Reused: hat, coat, boots, bag (which is falling apart a bit, but I love all the details and color), Levi's. New: AE sweater, t-shirt from a school where I used to work.
I have recently found a kindred spirit at style tribe. Someone who rants on what I might call "logliness", the ugliness that occurs from a logodose. In most cases, few exceptions aside, one logo is too many. They should come with warnings, "Wear with caution, avoid drinking alcohol and never combine with other logos." I have a huge honking brass "A" on an old Aigner bag, but since nobody probably even knows what it means, nor is especially impressed, I rather like it. Otherwise, I think the last thing I advertised on my t-shirt was Woodstock from the Peanuts. The Style Tribalista is also an ebaybe and can make thirty dollars into two outfits at her local vintage stores (clearly she isn't shopping in the East Village.) She reserves Monday for ugly fashion, like logos, and with a tagline like, "Fashion is buying. Style is being.", how can you not like her.
More trends from style.com. Skinny pants and short shorts. Some sustainable options from ebay below.
Very sexy Pucci all in one. I love shorts, short or long, especially with some little heels for evening, but I am not sure I have the legs to pull these off...
...or these.
Most of the skinny pants from days gone by have a higher waist as do these disco down jeans. I for one have been ready for some other options in the waist and think high waisted pants can still be flattering. However, I will admit the high waist and skinny leg combo is not for everyone, but a big billowy blouse can help balance things out.
As for me, I am no longer wearing the jeans I wore yesterday (and the day before), but I am not in anything too exciting as I am locked in my work room finishing a jacket. So, as not to put you to sleep, the trend challenge continues.
Today I was busy drafting a new jacket pattern, so I will confess that I am neither too stylish nor sustainable... except maybe by saving energy from the wash & dry because I've been hanging around in yesterday's jeans. So as not to bore you, let's do some trends. Style.com recently posted ten trends for spring. Two of which are about the same, platform wedges and heels (as above). I feel this is basically a trend that is continuing and not really new. Here are some sustainable options below that I found on ebay.
Flavorpill's JC Report interviews Piers Fawkes, a marketing and cultural trends consultant. And here is what he says...
JCR: Which early trends that you've observed in the fashion/lifestyle space do you believe will have resonance in the consumer-goods market in coming seasons?
PF: Eco-consciousness. I know that's not "early" but my personal reaction this year to brands like Loomstate, Edun, MoreTrees, Livity and Stuart & Brown is so positive I can't believe others won't respond in the same way. I have a feeling that mass-adoption to eco- consciousness will be led by fashion, not by car makers. Fashion talks to the right people who stimulate conversation in the greater public domain. Once people start wearing their eco-clothing, I hope they'll take a look at all the other products around them — the plastic products, the products with high waste packaging — and reconsider those choices too.
Well, Piers, I have a feeling too... and maybe a few fingers crossed. And from Piers' eco site:
Fashion’s Interest In Sustainability Grows
One of the main trends demonstrated by exhibitors at London’s recent Margin fashion trade show was sustainability, TrendCentral reports:
The number of socially responsible and earth-friendly brands has grown even more, whether it be through recycling old fabrics, using fair-trade methods to produce or working with organic fabrics. Enamore’s hemp and vintage fabric mix featured beautiful design details. Rebe mixed vintage and new fabrics with lace to create a modern 50s style collection. Glo for Life sourced only fair trade t-shirts for their collection and Lady Luck Rules featured a quirky jewelry line made from recycled badges, buttons, old jewelry and trinkets.
I just discovered Project, a British magazine that launched in 2005. You can download a pdf version to check out. I cannot quite glean from the site if they are still alive and kicking or not, but I hope they are and wish them success. However, I have been wondering lately if integrating sustainable issues into mainstream publications may yield more inductees. The recent closing of Organic Style raises some concern. However, it appears some "edgier" people are developing new magazines which may do mor to hold an audience.
Running out again... crosstown traffic was at a snail's pace, so I decided to film the streets to kill time. I haven't figured out how to host video yet and I don't really think I can on blogger, too bad because I made little movies all night. I am considering switching to typepad, but I just don't have the time to investigate right now. Anyone have any ideas on which format they feel is better?
Then we went to Thomas Hirschhorn @ Gladstone Gallery. I liked this giant installation. Roberto contributes a nail. For some reason he was the first one to think of putting it on top.
Juergen Teller is a fashion photographer and you probably recognize his name from the Marc Jacobs campaigns he shoots.
I think this is from a spread he shot for W. Roberto thought the crowd was more interesting than the photographs.
Such a cute photo of the photographer's son.
Here I am, looking a bit frumpy. reused: ruffle blouse, belt, bag, motorcycle jacket, scarf. new: Poleci pants, Chie Mihara boots.
Snapped this beautiful bag, the woman told me this was her grandmother's... and she said several times, it's very heavy, it's very heavy?? but beautiful, no? and I like those boots too. I didn't realize she was on the phone, so I didn't get into the rest of the outfit.
recycled art made from photos on old rags and soda cans...
reused boots.
Trish Grantham @ Museum Works. We both liked this show, plus we were starving and they had snacks, so that was a bonus!!
Roberto poked his head out of the window in the hallway and we saw the highline...
...we are excited to see this finished, but they have not even started.
We grab some Italian food and wine and talk about Roberto's recent trip to Ecuador and Brazil...
...and then go meet some friends at crobar. Not a first choice for either one of us, but our friend's friend is a dj tonight, we are a few blocks away and the + on her list. After getting a bunch of attitude and being sent to three different door people we were told that there was only +one left. Since we were two, we left. Well, we could have paid for one entrance but we were far too not interested in the "boom-pha, boom-pha, boom-pha" coming out of the club. It was so nice out, we just walked around the city and, being the wild and crazy gal I am, I was asleep by midnight!
