Summer is coming up and you may be thinking of all the fun, colorful shirts you’re going to buy for weekends at the chalet or which woven new beach bag will be “the one”. It’s always a rush to buy new things when the season starts to change again, but why don’t we also buy some things that will actually make a difference? There are plenty of fashion lines out there that can make you look fabulous while supporting a worthy cause. Take the current “habba” or trend in Kuwait at the moment: TOMS shoes.

I’ve heard of TOMS being sold at random places in Kuwait, but beware!I noticed that the TOMS sold in Kuwait are either fake or overpriced. You can find the shoes on a few RANDOM Kuwait-based websites but the prices are nowhere near correct. I found one style on two local websites; one charged KD29 for it while the other charged KD32. On toms.com, the same exact pair are priced at $54, which is equivalent to KD15. Local retailers have essentially doubled the selling price. Another incredibly sad fact is that there are places in Kuwait that are selling fake TOMS. This defeats the ENTIRE purpose of the brand, which is to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for each (original) pair that is purchased.

The brand TOMS has been raising awareness about children worldwide that don’t even have shoes to put on their feet each morning, and end up contracting diseases from soil and even missing out on school because they are required to have shoes to attend. Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS, got inspired after visiting Argentina and meeting with such children. Contrary to popular belief, the founder’s name is not Tom! The name is derived from a shorter version of the word “tomorrow” since the concept of the brand is that you buy a shoe today, and a child gets a free pair tomorrow. I personally love this brand, and the fact that you can look stylish while helping others in some way is a great feeling. For the first time I am happy to see Kuwaitis overdoing a trend because they are actually helping children by doing so.

In addition to shoes, TOMS launched a new line of sunglasses which help those in need of eye care. The “One for One” concept is the same; one pair of sunglasses will give one person in need medical eye care. This includes prescription medicine, eyeglasses, and even corrective surgery. If you are a fan of this brand, I suggest you grab a pair on the website. They have also added T-shirts to the website, and the purchase of a T-shirt gives a child a pair of shoes.

If you aren’t much of a shopper, there is always food. We are all aware that dining out in Kuwait is just as fashionable as shopping, and we can be both stylish and help others by eating at establishments like locally owned 10-oh-8. This is a cute eatery, with a cause; they donate a percentage of proceeds to charity and the charity changes every three months.

So however you choose to spend your money this month, try to do some good while you’re at it. Enjoy the lovely weather…happy March!