Week Of Outfits Series: A Week Of Cruelty-Free Outfits & Vegan Beauty With Jessica Salazar From All There August
A Week Of Outfits With Jessica Salazar From All There August
The Good Trade’s Week of Outfits Series highlights women that have personally inspired us to shop and live with intention! Each woman takes her own unique approach to slow fashion and demonstrates how beautifully sustainable fashion can come to life. Today we’re excited to share a week of outfits from Jessica Salazar, the cruelty-free blogger and activist behind All There August!
// ABOUT JESSICA //
Age | 30
Location | Remote in Texas from The Rio Grande Valley, San Marcos, and Austin, Texas
Occupation | Small Business Owner • Cruelty-free Blogger/Photographer • Philanthropical Event Planner • Speaker • Women’s + Animal Welfare Activist
Where To Find Her | Website and Instagram
Favorite Brands | Secondhand + Vintage
“Secondhand shops reveal a history and tell a story about a city.”
I am a “Huntress” so I genuinely love to shop at various vintage and thrift stores around town. For instance, when I visit cities repeatedly or for the first time, I look into their vintage/secondhand shops (along with their vegan restaurants of course) and make it a mission to stop by. In all honesty, I’ve really fallen in love with each one along the way. In my eyes, secondhand shops reveal a history and tell a story about the city. By the same token, these items once belonged to people who lived and thrived here. For me, that’s my favorite thing, hunting for these shops and finding unique items that are truly the soul of the city.
I am the face behind All There August. ATA is a cruelty-free lifestyle brand and blog empowering individuals to be balanced and great in all areas of life while supporting sustainable living, veganism and women’s + animal welfare. I am currently remote in Texas and travel back and forth from South Texas to Austin area in order to collaborate with an array of brands by partnerships or philanthropical events.
“My work and travels have granted me the ability to better understand and respect people, behaviors, and thoughts from varying perspectives.”
I am an ex-fashion professor and college coach from Texas State University, where I received my undergraduate degree in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Business Administration. As a student-athlete with Texas State and completing my undergraduate degree I coached youth sports, worked in various internships and because of my accomplishments was awarded the title of Texas State Rising Star. Furthermore, that title granted me features in magazines, newspapers, and billboards. After completing my undergraduate degree I decided to take my education to the next level and complete a Master’s Degree in Fashion Entrepreneurship from London College of Fashion. I have worked in the fashion industry in the US and Europe alongside major companies and private labels. Moreover, I lived in top fashion cities such as London, Milan, and Paris while also being able to travel and understand fashion in centers such as New York, Miami, Stockholm, Mexico, and Shanghai.
Now as a small business owner, I touch on an array of cruelty-free topics. With my background and an extension of my current work, I coordinate philanthropical events supporting animal shelters and women-owned brands. I host vegan-friendly pop-up shops where I sell curated secondhand vegan fashion and upcycled pieces, as well as guide people to transition into veganism and live a healthier life. Additionally, I speak at events and for organizations about my cruelty-free lifestyle. Furthermore, I am also in constant communication with local creatives and entrepreneurs for partnership and collaborations where I blog and showcase ethical brands I truly believe in.
“Not everyone’s passage is the same and what makes me feel awesome may not make you feel that way.”
My work and travels have granted me the ability to better understand and respect people, behaviors, and thoughts from varying perspectives. Being “All There August” doesn’t mean you must follow or live one particular lifestyle. Not everyone’s passage is the same and what makes me feel awesome may not make you feel that way. It is more of your own authentic journey through life and what makes you balanced and great in positive and kind cruelty-free ways. It’s living and using your talents to the fullest without harming any being along the way and still ROCKING it—now that’s ATA.
Think of it this way… it’s like a cool biker hippie, an eco-warrior, a lover and fighter, a bunny unicorn that fights evil… you get my drift. It’s about being great, doing good and fighting for the good in the world and yes, feeling (and being) pretty awesome while doing it. That’s my motto.
“It’s about being great, doing good and fighting for the good in the world and yes, feeling (and being) pretty awesome while doing it. That’s my motto.”
When I acquire pieces I ask myself… does this fit my current wardrobe? Do I love it? Can I live without it? What else can I style it with? How many “uses” will I get out of this piece?
Of course, you can live without a fashion item but these questions scratch the surface of why, when and how you buy. I look for vegan-friendly pieces because that’s important to me. I upcycle and shop at a lot of secondhand stores because that is also important to me. When I do buy something new, I research the brand or make sure I LOVE that certain piece. I also ask myself, does the brand give back, have an ethical message or is this piece really practical?
In the end, there is really no “one golden rule” because we each have a different approach to sustainable and ethical fashion. No one way is right and no one way is wrong but it is up to us to figure out and explore which purchasing choice best suits us. What’s yours?
