About

Freaks & Geeks Please Apply

A favorite moment from the short lived, but nonetheless amazing series, Freaks and Geeks, is the episode where Nick convinces Lindsay to skip school. When they arrive at his house, he immediately takes her into the garage and excitedly shows her the pieces of his drum set. As he gushes on about his love of music, he tosses an invaluable piece of information at her:
 
“Teachers want us to work, and I say, “Fine, I’ll work. But you’ve gotta let me do the kind of work that I wanna do.” And for me, it’s my drum kit, man. This is my passion. This is the essence of who I am now. But before I had this, I was lost, too. You see what I’m saying? You need to find your reason for living. You’ve gotta find your big, gigantic drum kit.”
 
And when he says that, you know he’s hitting on exactly what Lindsay needs. She hasn’t found anything that she’s impassioned about, and she’s embarrassed by the things that she used to put her energies into, such as being a “mathlete.”  So it’s no wonder she’s feeling a little lost; she’s following the crowd instead of following her own bliss.

Actually, this quote totally brings to mind Peggy, our Karma Captain here at Soul Flower. Peggy’s all about the follow your passion mentality. It’s something she works hard to incorporate into all the fine details that make Soul Flower what it is – the catalog, the website, the clothes; you name it – the main message that we constantly express throughout it all is: Be Kind, Be Soulful, Be Yourself…which is all about finding your passions and following them.

Although we’re discovering ourselves and our passions throughout our lives, there is no time quite like the school years for learning what it is we need to lead a fulfilling life. It’s definitely something we need to adjust and tweak throughout our lives, but the school years teach us a lot about what we need, not only to grow up, but to make us happy.

Which is an important lesson to learn, because high school, college and life in general can get pretty complicated and hectic at times (don’t we all know it!).

Luckily, we are doing a Back-to-school Survival Kit Giveaway, because you can’t focus on learning and pursuing your life’s passion if you lack what you need to get through a crazy school day comfortably. So this survival kit will aid whomever wins on that journey towards finding their “drum kit, man.” All you gotta do to enter is follow this link and either sign up for our newsletter (under join our email list) OR update your email preferences through our latest newsletter. If you WIN you will receive our Birds of a Feather Messenger Bag stuffed with:

Be Striped Tree Tapestry for an extra funky dorm room


Soul Flower Original Hoody of your choosing!


Nag Champa Incense for atmosphere


Handmade soap & perfume for that good first impression


Mukluks to keep the tootsies toasty…


Soul Flower Eco-Coolie to keep your, err, rootbeer chilly!

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About

From Old School to Soul Cool

…Or so we like to tell ourselves 😉

After starting up our Kind Heads Photo Donations and focusing our energies on back to school, we found ourselves in a nostalgic state of mind. With thoughts of our old school days, and the funky, cute, and sometimes geekishly independent fashions we used to wear as kids, we began to realize that the funky sense of style we had as children definitely carried over to the cool Soul Flower style we have today. So, since you’re all sharing so many great photos with us, we figured we outta share some with you, too. Check it!

 

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Chad – Director of Social Optimization
Crazy cool sense of style no matter the time period!
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Peggy –  Karma Captain
 Rockin’ some super sweet gladiator sandals!

Brianna – Selling Scientist
Teddy bears to kittens – she’s kept things cute!

 

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Jacqueline – Daydreamer
Hopelessly drawn to color, forever & always!
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Jennifer – Sculpter of Light & Shadow
Creativity has given her some funky-fun fashion!

 

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Leiah: Pixologist
Never lost that spunky, comfy style!

 

What we’ve come to realize is that we’ve always been pretty freakin’ cool!
….or so we like to tell ourselves! 
😉

If you’d like to learn more about what each of us does here everyday at Soul Flower click here!

 

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About

Soul Flower’s Kind Heads Donations



Since we’re busy shooting photos for Soul Flower’s Fall 2011 catalog, we figured it would be the perfect time to tell you how much it means to us when you share your Soul Flower moments with us. In fact, we love the pictures of you in your Soul Flower threads so much, we’ve decided to donate $1 for every picture that we publish in our photo album. Sending us your photo could help a good cause, and if we choose to publish it, we will donate that dollar. So what cause is this, you say?

Every few months, we will choose a charity close to our (and your) hearts to donate the dollars to. To help kick it all off & since it’s back to school, our first round of Kind Heads dollars will go to Vega Productions. Vega Productions mission is:

“to rebuild and revitalize music and art education in Minnesota. We [Vega Productions] strive to provide resources and programming for schools that have been forced to eliminate or reduce music and art education from their curriculum because of budget cuts.”

But that is just our first cause! In order to truly spread good karma the charity we donate to will change every three months. So, from here on out the charities will be selected through a Facebook Poll by you, our fans! 🙂 Once the poll is posted on facebook there will be a few charities to choose from; simply vote for the charity you’d like to see our proceeds go to, and that is that. The charity with the most votes will receive our Kind Heads donations.

This first poll will determine the next charity we donate to – so watch facebook for our next poll in a few months. And in the meantime…..

Get smiley and get clickin’!

Submit your smiley photos on our Facebook wall or by emailing them to [email protected].

