fashion

A stylish, trendy and long-standing way of reducing consumerism is to buy fewer new articles of clothing and wearing second hand garb.  Swap-Rama takes vintage to another level that makes you want to Swap-O-Rama. Bring a bag of used clothing, a small donation and take your pick. The addition of sewing stations at the Swap-O-Rama location allow you to make adjustments on the spot. Not handy behind the wheel (of a sewing machine)? There is a workshop that will show you how, with supplies, such as beads, etc. Silk screen and embroidery, on-site, with professional designers who show you 'how-to'.

Next, show it off on their fashion runway. Tell the story behind the clothes you're giving up. Choose a piece based on the story behind it, why not try someone's lucky jeans and head for Vegas? Audience participation keeps the momentum going.

Put to the test, Swap-O-Rama has turned down corporate overtures in order to protect Swap-O-Rama from greenwashing. Swap-O-Rama is a nominee at the Grant For Change program. 'a 10,000 dollar grant to support lasting positive change in your community.' www.nau.com, where you can check out more great ideas and cast your vote.

You just never know what you will find when browsing the web. Often times, you'll find the most unique creations that you wouldn't normally be attracted to. Rarely will you find me wearing jewelry, but after coming across the Broken Plate Pendant Co today (thanks to Tricia's favorites on flickr), that is likely to change.

On the verge of having her first baby, Juliet finds the dishes for her collection at thrift and antique shops. Using a hammer and tile clips, she breaks apart the ceramics selectively to create not only necklaces, but also brooches, earrings, cuff links, and rings.

Available at a select number of locations on the East Coast, its easiest to buy Juliet's creations from her Etsy store (already added to my favorite sellers list, of course). According to her latest upload on flickr, a new collection rings should be posted in the Broken Plate store soon (yay). Until then, check out The Broken Plate blog, which has some great online shopping finds.

I've also posted a few of my favorite current Etsy offerings from BPPC; which ones do you adore?

[From Victoria-E.com]

Finding a use for all that tacky costume jewelry your grandmother had seems impossible ... or is it? All it takes is a little creative ingenuity to turn an old accessory into an eye-grabbing piece for the center of your wardrobe. Michelle Kendrick, founder of the Strong Girl Inc non-profit, recently started a new side project, called Recycled Rings. Reusing old pieces of jewelry, she hand-sews and embroiders unique "gems" from thread, beads, and wire.

Would anyone really wear something like that? Apparently so, since her first collection sold out in a matter of days. Not only a testament to the beauty of recycling vintage materials, Recycled Rings is also proof that taking a risk and following your curiosities is more than worth the personal investment of time and money. Read on to find out more about the approach behind Recycled Rings, its environmental message, and what the future holds for the brand.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE! 

My favorite eco-fashion brand, Vancouver-based Twice Shy, has a preview of its Fall 2007 collection featured on TreeHugger.com today.

Twice Shy's signature screen prints are at play once more for leaf-raking weather; autumnal tones of chocolate and mellow rose contrast against bold teal and defiant ochre, while classic lines are punched up by subtle details: a handkerchief hem on a dress, puffed sleeves on a blouse, or ruffles on a skirt.

This will truly be a collection like no other they have released. I just heard from Jen & Michael over at Twice Shy that the line will be in stores/available online in October - I'll keep you posted on when it goes live in their official online store. Til then, enjoy the images from the TreeHugger post - well, the first 6 are from TreeHugger ... all the others are Victoria-E.com exclusives! :)

SEE THE REST OF THE PREVIEW HERE!

I'm a denim girl - plain and simple. Maybe it has something to do with being raised in the United States, where denim is as closely connected to national pride as baseball and barbeques. The source of my love for jeans is not important however, but finding just the right pair is. Considering the hundreds of denim brands (both eco and non-eco-friendly) on the market, it is clear that I am not the only one trying to find just the right pair of blues.

A few months back, I saw a collection of magazines featuring high-waisted jeans. Some of those I know were disgusted by the "trend", saying they looked like granny pants. For me, this is one of my all-time favorite styles, harking back to the epitome of American culture - the 1950s. Also, like wearing a corset, having the waistband up around your natural waist (instead of hovering just about your crotch) gives a woman a certain kind of confidence that you can't fake.

Imagine my delight when I found out that one of the best organic cotton denim collections, Del Forte, would be releasing a high-waisted jean for Spring 2007, called "Ivy". Green living magazine like Plenty featured the style months before it was to be released, making me salivate all the more. Finally, just this month, Beklina began selling these coveted pants on their website. Not one to hesistate, I snapped up a pair in size 30 (yes, I have big hips, learn to love it!) and stared at my mailbox.

Upon their arrival, I was greeted with an ever-so-sweet hand-written note, and I squeeled with joy as I removed the jeans from their packaging (all of it recyclable, by the way). Trying them on, that rush of confidence that I so enjoy filled me in record time. These pants go seamlessly from the office to the dinner table to an evening on the town. Though I am always tempted to wear them with sexy heels, my feet don't fancy that, so my hemp Converse sneakers look quite snazzy as well.