// Find Jessica Online //
Website // Instagram
Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter
Photos by Javier Salazar
Monday
The Monday Blues | Let me be upfront with you from the start. This is my grandmas’ blazer… literally. She felt this blazer fit her too big and wanted me to find it another home, and I did just that. I thought, how beautiful it would be to tell her story through her fashion. The bottom is also secondhand, swapped out by a friend. As for the top, I purchased it on my travels through Europe years ago. Not to mention, the purse is dear to me because I made it. It’s a handwoven piece I created using upcycled beads and chains from other items.
There are days I love to showcase my art in an edgy colorful way. In fact, fashion is expressive and being able to get up every day and dress your body is a chance to tell a story. Whether it’s your grandma’s secondhand fashion or workout clothes, it’s yours.
Today’s Pieces:
Upcycled and Thrifted Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August
Nailvana.LA Vegan Nail Polish
Z Shoes Sustainable Shoes
Joon Vegan Saffron Hair Elixir Oil
ColourPop Ariel Vegan Crème Lux Lipstick
Milk KUSH High Volume Vegan Mascara
Kat Von D Lock-It Vegan Foundation
Tuesday
The City Flower | A joy in my life is to find a really great piece from a secondhand store. That’s a win in my book and this dress is one of them. When I’m thrifting, I usually scan items on racks by the material. So, I will go around the shop, scan each item, then pull the pieces I am naturally drawn towards. This material caught my eye instantly.
As a mental tip, I buy pieces I can transition from Summer to Winter. So in respect to the season, I matched this dress with boots and a hat I’ve had in my closet and frequently wear. The special thing about this is I am wearing a ring that my dad wore in the 70s and the cat ring is a piece my parents bought me when I was a child. It never fit me as a kid but I proudly wear it now. For me, finding timeless pieces that mean something to you or have a family story is a very personal way to look and feel unique.
Today’s Pieces:
Secondhand Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August
Sunglasses from Atown Local Boutique
Thrifted Dress from Designer Zoo Closet Exchange
Vegan Makeup + Nail polish
Wednesday
HAY… I’m Fashionably Late | It’s Wednesday and this top says it all. With these thrifted finds, I layered my “Fashionably Late” tee over a bell sleeve to give the look a bit more shape. The outfit is essentially a two-in-one. As the day progressed, I was able to take the tee off and easily shift into a different look. The cat and middle turquoise ring were purchased years ago. Along with my previous cat ring, this feline ring was also given to me by my parents as a child. The coupled turquoise ring was purchased at the “Selena” store in Corpus Christi, Texas. Combining new and older pieces gives your wardrobe balance by paying respect to the past, embracing the future and living in the present.
Today’s Pieces:
Secondhand Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August
Sunglasses from Atown Local Boutique
Thrifted Pieces from Threads
Vegan Makeup + Nail polish
Thursday
The Colorful Life | When I saw this wrap, it immediately made me so happy. My grandma found this secondhand piece and thought it would fit perfectly with my style. There are times I wear the color black a lot and this piece was excellent to give a bold element to a darker tone outfit. With thrifted jeans and a convertible purse, this look is another two-in-one where you may simply take the wrap off for a diverse mood throughout the day.
Today’s Pieces:
Secondhand Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August
Sunglasses from Atown Local Boutique
Thrifted Pieces By Austin Goodwill + Threads
Vegan Makeup + Nail polish
Friday
Earthly Energy | When you put certain garments on do you ever feel as if your body throws off an uncommon energy? In this dress, I feel my energy very light and earthy. It’s very distinctive from my go-to black attire which is why I enjoy it so much. I also found these mobile cuffs at an antique store which I placed on my shoes. Clip-on accessories are easy to place on garments, sweaters and various tops as a striking accent.
Today’s Pieces:
Secondhand Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August
Thrifted Dress from Designer Zoo Closet Exchange
Vegan Makeup + Nail polish
Saturday
Winter Swimwear | Have you thought about wearing your swimsuit as a Winter staple? Here, I used my black one-piece swimsuit as a base for this look. This technique allows you to utilize your Summer staples through the year. Paired with older and secondhand pieces, I let my accessories shine this Saturday.
Today’s Pieces:
Secondhand Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August
Alyned Together One Piece Swimsuit
Sunglasses from Atown Local Boutique
Thrifted Bracelet from Designer Zoo Closet Exchange
ColourPop Belle Vegan Crème Lux Lipstick
Vegan Makeup + Nail polish
Sunday
DIY Sunday | Closing the week up, I upcycled this sweater I purchased in Europe a few years ago. Upcycling an outfit really gives it personality and an unusual angle that no one else has. In addition, I found this vintage cat necklace at a local vintage shop in West Texas and the jeans are also secondhand. The key thing from this outfit is to inspire creativity, inspire sustainability, and promote the fact that there are beautiful fashion pieces out there. They may just be sitting in a vintage shop waiting for you to find them.
Today’s Pieces:
Upcycled and Secondhand Pieces Curated By Jessica Salazar of All There August