My Pop is the son of a tailor and passed on to me his knowledge about how to put an outfit together. I remember him taking me shopping as a teenager and looking for the “perfect pixie boots,” which I’d imagined to be chocolate brown, completely flat and with a round point.  During trips like this, my Dad would share interesting titbits related to what we were doing like, “you can completely change an outfit with a good pair of shoes.”  I know this isn’t a ground-breaking statement, but the idea has stuck with me and I feel the same about accessories.  A pretty scarf, some statement earrings or a bold bag can take an outfit from boring to fun or slouchy to chic.

Introducing Anchal Project

The word Anchal (pronounced on-chal) comes from India and refers to two things, shelter and the decorative edge of a sari used to provide love and comfort to a loved one.  This perfectly suits the Anchal Project, which is a non-profit organization that combats the exploitation of women around the world. It does this through a program that equips women with the tools for future employment.  Each Anchal product helps provide an artisan with a full-time job, health care benefits and educational workshops.  Anchal made an interesting video called The Anchal Narrative which shows the community of women working together.  I recommend checking it out here.

The Anchal Project was created by two sisters, Colleen and Maggie Clines.  Colleen was inspired by a trip to India where she learnt of the issues surrounding women trying to escape the sex trade.   Anchal’s goal is to “create sustainable, income-generating textile initiatives run with local leadership that create long-term change for exploited and marginalized women.”  On their website, you can find eco-friendly textiles such as kimono jackets, quilts, and bags.

My Outfit

When I saw Anchal’s scarves and bandanas, I knew I’d found a solid accessory addition for my wardrobe.  You can wear a bandana in your hair, around your neck or on your bag.  The bandana I’m wearing is a patchwork of rust, bone, and sand colours.  Angelinos don’t need jackets at the moment so it’s fun to feel autumnal with a scarf in the appropriate colours.  Each bandana is made from organic cotton and the edges are finished by hand (you can see this hand stitching process in the video).  I love that each artisan signs every item that she makes and that Anchal features these women on their website, so you can “put a face to the name.”

Discount code & Thanks

If something catches your eye on the Anchal website, feel free to use my code ENGLISHLASS20 for 20% off any order.

Special thanks to Anchal for sponsoring this post.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Other outfit details

Bag: Angela Roi

Shoes: Timberland (Old)

Dress: Reformation

Makeup:  Emme Diane, Bite and 100% Pure