Lately I feel as though I am just running from one place to the next. I spotted this recycled Freitag bag on the way home from FIT the other day. I had a big bag of my supplies and tools, and bags of muslin, pattern paper and oak tag I had just purchased, but was nimble enough to get the shot. Then, due to the very lonely shriveled organic tomatoes in my fridge, I stopped into Commodities to pick up a few goods I probably couldn't carry. While trudging through the park waiting for my arm to drop off, I heard this guy playing the bagpipes. The sound was so amazing and immediately I felt calm and happy. I had to put all my 5,000 items down to take a picture. That is why I love NYC, these random things seem to happen. One night I was walking through Tompkins Square and it was full of about 100 Santas hanging out drinking beer?!?
One of my favorite gardens. I love to go here in the warmer months with coffee and a magazine. It is important for us city dwellers to surround ourselves with a bit of green when we can.
Reused: scarf (which I love, I think it might be Missoni, but the label was off thank goodness b/c I picked it up for only $8 on an antiquing trip while visiting my parents in FL.), t-shirt, bag, boots. New: leggings by Velvet, v-neck pullover by Vince, Esteve coat.
One of my favorite photos taken at the show. See all the gallery shots here.
Here we are in the mirror, obviously the flash wasn't a good idea. On to 60 Thompson for quieter moments. At first we talked shop and then we talked about men and finally we reminisced about our highschool days. I thought the guys next to us were cute, but it turns out they thought each other were cute. Leave it to me to zero in on the gay guys. Gida had tried to warn me, but the one guys shoes were so not stylish, I thought, no way. Then I overheard the well dressed one say, "I only slept with him once!" They were nice anyway, we shared a few frenchfries.
Reused: coat, Oscar de la Renta blouse, skirt, bag (the girls kept asking where did you get that bag, how much was it... ebay ladies!), belt. New: platform heels, tights.
Reused: poncho, Malo silk wrap sweater New: Ralph Lauren boots, Capitol Tailors jeans Rejuvenated: the t-shirt was in the to go pile (I think it was stained), but in a dye-fest I reclaimed it with a tie dye.
thanks to Eva, who I am sure is getting tired of taking my picture!!
Last night I went to an opening at Deitch Projects and the crowd flowed out onto the street. As we stood outside this little kid pulled up in his car! Electrifying!!
I recently posted about two experiences I had with somewhat self-righteous vegans. One I think meaning well and one having a point to prove. So, last night I seemed to have the tables turned. Was I infact a self-righteous treehugging whacko?? Before heading home I stopped in to see a friend who was djaying around the corner. We stepped outside for a quick chat when I noticed one of three guys next to us throw cardboard from some cigarette packaging on the ground while garbage cans sat three feet away. My $14 ginger lemongrass cocktail decided to speak up.
"What the h$*! are you doing?", the vodka said as I bent down to pick up the garbage and throw it away. "We are in New York! Have you been there?", his more drinks than mine snapped back. "Yes, I have lived here in this neighborhood for ten years and I don't appreciate you throwing garbage on the street." "Oh God, I cannot stand people like you, vegetarian!!!", his friend tossed out. (hmmm, first time I heard vegetarian used as slander.) "Listen, I am not trying to make you feel bad. All I am saying is, please, next time just toss it in the garbage.", my commonsense backpedaled. "I did not even throw it on the ground. Did you see me?", his lack of commonsense pressed on while his friend kept taunting me. Realizing I made a mistake, I walked back over to my friend and had a short discussion on, "What Was I Thinking?" They walked down the street and, as they passed, the guy said, "We're sorry." I did a digital quickdraw and shot them in the back.
Yesterday on treehugger there was a post on veganism which seemed to get everyone all worked up. I had just returned home to drop my bags, eat, email, change and run out to an opening. I was doing my daily perusal of the posts and stopped to read this one while eating. I thought it was informative and nonconfrontational, but, boy, did it push some buttons. The ensuing comments were even more interesting to read. To add my fifty cents, I quickly typed the comment below (more or less), which they didn't include. I don't know maybe they didn't like the part about me beating my vegan co-worker with a pork chop? Anyhow, now I am wondering, "Oh no, how many sheep have I tortured for my woolen goods??" and "Do my plants hate me?"
Okay kids, settle down. You'd think we were talking about abortion here. Perhaps I shouldn't have read this post while I was eating as I started to feel a bit queasy... and I was only having a salad and some organic crackers!! What is everyone getting so defensive about. I thought Elisa was trying for the most part to be informative and I found it helpful. Yet I must admit I have in the past been a tad annoyed with a self righteous vegan or two.
Once when a vegan co-worker (at a wedding dinner table for chrissakes!) repeatedly insisted I wasn't a vegetarian. I think I had just said I was more or less a vegetarian, but ate fish occassionally. She just kept saying then you are not a vegetarian. I finally picked up a big pork chop, crawled across the table and whacked her in the head and said, "I know I am not strictly a vegetarian, but in most circles it is easier than saying that I am a lact-ovo-pesca-vegetarian... (who happens to celebrate Christmahannukwanza... wait that's another story)." No, no, of course I did not do that, I just wanted to. Apparently, rigidity in her vegan lifestyle generalized to just plain old rigidity. I have now become quite comfortable with the term "vegaquarian". Live and let live people.
