it anyway. Next thing I knew, Soul Flower’s Peacock shirt was flying off the shelves and we even translated the drawing into another design, Birds of a Feather. People love peacocks!
What other artistic hobbies are you into?
Bookbinding, art journaling, printmaking now and then, sewing, knitting (although I’m not very good at finishing any knitting projects!), and cooking. Does cooking count?
Where do you typically draw designs?
I work at home, so anywhere comfy! Actually, I prefer to sit down at a table with good lighting and draw. Sometimes the hours just slip away when I’m working on something; I love that state of flow.
Do you work in silence? If you listen to music, what’s your favorite draw-time tunes?
Usually I’m listening to music, and it depends on my mood as to what gets played. I have a couple of playlists that right now consist of some Trampled by Turtles, Jem, Alison Krauss, Nicki Minaj, Alanis Morisette, The Shins, and lots of Soulive.
Are you currently working on a new Soul Flower design? Can you tell us about it, or is that top secret?
Right now all of our designing is on hold while we crank out our Fall/Winter catalog! But I’ve got some ideas and am excited to get back into it. Maybe we’ll have to do a sneak peek!
It’s beyond awesome to learn all that goes into designing the Soul Flower Originals we love so much! Thank you for sharing your artistic process with us, Leiah! You Rock! 🙂
☮ ☮ ☮ 🙂
Pixologist, Leiah Interviewed by Daydreamer, Jacqueline Lee
Congratulations are in order as our Sculptor of Shadow & Light, Jennifer, married her best friend Bill, this past weekend! Jenn, you made one insanely beautiful bride with a gorgeous (eco-friendly) wedding to match! We’re so happy for you!!
The Dharma Allium pants first caught my attention with the word Dharma in the title description. Yes, I must confess I was a LOST TV show enthusiast (dharma initiative). So, yes indeed these cozy pants had me at “dharma” however the name has a much deeper meaning then that of a television show. The term Dharma is of central importance in Indian religion/philosophy. It is essentially the notion of upholding the natural order of things. Interpretation of India’s ancient text reveals a divinely instituted natural order of things and
that justice, social harmony and happiness require humans to exist in a manner appropriate to the requirements of that order. In various Indian religions (i.e. Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism), living according to ones dharma will move them more rapidly toward personal liberation – nirvana.
Giving even more meaning to these pants is the sweet Allium flower growing up the right leg. According to the book “Garlic and Other Alliums” by E. Block, the flowers name comes from the Latin word for union, unio or unity. Pretty cool! I will happily carry unio on my pant leg and wish for a seed to blow off into the world and create more unity! 🙂 If that isn’t enough inspiration, I’ve got a hunch the adorable ruffle at the hemline, and the super soft, light, airy organic cotton might be! I especially dig the fold over waist band that allows you to adjust the rise. They are superb for days when I feel like curling up with a good book, but just as great for running a few errands or heading to yoga class. A true go anywhere kind of pant, something I’ve been looking for for a long time. They are super duper comfy wear that will carry you though the day in a whimsical, zenful way.
These Dharma darlin’s were also custom made for Soul-Flower by Earth Creations, (a front runner in creating environmentally friendly clothing). I wanted to know more about this company so I did a little research. The Earth Creations story begins with a bike ride. Joy (co founder) went off roading one day and ended up covered in Alabama red dirt. No matter how many times she washed it the color was there to stay. Years later, still intrigued by the strength of that clay, her partner (Martin) saw it’s potential and began experimenting with the clay as a dye for T-shirts. That was 17 years ago and the clothing is still colored using Martins original process. Earth Creations has grown into a full line of organic tees and casual wear (made with sustainable fibers like cotton and hemp and non-PVC ink) dyed in a plethora of colors! They, like Soul-Flower, believe in protecting the earth, giving back to the community and supporting environmental efforts. They are indeed worthy of their tagline, Eco. Pure. Simple.
Cheesecake on a Stick & A Heart-Shaped Beer Battered Cheese Nugget!
Foot long corn dogs, buffalo, alligator, cookie dough, cheese and chocolate dipped cheesecake, you name it and you can likely find it on a stick. I haven’t traveled to enough State Fairs to know if this is an American wide pandemic, but honestly, part of me wouldn’t mind if it was.
