Monday's Vegan Suit: Classiques Entier Jacket and Black Pants

Not exactly a fully matching suit, but still, I like the look of Classiques Entier's "Chevron" jacket (pictured left) paired with Classiques Entier's "Luxe Twill" pants (pictured right). Both are available via Nordstrom (and both are relatively new to Nordstrom). The jacket is made from cotton and acrylic, and comes in the pictured "black multi." The pants are made from polyester, viscose, and spandex, and come in the pictured, but different, "black multi." I like the slight shine of the pants, although the fact that they are unlined combined with the fact that it is getting colder, makes me like them a little less. Perhaps the twill of the fabric makes up for the lack of lining?

Depending on the weather, I would pair the jacket and pants with a lower-cut white or black sweater (maybe even a cami), or a black turtleneck. The jacket is $268; find it here. The pants are $168; find them here.

Black Friday

I am not going out today. Well, perhaps for more strings of lights for the Christmas decorations. But no major shopping. Though if I was, I would be sure to stop by Nordstrom to check out this Caslon cardigan. Including the pictured "military green" it comes in six colors. I like the oversize fold-over collar and hidden zipper. A good mix of dressy and casual; perfect to store in the office for chillier days. Made from cotton, nylon, and spandex. $58 at Nordstrom; find it here in "regular" and "petite" sizes, and here in "plus" sizes.

Happy (Vegan) Thanksgiving!

Friday's Vegan Accessory: "Tofurkey and Gravy" Soda Gift Pack

In the spirit of not harming turkeys and other animals this Thanksgiving and holiday season, Jones soda has created a limited edition "tofurkey and gravy" flavored soda. You can purchase the soda as part of the "Tofurkey and Gravy Soda" gift pack, which includes 3 bottles of tofurkey soda, 3 bottles of miscellaneous flavored Jones "Zilch" (zero calorie) soda, and 1 tofurkey metal lunch box. The complete gift pack is pictured. Each gift pack is $11.99 plus shipping and handling. And, with each case of tofurkey soda sold, Jones will donate $1 to PAWS, people helping animals. Order a gift pack for a friend (or yourself) here, and enjoy some tofurkey-and-gravy-flavored soda this Thanksgiving instead of real turkey and animal-based gravy!

New Compilation of Vegan and Vegetarian Blogs

Ashley M. Jones of Pharmacy Technician Certification -- a website dedicated to providing resources to students contemplating or currently completing pharmacy technician certification from online schools and the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in general -- has compiled a list of the top 75 blogs for vegetarians and vegans. The Professional Vegan is among them! And some of my favorite blogs made the list too -- SuperVegan, Vegan Soapbox, and Vegan Guinea Pig to name a few. Check out the entire list here.

Thursday's Work-Appropriate Clothing Item: Gap Sale and Men's Clothing

I have a bit of free time today and Gap is holding an online sale -- 25% of entire online purchase of regularly priced items; enter code GIFT123 at checkout -- so I thought I would post some vegan items Gap is offering for men. Depending on work environment, some might not be office appropriate, but they would be good for the weekend!

First, the standard cotton crewneck sweater (pictured left in the "indigo blue"). Made entirely from cotton. Great to put over a collared shirt for a more casual, yet still professional look, and great to wear alone on the weekends for a very casual look. Originally $39.50, now $25. Not sure if that means it qualifies for the 25% off special. Regardless, it already is more than 25% off. Find it here in the blue and seven other colors.

Second, a moleskin blazer (pictured right). This blazer definitely is work-appropriate. Customer reviews say it is great for fall and winter. Wear it over a collared shirt to complete a dressy business-casual look. Made from cotton. It comes only in the pictured brown. $98; find it here.

Third, striped shirts (pictured left in the blue "bank stripe"). Perfect to pair with a full suit or with pants and a nice (vegan!) belt for a more casual look. Made from cotton. Gap is offering striped shirts in a variety of colors: the pictured shirt (here); it also comes in "malbec and white stripe" and "blue hydrangea and white stripe" (both here); and a darker blue stripe (here). All the shirts are $44.50.

And, finally, for the upcoming cold days and night, a sherpa-lined parka (pictured right). A twill exterior combined with a sherpa-lining all the way to the knees is sure to keep you warm. Made entirely from cotton, so you also can feel warm about not harming any animals! Available only in the pictured "chino bark." $128; find it here.

Wednesday's Work-Appropriate Bag: Matt & Nat Laptop Carrier

Perfect for both men and women. As a woman, I opt to shove my laptop (in a padded case, of course), into a large purse, but for those women who carry laptop bags, and for men, Matt & Nat's "Archive" laptop carrier (in a professional black color) is a great way to tote around your computer and accessories. It comes with a detachable shoulder strap. Inside it is lined with light grey faux suede made from recycled bottles. And inside you will find room for your cell phone, second cell phone, and some pens. Comes with a protective laptop sleeves. And, of course, it is vegan! $245; find it here.

Tuesday's Work Appropriate Clothing Item: Turtlenecks from The Limited

When I was out shopping recently, I stopped in The Limited. I haven't been there for years. They have a bunch of vegan suits, though I wasn't all that impressed with the length of the suit jackets. Apparently The Limited thinks short waisted is in, but that won't fly in my office. However, The Limited did have some great turtlenecks. At $44.50 or $49, depending on style, I think they are a bit pricey. But they would look fabulous under a suit jacket or paired with nice trousers during the colder months.

First, the most professional is the "shirred shoulder turtleneck" (pictured right in the sky blue). It features ribbed cuffs and hem, and slight sheering at the shoulders. Made from rayon and nylon. In addition to the blue, it comes in four other colors, including the office-standard brown and black. $44.50; find it here.

Second, still on the professional side is the "rib detail turtleneck" (pictured left in the garnet red). It features similar ribbed trim on the cuffs and hem, though a bit finer, and a wide-ribbed trim around the shoulders and turtleneck. Made from rayon and nylon also. In addition to the garnet red, it comes in four other colors, including a lovely deep purple, and, of course, black. $44.50; find it here.

Finally, on the less professional side, better for more casual days, are the "striped turtleneck" and "tiny stripe turtleneck." The tiny striped turtleneck is pictured right in the green. The striped turtleneck features wider stripes and comes in a garnet/grey combo and a black/grey combo. Both are made from rayon and nylon. And both are $49.50; find the striped turtleneck here and the tiny stripe turtleneck here.

Vegan Treat to Start the Week: Annie's Bunny Cereal

I polished off a box of Annie's Cocoa and Vanilla Bunnies Cereal last night. Very yummy. Great for breakfast or as a snack or a midnight treat. I've tried it with plain soy milk, vanilla soy milk, and just as a munchy -- all very satisfying. Annie's makes five bunny cereal varieties. All are vegan except for the Honey Bunnies.

Find them all here. I got mine two for five dollars at Whole Foods a few weeks ago. Having polished off the Cocoa and Vanilla, it's onto the Fruity Bunnies.

Monday's Vegan Suit: New York & Co. Pinstripe Suit

New from New York & Co. This deep charcoal suit with off-white tiny pinstripes features a two-button completely lined jacket and matching wide-legged, low-rise pants with a slightly extended-tab waistband that closes with two buttons. I love waistbands with button closures; much better than tab closures of any sort in my opinion.

The suit is made from polyester, rayon, and spandex. The jacket is $69.95 and the pants are $46.95. NY&Co. is running several potentially applicable promotions: select tops and pants, including these items, buy one get one 50% off. So, with the promotion, the entire suit is $93.43. Then possibly use promo code 1650 to get $25 off any purchase of $75, bringing the suit to $68.43.

Find the jacket in regular and tall sizes here. Find the pants in petite, regular, and tall sizes here.

Vegan On The Weekend: Jimmy Choo for H&M

Today marks the launch of Jimmy Choo's collection for H&M. The collection consists of women's shoes, bag, clothes, and accessories, and a smaller men's collection. I'm not sure whether all (or any) of the item are vegan (most of the bags and shoes seem to be made from leather). H&M has set up a really interactive website for the collection, including a homepage introduction that warns that there may be lines today and apprises visitors of the bracelet policy they are instituting. Either this collection is going to be a really, really big deal, or H&M has a big head. I might go to my local H&M later and check on the progress. Until then, you can interact with the website here. Be warned, it has annoying music.

Friday's Vegan Accessory: Adopt A Turkey For Thanksgiving

Every year Farm Sanctuary, my favorite sanctuary, runs its Adopt-A-Turkey Project, which "seeks to end the misery of commercially-raised turkeys by offering a compassionate alternative for Thanksgiving." For $25, you can sponsor a turkey residing at either of Farm Sanctuary's locations (CA and NY). The money goes towards feeding the turkeys and otherwise running the sanctuaries, as well as Farm Sanctuary's annual "Celebration for the Turkeys." My co-workers and I sponsored a turkey last year and the adoption certificate we received still hangs in the break-room. This year, my roommates and I are planning to sponsor Bubbles, who resides at the New York Shelter and whose motto is "friends don't let friends eat turkey at Thanksgiving!" Perfect for my roommates and me.

See all the sponsor-able turkeys here. If you are feeling really generous, sponsor the entire flock for $150. Or make a compassionate Thanksgiving donation to all of Farm Sanctuary's animals here.

Vegan Article of Interest: "Going Vegetarian for Thanksgiving"

Find this titled article from yesterday's New York Times here. Not quite a vegan article, as some of the dish alternatives offered by the author involve dairy products (and likely eggs), but interesting nonetheless. Good job New York Times on promoting the reduction of turkey abuse! The picture was so adorable I had to post it too. (Media credit to Brian Snyder/Reuters.)

Thursday's Work-Appropriate Clothing Item: Striped Banker Shirt

I've always loved banker shirts on women. Something about the white collar and cuffs contrasted with a light blue pleases my eye. And they're great to wear under a suit jacket or alone with a nice pair of trousers. Pair the shirt with a jeans for a dressier weekend look if required at your office. Banana Republic's current banker shirt features subtle stripes on a light blue background and a pocket accented with a button (pictured). The shirt is made from 100% cotton. $60; find it here.

Wednesday's Vegan Shoes: Men's Slip-On Work Shoes

Per a reader's request (yay, readers!), today's vegan shoes are the Jenson shoe from Vegetarian Shoes. I'm not quite sure what the etiquette is regarding men wearing slip-on versus lace-up dress shoes at the office, but if slip-on works at your office, these shoes will add a bit of dress to a casual outfit, or, in contrast, a bit of casual to a dress outfit. As with all Vegetarian Shoes' shoes, they are vegan. In addition to the pictured black, they come in a deep brown. £59.95 ($99.90); find the black here and the brown here.

"The Animal In You"

I usually bypass personality tests, but this one was so cute that I had to take it, and as it places your personality alongside animal characteristics, necessarily linking emotions with animals (along with the usual behavioral characteristics), which I think very important to the advancement of veganism, I thought I would post. The test is titled "The Animal In You." You can take it here.

I'm either a wild dog, otter, or bat. I assume that most people who take the test receive a result of one animal; whenever I take personality tests, which partially is why I shy away from taking them, I end up with multiple results.

Tuesday's Work-Appropriate Clothing Item: Black Winter Coat

Now that Halloween has passed and Thanksgiving is approaching, it's time to think about the dreaded winter coat. Unfortunately, most of the good ones (i.e. warm ones) incorporate wool and down/goose feathers. I have a few of these coats from my pre-vegan days. They are still in great condition, so I will continue wearing them. But if I was in the market for a new fancy coat to go over a dress or a chunky sweater and pant outfit, I would be drawn to Nature Vs. Future's asymmetrical winter coat (pictured in the available black). It hits right at that knee, and, as the name suggests, features asymmetrical buttons for a bit of flare. Made from a hemp and cotton blend -- and made in Brooklyn (NY)! Kaight, a cute NYC boutique featuring eco-friendly clothing and accessories, where I found the coat, says it is "extremely warm." $425; find it here.

Vegan Treat to Start the Week

My roommate suggested that I start a weekly post featuring a good vegan snack. "Not one that is horribly hard and time consuming to make, something that can be purchased at the local grocery store or co-op," she said. I assume that means my baking over the weekend won't qualify: I made vegan coffee chip muffins and vegan cornmeal drop biscuits. I found both recipes in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan Brunch: Homestyle Recipes Worth Waking Up For. And they are both delicious.

But, per my roommate's request, here is something a bit easier to make (i.e. buy), but still full of vegan goodness: goraw's Pumpkin Super Chips. Keeping with the roommate theme of this post, my roommate and I picked these chips up a few days ago. They make for a lovely raw snack; the agave nectar gives them a bit of sweetness. Check out all of goraw's products here.

Monday's Vegan Suit: Kenneth Cole Blazer

Not exactly a full suit, but this Kenneth Cole blazer is on sale during Nordstrom's half-yearly sale. I'm not all that into these oversized blazer jackets with ties at the waist, but I've seen them on some (admittedly taller) women, and they've looked good. As this blazer has elbow-length sleeves, perhaps pair it with a black (or dark) turtleneck and black trousers for a more business casual (also dark and mysterious) look. The blazer is made from polyester, rayon, and spandex. It comes in the pictured "dark heather grey." Originally $129, on sale for $85.90 (33% off). Find it here.

If you are looking for matching pants, Nordstrom has the blazer featured with Kenneth Cole's black "Amanda" pants. Made from polyester, rayon, and spandex. $69; find them here. (And with the pants, that makes a full suit!) And, for completeness, check out this Kenneth Cole "scrunch" turtleneck: made from cotton and spandex, comes in a variety of colors (including the pictured "rich black"), $44; find it here.

Three Wolf / Virgnia Woolf

I want this:

Melissa McEwan, over at Shakesville, dreamed it up, based off the strangely internet-successful Three Wolf Moon t-shirt. Get it? I like this one so much better, possibly because Virginia Woolf is my favorite author (ever and for always). Unfortunately, it is not for sale, unless someone gets permission from the original t-shirt designer, the Woolf estate, etc., etc. If it ever does go on sale, I will absolutely buy one.

Vegan on the Weekend: Trip to Lush

The bathroom in my new (gorgeous) apartment features this:

Obviously, I had to go to Lush to get some bath bombs to try out the tub (and the bath bombs, which I haven't used before because I always have been scared of sitting in the tubs in my previous apartments, even once scrubbed). I got 2 -- the geo phyzz ($7.15), which is composed of sea salts that dissolve slowly in the tub and soften the skin; and the avobath ($5.80), which I have heard turns tub water a lovely avocado green color. As you may have guessed, I used the geo phyzz last night and am saving the avobath for later. Of course, both are vegan.

While at Lush, I browsed their new holiday collection. At 47 days away, as I commented to my salesperson, it is way too early to be thinking about Christmas, etc. She assured me that Lush will be having a black friday sale complete with a DJ, and I assured her I will be there to get my free face something (I forget exactly what) with purchase of a holiday gift set. Until then, my favorite of Lush's vegan holiday items are:

Let Them Eat Cake lip balm (pictured right). A vegan lip balm with the tastes of orange and lemons, currants and sultanas, vanilla and sherry. Clearly top of the list. $6.95.

Satsumo Santa bath bomb (pictured left). Get cosy in the bath with the Santa man? I find this a bit odd, but it features a refreshing citrus fruit blend with manadarin oil, bergamot oil and orange blossom absolute. Sounds yummy to me. $5.95.

Best Wishes gift set (pictured below). Features four holiday bath bombs, all vegan: Satsumo Santa, of course, Mr. Butterball, filled with bits of cocoa butter, So White, and L'il Lush Pud. $19.95 -- the perfect price for a holiday gift.

The Professional Vegan Relocates

Not within the inter-webs . . . physically! This is why I've been absent for the past almost month. In that time, I finished my first job out of law school, packed up all my stuff, bopped around the east coast for a couple weeks visiting friends, and then moved across the country to a location to remain undisclosed, but, never fear, still great for vegan shopping. My new job starts in a couple weeks. I'm not sure what my schedule will be, and how conducive it will be to posting every morning as usual, but I will try to post as often as I can. On the days that I do post, I will follow the schedule. Thus, if I post on a Tuesday, I will post a vegan-friendly work-appropriate clothing item. If I post on a Friday, I will post a vegan-friendly accessory. I just might not have a chance to post every day. So, please don't abandon me . . . have patience as I figure out my new life with a new job in a new (physical and mental) state.

During my travels, I picked up a few vegan items. My favorite of the acquisitions are two black turtlenecks from Ann Taylor Loft. First, my favorite favorite is the button-detail turtleneck (pictured right in the crushed berry). The sweater features four matching buttons at the cuffs and four matching buttons down either side. And the turtle of the turtleneck turns down perfectly -- not too chunky as can happen with many chunky turtleneck sweaters. Made from 100% cotton. In addition to crushed berry, it comes in five other colors, including, of course, my choice of black. Originally $49.50, Ann Taylor Loft has it on sale for $29.50. Find it here.

Second is a simple "turtleneck tee" made from jersey (cotton and modal). In addition to the pictured black (left), it comes in five other solid colors and in a black and grey or grey and tan striped pattern. The solid turtlenecks are $24.50; the striped turtleneck is $29.50. Find the solid colors here; find the striped patterns here.