So, what's the moral of this story? You can be sexy, stylish, and green - all at the same time. :D

Image courtesy of Del Forte

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]

"Knit a bag, save the world" - who said being green and crafty can't make a difference? Trendy Knit.1 magazine, published by VogueKnitting, is sure their readers want to have a positive impact on the planet. "I’d like to think that as knitters, we’ve always been a pretty resourceful group. By practicing our craft, we are 'recycling' (for lack of a better word) countless generations of traditions and techniques, giving them our own modern spin," writes Adina Klein in her Editor's Letter for Knit.1's Summer 2007 issue, also know as "the green issue", on sale May 15th.

"Since we started working on this issue, it seems that every other magazine, from Town & Country to Fortune, has “green” plastered across its cover. It’s easy for us here at knit.1 to do a photo shoot in a garden and call it “Greenhouse Effect,” or to put a model in shiny gold hot pants and call it “Solar Power.” What’s harder is practicing what we preach. I know I have to stop filling landfills with individual containers of my favorite Greek yogurt and to finally start using those long-lasting light bulbs that have been on my to-buy list for months. But luckily for us knitters, doing the right thing comes naturally. To paraphrase blogger extraordinaire Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, we are good at making a difference because we understand how one little effort—the stitch—repeated hundreds and thousands of times, can make an enormous impact."

Unlike many of the major magazine doing green issue for April/May, Knit.1 has added a green element to just about every aspect of their next issue. Below is a small snippet of the many eco-offerings in the Summer issue; a visual preview of the patterns offered can be seen here:

GREEN SCENE
Shannon Okey searches the Web for all things purlable and earth-friendly.
IT’S A BIRD! IT’S A SKEIN!
...it’s Annette O’Toole and the knitting cast of TV’s Smallville. By Vickie Howell
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
Projects, tips and other goodies that will help you knit and save the planet. By Leigh Witchel
ECO KNITTING
Yarns with a cause: Knitting goes green. By Leigh Witchel
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Flirty knits that will make you feel like a natural woman.
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
How about neither? Carry your sundries home in a hand-knit bag instead.
SOLAR POWER
Hot knits for hot days.
CONCRETE JUNGLE
What’s black and white and knit all over? Business wear for urban warriors.
KNIT YOUR VEGGIES
Get out your Wishbone Italian! Yummy knits made from corn to bamboo.
THOSE LEAVES OF GRASS
A salad bar of fibers.
THE BIRDS AND THE LEAVES
Nap in style, swaddled in a blanket that evokes the natural world.
ANIMAL PLANET
Go for faux with a pack of fierce pillows.

Like watching the stars? Check out your Summer knitstology horoscope, complete with eco tips for each sign. An issue like this is all the more proof that green living is more mainsteam than ever before, and I wouldn't have it any other way. On a related note, keep your eyes peeled for my green knitting piece in Yoga Journal Magazine's September 2007 issue.

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]

Who knew coffee filters could be couture? I posted about the premiere of a new online, animated series called THE GREENS back in March. The past few months have brought a fair amount of praise for the program, produced by WGBH Boston. The world's newest eco-driven family is back with their first full episode, called "Walk the Walk", and it's about - you guessed it - fashion. Featuring a down home eco-fashion show, THE GREENS also manage to slip in a tip about saving energy by turning down the temperature on your water heater ... slick. :)

Along with the new animated short, there are oodles of pages about the various aspects of sustainable style, such as celebrity sightings, the little brown dress experiement, clothing swap events, futuristic fashion, and plenty more. In conjunction with Zerofootprint, the site has also launched its own kids carbon calculator - a must see for kids, parents, and teachers alike.

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]

New sustainable fashion brands are popping up faster than celebrity
gossip blogs. With only a handful of truly sustainable fabrics available, trying to set yourself apart from all the other eco-style companies is the key to success. Selling basic, classic organic cotton pieces for men and women, not much about New York’s District Cotton stands out … at least on the surface. While focusing on stateside production and the use of organic cotton, DC is also working on integrating certified fair trade practices and products into their line. Their simple website is quite easy to navigate, the most exciting page being for the printed t-shirts.

These T’s are about showing off your social conscience without all of the pretentiousness. The idea is to raise awareness and a little money for something that we believe in, donating 10% of the proceeds to some cool organizations.

Sponsored design contests give artists (and wanna-bes like myself)
and change to submit designs for t-shirts, focusing on a particular
social theme/issue. For the launch of the District Cotton brand, the
first contest centered around “This T-shirt supports an organic
farmer.” The winning four designs (including the Blueberry Head shown above) can be seen an purchased here, with 10% of the proceeds going to the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

The next contest has not yet been announced, but once details have been released, you’ll find them right here!

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]