Recently, while at FIT on my journey to produce some sustainable style, one of my classmates, a dominatrix who wants to produce cruelty-free fetishwear (and I thought I was in a niche market!), said to me, "You cannot be an environmentalist and still eat meat." So, I wrapped her up in muslin and stuck pins in her.... no, no, of course not, I tried to understand and respect where she was coming from and have a dialogue. I told her I wasn't interested in putting people in boxes and saying you are bad and I am good. That is one reason I love Josh's The Lazy Environmentalist. You know the world can get mighty heavy to carry around on your shoulders. People can get turned off when they feel they are being judged for not being "perfect".... or at least quite defensive, as we see here. But if we feel we can shoulder a little bit of the burden, as Elisa stated, doing something is better than doing nothing at all.
My classmate also thought it was not a good thing that my vintage coat has fur on it. I was not going to let her ruffle my feathers, or my fur. I calmly told her, to me, it is reusing which I preferred over buying new. I would never consider buying a new fur. My feeling is that leather is a waste product and perhaps more environmentally friendly than pleather. I once talked to a guy at the Union Square Green Market who sold organic beef. I asked him about where his hides went, I thought why not at least support an industry that is more along the lines of my belief by buying his leather (hopefully, an idea to be developed in the future). So my point is, can't we all just get along? We all have our thing, either for the environment, personal health or life philosophies. In many ways, aren't we all striving for similar goals? Or maybe it isn't what you say, but how you say it.
So why not be vegan? Because I am happy the way I am I suppose. Because I am a little lazy. Because on some days I am lucky to be able to stop and get some food in me period, let alone vegan food. I am okay with my vegaquarianism and if you want to be a vegan, I am okay with that too. I embrace with my wallet more and more things that support my beliefs in sustainability. I also use a lot of natural and organic products which I believe are cruelty free. I can thank Elisa for some insight into wool production and should I use wool in the future, I will definitely investigate the source, but I am not sure I'll sympathize as much with the silk worm. I am fifty percent, I am trying.
By now I am sure you have all seen the meatrix, a humorous way to learn about the rather sad truths in factory farming, so, bon appetit, whatever you eat!!
I saw this girl wearing a cute coat and carrying a book with "ECO" on the cover and photo stalked her. I am such a geek. I've been so sleep deprived I am not thinking clearly. Upon approach I realized she was reading Umberto Eco!! I thought maybe her bag was vintage, but it was just a vintage style... hard to know sometimes! The cute trench was from Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Okay, Target, now that you have launched Go International with Luella Bartley, why not an organic brand?
My RX3 breakdown:
Reused: coat, Ferragamos (my reused obsession), bag, beads (from my Mom and the flea market), sweater. New: Zara jeans (new, but really so old), Oaxacan embroidered top (I loved Oaxaca!!).
One of the ways we can achieve sustainable style is by looking to all of the things still hanging around from the past that we might be able to reuse or recycle. I just discovered Swapatorium "A Journey Through Junkland". If you are an Antiques Roadshow junkie like me, you might find the site interesting, like the mugshots of prostitutes from the 40's perhaps, or the business card "Have parachute - will jump." or maybe the shrunken head is your cup of tea. It's like a car wreck, you cannot help but look.
Looks like I am not the only one taking pictures of my clothes and talking about what I am wearing. I already posted about wardrobe remix and here at fiftyRX3 we have our own little sustainastyle diary, but if you want to take a look at what other people are wearing from around the world, like this girl from the Netherlands, head on over to stylediary.
Here I am at FIT, day four of patternmaking boot camp. I suppose I don't look too shabby for feeling like I haven't slept in days. Between my job that actually pays, my new obsession with html code and this class, I have done little else. Well, you've seen it. Brunch at places in a two block radius of home... and that was all I ate this weekend. And when I finally sleep, I dream of hemp sneakers with treetap soles (the soles with soul)....
reused: gray Ferregamo boots, black skirt that the elastic wore out of (I've had this for like 15 years!!) I cut it and wrapped and pinned it over the white skirt. recycled: necklace I made from strips of water bed sheets (that is my best guess as to what it was) and Sculpey beads. new: white Gap t-shirt, bcbg sweater, white cotton skirt from India.
Funny, just when you start talking about something you notice it pop up in other places. I so missed npr when I was abroad (way before podcasts!). I listened to this program last night while drafting and now you can listen too.
Kurt Andersen and literature professor Azar Nafisi talk about how the rest of the world sees America. Nafisi tells us about falling in love with "the Great Satan" in Iran. Directors Lars von Trier and Niki Caro tell us what our country looks like through the camera's lens. And we go back to 1893, when a Czech visitor, Antonin Dvorak, taught American composers what America should sound like. (via npr)
Get thy stylish and sustainable self to the otherside of the pond as quickly as possible...
Now high street stores bow to organic shopper
Juliette Jowit, environment editor Sunday January 8, 2006 The Observer
The organic revolution has already made huge inroads into mainstream food retailing, a successful transition from wilted cardboard boxes of carrots to supermarket shelves creating a £1bn-a-year market. Now it is making itself felt in other areas of consumerism. It is led by health and beauty products, but clothes and furniture are feeling the effect, too, with Top Shop among the big names about to introduce organic lines. link to full story
I know I am supposed to be drafting a pattern right now, but my heart almost skipped a beat when I read that TopShop will introduce an organic line!! That is a sustainable style dream come true. Last year while in Barcelona I bought three dresses from the U.K. chain and they always bring complements. In fact I wore one earlier this week. I was also excited by the recent line TopShop did for the boutique at Opening Ceremony, since they are not yet in the U.S. They also just made news by selling recycled clothing. As if that isn't enough on the sustainability side, on the style side TopShop has several stores with boutiques that house capsule collections made by the likes of Sophia Kokosalaki and Zandra Rhodes. Now you know why I say, "Hello, Virgin Atlantic? Book me now!!"
