So yesterday I was going on about getting reacquainted with my closet, namely the corner where a few lonely dresses hang. I got so excited when I heard about the denim jacket trend I started an inspiration board on Polyvore. I started to play around with different ways to put together the maxi dress/denim combo. I added a few key pieces, colorful necklaces and scarves (I always have one with me). I’m pretty particular with my accessories, I have a thing about weight, I can’t wear heavy or chunky jewelry. My necklaces have to be feather light, soft and preferably saturated with color. I think I found the perfect solution with the necklace, something from 31BITS.
31 Bits, a company based here in Southern California was started by Kallie Dovel after a trip to Northern Uganda left her inspired to development a way to connect the women of Uganda and their handmade paper bead jewelry on a global scale. Five years later they now represent 115 Ugandan women who supply the 31BITS paper bead jewelry sold in stores across the United States. The help 31 BITS extends to these women goes beyond economics and into their community where they have established beneficiaries who are there to educate and support the women as they leave a life of poverty and become self sustaining contributing members of their community. Take a moment to see the special women who make up 31 Bits Team as well as the designers it is a model for a beautiful product that provides a beautiful message of sustainability and helping others who otherwise would live an impoverished life.
Anyone else recognize this beauty Promise Tangeman. In a very ‘six degrees’ moment I saw her featured on the 31bits.com, I just happen to have met Promise just a few weeks ago and happen to be completely obsessed with her work, she is a creative muse. I’m going to have to come back and share a little blog love about Promise. If I don’t remind me.
**GIVEAWAY TIME **
To start off our summer 31 BITS would love to give a modchik reader a FREE Bermuda Braid Necklace – your choice Rose or Turquoise/Yellow.
Here are the rules:
To enter please leave a comment and tell me your favorite summer accessory and WHY its a must have in your closet.
Here’s my little inspiration (polyvore) board of some of my favorite summer accessories, necklaces (for a POP of color), sunglasses (because I live in So Ca and we wear them 24/7 including grocery store) and scarves (I stash them or tie them on my purse).
Giveaway ends Sunday June 26th 9pm PST. Open to US and Canada residents only. One entry per person. Necklace provided by 31bits. For more information about 31BITS visit their Facebook page or tweet them.
Super cute and what a great idea. It looks like fabulous stuff!
I love your website and also love 31 Bits. It’s a great organization and company to support.
I would say that my all time favorite summer accessory is a pair of gold metallic braided sandals. They are a must for my closet because they help jazz up any outfit. Every girl loves a pair of flip flops in the summer, but there are times that you have to dress up a bit. When I don’t feel like wearing heals, they are the perfect go to item. They go perfectly with a summer dress or just a pair of shorts.
Necklaces are my summer accessories! They are my substitute for scarves (which I wear a lot from fall to spring). Necklaces are a must have for me because it gives that, like you said, a pop of color, but it can also give you that “bling” feel (even though it might not be too blingy). And if you have a cool funky necklace, it could be a great conversation starter. 🙂
My favorite summer accessory are wedges because they are so versatile. You can wear them with shorts, skirts, and dresses, which are perfect for a hot summer day or night. They are also very comfortable as opposed to heels or flat sandals with no support. Wedges are a must have because they dress up any outfit and you can wear them anywhere without looking like you tried too hard!
Flip flops. I like to coordinate them with my outfits based on colors. “Fancy” ones for nicer outfits and “comfy” ones for day to day.
My must have summer piece is a strapless colorful maxi dress that can be easily taken from day to night! And since I live in the OC and I do kee this in my closet sunblock! P.S I love love 31 Bits
My must have are my flip flops and sandals I love the fact I can wear fun shoes with great toe color.
I love 31 bits because it is such a great organization and it gives to those who are less fortunate 🙂 also the jewelery is Sooooo unique and cute! I LOVE 31 BITS! 🙂
My favorite summer accessory is a hat. I love having a different hat for everyday at the beach. I like baseball caps or a big floppy hat to get the sun out of my face. 🙂
Must have summer wardrobe staple would have to be my skinny white denim pants.. perfect with any tank top and dressed down for a day at the beach w/a pair of rainbows, dressed up with a flowy tank for work or even a sparkly tank and some amazing heels for a night on the town 🙂 my favorite piece for summer! 🙂
My fav summer accessory right now is my new 31bits necklace!! My new fav company and jewelry! Also can’t live without my flip-flops!
Sandals/flip-flops are my favorite summer must because you can get away with a cute pop of color and not look like a 6 year old. I also love, love, love 31 bits….they could be my #2 fav!
silk maxi dresses are my day/night go to! comfortable enough to sleep in! I love the bermuda necklace…can’t decide between the two colors!
My must-have summer accessory is a great pair of wedges that I can wear to work or with some great summer dresses and skirts.
