As we well know, the best way be a conscientious consumer is to shop less overall and take care of the clothes we already have. I recently got to write a few articles about how to take better care of your wardrobe on behalf of one of my favorite clients, Hudson & Jane, the lovely high-end men’s [...]
For the past few years, I’ve gotten together with friends every six months or so for a clothing exchange. Without fail, I always find a few things I love. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the clothing swap concept, and many of you have probably done it before, but I wanted to pass along how [...]
Loeffler Randall Simone; Eloise, $501 (sale); and Mabel, $419 (sale). While Loeffler Randall isn’t a brand that necessarily touts its social responsibility, I add it to the list for the same reason that it’s made the ranks of a handful of eco boutiques: These shoes are brilliantly designed and crafted. The overall classic aesthetic, made [...]
Yep, it’s the weekend, so “Shoe Week” just became a portmanteau. (Why didn’t I think of this earlier?!) Terra Plana Dida, $195, and Herb, $140. Terra Plana has a wonderful history of crafting some of the most holistically conscientious shoes around. (Some, in fact, so based in theory that style is left entirely by the [...]
Coclico Nuance, $320. Yes, Coclico again! I must admit, I usually shy away from suede for its less hardy nature, but the suede on this shoe makes it feel aMAzing on the foot. (And it’s a blue suede shoe!) Since the first time I wrote about this brand, it has added a Sustainability page to [...]
Melissa Joy + Alexandre Herchcovitch, $85. As if in reference to the jellies we wore when we were 10, all Melissa shoes are made of plastic. With a few key differences… theirs is recycled! And recyclable. And vegan and non-toxic, all manufactured in an eco-friendly facility in Brazil. This brand can be controversial for eco [...]
Manimal Ribcage Flat and Double Fringe Bootie, $180-$200. I was introduced to this brand through the most excellent earrings I’ve ever owned, and its hallmark moccasin designs are no disappointment whatsoever. I love the double-fringe high top and am excited about the new two-tone option (bottom right in the image). Each piece is handmade by [...]
Olsen Haus Charm, $225. All Olsen Haus shoes are vegan. “The livestock/leather industry is the largest contributor to global warming, land devastation, environmental pollution, usage of valuable natural resources and water supply contamination. … From start to finish, the amount of energy required to create a leather hide is 20 times greater than the production [...]
Several weeks ago, I started a conversation about shoes that are both socially responsible and stylish. Amber commented, “there aren’t a lot of eco-friendly cute shoes,” and Grechen was inspired to make an awesome list of Eco-Friendly Shoes Around $50 (That Aren’t Ugly). (Marais, Melissa and TOMS are all on the list, so be sure [...]
Editor’s note: Today, I was excited to be able to publish a piece on the PopTech blog about my passion, ethical shopping. It gave me a great excuse to polish up some of that “permanent content” I’ve been promising for this site, so consider this the starting point for something of an “ethical shopping manifesto.” [...]
Several quick jots… Marc by Marc Jacobs, as always, was excellent. Check out NYLON’s First Look, as previewed above. Diane Von Furstenberg was also awesome. Showings from eco-fashion houses Organic by John Patrick and Bodkin have had some nice highlights. Via Ethical Style’s Behind the Seams. Black models are crediting “the Obama effect” for more [...]
… by Band of Outsiders. Oversized Knits I’m a huge fan. Off-the-shoulder is back! American Apparel has an entire page’s worth of Oversized tops, including the AA Unisex California Fleece Sweatshirt, $47. Alternative Raw Edge Off Shoulder Tee, $22. Pencil Skirt Larsen Gray and Camilla Norrback have both been designing perfect pencil skirts the past few [...]
In the imaginary profile of my “ideal self,” I make lots of things. I sew lovely dresses, cook gourmet meals (complete with garnishes) and send handmade thank-you cards to everyone I appreciate. But my real self… doesn’t quite get there. What to do when I wanted to make as many handmade Christmas presents as possible [...]
Oh, beautiful Chicago — the architecture, the neighborhoods, the parks, the youthfulness, the mob lore… and Pivot. My first visit to Chicago’s only eco boutique lived up to every one of my (high) expectations. The shop is sleek, quirky and just the right size — small enough to feel intimate, but large enough that its [...]
Well, it’s about TIME I wrote a little something about June’s West Eighteenth Street Fashion Show — particularly because a) I was in it, b) it’s been more than a month (!) and c) I’ve been a bit surprised at how little coverage it received. Call me old fashion fashioned (I’ll be here all week, [...]
I know this is the wrong attitude to have, but as nice as this Memorial Day weekend has been, it’s also been muggy and hot. Which means sweating. Which means I’m not as excited about summer now as I was a week ago (pre-first-sweat-of-the-season). Guess that makes now as good a time as any to [...]
Priced from low to high, may I present . . . MY gift list! Because the best gifts are those we want ourselves, oui? $1+: iTunes gift cards No jewel cases or cross-country transportation required. (On the receiving end, I plan to immediately purchase Cat Power: The Greatest, Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever to Tell, Blonde [...]
Techno music: check. Beautiful people sitting runway-side: check. Non-toxic makeup on models: check. Some of the nation’s hottest eco-friendly fashion designers: check. FSC-certified wood on the runway: check. All expenses paid by sponsors so independent designers can strut their stuff: check. “Move fashion forward for a sustainable future”: check. Empowered yet? If not, just read [...]
At Paris Fashion Week, Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesquiere told Women’s Wear Daily that his runway isn’t so much a forum for pandering to rich women, but a platform for advancing a thought or two. Portland Fashion Week is all about advancing thoughts, too — Italy’s Book Moda calls Portland’s FW “most sustainable fashion week in the [...]