The rocker/ballerina look is quickly becoming my favorite for fall, and Free People captures this well in their August 2009 catalog. The furry-faced models (modeling alongside lovely ladies like Noot Seear who will be appearing in “New Moon”, yay!) are from the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society to help raise awareness about adopting – definitely something I am an advocate for!

Thought I should spread the word on this project that hits close to home, quite literally. I was up in the Bay Area when the California wildfires hit – though I was thankfully not directedly affected by them, it was devastating to pick up the Oakland paper and see the map of the fires practically surround L.A. county and wonder if we were going to be next.

The So-Cal Fire Poster Project has teamed up with a bunch of talented designers and artists to raise funds for victims of the wildfires by selling limited edition posters like the ones above, done by Modern Dog and Rule29. It’s wonderful to see fellow creatives donate their talents towards a good cause.

I don’t really buy into a lot of charity products (pun!), but I really like this one from Marc by Marc Jacobs and Shopbop: the charm bracelet is actually quite attractive and they donate a generous 50% of the $88 to the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization.

Y-ME has also received the four-star charity rating, which “indicates that Y-ME excels, compared to other charities in America, in successfully managing the finances of the organization in an efficient and effective manner.”

Escapulario’s Brazilian-inspired baubles are strung with matryoshkas, pigs, skulls, and Virgin Marys – quite the variety! Portions of each product also benefit charities, from what I understand.

It’s inspiring to see that graphic designers are using their talents to be more socially responsible – in the case of the exhibition Retired Weapons from Japan, it’s to spread the message of peace and love to the world through their simple but straightfoward graphics:

For whatever reason, I always remember to donate my old dresses to the Princess Project, but always immediately after they’ve had their yearly event. I love this cause – women donate their dresses to the Bay Area-based organization, who in turn provide the dresses to high school girls who don’t have the financial means to afford them for prom. And we all know how ridiculously expensive prom can get, rich or not.

Here are some of the happy girls that the Princess Project has helped out. It’s too late to send a dress for this prom season (January through April only), but they always welcome financial donations.

(Today’s theme must be “Bay Area”, huh?)

I drove by one of their public exhibits here in L.A. and immediately fell in love with this installation / artist group of sorts. Such a simple but sweet message to send out to the world: YouAreBeautiful

Artillery, Chicago, from YouAreBeautiful

The Pink Project has put together a charity photobook with the help of artists, musicians, survivors, celebrities, and other advocates to support the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and the Los Angeles Breast Cancer Alliance (LABCA). I don’t know much else about it, but it’s definitely a cause that is close to my heart. You can purchase the book online or at the book release party this Saturday if you are in the L.A. area.