Bracelets of all kinds are my favorite summer accessory. They are a fun and simple way to tie an outfit together and to create new looks using existing items in my closet. If I’m wearing a simple pair of white shorts and a black tank top, I instantly feel like I’ve got a complete outfit when I put on a stack of bright, colorful bangles.
sunglasses are definitely a must have. plum cat’s eye, yes please.
My favorite summer accessory is a necklace. I have a few in my collection, and I like to pair them with all the dresses in my closet. I wear dresses all the time in the summer, not just because they’re pretty but because every day for the past month has reached a high of 100 degrees or more.
Right now I have my eye on this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/61370447/loop-necklace-porcelain
Maxi Dress and Sunscreen. SPF 50+
My favorite summer accessories are bracelets. I love to stack them and wear them. I am also thrilled at the prospect of wearing sandals and flip flops all the time!
Love those necklaces!! Love the article! You are the best!
My favorite accessory for the summer are my earrings — especially the flashier ones since they catch the attention of others when they glint in the sunlight. My earrings are such that they MAKE my outfit. In other words, me sans earrings = looking decently. Me + Earrings = kablam! awesome!
I love 31 bits and hope to purchase some of my very own soon! I’d have to say that my favorite summer accessory has proven to be a good pair of wedges. They are so incredibly versatile. I love the fact that I can wear them with just about anything. Dressed up or dressed down, nothing’s better than stepping into my favorite wedges!
My favorite summer accessories are bright and fun necklaces. Like you I can’t wear anything too heavy so I wear wood bead & fabric necklaces that I make and love the 31Bits I just got in the mail! I’m going to be wearing it constantly!
My favorite summertime accessory are flip flops. I love the ease of slipping them on and how relaxed they look. Easy summer for me !
My favorite summer accessory is my Reef flip flops. They are comfortable and can go to the beach for hanging out or to Disneyland for a long day of walking. They dry fast…and no matter how many times people accidentally step on the back of them…they don’t break!
What a great cause and such beautiful necklaces!! My must have accessory for summer are sandals. I have a hard time finding shoes because of nerve damage in my leg but when I find some beautiful, flat (a must! I desperately miss heels!) sling backs I have to have them!!! I usually wear them year round here in Cali!!!
My current favorite summer accessory are my gold hoop/disc earrings from Stella & Dot. They are fun & they go with everything.
Thanks!
My favorite summer accessory are sassy heels! I’m a teacher so when the school year ends and putting on a pair of shoes is no longer a 9 hour commitment in the morning I love to pick out brightly colored or floral-inspired heels of all shapes and sizes. From wedges to stilettos the right pair of heels guarantees a good day.
i don’t go anywhere with our my shades! there are a must have for me! not only to they protect your eyes from the blazing sun but they can hide the fact that i rarely wear makeup in the summer. throw on some lip gloss and shades and i’m good to go! i have loved learning about the 31 bits company!
*without
My favorite summer accessory is a braclet because they are pretty
My Air Conditioner is my favorite summer accessorie, because it keeps me cool!!
My favorite summer accessories are my sun glasses, silver sandals, and straw handbag…I love sun glasses that accent my outfits and give me a disguise affect. My silver sandals always get compliments because of the unique style the have and my straw handbags is big and fits everything I need..plus its by my favorite designer Michael Kors..
WOW Linz… what a great find!! Love the pic of you. I’m all about the maxi dresses this summer and long flowy skirts. Now where did I put my denim jacket? Hope it still fits this summer. LOL
Love the necklace, I also have a thing about wearing heavy jewelry. I want to wear it, but I feel like its wearing me. My favorite summer piece of clothing is a dress. I love how easy they are to put on and you can dress it up or down.
My favorite summer accessory is a cute colorful beach coverup. I have so many different ones in all colors to match my bathing suits! The coverup can be worn over your suit or you can actually go eat or in the store and add a cute pair of sandals and then head to the beach when you are finished!
Of course for me it’s a great necklace! I love to add a necklace to an outfit with color:) Summer is a perfect time to show off a necklace. The weather is warm and you don’t need a coat to cover up the jewelry. I love it!
My summer essentials … a great toenail polish color, my straw bag, and flip flops in EVERY color and style possible. You can take the girl away from the beach, but you can’t take the beach out of the girl 🙂
@ barely 5’4″, I’m still trying to pull off the Maxi, but LOVE the denim jacket over it 🙂
Great jewelry find Linds … I love this stuff!
Thank you for supporting 31 Bits! It’s great to see an organization that’s committed to a great cause and providing a beautiful product.
I live in the often-cloudy Pacific Northwest, so I love being able to finally sport a summer tank without having to hide it under a jacket or sweatshirt!
For these boiling hot summers in good ol’ AZ, some loose-fitting, bright and colorful tanks are a must! I love to spice them up by throwing my hair in a messy braid and sometimes topping it off with summery fedora hat. Yay!
And may I just say, I’ve had my eye on this necklace for quite a while now, and I would just die if I won it! I adore the braided fabric and colorful bead combo… 31 Bits makes me oh-so happy! (And so does Promise… j’adore!) 🙂