From Kristine: WHY WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN BLACK FRIDAY

Yasss boo! We’re participating in Black Friday today, and I wanted to take a moment to explain why. I know that some in the sustainability space pass on the holiday, and I understand it. Historically, Black Friday has been categorized by frenzied crowds stampeding to insanely discounted toasters, thoughtlessly over-consuming because “why not at this price?”

However, just because that’s been the norm doesn’t mean we can’t take a different approach…

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Lately: AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2020 SURVEY

Curious to know what's been keeping people sane lately? What are the most common struggles, pleasant surprises, silver linings of 2020 and more? I have good news.

Remember two weeks ago? I wanted to create a passion project about this wild year we're having, but needed more insight. That's where you stepped in to help. 81 of you kindly contributed their stories to an anonymous questionnaire. Here’s what people said…

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Lately: INSPO FOR “NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S GREETING CARDS”

Want to spread the love while staying apart? Enter: our first collection of greeting cards. The world is your oyster with these: you can send them as is or color them in to create special designs for your special loved ones. Either way, it’s the perfect surprise for the people you're missing the most.

Our cards are made with a thick cover paper so you can get as creative as you’d like with a range of media. Bring on the masterpieces! Not sure where to start? Here’s some inspo to get the ideas flowing…

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Process: 5 TIPS FOR AN AT-HOME PHOTOSHOOT

"Making it work." #Mood. I’ve talked with a bunch of makers, who are wary about photographing/modeling their work while in lockdown. I’m by no means an expert on the subject (you've seen my awkward #bts), but this past year of doing solo shoots has taught me something I want everyone to hear: When it comes to making sales, professional photos aren't a make or break factor. You just need to capture the essentials…

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Process: INSPO BEHIND THE IMPERFECT SWEATER

It began with a realization: there's SO much nuance to the human body. Like, yes. To an extent, we all know this already. However, it wasn’t until I began making clothes and dressing women that I truly understood it. Standard measurements like height, waist, bust and hip don't account for enough. There's torso length, shoulder width, arm length, general body tone, and the list goes on. The body is so intricate and proportions can widely range within one “size.” A garment cut for my body won’t necessarily lay the same or even flatter another's, same size or not…

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From Kristine: WHY I DITCHED RUNWAY SHOWS, BUT AM GLAD I STARTED THERE

It's that time of year again! Fashion Week! It’s been 3 years since Declarative’s last runway show, which is crazy because those presentations were a big part of our early years. Fashion Week launched the brand, debuted our first four collections, and although we probably won’t participate again, I couldn't be more grateful that it’s how we started.

Why? Because it's not too hard to work on a project (or business, career shift, etc) in secret. It’s also not too stressful when there's unlimited time to everything is perfect…

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Holiday: DECLARATIVE GIFT GUIDE

It's hard to believe, but today is our holiday order deadline and the last day of our Black Friday Sale. So if you’ve been crushing on something for a loved one (or yourself) this holiday season, the time is now. To help you pick out that perfect knit, I curated this guide to highlight our bestsellers and their features. (If you sense that I had wayyy too much fun putting this together, you’re right. I regret nothing)…

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From Kristine: WHY WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN BLACK FRIDAY

Yasss boo! We’re participating in Black Friday today, and I wanted to take a moment to explain why. I know that some in the sustainability space pass on the holiday, and I understand it. Historically, Black Friday has been categorized by frenzied crowds stampeding to insanely discounted toasters, thoughtlessly over-consuming because “why not at this price?”

However, just because that’s been the norm doesn’t mean we can’t take a different approach…

Read more

Consciously Considered: FELTING 101

Has a beloved sweater ever shrank to child-size in the wash? Did a scarf ever emerge from the dryer a stiff, fuzzy mess? If so, then you’ve experienced the heartbreak that is felting. When it accidentally happens, felting is a cruel and unforgivable process that sends clothes to their grave. And with sweater weather in full swing, it’s the perfect time to give it a close look. You’ll learn exactly how felting occurs and how to prevent it from happening to you (and your fav knits) again…

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Consciously Considered: HOW TO SUSTAINABLY CARE FOR SYNTHETICS

It’s summer and a million degrees out. Obvi, it's time to get nautical! …Well, kind of. Today, we are talking about washing our synthetics fabrics (including polyester, rayon, nylon, acrylic and so on.) Clearly, washing is a major point in garment care for hygiene purposes. However, it's also a major point in sustainability because how we wash our synthetics directly impacts their lifespan and our waterways. Why? Because every time clothes get washed, they shed fibers…

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Consciously Considered: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SUMMER LIGHTS FROM SWEAT AND SUNSCREEN

Late summer is here, which means hotter temps, hazier days and hopefully more time in some kind of pool or mermaid situation. And with this added sun comes a garment care question I hear a lot: How do I keep my summer whites and pastels clean, especially with sweat and sunscreen in play?

And note that this includes pastels so the answer isn’t bleach. Instead, this is my trick that'll work on any of your lights to prevent stains and keep them looking fresh all season long…

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Consciously Considered: WHAT’S GREENWASHING AND HOW TO SPOT IT

The good news: the demand for sustainable products on the rise as more people become aware of our current environmental crisis. Woot!

The bad new? Brands are increasingly marketing themselves with terms like “green” and “conscious,” to appear eco-friendly without putting in the time, effort and expense to actually operate as such. This is called greenwashing

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From Kristine: HALF WAY THROUGH 2019

“I’m not where I thought I’d be.”

Familiar with this little b? I'm well-acquainted. It first crossed my mind the September after college. Everyone was either at work or back in school, and I was alone in a Starbucks filling out more job applications (this time to retail positions because the design jobs seemed to be DOA). At the time, I could quickly shrug it off. Fresh out of school and only 22, I was just beginning and had plenty of time to get where I want to go.

These days, though, it’s not as easy…

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Process: FUN FACTS BEHIND THE SS19 LOOKBOOK

"I must be flying a kite in the rain because this just got electric." ~Will Truman

You know me, I love to spill the tea. I also love Will & Grace (just had to make that official). Regardless of how much planning is done beforehand, there are always last minute hiccups going into a photoshoot. The super-Bravo fan in me loves the drama, but my Type-A personality can’t stand it. Either way though, it’s a part of the process and leads to the happiest accidents. Let’s dish...

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