The holiday season is about giving, and here are some presents that do double duty. Each product in today's gift guide benefits charity in some way, so you don't have to feel guilty if you have a few To: me, From: me gifts under the tree.
1.)
Rachel Roy UNICEF Charity Tote (Shopbop, $20): After designer Rachel Roy heard about the recent floods in Pakistan that affected over 10 million children, she teamed up with
UNICEF to design a tote for the cause. For each bag sold Roy will donate $20 to the US Fund for UNICEF in support of flood relief efforts in Pakistan.
2.)
Tory Burch Foundation Studded Cuff (Tory Burch, $95): These colorful bangles with metallic studs are so popular, the Tory Burch website already sold out! If you're dying for one of these bracelets that benefits the
Tory Burch Foundation, give customer service a call at 1-866-480-8679--they assured me that all colors can still be found in stores and would be more than happy to ship them through the mail.
3.)
Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream (The Body Shop, $7): The Body Shop's moisturizing cream does more than leave hands soft, 100% of the proceeds from the product go to ECPAT International, a nonprofit that focuses on combating and raising awareness of sex trafficking of children and young people.
4.)
Silver Morocco Women's Classics (Tom's Shoes, $54): In 2006 Blake Mycoskie created
Toms Shoes, a for-profit company with a mentality of giving. After spending time with children in Argentina, Mycoskie was struck by how many could not afford shoes, and pledged to help the situation. Toms shoes operates under the motto "
one for one," for every pair of shoes, like these chic silver morocco classics, the company donates a pair to a child in need.
5.)
Brass Wrapped Circle Earrings (Ten Thousand Villages, $24): I've written about
Ten Thousand Villages on this blog
before, but it is such a great non-profit, I can't help but include it in this post. Ten Thousand Villages is one of the world's largest fair trade organizations and focuses on improving the lives of artisans in over 35 countries. These particular earrings were handcrafted by jewelry artisans in Mombasa, Kenya.
If Wayfarers aren't your style, try on a pair of Aviators ($139). Ray-Ban invented this style of sunglasses in 1936 for military pilots, but when celebrities like Michael Jackson and the cast of Top Gun were seen sporting them in the 1980s, they became a popular civilian fashion trend and have been ever since.
Both of these styles come in bright colors and there are several Wayfarer options with prints, but if you're only going to buy one pair, I recommend sticking with neutral frames. Knock offs and imitations are readily available for both of these styles, so if you're looking for a super cheap buy, you're in luck. If you have a little more cash to spend, Ray-Bans are worth the investment--I wear mine constantly.