Shopping for a Better World

"Shopping for a better world" is the motto for "aGoodCause.co.uk" - a UK-based shopping portal which donates a designated percentage to charitable organizations when you shop through any of their 618 stores. Some of the retailers and service providers are quite familiar like Nike, Skype and Match.com. But if you shop the UK-based retailers and you don't live in the UK, please find out if they ship to your country. AGoodCause.co.uk has over 200 charitable organizations affiliated with their program. You can have leave it to them to take care of distributing your donation or you can choose the organization that benefits from your donation. Many are UK-based charities; but others are internationally based like one of my favorites, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). So shopping for a better world is that easy.

I've perused through the various lists of online shopping destinations and found a lovely gem of an online designer boutique called Bunnyhug.co.uk with emerging fashions from around the world. Six percent of your purchase will benefit one or more charitable causes. Once you arrive at the Bunnyhug site, at the top of the page, you can change the viewing currency from British pounds to your relevant currenty. And you'll even get free international shipping if you spend over US$220. A GoodCause.co.uk has raised over half a million dollars thus far. So don't let the bloody exchange rate stop you and check out some of these gorgeous finds. Oh, and did I mention - they are having a SALE!

I found some internationally recognized brands such as Missoni and Vivienne Westwood, many familiar LA-based brands like C&C California and Ella Moss (which I personally love); as well as other emerging designers from Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, London and Sidney; and you can even find a couple items from Kitsons (for my LA readers). Since they are having a SALE, the stock appears to be going fast, so good luck on finding your sizes. But here are a couple items that I'm coveting with a one size fits all.

Kenneth J. Lane's Gunmetal and Fuchsia Pave Disco Ball Ring (was $92, now US$64) is a perfect party piece. Kenneth's fabulous costume jewelry have adorned the glamorous for over four decades including stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker. I would definitely have to hide this from my fancy four year old daughter.

Eugenia Kim's purple wool plaid bias-cut beret with a gunmetal buckle and a silk lining (was US$155, now US$77). Eugenia, formerly of Parsons School of Design and Allure magazine, became an overnight success literally from a bad hair cut. She shaved her head afterwards and made a hat to keep her bald head warm. One month after she was discovered, her hats were being sold at Barney's and soon thereafter worn by A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman.

So hop into the Bunnyhug sale... but remember to shop through the aGoodCause.co.uk portal so you'll be helping some worthy causes!