I am usually at Esperanto at least a couple of times a month for brunch and to hear some music on a weeknight, but with the holiday madness it seemed I'd been away for awhile and I missed them!!
Here I am with Olivier.
REUSED: Levi's cords cut off at the knee, Charles Jourdan suede platform pumps. NEW: Vince cashmere sweater, socks. RECYCLED: I made this fabric rose choker out of an old t-shirt and ribbon.
I showed Olivier the two articles on green universities I found in the NYTimes at the bar. He told me I was too late to design anything "green", that it had already been done. Blah, blah, blah. Then I asked him what he was wearing that was organic. Ummm, nothing!! But we did find his belt was reused. Then he said that he was just being French and didn't mean to sound discouraging. (I guess because he is French, he can say that!) He asked me to make him a shirt... My first customer!!
I was just writing in a comment on treehugger that, being a city dweller, composting probably wouldn't make my list of New Year's Resolutions. But, what do you know, there is a NYC Composting Project, so now I don't have an excuse. This was a timely find given my Mulchfest photo yesterday. The project also has events for chopping the xmas tree, if you missed Mulchfest.
I am always so happy when I find articles about the growing sustainability movement, but especially so when I find them in mainstream press. The Greening of America's Campuses is the second "sustainable" article this week in the NY Times. The other apeared earlier in the home section. And there is also this related article in today's special section on education, M.B.A.'s With Three Bottom Lines: People, Planet and Profit. I am glad student's are going into action over their concerns for the environment. Just the other day I was talking with some classmates at FIT, now that I am a "student" again, about how much paper and muslin we waste in designing. I was wondering if the pattern paper was recycled. If anyone knows, please let me know. Well, hopefully before my time is up, I will approach the administration about some on-campus recycling.
This is purely a style note, as I have read a couple of these Best Dressed lists so far. I usually have fun looking at them, but it is also a tad annoying. I guess the NY Times feels the same way. First of all, it is mostly celebrities and socialites... wait it is all celebrities and socialites, save for the few magazine staffers who sometimes just happen to also be socialites. Some people seem to have that innate sense of personal style. What I find most impressive is what I see worn everyday on the streets. Anne Slowey wrote an interesting piece in ELLE awhile back lamenting why she never made the best dressed list. Why was everyone fawning over Sienna Miller when half of the Lower East Side and Williamsburg has been dressing like this for years? I was wondering why I at least didn't get a mention as "most resourceful eBaybe™". Let's face it, when you work for Vogue, or have a stylist and a fat bank account, it might just be a little easier. Throwing on beautiful ballgowns is like insta-style. But the truly stylish can make something from nothing, or from limited resources anyway. I post a lot of "reused" and "vintage" on the blog because without these categories my environmentally guilt free options would shrink drastically. But most stylin' hipsters wear it because it is affordable and unique. I don't fault the celebrities. I am not saying they have to look amazingly creative all the time, Lord knows that I don't. I think I fault the magazines touting them as best dressed. I'd love to see more on the personal style on the street that so inspires me everyday. On that note, another reminder to show me your stuff!! Send those jpegs people.
Reused: Yves St. Laurent red silk bow blouse, Woodstock t-shirt (aside from liking the Peanuts, I grew up in Woodstock, so I particularly looked for this... and thanks to ebay found it!), Palizzio handbag, Nina Ricci coat (this is part of a three piece outfit. I love vintage because it is amazing to see how well some of these pieces are made. You can see it says "handmade" on the label!) Reduced: these Todd Oldham jeans have to fall into this category because I have had them for sooo loooong they've reincarnated into many different looks New: the striped hat and gloves were gifts from my dear Mom, handknit hat from Redfish Design, striped socks, Lisa Nading shoes (bought at Otte in Williamsburg years ago on sale for $60!! At the time, I felt like I was splurging, now I'd flip for shoes like this at that price. I love Lisa's style and am sad that she is no longer designing her namesake label.)
Enough about me, what are you wearing today? Anything reused, vintage, recycled, or made from environmentally friendly fibers? Was it a conscious decision or did you just throw on what you like without realizing you might be helping to save the planet? Do you have strong feelings about style or sustainability or consumerism? Tell me your thoughts or just send me some jpegs via the link below and I'll post your pics and/or comments. Thanks!!
After this little blog-a-thon I think I have carpal tunnel syndrome from over posting... and I still haven't posted a daily outfit.
The other day I was 100% reused. Today I am 100% new. So, I guess it all balances out. I saw a client this morning and then spent the next 12 hours with my laptop, so I am just lounging around in a Gap t-shirt, Vince sweater and Elie Tahari pants (sorry no photo). Enough about me. What are you wearing?
...of the month store: Vivavi... sustainable style up close and personal. person: Yvon Chouinard... who doesn't want a boss who just wrote a book titled, "Let My People Surf". designers: striking striations at Scrapile. recycled project: This month I made a dress from blown out umbrellas then a reader told me about another umbrella dress she saw. ebay: week one: super cool moon boots week two: timeless Vionnet beauty
products... good greens: green sustainable style and more green greens. bleibtreu bags: I love the clothes Nicholas Ghesquiere makes, but forget the balenciaga bag already and try this lasting design. Or perhaps, if you need that sustainable edge, try these better bags? earth speaks: sustainable style grows in Brooklyn. earth friendly products: the best dishsoap I've ever smelled. undesigned: genart thought these designs were fresh and so does fiftyrx3. flow: Hugo Silva bowls me over. bodacious brew: a breeze brews in Brooklyn. place: contemporary cool in the UK. honoring the hombre: loomstate, american apparel and ebay sustain the men. rehabilitated dishware: racy, rockin' and regal reincarnations for your table. eva zeisel: this legendary designer produces the most seductive ceramics. buy them new and reused. ekobo: my favorite bamboo pieces. travel trove: check out these colorful recycled leather travel accessories. lauren celeste: tiny treehuggers only.
