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Category Archives: Fashion
Snag a Pair or Two of These NYC-Made Jeans
First of all, I want to applaud Solomon Liou for his commitment to good jeans. How many men do you know who would search high and low for the perfect pair of jeans, and when he isn’t satisfied, just go out and make them himself?
That’s what Solomon did, and now he’s raising money on Kickstarter to get Parke jeans started. The jeans will be made here in NYC of selvedge denim, a kind of throwback denim created on antique shuttle looms, that is higher quality and lasts longer than the cheap stuff you see in department stores today. Less than 1% of jeans are made using selvedge denim anymore, though it was the chief mode of production before World War II.
They sound like ridiculously nice jeans, but because Parke will craft and send the jeans straight to you–without middlemen or marketing–they will only cost $125. Eventually they will retail for $195.
To summarize, these jeans are great for Clean Hippies because they:
- Are locally-made
- Use a higher-quality, vintage fabrication process
- Will last a long time so you won’t have to dump them in a landfill after a year
- Cost less than most designer jeans
- Support local craftsmen and women
- Look damn sexy
To get a pair or two, just pledge to support Parke on Kickstarter. $45 gets you a Parke t-shirt, $125 gets you a pair of jeans, $250 gets you two pairs. $1,000 gets you a pair of custom-made jeans with your name embroidered on them and subway token buttons–for the locavore who has everything.
They need $50,000 by January 18th, and they are only halfway to their goal. Go support them!!
Posted in Fashion, New York, Products
Tagged eco-fashion, Garment District, jeans, Kickstarter, New York-made clothing, sustainable fashion
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Street Style the Green Way: Get Cozy
Sometimes you want to put something cozy on, and yet still look a little … bodacious.
I like the body-conscious cut of this organic sweater dress by IRO, which I picked up at the new hyper-curated store Black + Graze in SoHo.
Can you tell I like black tights? I sure do. I recommend you skip the ones from Duane Reade and splurge on a pair from Wolford. Those things last forever, where a cheaper brand will run almost immediately. I’ve thrown ones from Kushy Foot, Uniqlo, Leggs and more in the trash. But I only ditched my Wolfords after wearing them for two winter seasons straight. Sadly, they were starting to pill.
The ones in the picture are not Wolford, unfortunately. You can tell because they aren’t solidly opaque the way Wolford tights are. Anyway, I digress. Tell me what you think:
IRO organic sweater dress, Yumi Kim collared shirt [not sustainable], J. Crew belt [not sustainable], Steve Madden shoes [not sustainable], vegan Cornelia Guest bag.
Obsessed: Razor-Sharp, Eco-Friendly Bags and Purses for the City
I can be very specific about what I’m looking for, which doesn’t let itself well to green fashion, especially when it comes to bags.
I have canvas bags, I have not-green-at-all leather purses, an upcycled shoulder purse from The Sway that I adore, and I have a vegan, faux leather Cornelia Guest bag that is already losing rivets despite its $150 price tag.
But what I really want is a big, work-appropriate bag that can store my laptop and hits the sweet spot between super-green, well-made and “hot damn!” You know, the kind of bag you imagine your 35-year-old-editor self carrying on her way to meet a celebrity for an interview.
Found it.
Actually, I found a few. roztayger.com has a carefully “curated collection” of beautiful and functional bags that murmur, “I’m holding a few contracts that will be revealed in the Wall Street Journal tomorrow. Just wait … ”
Not all are eco-friendly. But there are some that are hand-made, vegetable dyed and lined with organic cotton. Sounds good to me. My faves follow (in New Yorker black, bien sur):
Midnight Flea Bag
Fleabags strives to create products that are as green as possible while maintaining high quality and covetable design. They are made with organic and vintage materials, vegetable-tanned and re-purposed leathers, and USA-made parts. All silkscreens use water-based ink. They are fabricated in they NYC area, in Limited Edition, by hand, in small production runs.
Tote Bag by Bonastre
Handcrafted in Spain and designed by Parisian based designer Fernando Bonastre, this environmentally friendly bag is handcrafted using natural, non-treated cattle hides in accordance with ancient vegetable processes (based on oak bark and olive oil finishing, versus the commonly used but highly contaminating chromium tanning).