There’s just something about this childlike captivation with food on a stick that captures exactly what I’ve always loved about State Fair. The demand for everyday foods on a stick is, after all, a childlike desire. It screams “I’m at the fair and I’m going to eat everything I want on a stick! Nothing’s impossible, no food shall go ignored, better yet, if we can deep fry it AND stick it; we shall! WE are at the State Fairs of Fairs!”
My State Fair Experience Captured in a Soul Flower T-Shirt 🙂
This was my first time attending the Minnesota State Fair, and I was pleased to find that it wasn’t all that different from my adored Wisconsin State Fair. I found fewer cheese stands to be still my beating heart, and fewer vendors, but overall the similarities were uncanny. One thing that seems to be true of both state fairs (and possibly all State Fairs) is the ability for adults to return to their childhood state of mind.
Butter. Seriously. People play with butter at State Fair. When’s the last time your mom let you sculpt the butter?
Full-fledged adults wander around wearing paper animal crowns, like it’s their Birthday at Burger King. I didn’t do a headcount, but I’m pretty sure I saw more adults toting silly crowns on their heads than little ones. They were walking about petting baby animals, talking to horses, competitively carving butter, eating dessert on a stick before their dinner on stick, and going on enough twirling, flipping, and dipping rides to shake the brain giggly.
The State Fair seems to be the one place where mass amounts of adults can let loose and simply be kids again. I’m normally a pretty lighthearted girl; I live with a certain amount of Peter Pan mentality, but even I found myself laughing harder than usual at the fair this year. My boyfriend, Johnathan, and I went on my favorite ride, the Tilt-O-Whirl, and we kept scooting our butts left and right in a successful attempt to make the ride spin faster. We were laughing so hard together, my stomach hurt and I pretty much cried!
I mean, part of why State Fair is such a huge success is that we’re simply not willing to lose our childlike innocence. We all need a day of laughter, and a huge mob-like crowd of people doesn’t stop us from getting it! At least, it sure didn’t stop me! I got my beer battered cheese curds (as every WI girl should), and my chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick, and I got the laughter….I definitely got the laughter! 🙂
Did you hit up your State Fair this year? Which state? What did you enjoy most? I’m starting to get curious about other State Fairs now that I tried one newbie. 🙂
New school year, new apartment, new classes, all opportunities to reinvent myself; who will I be this year? Do I even want to create a new persona? Everyone at some point in their lives has used different circumstances to create a new version of themselves, yet, do any of us truly have a grasp on who we are?
Let’s take my love affair with fashion, for example. Since middle school I’ve been flipping through pages of Vogue getting ideas for the next day’s outfit. I wore some crazy-wild-things trying to translate what I saw on the runway to my school’s hallway. Sure, I got some stares and snickers but most of the time I got compliments, some for the outfit and some for the guts to where it when anyone who wasn’t wearing jeans and a tee was fair game to poke fun at. I even saw some girls wearing the same outfit I had worn the day before. I used each day as an opportunity to experiment and reinvent the way people saw me through bold attire. Through the years, I’ve kept the boldness and tried to translate it into every aspect of my life.
In high school, it was very…hmm, how should I say this…interesting going to a private school in South Orange County, California. I pride myself on being Latina and of Native American descent, and I never expected to be in an environment where diversity was at an all-time low. My freshman year some seniors decided it would be funny to yell across the PE field that all I would ever amount to was a maid, given my background, and that their rooms had better be clean before they got home. I didn’t care that these “young men” (who had a lot of growing up to do) were at the top of the social ladder, I gave them a piece of my mind and confronted the Dean of Students. “Is this really the perspective you’re allowing your students to graduate with?” Apologies and conferences ensued, but all I wanted to do is show my peers that I wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed of who I am or where I came from.
It wasn’t until college that I learned that I didn’t have to create a new persona every day, like in middle school, and that being myself – an insane mix of qualities – could be attractive. I owned up to my craziness, or as I like to call it eccentricity, and the more I acknowledged my little quirks the more confident I became.
Now, I take pride in my Latina curves and my insatiable appetite for clothes. I know that I learn through creative processes and doodling next to my notes, making songs, and listening to classical music help me do better on my tests. I know that I love learning and I’ll never satisfy my need to ask Why. I know that I love Elvis and John Lennon, even though those two did not see eye to eye. I know my values include peace, respect, and an overall love for our small fragile planet and those living on it. I believe that individually we can make a huge impact and together we can change the world.