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy : An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade (via Amazon via Reason)
During a 1999 protest of the World Trade Organization, Rivoli, an economics professor at Georgetown, looked on as an activist seized the microphone and demanded, "Who made your T-shirt?" Rivoli determined to find out. She interviewed cotton farmers in Texas, factory workers in China, labor champions in the American South and used-clothing vendors in Tanzania. Problems, Rivoli concludes, arise not with the market, but with the suppression of the market. Subsidized farmers, and manufacturers and importers with tax breaks, she argues, succeed because they avoid the risks and competition of unprotected global trade, which in turn forces poorer countries to lower their prices to below subsistence levels in order to compete. Rivoli seems surprised by her own conclusions, and while some chapters lapse into academic prose and tedious descriptions of bureaucratic maneuvering, her writing is at its best when it considers the social dimensions of a global economy, as in chapters on the social networks of African used-clothing entrepreneurs.
This just in... I love it when people start realizing sustainability does not have to compromise style. My good friends Ana and Andrew just called to tell me they were standing in Home and Planet and that I would love it. They stopped in on their way out to PA. for the weekend and called to report all sorts of lovely furniture and home items made from recycled and reclaimed materials. I already suggested that their cat Harley needed a kittypod and now they are thinking of bringing back something special for their new loft. Very cool. I have requested a couple of jpegs via the cellphone, so stay tuned.
Pheobe Philo designed these great jeans for Chloe. I wish I had snagged a pair!! Now they are definitely gone and so is she. Leaving her post as head designer to spend time with her new bundle of joy. Check out the best of Phoebe at Chloe here.
"There is a growing sensibility and sensitivity about taking care of ourselves, our homes, and our earth," Ms. Liebmann said. "It's not a fringe movement like we saw 15 years ago."
"There's no question where this is going; it's hot,"
"There's green and not so green and shades of green," he explained. "If we only sold dark green, we wouldn't have much to sell."
Buying green products versus conventional ones, Mr. Maas said, "is like comparing an artisan baguette to a loaf of Wonder Bread."
I recovered from the holidays, endured the workmen in my apartment, I plastered on New Year's Eve, instead of getting plastered... although I did squeeze in a couple of cocktails and a shake or two of my groove thing. And now, shazzam, I am in 2006 and a three week patternmaking class. So far, 4 hours of class + 6 hours of homework = not too much time to blog, but I'll do my best to keep up with the project.
100% REUSED: 70's style Gap jeans, sailor shirt, and black boots.
REUSED: black slip, Ferragamo boots, Native American beaded necklace. NEW: brown tights, a favorite wrap dress from Topshop (when will they open in the U.S.!?!).
I am taking a three week intensive pattern making class... which is why I have been a bit MIA in the posts. My classmate told me someone gave her this belt made from a recycled seat belt and bottle caps.
I know I missed a couple of weeks due to the holidays, so here is not just one ebay deal, BUT THREE!!! And they are all delivered to you from my own neighborhood in NYC from the lovely thriftwares sellers on ebay.
So, cute! I just saw a picture of all these white dresses styled with black (on Erin Fetherston's blog via 360 Fashion via the wonderful technochic anina). So throw on your black tights and a sweater and don't wait until summer!!
Get your vegan astrakhan groove on with this coat. They state it is faux, but it looks fairly real in the pics. I absolutely love this dress, the colors, the graphics, the sparkle, but I have to stop buying and remember that I have stopped working so much (or should I say earning so much) so that I can make clothes!! Happy bidding!
There is not much information about theses scarves on the interuppcion* site... and, aside from a gift basket, this is about all you can purchase. However, I do like the idea behind interuppcion*, promoting social responsibility. I picked up their minimag, enparalelo* in a local cafe a couple of months back and meant to do some further investigating. The magazine is about artists, organizations, businesses and people who are innovating for social change. It is released every two months in Argentina. The first English version was released in New York in July, issues are available through subscription at the website.
This Sunday from 9-5 in Union Square The Lower East Side Ecology Center is hosting an electronics recycling event. If you cannot make it go here for other resources.
"I'm only a child and I don't have all the solutions, but I want you to realize neither do you...if you don't now how to fix it then please stop breaking it."
These were the words spoken by Severn Cullis-Suziki to the delegates at the First Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, at the tender age of 12. At age 9 she had already formed ECO, Environmental Children's Orginazation with six elementary school friends and has been on the move ever since. Her wikipedia bio reads as follows:
Severn Cullis-Suzuki is a young environmental activist, speaker, television host, and author. Born in 1979 to Canadian geneticist and famed environmental activist David Suzuki, she attended Yale and has spoken on environmental issues around the world, often speaking on the necessity of defining our values, acting with the future in mind, and on individual responsibility, especially regarding encouraging young people to speak out for their future.
In 1992, at the age of 12, Severn raised money together with some schoolmates to attend the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, where she made a speech in front of the delegation. At the end of her speech, she received a standing ovation.
In the spring of 2002, Severn spearheaded an Internet-based think-tank called The Skyfish Project. She is a member of Kofi Annan’s Special Advisory Panel, and as such she and members of the Skyfish Project brought their first project, a pledge called the Recognition of Responsibility to the recent UN World Summit in Johannesburg in August 2002. She hosted a number of television programs, including Suzuki's Nature Quest, a children's television series airing around the world in 2002, and published a book with Doubleday called "Tell The World."
