Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Australia Campaign released a collection for 2011 in August including 7 of Australia's top fashion forces getting in on the cause such as Secrets, Peeptoe, Cue, Seafolly, Seduce, Cotton On and Metalicus. Australian fashion icons Jodhi Meares, Erika Heynatz, Annalise Suebert and Gail Elliot came together for this shoot in support of the movement.

Taken from Fashion Targets Breast Cancer...

Here are the facts
1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer
14,000 women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer this year and 840 of them will be under the age of 40.

So, 'What can you do? Make a choice to purchase any of these products that may one day make a difference to your mum, sister, relative or friend because there is nothing more stylish than fashion with meaning'.

A minimum of 25% of the proceeds from the sale of these products will go to The National Breast Cancer Foundation to improve early detection, identify the cause, find a cure and hopefully one day prevent the disease.

Seafolly for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer - Safari Maxi Dress

All items are available to purchase August until December 31st, 2011 so buy up and do your part to support this campaign!

To buy click here!

No concept of time

White Sand Beaches, camping with a bonfire under the stars what more can I ask from a few days away camping with friends on the beautiful Rainbow Beach. Rainbow Beach is about 3.5hrs drive from Brisbane heading North to the Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia. The spot I camped at was just directly across from Fraser Island and called Inskip point (many people take a ferry from here to head to Fraser). There, you will see some of the most amazing beaches on the Sunshine Coast, I was quite surprised to see how developed this little beach town was not as remote as I assumed from having trendy up market cafes to boutiques.

Campfire where we cooked everything including Marshmallows mmmmmm

One of my best buds Gino known this champ since I was 12!

Stargazing..... Managed to see a few shooting stars too :)

Conscious Fashion

This post is for all of you who may ask how can you make a difference with your fashion purchases? What is involved when making a conscious decision? Where and how can I get involved? Where do I buy eco-conscious products ? 


This post will outline one of the ways you can make an impact by supporting the Fair Trade Movement.


Okay let's face it compared to the million other fashion ranges out there, Fairtrade products lack to excite consumers. We know that it's deserving of our hard-earned cash,  as we've seen on the news how it helps communities and that schools and medical centres could be built in some of the world's poorest countries from the premium we pay for their cotton and other materials, and yet it is still not widely adapted among the masses. The problem seems to be with the image associated to FairTrade fashion that it is limited to boring old hippy shirts and not high fashion or hip enough to be worn. However there are actually many new up and coming designers or designers who are already established but moving towards a FairTrade range for their consumers. I think more education is needed into getting more Eco conscious fashion products out there. I mean it's just ridiculous, the whole mass concept that FairTrade is not fashionable or cool enough for people to start making more conscious choices. From what I can see out there just by doing a bit of research, the market is becoming more and more flooded with designers and brands heading towards a more eco-conscious direction. 


I'd have to say that Eco-fashion is more than a passing trend and more a look into the future of the fashion industry.


I think with more awareness and understanding of what FairTrade fashion actually is and with the help of the many information resources out there we can all learn how to make that difference and acknowledge exactly where our products are actually coming from, how they are being made and the conditions of the workers associated into creating that very shirt or dress you are wearing.

Image copyright of FairTrade USA

The information below is taken from the Official Fair Trade website to give you a better understanding of it all...

What is Fair Trade?

“Fairtrade is a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers and workers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system. If fair access to markets under better trade conditions would help them to overcome barriers to development, they can join Fairtrade.” 

