The most gorgeous indie accessories and fashion for less

When we first opened up the Cool Mom Picks Indie Shop a few months ago, we were so excited to get to support so many of the indie makers and artists we’ve loved for years, while getting a chance to discover new ones. But what’s been even more fantastic is the reception we’ve gotten from our reader–wow, do you mamas have great taste! So we’re so excited that great.ly wants to thank you all with a fantastic limited time offer: This week only, every item in our fashion + accessories collection ships for free.

Whoo!

Update: April, 2015: Now everything in the shop ships for free worldwide. Double whoo!

Whether it ships from London or LA, you can score some amazing handcrafted accessories that make even that jeans and t-shirt look utterly unique. Or hey, start your holiday shopping early. This is some great stuff.

You’ll find a carefully curated collection of everything from handbags to men’s pocket squares to reusable totes, and to get you started, here are just a few (very few) of the accessories we’re excited to offer in the collection.

By far the most popular item in our shop: The Mamuye handmade leather tote from our friends at FashionABLE, whose Ethiopian artisans can support their families, get medical care, and even educational expenses through the sales of the items. In black, cognac or chocolate brown, the tote simply stunning–plus I feel good every time I wear it. I own the brown one, and I can’t tell you how many people have stopped me on the street and written down the URL so they could get one themselves. Especially when they realize it costs about half of what they’d pay in a department store if there were a fancy designer label stuck inside.

The Japanese cotton/satin Furoshiki Scarf by Kyoko Bowskill of Link makes us drool every time we look at it. They’re all hand-printed exquisitely by a specialized printing company in Tokyo, and one makes a stunning accent piece, or you can use it to wrap a gift like a bottle of wine. (Yes, we’re thinking holidays.) In addition to the black and white dots, there’s also a red and white dots, a gorgeous folded paper scarf design in black or pink, and so much more. Serious eye candy.

For a little treat, check out the Scandinavian zip bags from Camp Cirrus. I got a few of them about six years ago, and they’re still going strong, which is why we’re happy to be able to share them and spread the love. The fabrics are so fun (love the pink), and I rarely travel without one–they’re the perfect size for makeup, tech accessories and chargers, crayons for the kids, you name it.

As long as we’re talking bright colors, don’t you love the combo on this gorgeous hand woven scarf from Amber Kane? It brightens up any outfit, including the basic grey and black I live in in NYC all fall and winter long. I’d love this peeking out from the collar of my heavier jackets when the wind starts picking up around here.

Another brand new find comes from Kathleen Turner (no relation) who makes these stunning handmade leather card cases in subtle color combos, or a more striking black and gold colorblock. Perfect gift for yourself or that friend with the new business cards for her new startup, especially for under $25.

A splurge we adore: The cashmere scarves from Everyday Cashmere by Jen Hart. This high-end cashmere label out of Australia offers the scarf in so many stunning colors, and they’re the perfect gift for a friend, Grandma, or sister who likes the idea of a little luxury.

I’ve always had a thing for vintage train cases and so the upcycled vintage suitcases from Brooklyn artist Kara Alter are high on my covet list. They’re great for stashing tech cords, handkerchiefs and gloves, or those greeting cards and love notes you just can’t part with. Every one is handmade to order and I just love that it allows you to store things in plain sight that you might normally tuck into a closet somewhere.

We generally categorize our jewelry by splurges and steals, but we couldn’t resist filing this beautifully affordable braided bracelet tressé with our fashion picks. Made in France by Les Tres Tresses, I love the softness of the fabric combined with the strength of the metal hardware. And hello? $16!

If it’s time to upgrade those reusable cotton totes that came free with some brand name on them, take a good look at the high quality screenprinted Japanese totes from Hanelca/Aya Kawaura. Each one is just amazing, from the thoughtful construction to the design. And those zip pockets inside are a useful touch.

And if you like the style, but have tech accessories in mind, the designer also makes a couple of very cool laptop cases that we wouldn’t mind carrying around at all.

Instant love the moment we saw it: The Stay Awesome Tote by New Zealand’s Toodles Noodles. The design is as fun as the message, and it makes such a neat gift in the $30 range. I can think about about twenty friends who deserve one. Which gives me about twenty ideas for the holidays…

And of course we have to point out that we have an amazing selection of the FashionABLE scarves that have become a holiday gift favorite of our friends and fans for the last two years. Some of them start at just $36, and considering the free shipping? This is the time to grab them. They sell out, trust us!

Visit the Cool Mom Picks Indie Shop now through 9/30, and get free shipping on every item in our fashion + accessories collection. Plus check back – we add new things all the time.

Thanks so much to great.ly for this terrific way of thanking our readers for their support of all these cool indie makers since we opened our shop.