Hey Buds! Just adding an updated note today (May 2,2012) to keep you posted on our Past Charities:

  • Vega Productions to help bring music into schools
  • St. Luke’s Hospital to help children fighting childhood cancer

Peacefully,
Your buds at Soul Flower

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Style Influencers

Showing Off Soul Flower’s Peacock Pride

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With their stunning, bright coloration, and love for the limelight, peacocks have earned themselves a fame they’ve worked hard for. Different cultures view the peacock differently, but overall the regal bird is a symbol for soul mates, beauty, and mysticism. In Buddhism, the peacock’s fan of “eyes” symbolize wisdom, and openness because of their widespread tail. While in Christianity, the peacock goes hand-in-hand with immortality, since they’re believed to ingest poisonous plants with no ill effects. And, to top it all off, peacocks are India’s sacred National Bird.

On the negative side, peacocks have their pride and vanity, but, hey, we all need to strut our stuff sometimes!

So perhaps it’s not too curious that we’ve filled Soul Flower with an insane amount of them! However, since peacocks aren’t one for being hidden away in a warehouse, we figured we ought to give them a chance to do what they do best:

SHOW OFF !

This long sleeve, swoop-neck tee comes in charcoal, ocean or electric, and each color knows how to grab a compliment. The design isn’t limited to only the front, which means this peacock is strutting its feathers no matter which way you turn! And if you prefer short sleeves, we have just the thing for you, too! Our Birds of a Feather Tee definitely shows off the regal, spiritual side of our feathered friend.

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Sanganeer Circle Tapestry 

But when a girl really, really, wants to show off, there’s nothing quite like a cute peacock dress! Fortunately, we have more than one to choose from, and for representing the same symbol; these two dresses are very different from each other. What they do have in common is a flirtatious charm that’s hard to ignore.

Our most popular peacock picks here at Soul Flower would have to be our accessories. The regal peacock earrings and hairclip both know how to wow a crowd; they’re definite show stoppers! Their skill for inspiring adoration is probably due to the fact that they truly are peacock feathers!

We here at Soul Flower figure we mind as well take a blatant hint from our friend, the peacock, and start adding some extra flirty color and pizzazz to our summer – at least it wouldn’t hurt their peacock pride if we did. 😉

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Our Latest Birds of a Feather Messenger Bag

 

In fact, Soul Flower has another pretty peacock coming SOON!! So be on the lookout! Little hint: It wraps around your neck. Oh, the mystery! 😉

Have you donned any of these feathery fashions, or are you hoping to? Feel free to tell us about it, we love hearing from you!

Love & Happiness,
Jacqueline Lee

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Our Threads

Dresses that won’t slow you down

I’m an uptown girl. If you’re not from Minneapolis that may not mean much to you, but here it’s a young, bike riding, beer drinking, eco-conscious and original design making/buying/hanging/selling/wearing center of what The Onion calls “the rhubarb forest.” We also just received the title “Most Hipster City in the US” by BuzzFeed. I guess I really can’t argue with that, but I also have nothing to say about it.

For most seasons here in the city that swings between frozen solid and hair-curling hot/humid our attire has to be A)comfortable B)utilitarian C)eye catching. Soul Flower’s Milkshake Maxi has been the perfect dress to keep up with my shenanigans. It’s perfect over a swimsuit both at the lake (it’s light!) and at the grocery store (keeps legs warm in the fridge section!) but more importantly it’s great for bike riding. The length and width of the skirt hike up and oblige so perfectly that I don’t feel weird or in danger of crashing because my hem is snagged on the brakes.

B - Dresses that won't slow you downSanya’s Scarf dress is dually awesome. I throw that dress in my bike bag not sure what’s happening tonight/tomorrow and I know that I won’t look all awkwardly wrinkly – but also it’s a versatile dress for a late breakfast at Victors or the free Thursday nights at the Walker.

On top of the useful and handsome points Soul Flower’s clothes get, the fact that these items are ethically manufactured and environmentally aware is just awesome. Plus, three cheers for supporting a local business versus the huge deathstar box stores – they usually don’t have bike racks!!


Uptown Girl – Minneapolis MN by briannaleigh Featuring:



~Peace and Bike Grease, Bri

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Inspiration, Our Threads

Hometown Tourist – Hippie Dress

Hey Buds! Making the best of this wonderful sunshine?

So I got a little piece of the islands with me for the past couple weeks. My friend from school decided to fly out all the way from Dallas, Texas to hang out with me in Southern California.

I have to admit, it’s a little exciting to be a tourist in your hometown. If you haven’t tried it, you really should! We tried heading out to the beach but it was so cold and the clouds were so thick we ended up turning around and heading straight for the pool. Not before getting an acai bowl, though! ;]

We went to Disneyland for a few days and normally I’ll go a little later, hop on a few rides, catch a bite to eat, and head out.

Not this time.

We woke up early and were one of the first people in the park! We spent all day there, only taking a small break for lunch and a quick nap at the hotel room then back to the Disney magic ‘til well after midnight. Needless to say I brought all my Soul-flower goodies with me so I was comfy and cool but still looking like the artist I like to call myself.

Those of you in California know all about our beautiful missions. Most have somewhat dark histories and as a Native American I pride myself on learning the stories of my tribes as well as those around them. Any trip to Southern California is just not complete without a trip to the San Juan Capistrano Mission. All you flower and garden enthusiasts out there will have a ball!

To match this dazzling backdrop I decided to wear something captivating as well, my new Cutting Floor Hippie Dress. Just added a cute little sun hat and I was ready.