Yes, I am a bit delinquent on the New Year's wishes. Here we are, already three days into 2006 and I am just posting the New Year's Eve pictures. Well, I didn't want to carry my camera all night and it didn't even fit into my little clutch, so I tried to snap a few pictures before leaving. Then some friends sent me a couple of jpegs from their cameras. I went to a party where the only suggestion was to bring a bottle and wear a hat. So, my little vintage velvet and silk leaf number quickly came to mind. I forgot to pick up some wine because I was painting all day, so I had to grab what I had from the cabinet.... a bottle of Kahlua (sorry party friends!!).
REUSED: skirt, silver shoes, hat, beaded cardigan, silver beaded clutch. NEW: Michael Kors sparkly tights, Calvin Klien top. JEWELRY: It was important to me to wear some special pieces. The cross was a gift from a client. I worked for ten years (and am still working) as a pediatric therapist, two of which I worked with this little girl, a very tough case. Her parents were from Malta and bought the gift there. Months after the case ended I received the cross in the mail with a note expressing their appreciation. I am not religious, but I wear this at different times because it has a lot of meaning for me. The bracelet was the first piece of jewelry my father ever gave my mother. It is a Mexican bracelet that I love. The silver beads were a gift from my mother and the black pearls my father brought back from a business trip. It was nice to have reminders of my family with me.
After spending too much time obsessing about filling and plastering a hole in my wall with smooth results, I took a step back. I looked around and realized that if the patch was perfectly smooth, it would be the only perfectly smooth spot in the whole apartment. I live in an old walk up building...
and it's kind of bumpy and cracking. So, long ago I resolved to just embrace the imperfections. I color washed the walls and was happy, but then part of the wall and ceiling just fell off. I don't know why I forgot my resolve in this recent repair. Maybe I was working too close to
the problem. Now that I have the big picture, I am back on track. I amfinishing slogging on a quick color wash in time to have a drink with friends later and ring in the New Year. Much more important than perfection.
Yvon Chouinard, the one with the 'S' on his shirt, started making climbing equipment in the late 50's. This small business eventually grew into the company we know today as Patagonia. There are so many reasons why Yvon should be praised I am not sure I can cram them all in here. I knew about the environmental ethics of the company, but a couple of years ago when I began doing research into the organic clothing business I read about Yvon in Paul Hawken's Growing A Business. The story was about Yvon's decision to try to slow the growth of his business against the urgings of everyone else that he should grow it as quickly as possible. In 1987 he delivered a company speech stating that they had agreed to go with "whatever natural growth rate our companies can comfortably live with, provided that it is consistent with our personal business goals." The goals were listed as:
1. Make money 2. Give money away 3. Be creative 4. Pride 5. No hassles 6. Fun
You can read more about the company's history and growing pains here.
Yvon also pioneered recycling plastic bottles into fleece and the use of 100% organic cotton in all the company's sportswear. The company offers flexible hours and job sharing which allows you to have kids and/or maybe catch some waves when the surf is up. They also allow employees to do enviro internships for two months while still receiving their Patagonia pay and benefits. Along with Craig Mathews, he started One Percent For The Planet, an alliance of businesses that contribute at least 1 percent of their net annual sales to groups on a list of researched and approved environmental organizations. This year he just published a book. "Let My People Go Surfing: the education of a reluctant businessman". Click the title to read about and order the book. You can also listen to his NPR interview by following the links on that page. There is much more information in general at Patagonia. And you can also pick up this Marc Jacobsy striped cashmere sweater while perusing Yvon's greatness.
Patagonia Reminiscence: So, while I don't live on a beach, climb many mountains or spend my days in yoga clothing, I do sail on occasion. I invested in a Patagonia windblocker fleece which I have kept for years and also wear it on my occasional runs around the park. In college I stole a purple Patagonia t-shirt from a boyfriend. I wish I still had it, but it had so many holes that even my schooner trash friends gave me trouble. I also had a retropile jacket that was the coolest thing. I wore it one year for Halloween with black leggings to be a sheep. I really held onto it in the last years just for nostalgia, but finally "recycled" it. A testament to Patagonia, it was snapped up on ebay in less than 24 hours for $50.
Well, they don't make clothes, yet, but this prolific design duo from Williamsburg remains a favorite of mine.
Scrapile is the collaborative work of designers Bart Bettencourt and Carlos Salgado. Seeking to create a possitive environmental impact with their work, these two have developed a unique method of collecting and repurposing discarded scraps of wood from New York's woodworking industry. Since it's conception in Fall 2003, this project has continued to yield an ever-evolving line of furniture and product which by its very nature insists each piece be one of a kind. (via Scrapile)
I was happy to meet them at the Vivavi Showroom Opening, as I posted earlier, and get the chance to see their products up close and personal. Visit their website to view all of their products, read their Inhabitat interview, or click here to see a short film of Scrapile behind the scenes.
I noticed this full length mirror snug in the corner of the mini WC at the cafe this morning, so thought... well, I might as well get the daily pic over with. Now I am back home and back in my work clothes, so while I am waiting for some plaster to dry I thought I'd take a minute to post. Reused: silver cardigan, suede bag, YSL scarf (@ neck), gray Ferragamo boots. New: purple t-shirt, cashmere Vince sweater vest (I love Vince's cashmere sweaters and consider them investments I'll keep for ages) Reduced: Todd Oldham skinny jeans. I've held onto these for so long they've come back in style.
Here I am in the same jeans I wore yesterday, reused boots, very old sweater and t-shirt. I have endured my second day in a series of workman hell. I finally told my landlord I would finish the work myself as I just couldn't take it anymore. I won't go into the details, but I think someone needs to make a documentary about what people endure to live in NYC, first, just finding an apartment, then living in it.