Large Vene Purse by Samuji
This oversized clutch is made of Italian leather and lined in organic cotton. Samuji is a women’s clothing and accessories line designed by the namesake creative studio based in Helsinki, Finland. It was founded in 2009 by Samu-Jussi Koski, the former creative director of Marimekko textile house. The Samuji accessories collection featured at roztayger is permanent and timeless and not based on seasonal fluctuations. Samuji’s ambition is to produce timeless and sustainable design that serves a purpose yet tells a story. All items are crafted from premium quality materials from European and Japanese suppliers and produced in Europe by carefully selected manufacturers who insist on the highest quality and ethicality.
I’ve been listening to this (admittedly a couple years old) mix on repeat. So good. Listen:
Rivet Book Bag by Frrry
The Rivet Book bag in the “rivet” series by Frrry is made of Italian veggie dyed leather and is designed and assembled in the Netherlands.
Posted in Fashion, New York, Products, Sustainability
Tagged bags, eco-fashion, hand-made, Made in New York, purse, vegetable-dyed leather
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Why I Eat Meat and Buy Vegan Products
Last week, if you had looked closely, you would have thought I was being a huge hypocrite.
I was at my desk, eating lunch. Slung over my chair was a new, black, ladylike, vegan coat by Vaute Couture. On my feet were black, microsuede, platform booties by Crie de Coeur. And I was eating a chicken salad.
What could account for this odd sartorial/culinary dissonance? Am I a poser, buying vegan just to say I buy vegan while I contribute to the murder of poor little caged chickens with my choice of lunch?
Actually, there is a method to this madness. The chicken salad in question was from the Whole Foods prepared food bar–organic, hormone-free and humanely raised. And the outerwear and shoes in question are more than just vegan.
You see, I have no problem with eating meat as long as I know where it comes from. This is for the usual liberal guilt reasons (I happen to like my Chesapeake bay free of mounds of nitrate-rich chicken poop, thanks) but also out of concern for my own health. More than 3,000 people die each year from food poisoning, and I myself came down with a mild bout after succumbing to the siren call of Perdue chicken fingers at a Yankees game last year. Still, as long as I get my meat–pork, chicken, duck and the occasional hamburger–from a local farm, I feel OK about it. And I’m especially OK with eggs and yogurt from the Greenmarket.
So why go to the trouble and expense of buying vegan products? They’re not even going in my mouth!
Well, when it comes to beauty products, many are vegan as a sort of checkmark in a long line of conscious requirements of the modern consumer: No testing on animals–check. Organic–check. Paraben-free–check. Container made from post-consumer recycled content–check. Vegan/free of animal products–check. So I really just end up with vegan face lotion and deodorant.
But when it comes to clothing, something I’ve found to be almost universally true is that if someone takes the time to ensure their clothing and/or accessories are vegan, they’ve also taken the time to ensure their products are also sustainably and ethically made. Take, for example, these brands:
- EcoCloset shoes are vegan, plus eco-friendly, non-toxic and made in an ethical, sweatshop-free factory in China.
- Beyond Skin shoes are vegan, plus handmade in Spain.
- Olsen Haus shoes are vegan, plus fair trade and sustainably made.
- Elizabeth Detroit shoes are vegan, plus made from recycled plastic in the United States.
- Neuaura shoes are vegan, plus are made in a sustainable factory in Brazil.
- Pansy Maiden bags and accessories are vegan, plus made the U.S. of sustainable materials.
- Matt and Nat bags and accessories are vegan, plus use sustainable and upcycled materials.
- Reveal bags and accessories are vegan, plus made with sustainable materials.
- Vaute Couture outerwear is vegan, plus made in New York.
- Crie de Coeur shoes and accessories are vegan, plus made with sustainable materials.
See what I mean? Yes, I still have plenty of leather in my closet, especially the vegetable-tanned kind. But no, I don’t think it’s weird to pull money out of a vegan wallet to pay for Long Island duck breast. Do you?
Posted in Fashion, New York, Products, Sustainability
Tagged Accessories, bags, eco-fashion, eco-friendly gifts, eco-friendly shoes, eco-friendly wallets, Made in New York, shoes, vegan
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How to Look Totally Dateable Without Betraying Your Values
So, I may have a few first dates coming up. Just a hunch–I possibly gave my number out this weekend and last weekend to a few very eligible guys.
Luckily, I have guidance on my first-date outfit. Greta Eagan of FASHIONmeGREEN shows off some ensembles that will have him taking you home to meet the parents in no time:
Posted in Fashion, Products
Tagged eco-fashion, FASHIONmeGREEN, sustainable clothing, video
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Street Style the Green Way: Petal Silk
I discovered the new designer Avery by Wang through the recently defunct EcoSalon (R.I.P.!). She’s only shipped her first collection in late September. But her earnestness and class–just read her email updates–shows through in her pieces. They are simple, pretty without being saccharine, and possess a soft utility.
