Hello! How has your holiday season been going so far? Per usual, the days are flying by quicker than ever. (Which is terrifying, but also supposedly normal?) Yet another reason why it's been so long since there's been a new LunaVida post. But I'm back with a 100% vegan and cruelty-free gift guide! (If you'd like to see past gift guides for even more ideas, you can check those out here.)

I wanted to post this with a bit of a disclaimer though. You may have noticed over the past few years that, while I've never been one to not re-wear the same articles of clothing (for literally years and years), this blog has really transformed over the years. That's because I really don't want to contribute to unnecessary consumerism. Our planet just can't handle our ongoing wastefulness. It simply can't. That being said, you know what would be better than any of these presents listed here? Donating to a cause that is close to your loved one's heart. Cooking a plant-based holiday meal for a neighbor in need. Spending our most valuable resource (our time) to volunteer at an animal shelter or picking up litter. Isn't that what the holiday season should be about anyway? Not Dudley Dursley-level numbers of toys that kids will break in a few hours or yet another gray sweater. (Don't get me wrong. I love a good grey sweater on Black Friday sale too, but once I learned about the environmental impact fast fashion is having on our planet, I can't in good conscious keep buying whenever a whim strikes or simply because something is a good deal.)

Trust me. I enjoy stuff as much as the next person. And I still have a long way to go in lessening my unnecessary waste and fast fashion. (Truly ethical brands are so expensive! 😓 But really, if you know of a good one that someone on a nonprofit salary can afford, please share.). But over the past couple of years, I've been trying to make a conscious effort to resist the rampant consumerism that is alive and well in our society—especially when December hits each year. If we're going to be making those holiday purchases though, let's collectively agree to at least do so as mindfully as possible, yeah? That's why today's gift guide has vegan, cruelty-free, and affordable ideas for all sorts of people in your life! (And please know that this is not me shaming anyone! I am just as guilty as the next person and can do so much better. And hey, if you have been needing something, hell yes take advantage of all the sales going on this time of year! Save that hard-earned money, honey. But many of us can certainly be more cognizant of our "spending just to spend" habits.)
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Stocking stuffers

Handheld plant milk frother I admit that I bought this with no real need for it, other than that I was trying to cut back on our weekend morning trips to the coffee shop down the street from our house. That being said, Matt and I LOVE ours. And yes, best of all, it has drastically reduced the number of coffee shop oat milk lattes we buy. We make our weekend AM cups of coffee at home so much more now!
Reusable K-Cups I am SO bummed that K-Cups are still even a thing. They are so heartbreakingly wasteful. We do have a Keurig, but we've never bought K-Cups. Instead, we buy bulk size coffee grounds of our favorite flavors and use these reusable coffee pods instead. It literally takes under 10 seconds to fill them up, so it's still super convenient and quick like a Keurig's purpose is supposed to be!
Pacifica products There are so many to choose from, but you can't go wrong with this 100% vegan and cruelty-free brand! They're a go-to for me for allllllll types of beauty products. These sheet masks or this skincare set would be fun (and actually desirable) for White Elephant.
Tarte Cosmetics Collection The mascara included in this set is by far the best I've ever used! It's so good that it's the only kind the I use. My mom and sisters are hooked too! I also love the other Tarte makeup I've used, so this seems like a solid option.
Herb garden This is such a cute idea for anyone who may not have outdoor space but wishes they could grow their own food. Plus, who doesn't love beautiful greenery in their home?
CANDY Enough said.

Gifts under $30—and that make donations on your behalf!

Dog tee - 20% of profits are donated to animal shelters!  I personally have this shirt (seen here and here) so I can vouch that it'd make an amazing present for the animal lover in your life.  (I also have this Extra Dog Mom sweatshirt and this Home With My Cat t-shirt from the same shop. Highly recommend those too!)
100% Human tank - $5 from each product in this collection sold goes to the American Civil Liberties Union. This brand is known for its transparency. They partner with only the best factories and ensure employees are paid a fair wage and work reasonable hours in a safe environment.

Socks - For each clothing item purchased, a "specially-designed donation clothing item of the same kind is donated to someone in need."  My mom told me about this company. She loves their no show socks. They are pretty pricey and, let's be honest, not everyone wants socks for a gift... but I love how they give back and had to include them!
Ethically responsible subscription box - They partner with orgs that empower disadvantaged communities and create jobs. My sister got me this for Christmas last year and then again for my 30th birthday. It's that good! The value is insane—and even better, they source only the highest quality, cruelty-free, and socially responsible brands! I've literally loved every item I've received in those boxes and found new brands I want to support.

