The Edit : Capital Eyewear Acetate Sunglasses

There are few things I like more than a good pair of sunglasses – with the key word being good.

I’ve been a fan of Steven Kilzer’s handcrafted wooden sunglasses, Capital Eyewear, for a few years and when I met with him in January, he told me he was (finally!) working on an acetate line (plastic, for the lay-people reading). I love the wood glasses… but the acetate are just what I’ve been looking for. The price is incredible (right on par with the low quality, mass-produced in China brand everyone else you know is wearing) and the fit is amazing – Steven doesn’t release product until he is positive that the fit is perfect and adds elements to the design to allow for custom fit adjustments.

These sunglasses are handmade in San Francisco with Italian and Japanese acetate (in my past life, I sourced plastic goods – trust me, this is the best of the best) and Carl Zeiss lenses. Steven is committed to sharing his process, check out the site for more on how the glasses are made.

I know a lot of people are hesitant to spend money on sunglasses because of the fear of losing them. But once you buy a pair that is well made and fits well, you take care of them – and you don’t lose them. You love them too much for that to happen. If you’ve been looking for a new pair, you can’t go wrong with Capital Eyewear. (I’m loving the Morgan and the Forrest in Crystal Clear!)

Capital Eyewear is on the TAE A-list. For more, check out the previous TAE feature and follow along:

The Edit: Raquel Allegra

The Rita I consider when shopping for my day-to-day wardrobe is a bit of a split personality – half rocker cool, half surfer ease. When the time comes to get dressed each morning, my need for comfort tends to win out, and I’ve spent the better part of the last year wearing plain grey tee shirts and throwing on my leather jacket in a last ditch attempt to feel cool.

Luckily for me, Raquel Allegra’s current collection seems to perfectly straddle the line of cool and comfortable – therefore meeting all of my style needs. I picked up striped version of this top before leaving for Europe and found myself reaching for it almost every day of the trip – and even got a few compliments from incredibly chic Parisians. Now my only rocker vs. surfer issue is shoes : birks or boots?!

Some of my favorites from Forward– many of which are on sale! Click the + by each outfit to shop!

The Edit: Let It Be

Stephanie Duncan is one of my very favorite follows on Pinterest and has an incredible blog… and I was sure she’d have some great American made picks… I was right! Be sure to follow Stephanie and to be on the look out for her new blog, launching soon!

Imogene + Willie is an amazing Nashville brand that I love.  I think that their commitment to authenticity is admirable.  It’s a no frills brand that specializes in a thoughtful product and cares deeply for their local community.

Young & Able is an awesome resource for American made emerging designers.  Their mission is to not only support and sell the product, but to promote the designer and their process by sharing their story.

Abbey Glass is a local Atlanta designer who makes well cut lady like clothes, and has a great eye for print placement.  There is an exciting new incubator program just launched in Atlanta by the Factory Girls, and currently both Abbey Glass and Megan Huntz are being represented.  So thrilling to have such talent so close to home!

Kordal is a Brooklyn based knitwear line that produces gorgeous knits and is invested in educating others about textiles through workshops and events.  The SS 2014 Lookbook is truly dreamy!

Tiro Tiro is a Portland based jewelry designer that I have loved for some time.  I favor simple architectural jewelry (especially made of brass) so this line is made for me.   I waited until I was visiting to get my first piece from a local shop.

stephanie.duncan

I began to think more about what I bought and brought into my home when I became pregnant with my first daughter.  Suddenly all of it mattered more, and I was forever aware of what type of example I was setting for my girls.

I want to teach my children that there is real value in supporting local talent and investing in your community.  Convenience and instant gratification come at a price.

I enjoy supporting people that are thoughtful in their design and production.  I don’t mind paying more for a higher quality and peace of mind.

– STEPHANIE DUNCAN, LET IT BE

Follow Stephanie: