You buy a pair of sunglasses, they give a pair of eyeglasses to someone in need. Just like Warby Parker did with their launch a little over a year ago, TOMS founder Black Mycoskie identified an opportunity to change people’s lives with the gift of sight. But unlike Warby Parker, TOMS will sell sunglasses rather than prescription eyeglasses to its buyers. TOMS even has a virtual try-on feature for their shades, borrowing the same term Warby uses for their online sampling.

Just like the shoes are clearly branded, the sunglasses have obvious TOMS stripes over the ears. Available now are two unisex styles — a wayfarer and an aviator — and an additional women’s-only style. Think RayBan-esque pricing, too — $135–$145 a pop.

Meaning that the winner of my giveaway contest is… Sara! (Yay, I love Sara!)

I wonder if they will pull a warby parker and do glasses. but that would just be straight-up copying…

How right you were, my dear! Let me know which style you’d like!

As TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie announced this spring, beginning June 7, TOMS will no longer be a “shoe company,” but a “one-for-one company.” In exactly one month the brand will introduce a new product that will have the same buy one, give one model as the eponymous shoes.

The only question is… what will it be?! Right now even the TOMS staff doesn’t know. So I’m starting a guessing game, right here, and I’ll buy the new product for who ever makes the closest guess!

Leave a comment here with your best speculation — leave as many guesses as you like, any time between now and the announcement. For who ever is right (or most right), I’ll have the newest TOMS product shipped your way.

A few hints…

• The original issue that Blake recognized and aimed to solve was that children without shoes weren’t allowed to go to school. I believe the new product will also be one that serves a specific need and is useful to both the purchaser and the receiver of the donation, just like the shoes are. (I could be wrong about this — but for a product marketed in the U.S., it seems critical.)
• Blake told the LA Times, “I do believe it can be sold in 50 percent of our stores, and that it will open up new doors, and new places. Our first big retail account was actually a furniture store.” He says that retailers have agreed to purchase it sight unseen, but if they don’t think it’s a fit for their store, they can send it back. Interesting that half of existing retailers might not be so keen on it.
• The new products are currently stowed in 7-foot-tall cylinders that Blake has been taking with him around the country as a teaser. So they’re not that huge, or heavy.

Can’t wait to hear what you come up with!

First, a contest!

From now through Earth Day, this Friday, Levi’s is running a contest that I thought some of you might be interested in. To enter, just tweet about how YOU combine style and sustainability, whether you’re wearing vintage or building a sustainable wardrobe or reviving old furniture, and include the hashtag #SWTC (as the contest is being hosted by Levi’s Shape What’s to Come). Three winners will each get a Levi’s Sustainable Fashion pack. More details here.

I don’t usually blog about things like this giveaway. But I thought it was worth sharing among all the advancements Levi’s has been making recently — in both the environmental and social spaces. Notably…

Levi’s Water<Less

This spring, Levi’s is saving more than 16 million gallons of water through the manufacturing of their Water<Less jeans, which employ some simple but out-of-the-ordinary water-saving steps in the finishing process of the jeans. Most jeans are washed three to ten times in industrial machines in the finishing process, but Levi’s combined several steps that have cut water use by an average of 28% per pair in the line. And for a company the size of Levi’s, that adds up!

In addition, Levi’s is encouraging us to use less water washing our jeans once we have them home, and they’re working with water.org to donate clean drinking water to communities around the world.

My only complaint is that the Water<Less jeans only come in men’s cuts so far!

Levi’s “B” grade on labor from the Not For Sale Campaign

Earlier this year the Not For Sale Campaign released a smart phone app that rates about 40 brands according to their labor rights. Brands are given a grade from A through F, and I haven’t clicked on them all, but I haven’t seen an A grade yet — though Levi’s ranks among the highest with a B! And when it comes to rankings based on labor issues, the Not For Sale Campaign is a source I trust. Download the app here.

And great fit, too!

Last fall Levi’s did a promo here in SF for their new Curve ID jeans — which included a performance at Union Square by She & Him! I didn’t get there early enough to get a free pair, but I got a 30% off coupon that I used afterward. And the jeans are excellent. Not only do they run a bit big, so that you end up with a pair ONE to TWO sizes smaller than your usual jeans (psychological win!), I dare say they fit as well as premium denim… pairs of which I’ve spent three times more on. They’re still my “weekend jeans,” but I feel a lot better in them than in many pairs of jeans I’ve put on.