And I know that having the strength to “be yourself” gives you strength to stand up for what you believe.
This shirt is a little reminder that there are a lot of phonies out there and if everyone’s acting fake the real one’s are the individuals. So put on those colorful tights, wear your “Save Japan Dolphins” tee, write that controversial article, and sign that petition. Yeah, people will smirk and snicker but more importantly people will see you as an example, strong and confident, and no one can take that away from you.
Summer can be a challenge for us busty-ladies who want to indulge in current summer dress trends, but are limited by our need to wrangle D+ bras and the obligatory bra-straps. Especially when fashion favors those who can sometimes pull off going braless – for the sake of an adorable criss-cross spaghetti-strap dress or a super low back halter top.
Blog Image The smocked dresses at Soul Flower are fantastic options for handsome, comfortable, full coverage and boob minimizing dresses. This of course assumes you have a working relationship with the elastic architecture of a hearty strapless bra. (My current favorite is Victoria’s Secret Bio-Fit. No uni-boob! Plus custom strap options!)Blog Image Blog Image Milkshake Organic Maxi Dress: I have already regaled my love affair with this dress in an earlier blog, but the length and the weight of this dress is still perfect for late summer. The smocked top stays-put over the “girls” and the color looks awesome with a tan.
Vintage Stone-Washed Dress: This dress is comfortable like a swimsuit cover-up and has just enough detail to give you an air of girly-girl on a date or just canoeing (or a canoe date!?! Even better!). WARNING! It’s a short dress – which can cause some panic-at-the-disco (especially if you’re tall like me), but I’ve never had any problems with it.
Sanya’s Scarf Dress: Again, my previous blog gushed about how wrinkle free this dress is – but also you can pull off a black bra underneath – assuming the bra structure is a little more balconette – pushing the straps closer to the armpit. The dress is tea-length, making it great for picnics, biking, shopping, napping, you name it!
Mudmee Tie-dye Tube Dress: A great dress-up dress. The full skirt makes you feel completely feminine in that “this-is-what-a-dress-used-to-feel-like” sorta way. The dark color is minimizing and the centered neck tie creates a nice neckline, especially for those who rarely wear halters. Great for any body shape!
I’ve spent a good portion of my life wrestling with the fact that I’m not lithe like those chickies that model fashion and haircuts, I’m swarthy and my hair is usually disobedient. Having an arsenal of comfortable and carefree dresses that do me (and my body) justice has really kept my summer cool and flirty. Who doesn’t love that?!
Hey Buds!Our fall catalog is underway, and we’ve been having waaaaay too much fun getting things together! 🙂 Check out the sneak peek video we filmed of our most recent photo shoot, and stay tuned for our fall/winter catalog due out in October 2011!
“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” ~Karen Ravn
If you’re a vivid dreamer, you probably have a fascination with the visions that visit you each night. Dreams can linger with us throughout the day and captivate us for hours, days, even years. Sometimes they’re so convincing we need to ask ourselves, did that happen? Did I do that, say that, live that? If you’ve ever possessed a dreamcatcher, you might even believe it’s possible to control the dreams that come to you.
Originating with the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Tribe, dreamcatchers are in many homes today. It is believed that a dreamcatcher will filter good dreams through the web, while ensnaring the bad. A dreamcatcher is supposed to be placed near the bed in a spot that sunlight will reach. When the first rays of morning light hit the web, the trapped nightmares dissipate to nothing.
Actually, the dreamcatcher’s entire design is tied to the ideals of Earth, Air, Water and Fire.
Tie-Dye Sun Tapestry
Earth holds our dreams within her all-embracing hoop
Air carries our dreams to us (the feathers on a dreamcatcher are also symbolic of air).
Water is believed to wash and separate our wanted dreams from the unwanted.
Fire burns away nightmares with its powerful blaze.
Commonly made of willow and sinew strands, the dreamcatcher is woven in a web-like manner that is much like the method used for snowshoe webbing. Sometimes a dreamcatcher can have one or more beads: One bead is symbolic of the spider who wove your protective web, while several beads can represent the many sweet dreams that have been brought to you.