I think it goes without saying that I love airy and flow-y clothes because they’re lightweight and easy to move around in. I always want to be comfy! (I’ve been putting my pj’s on at three in the afternoon since I was in second grade.)

As you know from my last posts, my legs are short. So when I put on the dress I was surprised to see that it hit about two inches above my ankle. Normally, I like when the length of my clothes are longer than the length of my legs but after I started moving around in the dress I realized it was a lot easier to move at this length. The colors are very bold and they don’t fade a bit in the wash (trust me I wear this dress once a week!). There are two loops at the back of the dress so you can tie it like a tank top, zig-zag, or even a halter. I suggest tying the straps in a bow before it goes in the wash, they’re a bit thin and very delicate. Each one is unique and I love that mine has a red and yellow border at the top even though the dress is very blue. The versatility is awesome; I can tie my hair back and wear it on a casual and laid back day or wear my hair down throw on some dressy shoes and go somewhere fancy!

Well, buds, have fun wherever the universe is taking you! Next time I post I’ll be back in Hawaii!
‘Til then,
Lauren ☮

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Our Threads

Scarlet Begonias Summer Style

We LOVE the Grateful Dead & there’s nothing like a little Sublime to bring out the summer sun! So Soul Flower’s summer song pick has gotta be Scarlet Begonias, because we can’t help but dig that girls psychedelic, ring wearing, tie tie-dye dress kind of style!!

 

She had rings on her fingers and bells on her shoes
and I knew without asking- she was into the blues
she wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls
I knew right away she was not like other girls
like other girls
 

Scarlet Begonia style is all about wearing the flowing, bright summer dress that says you’ve spent a late night dancing in Mexico, it’s about showing off sun-kissed shoulders, walking barefoot whenever possible, and, of course, it’s about wearing fresh flowers in your hair.

It’s the kind of look that makes summer style eternal. It could be snowing out ( I know, I know…let’s not even talk about it Lol) 😉 yet the moment you turn on some Sublime… Oooooooooh yeah, it’s Summertime! We can just close our eyes and suddenly Scarlet Begonia girls are everywhere, we all live beach side, and the livin’s easy!

Sublime even points guys in the right direction for cool summer style, with laid-back, breathable cotton tees for comfort in the heat, and an occasional rockin’ hoody after sundown.

 

 

And guess what? Our latest tank even celebrates Sublime! The “My Ruca Tank” represents another girl with temptress style: Ramoooona! Which pretty much makes this tunic tank a must-have!

 

But…I bet your itching to hear Bradley now, huh? 😉 Don’t worry, we got ya covered!

 

If you want to rock out more, check out our free summer playlist here: Groove Under the Summer Sun

 

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Inspiration

Groove Under the Summer Sun

In Minneapolis we’ve got some record breaking heat going on this week! And, to top it all off, this very moment we have some mad storm clouds filling the sky; pitch black out there, with a drum-like rain coming down. So, until we can make it to a sunny beach with cool waters, we’ll be chillin’ to this playlist of summer sunshine right here!

 

We love the songs you chose for the summertime playlist – thanks buds!

PEACE, LOVE & HAPPINESS
Your Buds at Soul Flower  =)

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Our Threads

Carry Your Own Sunshine Tank Review

When I was about 5, I made these little books about the sun.  I colored a sun on each page and wrote down a benefit that the sun provides.  I then walked around my neighborhood door to door and sold them for 10 cents each (and today I am a publisher!)  I am sure that some of my neighbors were going through life drama, and when they opened that door, and I was standing there so innocent and confident with those books, that their troubles momentarily melted away.

Since then my own life has had its dramas, and I have to continually learn the lesson that I so naively taught then—that no matter what, be sure and carry your own sunshine.  Yoga has been my main tool as an adult to help me learn to be a happier person.  Now, whenever I find myself becoming tense across my face and getting upset about a situation, I go inside and find that ray of light.  I have finally learned that the world will never be exactly as I would will it to be, so I may as well carry my own sunshine.

Wearing this tank is a good reminder to me to send out the warmth of the sun to the world around me, but it does so while keeping me cool as a cucumber.  This tank is super soft cotton and it feels cool and refreshing on the skin making it a perfect tank for a hot summertime yoga practice.  I love how it is not tight too.  Being a yoga instructor, I have a lot of tight Lycra tanks, which can be hot in the summer.  This tank is loose enough to not be constricting or hot and tight enough to not flop around during a yoga practice.  As a matter of fact, the material of this tank and the Soulflower lounge pants are so nice against the skin, I feel as if I am wearing nothing at all!  I visualize this tank to be a great tank for a mid-day yoga practice during a summer music festival.  You can put it on and lounge around camp to rest up between bands.  Also, I have included a Festival Yoga sequence for you to try at your next festival!  Here ya go buds:

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Our Threads

Wore My Boyfriend’s Shirt on my Birthday

I’ve always had a thing for off-the-shoulder tops. There’s just something mysteriously sexy about them. There’s no cleavage or butt cheeks hanging out shouting hi!!, just some nicely curved shoulders and a sensually accentuated collar bone.  Guess what I consider sexy is as simple as that. If I had to pick one word to describe Soul Flower’s My Boyfriend’s Shirt, though, it wouldn’t be sexy; I’d have to settle on cute. And when you combine cute with a mysterious dash of sexy it’s a winning look on any woman.  So, for my 27th Birthday I was dead set on wearing My Boyfriend’s Shirt, I even bought it as my birthday gift to myself.  Putting it on a birthday list would have required waiting, and relying on my birthday wish seemed wishy-washy.  Ironically, I later found out that my boyfriend was going to buy me My Boyfriend’s Shirt as my birthday present – would have made sense, but I want what I want when I want it, I guess.

