American-Made Things Loved This Month

A distillery tour + a street art surprise, a hair lotion, a concealer, and a screwdriver set. Here are more than a few American-made things that I'm loving this month:

Tailored by Tradlands

 
Today's post is another from my friend, Xochil. She's got a killer fashion sense and is deeply committed to American clothing manufacturing, especially in her hometown of Chicago. She has some great insight as an insider in the fashion industry and will likely be contributing every now and then. 

I recently wrote about tailored shirts for men, but what about for women? Sure, finding any old button-up shirt is pretty easy, but finding one that fits really well and doesn’t have the dreaded “boob gap” (even without a large bust), is much harder. I can’t remember exactly how I found out about them originally, either through a #ff on Twitter or Instagram, but either way, I’m so happy to have found Tradlands!

American-Made Weekend Links

The latest news regarding the Made in America Movement: small-batch whiskey, counterfeit products, luxury linens, outdoor gear, women's handbags from Shinola, power suits, Brooklyn-made, Made in USA e-commerce, national parks, why more clothing might be American-made, and why 'made in China' could be in decline.

Here are 15 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

Five Cool Things Made in Canada

When you think of Canada, you might just conjure up images of maple syrup, beer, and hockey. In honor of my family and friends north of the U.S. border, here are five awesome Canadian-made things that may surprise you:

American-Made Tuesday Links

Some news from the Made in America Movement over the past few weeks: Motorola's decision to stop assembling the Moto X in the US, $500K fines for violating the Buy American Act, Walmart's struggles to meet its promise for US-made items, robotics' role in American manufacturing, American Apparel boots its founder for misconduct, Obama thinks 'Made in America' is the new DIY and the brand is stronger than ever, American-made cast iron cookware's popularity, the New Jersey bill to mandate the purchase of American-made products, Mercedes' made-in-USA milestone, American rum (America's first spirit of choice) from craft distilleries, how American manufacturing is struggling to get a foothold... except in Brooklyn, and others believe it's going to make a comeback.

"... the US is the best place to locate, the best place to invest, and the best place to hire." -- President Obama

Here are 20 21 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

American-Made Weekend Links

I know, I know. It's been a while since my last links post. I've been busy surviving this winter weather. This installment of my weekend links deals with beer, spirits, made-in-New-York fashion at NY Fashion Week, the car that might be "the greatest American-made product ever, and the response to the State of the Union address and the made-in-America Super Bowl ads.

Here are 13 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

The Master Plan

Instagram can be dangerous for people who get inspired by a picture and have.to.have.that.thing.right.now. I don't get that way about a lot of things, but nail polish is one of them.

American-Made Saturday Links

Here are ten articles and videos you need to see if you haven't done so already:

Stripes and Plaid

Just a quick selfie to show off some things I've been loving lately, including the combination of plaid flannel and navy stripes:

Fall Cool

This is a great autumn nail color. It's Essie Merino Cool, a dusty gray purple that they released in their fall collection several years ago. I love the neutral, moody base. The cream formula is perfect and make it almost a one-coater.

Pictured here with my American Apparel scarf in Sir Robert William Flannel Plaid.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Back to School!

It's that time of the year: back-to-school season. Over a million NYC public school students start classes today. A happy time for some and a dreaded time for others. Either way, it's been the signal for stocking up on school supplies and new clothes. I decided to get some American-made things for my three-and-a-half-year-old nephew who is in preschool. With some help from his mom (my sister) and my husband, I think I've got quite the back-to-school care package for him.

Fall Wish List

Having my spring wish list was a great way to set priorities for things that I needed and wanted. It was really helpful for me and I've referred back to a lot over the past months, updating as I found American-made products and made purchases. While not everything got crossed off, I did find the majority of the items.

So, of course, I set out to make a wish list for fall. In addition to some basics (tank tops, tees, leggings, socks), here are the top 12 things on my fall wish list for clothing, accessories, and beauty products:

Ten Polishes for Neon Pink Nails

My friend, Kathryn, recently showed up wearing this neon pink nail polish and had one small complaint...

The Toes Are Out!

With the temperatures rising, my feet have been exposed almost all the time now. I visited my local nail salon recently to make sure that my tootsies were summer ready and picked out this fun fuchsia color for my toenails.

Brand Spotlight: American Apparel

American Apparel Unisex Tri-Blend Short Sleeve Deep V-Neck in tri-black

American Apparel certainly are setting the standard for fast fashion:

Spring Wish List

American Apparel Unisex Stretch Twill Slim Slack Lite in camel

Here are the top 12 things on my spring wish list for clothing and shoes:

Fast Fashion's Challenge: Making Money With 'Made In The USA' -- NPR

NPR compares American Apparel to Forever 21, two leaders in the 'fast fashion' market.

From NPR: "Fast Fashion's Challenge: Making Money With 'Made In The USA'"

Show Your Stripes

Can one really have too many striped tees? (I didn't think so.) I've been searching for a new striped top for the spring. A classic boatneck tee in a navy stripe? Yes, please. Here are a dozen striped tops: various price points; some that are in line with the signature look, some with a few modern twists; all made in the USA.

Tangled Up in Plaid Flannel

American Apparel William plaid flannel

This American Apparel plaid flannel shirt has become a staple for me this fall/winter. I have it in both the William and Sir Robert flannel plaids. It's a thick cotton flannel, perfect for when the temperature goes below freezing. Wear it with everything from a pair of jeans to a sequin skirt. Oh, and it's unisex so even the guys can get in on the flannel-plaid-shirting fun. Watch out, Seattle.

(Photo by my husband, Dan)

Wicked

 

This is one of my all-time favorite nail polishes. Described as "a deep and dark creamy sinister red," Essie's Wicked is the perfect vampy red polish. This is a perfect color to wear when the weather gets chilly, but it is classic enough to wear year-round. Great for hands and toes. Applies in two coats to a creamy opaque finish.

Pictured here with a Harding scarf in the squash color from Pendleton's 2011 Portland Collection (no longer available) and a deep v-neck tee from American Apparel. 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.