Soul Flower’s all about good vibes; we appreciate everything the dreamcatcher stands for. We have a few cool dreamcatchers to choose from. jewelry wise, we have the Sweet Dream Earrings and the gorgeous Dreamcatcher Necklace, and to match, there’s our Dreamcatcher Organic Tank or Longsleeve Tee. We figure it couldn’t hurt to wear a dreamcatcher all the time, perhaps it will guard against negative daytime thoughts – work as a reminder to catch yourself and think positive!
I take my role as Hippie Mama Clothing Tester quite seriously. When I got the Nouveau Soulflower Eco Tee I put it through the paces. I didn’t just wear it, I have been living in it. Here’s what happened. I put it on and fell in love. It was one of those shirts that made me say “ahhhhhhh” when I put it on. It’s so soft and fit just right on my mama of two kids frame.
So I have been wearing it. And wearing it. And wearing it. And truth be told I don’t always wash it between wearing again and again. It’s my go-to tee these days and it’s takes a licking and keeps on looking fabulous. I have had baby spit on it, dead crab bits brought to me by my 7-year old son, I have spilled my kombucha all over it, I have been doused in sea spray, and I have sweat my fair share in this crazy summer heat. But this shirt still looks like new!
Then for grins I went and read about how it was made. The shirt is 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled p.e.t. Seriously, how cool is that? I am wearing old plastic bottles that might have otherwise ended up in the landfill. No wonder it’s looking so good! And now I feel good too knowing it’s made of all kinds of good things, especially since I have a little one right next to me and the tee all the time.
Living in the small confines of a sailboat we cannot keep a lot of anything, especially clothes. But this little baby will make the cut and go around the world with us!
And the lucky winner of the Survival Kit Giveaway is…………..
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!
Ariel Edwards
From: Pocatello, ID
Ariel’s rockin’ reaction: “Stoked! Wow, this is awesome!”
And her Survival Kit plans?
“Well I am starting my senior year of High School in about a week and this survival kit is exactly what I need to make it the best year yet! The survival kit will definitely help remedy the “back to school blues” that I am sure to get. I plan to take my new hoodie and messenger bag all the way to the Bellingham, WA coast this fall to have some awesome adventures with my sister! I will definitely send some pics your way with all the cool gear!
It’s full summer here in the southern U.S., and that means that the long days are hot, sultry, and sticky. Luckily, I’ve been spending my days whitewater raft guiding and staying cool in the water; but the long days in the sun steering thousands of pounds through technical sections of whitewater leave me sunburned and exhausted. After a long day in “the office,” I am stoked to peel the wet clothes from my skin and slip on this super soft organic cotton Sun and Surf Eco Sundress and kick back with a cold sangria.
I fell in love with this dress because of two reasons: the super soft, cool, and comfy cotton for our southern summers, and I admire the beautiful waves decorating the dress.
Since I live this active, wet lifestyle, I am always searching for clothes that feel comfortable when it’s time to dry off; and Soul Flower’s signature soft, organic cotton fits the bill perfectly. I need a dress that is not binding—that moves and stretches with me and that feels soft against my skin. I am also searching for something that I can go eat sushi in as well as break out some yoga poses on the bank of a river. This sundress has been perfect for all of that!
I am a water person and I love being in the water all the time. I got into whitewater paddling as a way to play in the water, and I stuck with it because the river is a fascinating medium. Becoming involved with rivers has changed my life, so that is what the waves on this dress mean to me—the waves represent the waves that I surf and play on everyday. I love the clear, fresh flowing water in rivers where as I surf, I can look down and see the carved rocks of the river bed and feel the energy of the wave with my boat. Also, the fact that this dress is made using organic cotton is important to me because organic cotton does not pollute our waterways.
This sundress is more than a dress too—it also works as a bathing suit cover up. So, if you are planning to hit the river or the ocean, and you are looking for that soft cover up to drape over sunburned skin that you can then wear into an evening sipping cocktails, eating dinner by candlelight, and/or dancing under the moon until 3am, this sundress is the only one you’ll need to pack. And since it only weighs a few ounces and folds up really small, no matter how you’re traveling, you can be “travelin’ light.”
Wendi reviewed the