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Other than looking absolutely adorable, the other reason I was instantly drawn to this top is that at one time it was just a typical men’s work shirt, and now, it’s been upcycled into something worthy of the center stage. I’ve always been all about the thrift lifestyle; I strongly believe in reusing what others do not want. Nothing makes me happier than seeing items, that would otherwise go to waste, be reconstructed into something that can once again be freakishly cherished by a girl like me. If that description sounds like you, too, this is the Soul Flower top you’ve been waiting for!

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CHEERS TO ALL YOU SUMMER PARTY PEOPLE!
So here’s to all the July Birthday people out there! My day was July 1, and Ringo, from the Beatles just had his 71st Birthday on July 7, so it seems we should rock out and have a mini Birthday Bash of our own with the Beatles!
Yes we’re going to a party party
I would like you to dance
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance
 
                                                                                                          

Who else has a summer birthday? Any big plans? Anything from Soul Flower on YOUR wish list? 🙂

LOVE & HAPPINESS,
Jacqueline Lee



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Stories

American Beauty

Soul Flower’s July Collection: American Beauty is rather eclectic and really highlights our affinity towards the unique and the handcrafted. Three things about our latest products have us all excited: many of them are upcycled, most of them are artsy, and all of them are USA made! What we’re offering isn’t just another outfit to wear; these pieces are worthy of respect!

Our new jewelry is truly a work of art! Each piece is handcrafted by our bud, Tamara. Made with polymer clay and acrylic paint, each design is made from a lovingly hand carved stamp. Plus, each one is slightly unique due to the random nature of distressing. For certain, they are one of a kind, which makes them even more want-worthy than usual! Especially our Out on a Limb Necklace – We’ve never seen another necklace quite like it! The colors on both the rings and the necklace are extremely beautiful, and each piece has a tender symbolism that makes them the perfect gift for your loved one.

Upcycling can turn out some amazing results and our latest upcycled clothing is no exception! Once again, all three articles of clothing featured below were handmade with love by Sarah and her team – we’re extremely proud of our new duds! There’s just something about taking what another had no use for and turning it to something worthy of attention. One man’s trash truly is another man’s treasure (and no matter how many times you say that line, it’s still far from cliché!). Made out of thrifted mens denim shirts our Mexicali Blues Upcycled Denim Shirt has been given a second chance at having a night (hopefully several!) out on the town. Whereas the adorable My Boyfriend’s Shirt is made from blue striped men’s work shirts, that are transformed into something exclusive and sexy for the ladies. No two have the exact same blue strips, so your Boyfriend’s Shirt will be unlike every other! Then there’s the way stylish Ruffle Skirt, which is made from vintage fabric; what’s especially fun about this one, is that each one comes with a vintage men’s tie for a belt. So there’s a little bit of fun suspense added, wondering what your tie belt is going to look like!

Basically, the bonus of these new Soul Flower pieces is that they represent the USA independence and individuality we cherish so very much! Plus, you can’t complain about the good karma that comes from buying recycled and upcycled goods!

It’s also suiting that with the pride of July 4th we present, with equal enthusiasm, a July collection that’s a true American Beauty, which is why all of July’s newbies are made in the USA. What better way to celebrate Old Glory than by upholding and celebrating the hard working people of our homeland, and, moreover, by honoring the ways in which we can keep our lands healthy through upcycling and pure, good ol’ creativity? We hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend and that our latest American Beauties are still setting off fireworks for you! 😉

To American Style! To Independence! Rock On!

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Style Influencers

Woo be Scrunchalicious

Yay! Got my new crop pants, buds and I gotta tell you, they’re packin’ some serious scrunch! They definitely deserve the name scrunchalicious! I’m always amazed at how much I adore these garments when they arrive. Is that weird? I can’t remember ever being so happy about getting clothing before. Describing the goods with such strong emotional phrases like “love, love, love them!” Yep, aha and theses capris are so wonderful, I just love ’em, too!

The soft fabric gives them a lot of stretch (95% cotton and 5% lycra) making for one cozy pair of crops. I gotta admit, I’m more of a shorts or jeans kinda gal when I’m in casual mode. Creature of habit, maybe? Well, these scrunchie crops have changed my mind on what’s most comfortable. These cropies are mucho soft, a nice weight plus have great details and style. I feel like I’m dressing up every top I own with them. All the same, I can totally lounge around the house while sporting these puppies and don’t miss wearing jeans or shorts AT ALL. In fact, I feel like I’m in my pajama bottoms! Shhh.

As for the design, the waist has a thin elastic band that is very stretchy. The size small waist seems to comfortably stretch to twenty eight inches. Below the waist the capris have a three inch stitched yoke design. Love that 80’s throwback detail. They seem to be a little big in the hips for me but I wear long tops anyway so, no worries there. The sweetest little embroidered tree lives centered on the back of the waistband and they have a nifty seam down the middle (front and back) of each leg. Starting at the knees, the main feature, the coolest gathered scrunchieness ever! I ordered them in brown which is a really nice chocolate shade (darker than the picture online) and they go with almost everything I own. I like them so much I’m thinking about getting the black ones (which will go with everything else I own).