So here I am now, ready to plaster a hole in my wall, but I hope to be here later:
Session 4 Rhythm Lab @ Bembe 12/29/05 Late, Hot and Loose in Williamsburg 11PM-3AM No cover 1st Round Oriki Omi Oddara Rumba Ensemble led by Roman Diaz (Cuba) - Congas and the Dance Poet Pupi (Cuba) 2nd Round Jose Conde and Friends .. Jose Conde (Miami) - voz, perc, loops, Itunes Btween sets Juancho Herrera (Venezuela) - Electric Gtr Sounds and Voz Jorge Bringas (Cuba) - Bass Roman Diaz (Cuba) - Congas 3rd Round Altogether for the Knockout Punch
I cut my hair impulsively on Christmas morning. I joked with my mother that I wanted to be a flapper for 2006 and now all I needed was a flask of gin. Maybe all that running around in clothes from the 20's is influencing me. I did a decent job chopping off my hair, but I was smart enough to leave a couple of inches so Gina, my hair genie, could fix it up. She did a great job! If you'd like to book your bob contact Parlor.
REUSED: coat (one of my favorites), Maud Frizon boots, belt, shirt, scarf, ring, purse. NEW: bartack jeans.
Today during Christmas dinner we were talking about how people used to invest more in their nice clothing. They had fewer pieces, but they had special ones, their "Sunday Best". We talked about how people would dress up more for different occasions than they do today. My father left the table and returned with this picture and said, "Here, this is how people dressed." This is a picture of his mother's family, she is the baby, #12. Her sister Alice, the oldest girl, sewed all of the dresses. By coincidence I was wearing a cotton voile top from this era!
My christmas present, an antique silver and blue topaz ring.
My sister gave me this very special brooch for Christmas, which she made many years ago in high school.
We went antiquing in Sanford and DeLand. I saw this old nativity set waiting to be taken home.
My Mom loves these "reused" red glasses, but resisted buying them. I went back on the sly and picked them up for her Christmas present.
A couple of years ago I'd found tons of great "reused" clothing in Sanford. This year I was getting dismayed as one shop owner after another said there wasn't much clothing there anymore. Then we got a tip to go to Volta, where we hit the motherload!! Of course, we had to head for home soon, so I didn't even get to look through all the racks, but ended up with a few nice things.
I bought this Indian print dress at Volta the day before. Here it is with my "reused" jean jacket.
My sister in a vintage crochet cardigan that I bought her for Christmas.
My Mother and I mid hunting. I borrowed the "reused" lace blouse from my sister and the leather purse is also "reused".
Hermes bag, a bargain at $1,200 considering the opening price is $6,000 for a new one and apparently Hermes has closed the waiting list. If luxury is your thing, given I live in a fifth floor walk up in the East Village, I don't know, something about me just doesn't say Birkin.
I have heard of IIKH because the store is right here in NYC, but I only learned about these recycled leather travel accessories that they sell by stumbling onto Kristen Andersen's style and sustainability blog based in Southern California. I encourage you to check out both sites for more sustainable style.
It is so nice to bump into green things in unexpected places. I spent most of my flight watching Pedro Almodovar's Bad Education on my laptop. I had to shield the screen from the youth in the row behind me so the flight attendants would not have to ask me to turn off what they might assume to be gay porn!! I had a row to myself, but Gael still made me blush. Anyway, while descending I did come across this article on LEED buildings in Continental's inflight magazine.
At one time, if the topic of sustainability — or “green” business — came up, you could bet it was coming from an earnest 1960s holdout. But not any longer. These days, organic food is everywhere from the finest restaurants to grandma’s kitchen; big-city mayors are driving hybrid cars; and fair-trade clothing is sold at every suburban mall. Even Women’s Wear Daily declared in April 2005, “Green is the new black.” It’s no wonder that green building is the latest progressive movement to go mainstream.
Here I am in my father's office, bugging him because I cannot get online. We are having wireless router issues and keep knocking each other offline...so due to that and the holidays, posts may be trickling in this week!
Reused: TH jean jacket, wrap skirt (Dig that groovy moth print! I swear I saw this same print in a fashion show and cannot remember which one). New: t-shirt by Velvet, Louboutin flats.
Yesterday morning the image of Mayor Bloomberg walking across the bridge to work threw me into a panic. Normally, I spend the majority of time in and around my East Village neighborhood. My clients are nearby and I have been known to walk home from FIT, but today, of course, I had a flight to catch. Three inch heeled boots out, Puma sneakers in. I bundled up and prepared to trudge my way across town to Penn Station.
New: RL jeans, Puma sneakers,...the navy wrap is courtesy of Continental (I made the flight). Reused: Max Mara blouse, crochet sweater.
A reader sent me a comment about another umbrella dress she saw. Wow, that bodice is great! They used 20 umbrellas! I was also asked how many umbrellas I used and about the horizontal tucks. My design only used 3 to 4 umbrellas and the tucks came from the flattened existing seams of the umbrellas. My hat definitely goes off to this seamstress. (thanks for the tips beastly sum!)
While walking home this afternoon I was struck by this mammoth pile of recyclables. This is just from one building. I just thought it was kind of striking. I couldn't even fit it all in the frame. It reminded me of the very interesting Chris Jordan photos I first read about on treehugger. Like this one of cellphones.
People who know me can tell you that I am frequently drawn to photograph trees and water. I snapped this in the park on the way home. The one below I accidentally came across. It is of redwoods in California, somebody's vcation photo.
Because I hadn't been out of the house in awhile, I decided to stop in Baraza on my way home from Vivavi and say hello to my friend Kelvyn the dj! Sure enough he was sporting a "reused" tuxedo top. It seemed that everyone had a camera (and probably a blog too!), so we took a bunch of photos, had a lot of fun and ended up dancing in the rain. See all the pictures here.
