Winter with Aventura (& a giveaway!)

It's finally cold enough here in Colorado to don long sleeves, coats, sweaters, sweater dresses, hats and scarves — and I've being doing a lot of that cold-weather wearing in Aventura clothing.

If you've been following along, you already know that earlier this year, I was named one of the 2015 Aventura Ambassadors. Aventura is a women's clothing brand with the awesome mission of helping the earth one garment at a time.

What that means to this 50-year-old, family-owned company housed in the Sierra Nevadas is that they focus on creating fashion-forward clothing with low environmental impact — over the years, they've produced more than 100 styles of sustainable clothing.

Sustainable, and cute and comfortable. The magical three in clothing.

This winter, as an ambassador I was able to choose and test out a few outfits and accessories and I wanted to not only share some of my favorites with you, but also give you one more chance this year to win a 60-percent-off discount card, good for a one-time purchase of up to $250. (Whether you use it to buy yourself a present, or someone else, is up to you! You can order until 12/15 and still get items in time for Christmas with standard shipping.)

You'll see one of the two items that I've been wearing most this season featured in the photo above: the Floral Zip Neck Top in Garnet Rose. I wear a ton of black (and I mean a TON of black) so this pop of pink has been fun to play with. I wear it hiking. I wear it working out. I wear it with jeans, running errands. It does run a bit snug, so I recommend sizing up.

The second item I've been wearing and taking with me on all of my travels is the Bergamo Infinity Scarf in Grey. So soft, so cute and so warm. I wasn't sure if I'd like the infinity scarf concept, but it has been nice to be able to have a scarf "on auto." No worrying about how to wrap it. It comes in purple and rust as well, if you're not as black-obsessed as I am.

I can't finish this up without mentioning the Millbrae Jacket (I got mine in Merlot). I love the fit on this coat because it's nice and snug around the rib cage, giving it a little extra-feminine touch. Great pockets and funky big snap closures. Give it a try!

OK, on to the giveaway. Just leave a comment below, by 5 p.m. MT, Friday, December 11, and let me know what item in Aventura's gift guide strikes your fancy the most. I'll pick one winner from the group.

Happy holidays!

P.S. If you're interested in applying to be an Aventura Ambassador for 2016, applications are being accepted until Dec. 31 and the new roster will be announced mid-January. Find all the information here. 

A shirt giveaway for Father's Day

I've had a couple giveaways on the blog specifically for women, thanks to my ambassador gig through Aventura, a ladies' lifestyle apparel brand. (In fact, there's one still up.)

Well, today I've got a giveaway for the guys, also thanks to Aventura.

How's that possible? Aventura's got a brother brand: Ecōths (pronounced "ecos").

The name blends the words eco and ethos, and, like Aventura, both are key to the business. From their website:

The foundation of Ecōths is combining natural fabrics with style, comfort, and personality while accentuating and shaping one’s character and guiding beliefs and ideals towards community and creating a better place to live.

Ecōths uses primarily organic fibers ... Our desire with Ecōths is to combine urban fashion elements with rugged outdoor influence to create one cohesive brand that unites style, community, and goodness.

Just in time for Father's Day, Ecoths sent over a shirt for my husband to try. His only 'child,' our Boston terrier Lucy, loves it because when I wash it, and lay it on the bed before hanging, it's the softest spot in the house. (I do try to keep her off the clean clothes, but it's challenging sometimes.)

Jokes aside, we're both happy with the shirt, aka the Garrett (available in M-XXL). I think it fits him nicely, the 100-percent organic cotton is super soft to the touch and it washes well. He likes the style, the trim details, and the color (listed as "cloudburst," a versatile grey, white and red plaid).

If you'd like a chance at winning an Ecoths shirt of your own (or for your favorite father or father figure), check out the catalog here and let me know in a comment below which shirt catches your eye. (U.S. residents only.) I'll toss all the entries into a hat and select one name on Saturday, June 20, just in time to celebrate the win on Father's Day.

P.S. It's also worth knowing that Ecoths supports the fight against hunger around the country. For every U.S. purchase, three meals will be provided to someone in need through regional food banks. How's that for ethos?

Yoga, hiking and more with Aventura

I knew when I was asked to be an ambassador for Aventura that melding its responsibilities and Project 333 might be challenging.

One of the key duties of an ambassador is to accept free clothes and try them out (I know, rough gig). (One of the other duties is to share great discounts with my readers, so hang in there until the end and I'll explain how you can earn a 60-percent-off discount card.)

What I didn't know at the time was that ultimately the clothes I received from Aventura would become some of my favorites for teaching yoga, working out and adventuring — all categories that are not part of my 33 core items.

[Wipes brow and sighs with relief.]

Weekly, you'll find me at my home studio Root teaching restorative yoga in either the Floral Capri Legging or the Lily Capri Legging. I've worn a lot of leggings over the years and these are some of the best. Cute, but subtle prints — the Lily, in black, has tiny, tiny dots of black and grey; shirring at the ankle; a comfortable waistband. And a thick enough stretchy knit that those around you won't get an inappropriate peek at your underwear. They also wash well, necessary when you wear them a lot.

On top, you'll see me often donning either the Lantana Hoodie or the Kyle Wrap. The Kyle's sleeve ruching gives this piece a little fun flare, and the burnout fabric of the Lantana draws interest. Both are lightweight, good for layering over a tank.

I love scarves and the one I've been living in is the Marnie. Not only is it the perfect length for a once-around-the-neck wrap, but the blue-cream blend works as a neutral, particularly when wearing denim. And it's so soft that it's doubled as an eye covering for a handful of my students during yoga class. My Marnie has already traveled on three trips with me.

I can't end this post without a quick nod to the Keeva Skort. A little bit of Spandex added to recycled polyester gives this skort just the perfect amount of stretch for hiking. The mesh shorts beneath allow for jumping on a bike for a quick trip downtown. And the side pocket holds a cell phone without dragging the fabric.

If you'd like to try out some Aventura clothing for yourself, all you need to do is comment below and let me know what fun outings you have planned this summer that Aventura could help you enjoy. Thanks to the company, the first 10 individuals to leave me a note between now and July 1 will receive a code for 60-percent-off a one-time purchase of up to $250 in clothing and accessories.

Happy adventuring!

An Aventura giveaway to celebrate Spring

You may have noticed a new logo in the sidebar of my blog.

Earlier this year, I was named one of the 2015 Aventura Ambassadors. Aventura is a women's clothing brand I'm super excited about for a whole bunch of reasons.

First and foremost? Their mission.

To help the earth one garment at a time.

What that means to this 50-year-old, family-owned company housed in the Sierra Nevadas is that they focus on creating fashion-forward clothing with low environmental impact — over the years, they've produced more than 100 styles of sustainable clothing.

In addition to the eco-friendly component, what I love about Aventura's clothing is that it's comfortable and cute. If you've tried to pay attention to all three of these things when purchasing clothes, you know it's not an easy combination to find.

Aventura's 2015 Spring line has just gone live on their website, and to celebrate, I've got a giveaway for you!

See that cute fedora in the photo? It's the Logan Fedora, the perfect complement to your favorite jeans or maxi dress. That fedora could be yours, along with a 60-percent-off discount card, good for a one-time purchase of up to $250.

Just leave a comment below, by 7 p.m. MT, Tuesday, March 17, and let me know what item in Aventura's new line strikes your fancy the most. I'll pick one winner from the group.

Happy Spring!