There’s another important benefit of owning these capris, they are part of Avatar Imports clothing line. Avatar is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, (a nonprofit trade association that promotes businesses that adhere to principles of fair trade). So, workers creating these great clothes aren’t paid as little as possible (sweat shop amounts), they are paid an amount that actually allows them to…live. Not only that, Avatar is a certified “Green” company practicing resource conservation – conserving energy, water, materials, preventing pollution, waste, etc. This inspires me to do what I can in my own life because even simple things like shutting off power when leaving a room, printing double sided or canceling junk mail CAN make a difference. These things matter. Every natural resource is precious and every being is of value and deserves to be treated with fairness and a chance at a better life for the work they do. Wouldn’t it be great if this was a priority for everyone? Today is the day to change. So, I will gladly wear wonderfully unique scrunchalicious capris from companies that believe in doing good, being conscious and fair.

Peace and love,
~Woo

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Inspiration, Learn

Growing Up Organic

My love for these little onesies runs deep. Of course the messages on them are right up my peacenik alley. As a dyed-in-the-wool pacifist who wants her kiddos to spread love not war, I am proud to have my baby wear her “Pick Flowers, Not Fights” message. And that’s saying a lot for me because in general I am not a fan of clothing with words, but this is an exception indeed. And the “Let It Grow” onesie is just too sweet. If there is one thing babies do like crazy (aside from poop) it’s GROW!

Sometime baby onesies are paper thin or rough and poorly sewn. I guess people figure because your kiddo will grow out of it so quickly, why bother? Not these though! The fabric is thick and soft and it’s very well made overall. It’s the sort of onesie that will take a lot of abuse as my baby scooches around the floor and will still have plenty of life left to pass the love on to the next little bud.

~Cindy

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Our Threads

Soul Flower’s Fancy Side

Last weekend I left Minneapolis and traveled home for a wedding in Wisconsin; the whole ride there, all I could think about was how I couldn’t wait to wear my new dress from Soul Flower! I picked out the Mudmee Tie-Dye Tube dress with the wedding’s rehearsal dinner in mind; although, honestly, I’ll use any fun event as an excuse to buy Soul Flower! But, the major deciding factor for picking this specific dress was that I can easily dress it up or down, with minimal effort, for numerous future occasions. The other cool thing about the Mudmee Tie-Dye dress is that each one is uniquely hand tie-dyed, so every one is a different blend of colors with a mostly black bodice – no other girl in the world has a dress quite like mine!

So take this dress, a pair of heels, Soul Flower’s elegant Teal Swirl Earrings, my favorite Auric Blends Oil in Egyptian Goddess and POOF! Without a fairy godmother, I was feeling fancy. Even a no effort look still appears stunning, but in a carefree, casual kind of way that allows me to wear this dress whenever I want. Wedding, grocery shopping, going to the park – this dress works!  And I just love that!

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When I was a little girl, I always chose my party dresses with a twirl test. If it didn’t twirl, I didn’t want it. Even though I’m not quite so strict with my dresses today, I did get all excited over wearing the Mudmee Tie-Dye Tube Dress when I realized how much spin it has. The bottom of this dress is super flowy, and looks lovely in the wind or on the dance floor. Luckily, my weekend home was super windy, and out of all the dresses featured here; this one definitely has the most spin!  Important to know if you’re a twirl tester, too!

 

So, not all Soul Flower dresses are festival bound. Fancy is totally in their repertoire!

It’s always the versatility of these dresses that absolutely amazes me. These aren’t the kind of dresses you buy, wear once, and keep in the darkness of your closet for years! They are from work to play, day to night kind of dresses 🙂 Some other Soul Flower dresses I wouldn’t hesitate to wear to a wedding are:

All of these Soul Flower dresses are sweet, romantic, and just right for weddings, or whatever! Our bud, Bri, looks cute as candy in her new Milkshake Maxi, and we’re not employing the adorable kitten hoax to make you agree. Bri wore this dress all weekend, and she would have done so with or without a kitten, at least, we’re pretty positive she would have…

Kitten - Soul Flower's Fancy Side

Have a rockin’ time at all your summer celebrations! Don’t forget, we have a Dress Sale going on right now!

Will you be showing off Soul Flower’s fancy side at any special occasions?

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Behind-the-Scenes

Proud of our Big Ass Recycling Bins

Did you know we recycle all #1-7 plastics here at Soul Flower? Well we’re proud to announce, we do!  Sometimes recycling can be trickier than anticipated, but our buds, Chad and Joe, set us up with some nice big barrels to help keep our recyclables organized.  We really do try our best to be as eco-friendly as possible!

Many of us even bring our plastic recyclables from home, since curbside recycling only recycles #1 and #2 plastics. Each Soul Flower employee just needs to be sure that they clean out their plastic containers, because having food left in them only attracts bugs, and automatically demotes them to garbage. So, since it’s more than just warehouse accumulation going into our bins, the #1-7 plastic recycling system has saved a lot more plastic than one would suspect.  Just last week, the guys took three jam- packed 55 gallon bags of plastic to the East Side Coop after work. *High Five, Buds!*

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 In the U.S. people throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles an HOUR! And plastic takes an awfully long time to decompose; a hundred years or more depending on the plastic. Even though numbers like that can be intimidating, we here at Soul Flower truly believe that every little thing adds up to a bigger, brighter picture – which is why we have our awesome, big ass recycling bins! We’re glad to be doing what we can to cut back on landfill waste!