I preordered this washable silk dress, nervously crossing my fingers that this untested designer would deliver.
It arrived neatly rolled and tied up in its sash in a biodegradable shipping bag, which is so refreshing compared to the overdone packaging of most brands and stores! I slipped the soft silk on for a day at work. And I can say I’m so pleased with it that I’m going to order some of her simple silk tops next … when I build my shopping budget back up.
I chose this track because it’s soft, pretty and feminine and yet still cool–like this dress.
Dress, Avery by Wang; tights, Uniqlo (they ripped quickly, so I would recommend investing in Wolford tights that will last a whole season), oxford pumps, Steve Madden; vegan purse by Cornelia Guest, available at Compassion Couture; sunglasses, Eco Optics; wrap bracelet/necklace, Snash Jewelry, available at Artist & Fleas in Williamsburg or on Etsy; lipstick, Jane Iredale.
Posted in Fashion, Products
Tagged eco-fashion, Music, Street Style, sustainable clothing
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Street Style the Green Way: Go for Color!
We’re solidly into fall, so this post could have come a bit earlier. But honestly, I need to space out the self-aggrandizing street style posts, which is why I waited so long to put this up. I hope you enjoy it regardless. There are some eco-friendly goodies in this one:
Fair trade striped top by LemLem, skirt by Topshop (one of the less egregious fast fashion stores); leather necklace by Brooklyn artisan, vegan purse by Cornelia Guest, available at Compassion Couture; Fendi shoes; Aid Through Trade bracelets.
This week I wanted something fun for this fun outfit. This song isn’t by any means new, but there’s a good chance you haven’t heard it. Enjoy!
Posted in Brooklyn, Fashion, New York, Products
Tagged Braid Instructions, Compassion Couture, Cornelia Guest, eco-fashion, fast fashion, LemLem, Street Style, sustainable clothing, Topshop
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I Lost My Wallet! A Roundup of Ethical Replacements
Three years!
Three years I’ve made it around New York City without losing my wallet. Gloves? Yes. Umbrellas? More than I can count. But until now, I’ve kept my keys, phone and wallet by my side.
You know, I wasn’t even that drunk on Saturday. I would say, on a scale of one to drunk, I was maybe a four. But at three in the morning, I swiped my card, climbed out of the taxi, and then realized approximately two minutes later, as I dug through my little purse while standing in line with K at the pizza counter, that I no longer had my wallet. It’s like I just completely missed my purse or something and flung my wallet to the taxi cab floor. (This, apparently, is why you should always get your taxi receipt.)
This seems appropriate, as I was in a daze when I lost my wallet.
My chances of getting it back at this point are about nil. (Though, the officer at the 17th precinct where cab drivers are supposed to turn in lost items was very, very nice.) So I’ve resigned myself to replacing all my cards and finding myself a new wallet. Let’s do this right.
I’ve rounded up all my choices, from chic to exotic, cheap to luxurious. And there are a surprising amount of nice options out there, in a range of styles that will suit every taste.
Maybe you can help me think through which one I should get? Let me know your favorite in the comments!
Posted in Fashion, New York
Tagged Accessories, eco-fashion, eco-friendly wallets, New York-made clothing
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Win $1,000 Worth of Fall Clothes From LivLuna!
It’s that time again! The air is crisp, it’s getting dark earlier and you’re trying to decide how much money and time you want to spend seeking out an eco-friendly wardrobe for fall before you give up and stop in Forever21 and J. Crew.
Make things easy on yourself. Enter to win $1,000 worth of utterly sustainable and stylish eco-friendly clothing from one of my favorite female empowerment sites, LivLuna, to get you well on the way to 100% karma-infused style.
Enter to win here.
Street Style the Green Way: Working Girl
I always complain about the lack of work-appropriate, sustainable fashion options. Solution! Amour Vert is my new favorite sustainable store.
For example, this new dress: it’s classic, and though it comes with a sash, can be belted or worn as a loose sheath. It feels so soft on the skin, and would work at the office or on a date. It’s just a pretty dress! (That also happens to be made in the United States out of Peace Silk.)
The website is full of stuff like that: chambray shirts, preppy skirts and striped tops make me want to get preppy. And there’s not a pair of oatmeal-colored, wide-legged yoga pants in sight!