Fairtrade is a tool for development that ensures disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries get a better deal through the use of the international FAIRTRADE Mark

If you'd like to join or support the Fair Trade movement, there are lots of things you can do.... Get in touch with Fair Trade Organizations in your area Buy Fair Trade Products when you can - look for the fair trade label! Celebrate World Fair Trade Day World Fair Trade Day is held on the second Saturday of May and is a chance for Fair Trade Organisations to celebrate the movement they are in and to draw attention to their cause. To find out more about WFTD you can visit the official World Fair Trade Day site. Look out for Fair Trade campaigns you can join There are a number of other charities and not-for-profit organisations that support Fair Trade and run campaigns for trade justice. Get involved in Fair Trade Towns Fairtrade Towns is an initiative started in the UK and supported by the Fair Trade Foundation (a National Initiative of the Fairtrade Labelling Organization) in London. Make a donation to WFTO WFTO generally funds its work through membership subscriptions. However, if you wish to make a donation please get in touch with the WFTO Secretariat.

Style me baby!

So here is my first official style post....

OUTFIT: Top-SSF,  Shorts-Bershka, Boots-Vintage leather bought from Campbellwell Markets in Melbourne, Hat-TRN (Terranova), Sunglasses- RayBan, Accessories - Sterling Silver- Black Onyx Elephant, Turquoise, White Coral, Swarovski Crystal. EmilyKate- www.emilykate.com.au(contact@emilykate.com.au) and Long black and silver necklace - Diva.

Sunshine!

So today I wake up to my cute little cousin on my bed, she's asking me to play nintendo ds with her and I found it hard pressing the keys my fingers were just too big for it haha. So she tells me she wants to be like me and model, I don't believe it she's just 5 and already posing comfortably without my direction plus she even has great fashion sense for a 5 year old, she likes picking out her own outfits!!!

Sienna- 5 and already a fashion model lol

So then my day gets even better my gf Fiona rocks up with a box of Macaroons from Choquette in New Farm, they were to die for. The Ganash and almond meal just amazing, so soft and just melts in your mouth. The box contained Rose, Chocolate and Orange Macaroons. My fav would have to be the Chocloate hands down, one of the best Macaroons I have ever had! This makes me want to get straight on a flight, and fly to France, buy a kilo of Macaroons and scoff them all down whilst gazing at the Eiffel Tower!

I head out to the back of my house and it's a beautiful day, so calm along the waterfront, would be a perfect day to bring out the jetski or the boat for a day and head to Stradbroke Island :)

Fiona and a trashy gossip mag

Eco Chic Read!

I've had this book for a while now and I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about how we can all make a difference by the choices we make in buying fashion from clothes to bags to beauty to jewellery. It is a light read and doesn't bombard you with too much information. It is not however a book that will show you how to DIY but rather a guide into gaining a better understanding of the kinds of Eco consumer products out there on the market (like a conscious shopping guide) .

1. Is excellent for a person who likes to spend a lot on fashion and wants to feel good about their purchases.

2. Discusses the fact that in the USA the FDA does not regulate the safety of products such as makeup, skin care and sunscreen. Consumers must educate themselves and become informed consumers to make choices that will hopefully not cause them to become sick with something as serious as Cancer.

3. I learned new things about the manufacture of clothing such as how certain processes such as tanning leather can create pollutants and toxins which end up back in our environment and/or put workers at risk for developing diseases.

4. The real life downside is that not all consumers will be able to afford these purchases and may have to rely on DIY methods that are not really encouraged in this book, such as opening one’s mind to making natural homemade skincare or recycling and reconstructing the clothes which you already have sitting in your wardrobe. Old can become new again! If you feel you are in that category, then more self-awareness and education is needed and there are plenty of amazing books around to inform you, which I will blog about soon so stay tuned....

Inspiration!

I shall leave you with this quote until my next post...

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”  Marianne Williamson

Foodie!

Tofu Adobo with sauteed Portobello Mushrooms, Organic Spinach, Organic Asparagus and Organic Brown Rice

Here is one of my fav meals I make, it has the flavor of Adobo ( A traditional Filipino dish usually cooked with meat such as pork or chicken but of course this is a vegetarian version of Adobo I made with Tofu)

Tofu Adobo

Ingredients: (Try to use organic as much as possible)

Organic sliced tofu (sliced as you like but just thick enough in size)

1/2 cup lemon juice

6 pieces of slice lemon

1/2 cup of soy sauce or bragg aminos

dried bay leaves

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp raw sugar or honey

1/2 tsp black pepper

sliced ginger (about 1/4 cup)

1 tbsp of Olive oil

1 tsp of Sesame oil

Procedure:

1. Drain and slice the tofu and pan fry, set aside.

2. Slice the lemon and ginger and set aside.

3. In a bowl combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, salt, pepper and sugar stir well, this will be our adobo sauce.