Gotta save room for the Soul Flowers of this Earth! 

Besides recycling, do any of you do anything creative to upcycle plastic? Any fun project ideas for all our buds out there? ☮


By your bud, Jacqueline Lee

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Stories

Wanee Music Festival & One Happy Camper

I love a good music festival, buds. Specifically, I am in love with Wanee Music Festival in Live Oak, Florida. If you didn’t make it this year, you have 11 months to check out their website and get yourself ready! You don’t want to miss another one! And, we’ll see you there! Look for the Soulflower Peace & Love tapestry, stop in and hang out!

There really are differences between a good concert and a good festival, and if you are not familiar with either…stop reading this review, locate the closest venue, check out their lineup, and make some plans 🙂 For me personally, the music festival is the way to go. You might spend more initially, but you typically get a few days’ worth of several musicians and sometimes even, a place to camp out. Wanee is put on by the Allman Brothers, one of the founding fathers of jam bands. This year, artists like Stephen Marley, Widespread Panic (PANIC!!!), Robert Plant (I saw half of Led Zeppelin, y’all!), Steve Miller (some people call him a space cowboy!), Keller Williams, Ween, etc…showed up to rock us out. And, boy howdy…did they ever rock us out! The music was insanely good! But, I think that what I loved most about Wanee was simply the vibe.

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Everyone was happy, there were no fights or drama, no one took too much of anything… it was like we were just one big family, probably the Partridges. My husband, Berg, and I camped out along the road to the river, and we saw so many happy hippie people just coasting by on their bikes, faces smiling, and loving the life they live. It was really something to see, buds. I’m still holding on to that happy hippie vibe!

The day Bergman sported his Soulflower ‘Happy Camper’ tee, he was stopped by so many festival friendlies who thought it was Awesome! One vendor kept shouting at us, ‘Hey! It’s the Happy Camper!’ every time we walked by…he thought that shirt was the cat’s pajamas. The days got hot while we were there, so Berg was loving that the tee is constructed of a lightweight material. He didn’t get overheated while wearing it, which is easy to do around here. The color is somewhere in the neighborhood of grayish brown, or if you’re a cup half full kind of person…brownish gray. And, once again, Soulflower honors their commitment to lovin’ Mama Earth by creating this shirt with an organic cotton/recycled PET blend. We’ve seen this tee through several washes now, and there is (as always, happily) no shrinkage to report. The colors are just as vibrant as before, too. All in all, another SCORE! for Team Soulflower…we love this shirt!

So, buds…if you’re a happy camper and you know it, clap your hands and buy this tee!

Play me out, Allman Bros…

Allman Bros ‘Midnight Rider’ by Cam LaBelle on Vimeo

Peace, Love, & Good Tunes, buds!

~Cam

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Learn, Stories

Bonnaroo Bound: Festival Packing Tips & Picks

Woohooooo!! Bonnaroo is this weekend! Got your tickets ready and your bags packed?

Packing always seems like it’s going to be so much easier than it is; damn tricky bags and their size limits! But it doesn’t have to be so bad. Considering all the sweet festivals that will be making this summer amazing, we figured we’d help you out with a few Soul Flower picks that are perfect for packing! So, here goes:

You’re going to want to bring a hat to protect yourself from the hot rays of the sun. Better yet, you’ll get to see the bands way better without the sun making you all squinty-eyed. Soul Flower has quite a few hats to choose from, but the Wander Trucker Hat and the Follow Your Bliss Corps Hat are our latest faves!

They’re the kind of accessories that match just about anything, so you won’t have to worry about matching a hat to this or that outfit. One hat and a whole weekend of lookin’ good wear sounds wonderful to us!

The best outfits to pack are wrinkle free, because it really won’t matter what weird ways you choose to pack; you can roll ‘em up, ball ‘em up, and shove ‘em any which way to make room. Either way, these clothes are going to look as good coming out of that crammed suitcase as they would your closet.

Sanya’s Scarf Dress is great since it doesn’t hold wrinkles, whereas, our new Spring Flowers Dress is ideal because the material already has a slightly “crushed and crinkled” appearance.

Definitely don’t forget to bring a bag! You’re going to want one on you at all times. Our newest fave is the Dove Messenger Bag, rain or shine these peaceful birds like to party! This particular bag falls right at the hip and has adjustable straps, but if you’re looking for a different style, we have several bags to choose from! Just be sure it’s large enough to carry water bottles, ponchos, and sunscreen.

But, let’s be honest; camping for any festival isn’t the cleanest affair. We get muddy, sweaty, and all kinds of dirty, which is why we’d recommend our Prairieland Herbs Solid Perfumes. Another plus side to solid perfume is that you won’t have to worry about spillage, and the teeny-tiny things don’t take up any space. Our solid perfumes come in a variety of sensual scents, and every single one of them will save you from the smellies.

