“Made in California with Love & No Regrets!”

(Pictured: Monique Dress in Tulips Black)

You may ask yourself, what exactly does that mean? At Heart of Haute it means a great deal to us that we are able to assure our loyal customers that we produce all our beautifully crafted clothing right here in Southern California.  In fact. all our skirts, dresses, and tops are cut and sewn right here in San Dimas at our Headquarters along with the services of three local sewing factories in Los Angeles, that each follow the same ethical practices we follow.

Buying clothing Made in the USA comes with many ethically great practices that you support and contribute to positively. Some factors to take into consideration when buying from Heart of Haute -  Made in the USA clothing:

We are contributing to fair wage standards that are maintained in the United States. Unlike mega chain fast fashion retailers that we won’t name, but you know who they are, we believe it is important to pay all employees a fair wage so that they are able to live a comfortable lifestyle. That includes the employees in the production facilities who are sewing your clothing together with the employee who is delicately wrapping and shipping out your order from headquarters.   

We are also helping our planet earth! You may ask “how?”                                      According to www.takepart.com, Americans produce an estimated 11 million pounds of textiles to be thrown away every year. We encourage everyone to use proper recycling methods and donation facilities but, most of the time that is not the case. When consumers buy clothing from fast fashion retailers the clothing is purchased at a very low price. The quality of the material being used will not withstand many washes and will therefore tear and have to be thrown away faster. Most of the time the non-biodegradable clothing end up in landfills which means that the clothing will sit in landfills for at least 200 years until the textiles start to decompose. When purchasing clothing at Heart of Haute you are getting great quality fabric that will be sure to last you a long time.

Heart of Haute also works closely with local colleges who are educating the next generation of fashion professionals.  These ethical and socially conscious students can see first hand the importance of their contribution while learning how to carry forward these best practices. 

At Heart of Haute we take pride in producing our clothing in the USA. It is important to us, and we hope after reading this blog post it will be important to you as well, and make you more aware of your purchases the next time you go out shopping. 

http://www.takepart.com/video/2015/05/29/clothes-trash-landfill : http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-fast-fashion-met-20151125-story.html

-Elizabeth Valenzuela

Heart of Haute Fashion Marketing Intern from Cal Poly Pomona

Pin up or pinup images got their name from the way that they were "pinned up" on the walls of barracks, bunkers, office walls, ships, and even planes during war time. These alluring photos and illustrations were created to help raise the "morale" of the many young men serving long, dangerous tours away from friends, family, and love. 1940s era pinups were a part of a long history of soldiers customizing their gear and living quarters - a tradition that continues today. 

From Rita Hayworth in her nightgown to Betty Grable in her bathing suit, patriotic pin up girls were everywhere, even in Yank - the unfortunately (or appropriately) named weekly magazine published by the US Army.  Winston Churchill jokingly dubbed Jane, a blonde cartoon pin up drawn in the Daily Mirror Newspaper 'Britain's secret weapon.' War time pin ups even moved out of photos and postcards to be painted on jackets, the side of tanks and bombers, and tattooed on many bodies. Pin ups were depicted in dresses, lingerie, bathing suits, sometimes even less. 

Pin ups in modified military uniforms were created to show sexy support for the war effort. The sailor or Navy pinup has always been popular, appearing even in early Sailor Jerry tattoo designs. This iconographic look is patriotic, retro, and above all sexy. Nautical style is always fresh and classic, and Heart of Haute can help you use the best of this venerable vintage American look to create a memorable modern pin up figure. We have curated an amazing Patriotic pinup style collection - red, white and blue looks good on you! Perfect for 4th of July parties, parades, and the many summer festivals that we all enjoy.

Our Sailor dress is a classic - based on the pattern of a vintage dress, it has nautical pin up style without looking too much like a costume. Available in a patriotic palette of red, white and blue! In cool, crisp 100% high quality cotton, this dress is versatile and flattering with side ties for a perfect fit. Our sweet anchor print in pale blue can be found on our Matey Dress and Ella Top. Add a matching headband for a Rosie the Riveter inspired vintage look. You can even get the Baby Beverly Dress in Blue Anchors for the perfect mother daughter photo look! 

 As we celebrate the unique country that we live in, why not do it in a unique outfit that was made in America by Heart of Haute? A special thank you and an extra kiss from Heart of Haute to all of those who have served in the U.S. Military - past, present, and future! 

Phoenix based Pinup Photographer and long-time-darling friend, Tara O, is making her way to Sunny California yet again to capture the beauties we have in our sprawling land.  Care to take a stab at Pinup modeling? Need a fun NEW never-shot-in-before Tiki themed location? Book this shoot!  I'll be there, too ;) All bookings will also be entered in a drawing to win a Heart of Haute dress of their choice, up to a $120 value. Whoa! Yeah, I know. I wont enter the drawing, though.  

To set up an appointment, please contact Tara directly  at :  Tara@taraophotos.com   And if you're in need of some Tiki Tiki dresses, let's take a gander at some of the styles HoH has to offer!

Hope to see you there! Aloha!  

With Love and No Regrets,

Mandie Bee

OMG SHOES! Our Spring 2015 picks from the officially licensed Bettie Page shoes are available and ready for you to mix and match with your favorite Heart of Haute dresses. 

FLATS!  The 'Elsa' slightly wedged flat is perfectly pastel (or basic black) and is so cutesy!  Adorned with scalloped detail, an adorable bow, and peep toe! SO CUTE!

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Feeling a little sassy? The Dawn peep-toe heel has heart cut-outs, and a platform and ankle strap for comfort. 

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And finally.... the 'Allison' closed toe slingback heel!  So cute - for work, a wedding, date night. 

Blog Share!  The gorgeous Ashley of Southern (California) Belle has reviewed some of our Holiday items!  Ashley is a stay at home momma who's got a closet chock full of gorgeous frocks!  (Gotta admit, I'm envious!)  Born & raised in Southern California, this lovely lady is an expert in colorful California fashion!  Here's the lovely lady in our Mitzi Dress in 'Pendleton Plum' - a super soft flannel dress with quarter length sleeves and an impeccable fit!  It just looks too cute on Ashley with her lavender hair!  Even though sadly there aren't many cool months here in California, this little number in this deep plum tartan flannel is timeless!  There are still a few of these cozy & chic frocks available on our site, find them here!  

Ashley also reviewed two of my personal favorite Heart of Haute pieces... the Terri Top in Black and the Twirl Skirt in Gold Dots!  The Terri Top is made from a light yet durable cotton/lycra blend that hugs every curve perfectly!  While it's available in stripes and a nautical anchor print, the classic Black is my ultimate staple piece! And this skirt-Boy does it twirl!  The Twirl Skirt in Gold Dots is just one of the versatile metallics from our Holiday 2014 Collection!  Find one for yourself, or gift it to your bestie!  Available here.

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