4. In a hot pot, put the oil and sauté’ the sliced lemon, ginger and about 3 pieces of bay leaves.

5. Stir in the fried tofu and let it simmer for 2 minutes.

6. Add the adobo sauce,mix well and make sure that the tofu are fully coated with the sauce, simmer for 2 -3 minutes then add the sesame oil.

7. Add the Portobello Mushrooms, Organic Spinach and Organic Asparagus. Cook for a couple of minutes max, not too long as you want the Spinach to be moist and Asparagus crispy.


You can however leave this overnight to soak up into the Tofu for a more strong/bold flavor.


8. Serve with freshly cooked Organic Brown Rice 


Tip: Try to remember never to over cook your food too long you want your vegetables to be nice and crisp retaining flavor and more importantly the nutrients it contains.


Bon Appetite! :)

Reminiscing California

I love this clip, it reminds me of when I visited California when a was younger and I love the contradiction showing the carefree spiritedness of love and friendship but also the exhausted confinement of superficialness of The everyday 'Hollywood Life', sometimes it seems we all play Video Games at some point in our lives if not always.... Interesting

And so it begins...

So I started this blog to share all my thoughts to shine, teach and inspire you all with the likes of fashion to arts to health and wellness...


This blog uses the word indie, but what does it mean?

Indie is a shortened version of independent and in this case is used in this blog to refer to the arts. 

The arts are various modes of expressing the human endowments of freewill, self-awareness and creativity. They are extensions of our state of being.

They include thought, written and spoken words, music, painting and pictures, community and play. 

It is meaningless to talk of choosing to realize these independently as we always realize them independently, it's our natural state. The problem is with action that impedes this. Action that sometimes works even at a subconscious level. 

A little about me....

I am an Australian model and have been working in Australia and overseas throughout Asia the last 2 years. You can view my complete portfolio online at

www.emilykatesymes.com

I started my own Luxury Eco-Vintage Jewellery Line EmilyKate in September of 2010.

www.emilykate.com.au

I am.....

Crazy about fashion,arts,music and film culture and keen on supporting indie and local artists.

A Vegetarian

An advocate for health and wellness and was chosen to be the official ambassador to the first Philippine Health and Wellness Congress in 2010.

Practicing Bikram Yoga, but have training in Hatha, ashtanga and Vinyasa styles aswell as meditation and the teachings and understandings of Zen, The Tao, Buddhism.

Determined to maintain a balanced lifestyle of mind,body,soul.

An avid reader from anything to do with Science, Theoretical Physics to Metaphysical books - to gain more of an understanding of the infinite nature of the universe and our purpose.

Not religious nor do I intend to be, rather am on my own path to enlightenment gaining wisdom from many teachings across all religions and philosophies and inspirational people whether famous or just the people I am close to or simply encounter on my journey.

A stargazer! I love staring up into the night sky, makes all the problems I thought I had seem so insignificant.

A foodie - Absolutely love food, mmmm the smells, the flavors, the taste, the colors and the sensation as it hits your mouth! Especially healthy organic raw and cooked meals, whilst indulging in the sinful foods too like cakes, chocolates and pastries. Like I said I'm interested in balance can't be too careful and everyone should indulge now and then!

This picture reminds me of when I was a child and the world just seemed so big, full of enchantment, mystery and excitement - all without a care in the world. I like to try and get to this space now and then remembering what it felt like before the fear stemming from the social conditioning in our world kicked in and life just suddenly happened! :$