 

Just keep the music funky, right?  😉

And whatever you do: DON’T FORGET TO BE COMFY!! You’re there to make memories and get your groove on! – Nothing will ruin that faster than wearing the wrong thing! It’s hard to throw just a few Soul-Flower picks at ya here, because they’re all so darn comfortable.  But, since we must, our festively comfy picks for packing are: The Native Tank, Men’s Cargo Shorts, Girls Wanna Have Fun Capris, and the Milkshake Maxi Dress.

These picks will definitely keep you happy whether you’re jumping around or lounging around.

Most importantly, for the sake of comfort, avoid getting a wicked burn by slathering on the sunscreen, and be sure to stay hydrated and drink lots and lots of water!

 

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Overall, buds, our best advice for Bonnaroo, or any other festival, is to get lost in the music, smile too much, take too many pictures, and have the time of your life!

~What’s your favorite Soul Flower item to pack for festivals? We’d love to know!~

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Our Threads

Wranglin’ up flowers: Little Cowgirl Dress

Ok, saddle up all you cowgirl buds! This one will surely rope you in. It’s a sassy lil’ cowgirl dress and it’s so much fun. But, let me back up a bit. I started anticipating the new Soul-Flower spring catalog many weeks before its arrival. I perused Soul-Flowers website and Facebook page every few days leading up to the mail order catalog as they often revealed new merchandise teasers each week, which by the way is really fun! The day the cowgirl dress was unveiled I was immediately drawn in by the multitude of color, pattern, texture and design. How often can you get so much bang for your buck? (No pun intended – Yeeha!) Well, I gotta tell ya, it’s even better in person! Of course it was a one of a kind find (I think I can safely say that about all Soul-Flower items) and I wasn’t gonna miss it. Plus it’s mucho fun to get some new clothes with spring now underway – finally! But, back to the dress.

The day I received it in the mail was such a treat. I really dug the overall design and funky patterns. Not only did the colors seem absolutely brilliant, but the design is sweet and very pretty. I don’t wear a lot of dresses so this was really a treat! I think I got it out of my closet ten times that day because well, there’s so much to look at! The cotton is light weight with a bit of crinkle to it, making it easy to care for and great for anyone who likes to line dry and/or conserves energy usage.

The empire waist, tie neck, puff sleeves and tiered ruffles (each with a different pattern) hearkens back to things I wore as a young girl but with a gypsy artist flare. I like clothing that represents who I am and what I love to do. As a painter, I love me some color…not gonna lie and this measures up in that department. The dress has lots of colors (like my paint pallette) but they blend together very nicely (unlike my paint pallette). It’s vivid but with a slight muted look. As far as what to wear it with, I’m really partial to boots this year and this cowgirl dress really does rock out paired with some boots and skinny jeans. I’ve also thrown a long sleeve tee under it and worn it that way on cooler days and nights. I look forward to summer when I can wear the dress alone and stay uber cool since it’s a really light weight cotton. As with all Soul-Flower items, I look forward to wearing it every time, and that’s just one reason I love it! I would definitely think about getting this one, it’s fun, it’s colorful, it’s… happy! Yeah, I feel happy when I wear it! On that note enjoy spring, buds! Life is popping up all around. What a beautiful and much embraced time of year! ~Woo

karma krewe logo 300 - Wranglin' up flowers: Little Cowgirl DressWendi reviewed the
Little Cowgirl Dress
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Our Threads

Burnout Tank Top.. or is it a tunic?

Hey Buds!

Howzit? Just spent a wonderful Earth Day in the sun at Sandy Beach in Oahu and wore my Headdress Racerback Tank all day. When I got the shirt in the mail I was a little surprised at the length, it could work really well as a mini-dress as well as a tank top or tunic. It’s also a bit more see-through on the grey parts but it works really well, and isn’t revealing in any way. I love the material, which has definitely become a trend in the clothes I get from Soul-flower. It is ridiculously comfy which makes it easy to wear to any event and know that you look good.

I absolutely love the versatility of the shirt. In the morning I paired it with some rolled up shorts as an easy outfit to ride the bus in. After playin’ in the surf and seeing some awesome turtles floating out on the reef, I took a quick shower and dried off a bit and threw the shirt on as a cover up. It worked quite well and I got a lot of compliments on it.

Since we worked up an appetite being at the beach all day we stopped in Kailua town to grab a quick bite to eat. I put the shorts back on, threw on a light jacket, and a feathery headband and was ready to walk around town.

This shirt is definitely “the bee’s knees” as my friend would say. It has become a key piece in my wardrobe and I will be sure to grab this tank first whenever I’m heading out on a trip somewhere.

Hope you’re having a good time wherever the universe is taking you!

Lauren ☮

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Our Threads

Almost Famous – Soul-Flower Style

“Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you’ll marry a music man”
There’s just something about watching a movie and discovering an entire wardrobe worth wanting. And us buds want, want, want Penny Lane’s wardrobe in Almost Famous. Movie stars shouldn’t get to wear all the sweet clothes; we need our cool threads too! So we thought it would be fun to shop Soul Flower from an Almost Famous viewpoint – a different take on shopping our site. Here is what we found:
If ever a flower had soul, it would have to be the ethereal Ms. Penny Lane. In Almost Famous, Kate Hudson’s laidback style magnifies her carefree and joyous personality. Lane really has a breathtaking look – she knows what she loves and she follows her heart, whether it be music, a man or what she wears. If you love her fashion as much as we do, here are a few Soul Flower pieces that emulate Penny Lane’s free spirit.