Amazing organizations who I'm sure would love a donation from you :D

The Humane League Yes, it may seem that I'm being biased because this is the group I work for. BUT it was my favorite organization long before I was ever employed by them! THL fights to make largescale change for billions for animals on factory farms across the globe every day. I know firsthand that your gift goes on to help great work be done :)
A Well-Fed World You know what doesn't make any sense? Using meat, which uses a disturbing amount of resources, to feed those experiencing hunger. You may be like "WTF are you saying? Why?" Well, for example, more than half of the grain in the United States and nearly 40% of the entire world's grain is being fed to livestock, rather than being eaten directly by people. That is A LOT of wasted food. How about, instead, we cut out the middle part and feed healthier, more sustainable, and less cruelty-centric plants to humans? This NGO lets you donate a meal, similarly to another very famous org that has you purchase a live animal to feed a family; however, rather than killing an innocent creature, you feed an impoverished child healthier and more sustainable plant-based options!
Planned Parenthood Because access to affordable healthcare FOR ALL matters. Plain and simple.
Everytown For Gun Safety This group is helping to bring commonsense gun reform to the United States. There are 100 gun-related deaths every single day in America. That is unacceptable. We can do better. Everytown is working to make a safer world a reality by fighting gun violence.
American Civil Liberties Union This human rights organization's mission is to "defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States."
Groups in your local community Your own neighborhood may need your help! Whether it's spending time with the elderly, meals on wheels, socializing cats at your local shelter, doing a river cleanup, helping to build a barn at a nearby farm animal sanctuary, or any of the other thousands of things that need our aid, you can do so much to help the causes your loved one's care about without ever having to spend a penny. *During this time of year, a lot of these orgs probably have donors who are matching gifts, so your donations can be doubled—even tripled in some cases!*

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It's odd (and kinda hard) for me to create gift guides. That's probably because I'm just not a big "gift person" personally. It's my very last love language (Matt's too, actually), so I'm both not great at giving or receiving gifts. This is not a great trait, I know, but presents just don't cross my mind often. I'd rather someone spend their money on an issue that's dear to them or help someone they know who's actually in need rather than give me something that I don't need. I know that sounds kinda bratty, but we live in a 750 square foot home—I simply don't have the space for anything extra! (Ha, just kidding.)
Oh, one more relevant thing that came to mind for this time of year! My sister recently told me about ThredUp's Clean Out Kit. They send you a bag, you put the clothes you want to donate in it, ship it back for free, and they either sell (and give you money or you can donate it) the clothes OR responsibly recycle them for you. Isn't that amazing?! And since I imagine a lot of us will be purging our closets in the coming weeks, you can sign up right here for a free kit to be mailed to you!
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Happy holidays!

PS: Yesterday was LunaVida's seventh anniversary, which is insane! Thanks for sticking around all these years and through all the changes 🤗
PPS: And yes, I am aware how long it's been since I wrote a post on LunaVida. I apologize. I was not joking about how busy life has become in my 30s. So I'll try to be back here again as soon as I can! And as always, for more timely updates, follow along on Instagram @alliegee319 :)

Fall is coming... | Jacket + Tank + Ripped Jeans + Slides

WOW. It has been a biiiit since the last LunaVida post. So, so sorry! This summer, things have just been quite possibly the busiest of my life. From starting off the season with a weekend in Vegas, to traveling to the east coast for a work retreat, to our trip to Europe for our friends' wedding, and then coming home to settle back into normal life. All the while, we've been doing the standard working, trying to be the best pet parents possible, attempting to ensure the house doesn't become a hazard zone, and trying to maintain somewhat of a social life. (I honestly don't know how people with children do it all. I'll be able to never comprehend it.) And in between all that, somehow the months have just flown by at an unprecedented speed. 
Don't get me wrong, though — this has been an amazing summer that I'm very grateful for, but damn, has that extra busyness meant things like LunaVida have fallen to the wayside. I definitely want to share more about our first international trip as vegans, so I will try to get a post up about that as soon as I can! (Let me know if there's anything specific you'd like me to write about. We spent time in Dublin, Barcelona, Santorini, and Paris.) Anyway, thank you for your patience with me — and for more timely updates, be sure to follow along on IG @alliegee319 😊 

Olive green military jacket (also seen here, here, and here): Old Navy

[similar — on sale!]

Navy blue and white striped tank with tie detail: J.Crew Factory — currently on sale!

Levi's 721 high rise distressed skinny jeans (also here): Shopbop

Brown flat slide sandals (also here): Target

[similar]

Gold aviator sunglasses (also seen here and here): Old Navy

[similar]

Gold "A" initial necklace: J.Crew Factory – currently 71% off!

Gold bracelets (also seen here, here, and here): J.Crew and c/o Blue Sunflowers

[similar]

I also feel a deep need to share that in between all the recent hectic times, Matt and I squeezed in a trip to one of our favorite places in San Diego County, Farm Animal Refuge, last week. Why do I have to share this? Well, you'll see exactly why when you click here to see photos of the litter of weeks old piglets they rescued recently 😍  Enjoy.
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How has your summer been? Did it fly by for you too? Are you ready for all that glorious fall promises to bring about or clinging desperately to these long, sunny days?

