bltd

If you’re in a love-fueled craze and don’t have a lot of money to spend, then maybe you could get the object of your desire one of these scarves from Coveted Things. Full disclosure though, the scarves may also double as baby blankets, so be sure your message is entirely clear: “It’s a SCARF for your lovely NECK…” or something along those lines. There’s nothing too fancy, they’re 100% cotton, but the script itself will carry your message across.
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Double up your gift by wrapping it in the new Dots Furoshiki. If you’re saying ‘what’s a Furoshiki?’ I’ll tell you: Furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths that can be used in many different ways. Use it as a scarf, gift wrapping, a bag, or even a wall hanging. The red is especially festive, but don’t let that stop you from perusing all of Link Collective’s offerings (etsy shop: LINK).
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September means sweaters, right? And, if you’ve ever found a rather worn spot or a moth hole on your favorite sweater, you know the sinking feeling once you know it’s headed for the donate pile. So, get ahead of any disappointment and get some Cashmends– either in an Elbow Patch or Band-Aid shape (the flowers and moths are a bit too decorative for my taste)- and know that you can fix it right up with a quick iron-on patch. Also, as an alternative, don’t forget about the Woolfiller Kits, as they can provide a less obvious fix option.
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Furoshiki are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloths that can be used as scarves, gift wrapping, or even as a wall hanging. You know this, of course, if you’ve seen any of the offerings from the Link Collective (etsy shop: LINK), as they have quite the collection. There’s also a Leather Carry Strap ($20-$28) that allows you to use a Furoshiki as a bag.
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Let’s pause for a moment to appreciate all things pixelated. Particularly, your home state pixelated on a T-shirt. Pixelivery were kind enough to send me a Texas shirt, and it meets, if not surpasses, my expectations. If you would like to show your home state some love, Pixelivery would like to offer you 15% off any shirt until the end of May: use BLTD15 as a promo code. (There are other designs, of course, my favorites being the Camera and the Bike shirts.)

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What, a cycling jacket on Kickstarter, and you’re not going to see it posted here just as soon as it hits our inbox? As if we’d let that happen. Featuring a slim fit with black reflective panels, this lightweight jacket could very well be your new go-to layering piece for day or night. Whether you’re cycling, walking, or jogging, the reflective panels provide optimal visibility when it’s dark, and, during the day, it just looks like a nicely cut wind jacket- as in, no bright colors and obnoxious reflective stripes that shout ‘I’m an exercise nut’. When not in use, simply fold it into its packable pocket.
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Yes, at first glance this looks like a netted vest, so, big deal, right? But take a hint from its name and know that it lights up as a visible safety vest. Developed from 3M reflective material, the vest is designed to wear over your clothing/jacket/coat, and is quite strong, lightweight and compact. There’s also the fluorescent Flare Vest if you prefer bright color over lighting technology.
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You say you care, but show him/her you mean it with a cellphone signal-blocking hanky. That’s right, it’s a nylon and silver handkerchief that blocks all cell signals and says so with the phrase “My Phone is Off For You” just in case you or your significant other forgets what it’s doing wrapped around your phone. You could also purchase it for someone that is on their phone ALL the freaking time as a big hint that their habit is rude and annoying. The ‘Phonekerchief’ comes with a chocolate bar to soften the blow or, more likely, just to make it a more typical Valentine’s gift.

Note: Or, instead, just make a habit of turning off your phone or putting it on silent, which would obviously be a better method of conveying your attention to your companion(s). Hopefully those around you will get the hint to do the same.
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The following post is sponsored by Aether Apparel.

Take a walk in downtown Manhattan in the middle of January and you’ll see a few trends in women’s fashion -most notably, the full-length insulated parka. When it’s freezing cold outside, women dress for the occasion. But while the typical quilted parka does a wonderful job of keeping you warm, it’s not exactly the most flattering of options.

Too frequently women are forced to choose between wearing something warm or wearing something fashionable. Either dress well and die of hypothermia or dress warm and look like the Michelin Man. This dilemma was the inspiration for the Arctic Trench. Designed for women in cold urban environments, it offers some serious insulation, but with a refined modern aesthetic.
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The following post is sponsored by Aether Apparel.

Aether Apparel started out as a Men’s outerwear company, and was formed in reaction to its co-founders own frustrations while shopping. As outdoor enthusiasts living in the city, they felt there was a need for men’s technical performance jackets with a refined urban aesthetic. However, after their first season of Aether, they discovered this combination not only struck a chord with men, but with women as well – who have been asking for Aether Women’s since the company launched.
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The following post is sponsored by Aether Apparel.

A mix of form and function, the ALTITUDE ski jacket has been designed to combine the highest level of technical performance with a refined aesthetic and tailored fit.

Each winter Jonah Smith and Palmer West, co-founders of Aether Apparel, make a pilgrimage to the Canadian Rockies for a week of CAT skiing at Baldface Lodge. While there they keep a close eye on the different types of gear being worn. They noticed that while many of top-end ski jackets perform phenomenally under the conditions, they left a lot to be desired in terms of fit. Everything was just a little baggy. The jackets were also made from “hard” fabrics that crinkled like wrapping paper in the cold air. After seeing this, Jonah and Palmer decided it was time to make a top-end ski jacket of their own. One that incorporated all the technical features, but one designed with a more refined fit and quieter fabrics.
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The following post is sponsored by Aether Apparel.

The Field Jacket by Aether Apparel combines the utility of a traditional field jacket with the weatherproof performance of a ski jacket. The design-focused outdoor apparel company came up with the idea after seeing their photographer struggle to carry an assortment of miscellaneous camera equipment during one of their photo shoots. Their solution? Design a tough-as-nails jacket to keep you dry in the backcountry with enough pockets to hold all your gear.
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Welcome back from your Thanksgiving break! Chances are you’ve already taken advantage of those Cyber Monday deals, so we won’t mess with any of that. Instead, shall I suggest these touchscreen-compatible gloves? Agloves use real silver threads to increase warmth and conduct the bioelectricity from your body to your device. No more cold fingers when answering your phone or changing the playlist on your iPod. Might make a good gift for someone on your list too. Also, if you prefer to keep your own gloves, you could just add conductive thread, as this Touchscreen Gloves Kit provides (via swissmiss).

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Ms. Wilson, take a break, please. There’s just too much pleasantly patterned cold weather wear to take in. The Circus Arm Warmers, for instance; who knew they needed these until spotting those colorful blocks of stripes and triangles? And the Tip Top Gloves. Our old gloves were perfectly fine, thank you very much, until thinking of waving our fingers around with blue, red, or pink tips. As stated before, it’s a little overwhelming, and it feels like you’ve detonated a quirky/cute bomb on us all without any prior warning.
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I know it’s just the beginning of fall, but may I ask you to assess your sweater collection? And, if, by chance, you find a few holes or stains in your favorite woolen or cashmere item, do not despair, for there’s a relatively easy solution found in the Woolfiller kit by Heleen Klopper.

It’s easier to show the video (below) than to walk through the instructions, but, trust me, anyone can do this. And, yes, it might be a little quirkier look than you’re used to, but I’d encourage you to try it out on at least one piece of clothing, for you’ll save yourself the time and money of replacing the item completely. Keep in mind that the patches tend to stand out more when the colors are varied (as shown in the image above), but you can mix or match however you want. Also, don’t just stop at sweaters; you can use this kit to repair rugs, curtains, etc.

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