Here are some pictures from the Vivavi Opening. Please see the feature story on Vivavi in the post below, meanwhile here are some fellow creative treehuggers...
The female force behind Loop shows us her silk top with recycled beading.
another partygoer models her "reused" leather bag.
With the clock nearing midnight and the rain puring down, a transit strike was looming. I started to realize it would be a long, wet walk home and wondered if I could make a mad dash to the L train before the subway turned into a pumpkin. Then along came Charles offering me a ride into Manhattan. He also happens to install solar panels. Thanks Charles!!
I had the good fortune to make it to the Vivavi Showroom Opening on Thursday night. It was great to see all of the beautiful products in a natural loft setting. Style wasn't sacrificed for sustainability in any of the furnishings which I found really refreshing and exciting. Josh Dorfman started the company in 2003 to promote beautiful home products that combine modern design with sustainable production practices. Today Vivavi is a leading retailer of this eco-modern aesthetic. Anyplace that sells stewart+brown and Scrapile, two personal favorites, is definitely on the right path. Josh also has a radio show, The Lazy Environmentalist, which is right up my alley in trying to make green living easy and accessible. (Hmm, Josh seems to be tackling so much I wonder if he can score me some yardage of organza-ish Ingeo to play around with?) You can see the showroom photos here, but I also encourage you to check out all of their wonderful designers here.
Here I am with my dear friends for a little holiday brunch.
All "reused", the velvet dress is the softest silk velvet from the 20's. It had beautiful burned out detailing, but with several holes, so I resurrected it by having those pieces removed. Unfortunataly there was a nice belt that went with it, but I lost it. The cotton voile (or batiste, or lawn?) lace top is also from the 20's. The sash is from a vintage Adele Simpson dress and under it all is a slip I bought for $1 at the flea market. The boots are Ferragamo. Oh, I guess there is one new item, my tights.
Ana's amazing wool sweater, she has had it for 12 years! She's had the underarms reinforced, but amazingly there is not one pill on the wool...pretty sustainable.
Ellen wears a necklace handed down from her mother.
Uh-oh, the check, you mean I have to do math on Sunday...where is my tip calculator?
I collected the fabric from blown out umbrellas on the street during a blustery, rainy day. I washed them and cut, draped and patterned them into this outfit. I believe the dress used two umbrellas, maybe three and the jacket one plus scraps. They were a big hit today and I was very happy!! See more photos here.
This may not be the most practical "reused" dress to buy, but it was the most interesting thing that caught my eye. I apologize, I am an Antique Roadshow junkie and the seller states one of these was appraised on the show for $2,000. This one is currently at $285.
A true icon from the 1960's is this Campbell's soup paper dress. It is in superb condition. The label at the back of the neck has caused a slight discoloration on the back but otherwise it is like new. The winner will also receive the mailing envelope and the coupons that came with the dress originally. (via seller)
After putting the finishing touches on my umbrella dress I met with my profesor who suggested I try to get some parachutes... hmmm, great idea. Then I went to Zinc Bar for my friend Lara's birthday, but nobody was there yet. So, I got a slice and saw this girls' hat that is made from all different sweaters.
Back to Zinc, here I am.
Reused: lace blouce, silver dress, silk scarf, necklace. Reduced: FSC certified black walnut pendant by John Wiggers that I received at the Vivavi Showroom opening New: RL boots, tights
And here is Lara and friends. I was exhausted after my post Vivavii blowout the night before, so I had a glass of water, came home and ended up draping a little jacket out of the umbrellas to match the dress...until 5a.m.!
Bamboo is showing up everywhere these days. I love these Ekobo products, definitely sustainable style!
Bamboo’s unique qualities can help to diminish negative effects on our environment:
• Bamboo absorbs carbon dioxide from our atmosphere (certain species absorb up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare) and releases 30% more oxygen into the air than trees. • It grows twice as fast as ordinary wood, yielding twice as much supply • Because of its extensive root system and large leaves, bamboo greatly reduces rain runoff and prevents soil erosion. • Unlike most trees, proper harvesting of bamboo does not kill the plant, so topsoil is held in place.
In addition, this resistant, flexible and self-regnerating plant, is a source of income, food and housing for more than 2 billion people around the world. (via Ekobo)
With a career spanning several continents and nearly eight decades, Ziesel has racked up honors-a solo show at MoMA, for example (the museum has 75 of her pieces in its permanent collection), a Schramberg street named for her, and has survived harrowing experiences (accused of plotting to kill Stalin, she spent 16 months Russian prisons). From sweetly humble 1926 handmade "crinkle planters" to the popular 1946 "Town and Country" salt and pepper shakers, reminiscent of softened Brancusi sculptures, to the lovely "Eva" pitcher sets she made in 2002 for a Brooklyn design team, Zeisel's ceramics are pleasing, warmly minimalist, often "zoomorphic" forms. She identifies her mission as "the playful search for beauty," and believes that "one has to learn not to take oneself too seriously, not to overly respect one's designs," since for every choice made, "there are always many more possibilities." (via Amazon)
Eva also taught for many years at Pratt. She is 98 and still lives and designs in NYC!! Here she is with her Classic Century line that was recently reissued by Crate&Barrel. It's beautiful timeless lines immediately caught my eye. You can buy a whole set new, or go sustainable and collect the originals below.
This beautiful gravy boat can be purchased from Mood Indigo.
And this lovely creamer is currently up for auction on ebay. See it here
A reader sent me a comment saying the blog reminded her of wardrobe remix on flickr where people post photos of what they're wearing. Good to know I am not the only crazy one out there taking pictures of and talking about their clothes.