I got mine at the Levi’s Store on Union Square in downtown SF, which also includes a repair shop that has come in handy for fixing some of Jon’s jeans.

One-piece designed by Mara Hoffman, made in the USA, $182 at Bona Drag. (Not relevant to this survey, but hopefully relevant to the cruise I’m going on in April!)

United by Blue recently asked me if I’d like to do a giveaway for something on their site, and I thought the holidays would be the perfect time share the love! For each item you purchase from United by Blue — organic tees, bags or jewelry — the organization removes one pound of trash from the world’s oceans and waterways. My pick from their collection was the Turquoise Chunk Necklace, which retails for $30. It’s bold size and color layers well with other necklaces, and its 14K gold-plated chain is 18″ long with a 2″ extender.

There are three ways to enter to win:

1. Like United By Blue on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall with one thing you can do to help the ocean.
2. Follow United By Blue on Twitter and tweet the same thing, mentioning @UnitedByBlue in your tweet.
3. Leave a comment on this post telling me whether you’d keep this necklace for yourself or give it to someone as a gift, and why.

You can enter once each way between now and Sunday at 6 PST. Then we’ll randomly choose a winner, and I’ll ship it out via Priority Mail in time for Christmas! Open to U.S. residents only.

UPDATE: By random drawing, the winner is Liz! My lovely friend who founded Sseko Designs. I can’t wait to send it to her. THANK YOU to everyone who entered! United by Blue really appreciated all your comments.

“With this collection, we wanted to show everyone that you don’t have to sacrifice style to make environmentally-conscious choices. You can use earth-friendly materials and still look fantastic!” said Alicia Silverstone, who is known for her animal rights and eco activism. The EcoTools by Alicia Silverstone cosmetics bags are available at Walgreens, Target and Amazon.com.

I told you a few weeks ago about my new EcoTools cosmetics bags — and now I get to give away three overnight bags!

To enter, you can leave a comment on this post about why you would like to have one of these bags, and you can tweet a link to this post including the words “recycled-content cosmetics bags by EcoTools & Alicia Silverstone.”

I will pick three winners — one by how much you really need the bag (as conveyed in your comment… that’ll be fun!), one randomly chosen from the comments and one randomly chosen from Twitter. The contest will end Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. CST.

Thanks everyone. Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone for entered! You are all AWESOME, and I wish I could afford to give you ALL a tee! Instead, how about…

15% off with coupon code FASHIONLOVESYOU, available now through Christmas!

Because there are only two online shopping weeks left before Christmas, I think it’s time for a giveaway! One lucky winner will receive their choice of two organic tee styles, v-neck or scoop neck, both printed with a 1968 fashion illustration by J. Kirk Davis. View our online store at fashionlovespeople.storenvy.com.

Two ways to enter between now and Wednesday…

1) Leave a comment on this post saying who the shirt would be for if you would win — you, or someone on your gift-giving list? — and why?

2) Retweet me!

I’ll announce the lucky winner on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CST, so you can enter any time between now and then. (But please only enter once in each place.) The winner can choose their shirt style, plus they’ll receive one of the signed and editioned prints of the illustration, and I’ll still donate $1 to Not For Sale on their behalf.

For more information on the shirts, read my original post here, and if you don’t win, I’d still love for you to consider giving or asking for an FLP tee!

Danielle! (Who likes my site!)

Elaine! (Who will use her bag at the markets in Ghana!)

and Tim! (Who has an app for that!) (“Wink!”)

Each of you gets to pick one of these five designs from the Envirosax Graphic Series “Candy,” inspired by Emilio Pucci. The lovely Chloe at Envirosax will send your goodies straight away.

How did I pick the winners? Thanks to the help of a Random Number Generator. (Stole that idea from Suffix Abuse!) It gave me the numbers 3, 38 and 48, so I just counted down through the comments to find the winners. (In the case of 48 and 38, I actually counted up. Efficiency!)

Thanks to everyone who commented — I LOVE YOU ALL! I laughed out loud at your comments so many times! They made me so happy. You’re the best. Fortunately for all of us, it looks like I’ll be getting to do another one of these soon… watch for it!