 

The men in Almost Famous have a fashion sense too. It’s been said that, “style is a simple way of saying complicated things,” and it’s easy to imagine that a man like Russell Hammond would agree. His style tells the story of a true traveling man with songs in his soul. Russell’s definitely all about comfort, and leans towards earthy tones; he’s more than just another rock star who likes to party, he craves to have everything “real”

Almost Famous is a perfect example of soulful style. Penny Lane and Hammond have a fashion that speaks to us: We’re all on a journey. We’re all lost in a song. We all have a story to tell – and we all find such beautifully simple ways to share such complicated things…

 
“Looking on she sings the songs
The words she knows the tune she hums”

 

 
If you could snag the wardrobe of any movie character, whose would it be? 🙂

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Our Threads

I Love the Love Dress-Skirt!

When spring and summer comes around I am always the first to break out the dresses and skirts.  I’m somewhat picky when it comes to buying a dress.

I look for these key things:
*It HAS to be comfortable, there is no way I can spend my life relaxing in a too tight dress!
*Form-fitting.  I have curves that I don’t mind showing off so I like my dresses to be form fitting.
*unique, pretty! Obviously, it has to grab my attention.  If doesn’t grab mine attention then what would make me want to put it on in the morning?
I spotted the Organic Love Dress-Skirt at Soul Flower and I was in love!  Wait, what is a dress-skirt?
This is a dress, and a skirt.  Hold up, it’s both?  That’s right!  With dual purposes the Love dress is a serious must have!  All you do is fold down the dress to fit like a skirt, and because it’s organic cotton is stretches to fit your uniqueness.

*Super Comfy!  When I tried this on I immediately thought Moby Wrap (baby carrier).  When my daughter was young that’s how I would carry her around, it was so comfortable I just loved wearing it.  This is the same type of material, you really can’t go wrong with organic cotton!
*Form Fitting, Again organic cotton is the way to go!  The Love dress truly hugs your curves, accentuating the positive!
*Unique.  I really love the color, azure blue, it puts off a chill, calm, relaxing vibe. The love design looks to me like it was written with dandelions blowing through the air.  This dress is casual with an awesome splash of radiance!

What I LOVE about it:
It’s great being able to wear this as a dress or a skirt.  Spring is funny in Georgia, someday it will be cool and others humid hot.  So when it’s too cool out to wear a strapless dress I can fold it down into a skirt and throw on a tee!

When I put this dress on not only do I feel comfortable and confident, I like feel myself.  I feel spunky and free.  I feel like I want to go outside in a meadow and run.  My inner hippie spirit comes out and I feel like a kid again.  I can’t have a bad day wearing this gorgeous dress-skirt!  Thank you Soul Flower!

karma krewe logo 300 - I Love the Love Dress-Skirt!Candice wore the Love Organic Dress-Skirt

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Our Threads

Recycled Baja Hoody: Roy keeps it simple

In the past few years I’ve been across Canada on plane, on bus, and on foot. I’ve taken up learning and selling things like pottery, hemp making, and creating healing natural soaps. Most of my travelling was because of WWOOFing (organic farming) and wanting to live at awesome oceanview houses. I really learned a lot about myself, sustainability, and nature. and knew a simpler lifestyle would be my key. I enrolled in adventure recreation & parks and graduate this summer. I will be working as a hiking guide this summer in Banff, Ab. and going to as many summer festivals as possible.

Lately my real passion has been for the mountains, I just want to hike, climb, and explore every inch of beauty out there. I like to paint, take pictures, play guitar, do yoga, and write. I love music. Bands like Xavier Rudd, Devendra Banhart, Mumford and Sons, Phish really make me happy. and of course the 64-74 music. My favorite concert of all time though would have to be suprisingly enough… Ravi Shankar.

The thing I love about Soul-Flower is it’s nice to be able to break away too from the norm (mall clothing) and really wear something that’s eco friendly, stylish, and natural.

SF switches up the line frequently enough too, that no matter how much I have, their’s always going to be something that I want in the next order.

I chose this hoodie really because I don’t own many pullovers, the design is so natural and still funky having a cool design on the strings and hood. I love everything about it but the comfort is the best part. This sweater is so soft, and fits perfect around the arms, neck. I chose this because it’s always nice to have a good non zip up hoodie and this was definitely the perfect choice. It’s not heavy whatsoever and not too thick. But it does still keep me very warm. Because it’s 100% recycled materials I feel better about my impact on the earth. The hood is great too, doesn’t fit tight at all. So once again I am happy, and warm, I think I’ll be getting the blue and green too.

let vision come with insight, and let illumination be the source of given light.
Roy

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Behind-the-Scenes

Original Designs by Soul Flower

Did you know that the majority of t-shirts at Soul-Flower are created in-house by us? When you see one of our new tee designs for sale online, you know it’s super fresh… a great pick if you’re looking for something totally unique to set you apart from the crowd!

Soul Flower Originals are our exclusive designs that feature original artwork, created to reflect positive messages of peace, mother nature, music, and a laid back, stress free lifestyle. We choose organic cotton and other natural fibers, or recycled fibers whenever we can, and print in small batches right here in the USA.

Our 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.

Shop all Soul Flower exclusive & original designs
 

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