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Crossing the Line | Denim Jacket + Dress + Espadrilles + Straw Bag

Daaaamn. Time is flying. It's somehow the first day of summer... And we are already more than halfway through 2019. How? How is that possible? These past few weeks have been especially busy. It feels like I've barely even been home – and I work remotely, so I'm already home more than the average person! For Memorial Day Weekend, Matt and I road tripped with the pups up to Las Vegas for our dear friends' wedding shower. Then last week I flew to the east coast for my work's annual all-staff retreat in Pennsylvania. Then this Sunday Matt and I are headed to Europe! YAY, YAY, YAY! We are off to Dublin, Barcelona, Santorini (this time around for the previously mentioned friends' nuptials!), and Paris. Honestly, though, this trip completely snuck up on us... and so I don't feel super prepared – but hey! That's half the adventure anyway, right?
Oh! And this is our first international trip since going vegan, so if you have any tips and/or recommendations for any of those cities, pleeease share!

Eco denim jacket: J.Crew - on sale!

Multicolored striped fit and flare dress: Francesca's

[similar]

Cognac espadrille wedges (also seen here, here, and here): Gap

[similar]

Gold hoop earrings: J.Crew Factory

[similar]

Gold bracelets (also seen here, here, and here): J.Crew Factory and Madewell via Shopbop

Yellow circular straw bag: American Eagle - 50% off!

If my roots throughout this outfit post are giving you major anxiety and/or a stomachache, rest assured that I have since gotten them taken care of. I had to get my hair right for our travels! 💁
I'll see you in July (if life slows down at all post-vaca 😉)!

PS: Be sure to follow along with our travels on Instagram @alliegee319!

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Crop It Like It's Hot | Knit Top + Printed High-Waisted Pants + Mules

Wait. How is it already halfway through the fifth month out of 2019? Mind-blowing... And speaking of mind-blowing – how is there only one episode left of Game of Thrones ever?! Time is flying too quickly. Which is also why it's been extra hard for me to fit in LunaVida posts – and for that, I am very sorry! But I'm back today with an #OOTD that is very "Art Teacher Chic" if you ask me. Doesn't this outfit look like (a hopefully cooler version of) something your 7th-grade art teacher would've worn but, like, with a paintbrush tucked behind her ear? ...Maybe I have too much of an imagination... but regardless, I am iiinto this new trend of comfy, breezy, wide-leg pants!

Black knit crop top with side zippers (also seen here): ASOS

[similar]

Print high-waist cropped pants with tie: American Eagle

[similar - on sale for under $16!]

Nude mules: American Eagle

[similar]

Gold aviator sunglasses (here): Old Navy

[similar]

Gold statement collar necklace (also seen here, here, and here): H&M

[similar]

Gold bracelets (also seen here, here, and here): Target, c/o oNecklace, and c/o Blue Sunflowers

[similar]

Do you watch GoT? (If so, what are your theories?!) Are you into the lightweight, baggy pants trend? If you're not a fan, I get it. But I also recommend trying on a pair – because, honestly, this level of non-pajama comfort is unparalleled.

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Super Bloomin' | Military Jacket + Tee + Ripped Jeans + Eco-Friendly Sneakers

Happy (belated) Earth Day! 🌍 Being an activist (by profession and as a personal choice), the planet – and all of its inhabitants – are constantly at the forefront of my mind. A thought I often find myself wondering is, what if we all just thought of every single day as "Earth Day"? Can you imagine what we could get done? If we always recycled. If we always remembered our reusable shopping bags and metal straws. If we always picked up all of the litter we saw on our walks. If we always ate plant-based foods.
Can you just picture that for a second?
It may be a fantasy, but the thought alone nevertheless warms my cold, cold heart. And you know what? We can do it. In the end, it's not really up to corporations or organizations or governments. It's actually up to us as individuals to rise up and demand the changes we want to see by actually doing. So let's do. All of us. The future depends on it.

Olive green military jacket (also seen here, here, and here): Old Navy

[similar]

Gray v-neck t-shirt (also seen here, here, and here): Old Navy

[similar]

Ripped skinny jeans (also seen here, here, and here): Target

[similar]

Reebok "Cotton and Corn" white vegan tennis shoes: Amazon

I first learned about these eco-conscious shoes thanks to one of my favorite plant-based blogs, Fashion Veggie. They are so comfortable and go with everything –– but best of all, they are 100% vegan and made out of organic cotton and corn!
Matt and I are traveling to Europe again this summer (YAY!), and these babies will for sure be making the journey with me. They make for the best walking shoes ever. I can't recommend them enough!

Pink print bandana scarf: J.Crew

[similar]

Cognac belt (also seen here, here, and here): Gap

[similar]

Handmade multicolored woven tote bag: Urban Outfitters

[similar]

14K gold layered necklaces (also seen here, here, and here): c/o Sivado Studio

[similar]

24K gold personalized Roman Numeral cuff bracelet (also seen here, here, and here): c/o oNecklace

Things got a little heavy at the top there ^^ 😅 But I figured these STUNNING yellow flowers and the coastal views would help lighten the mood – and remind us the beauty of this very planet we are fighting for. Because, my oh my, Mother Earth really is a special lady.

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