The Goode Life

The $1k eco-friendly tote must have!

Okay the market is now saturated with eco-friendly totes.  Actually people if you think about it any bag that you re-use over and over can be called ECO!  I have long been over my Anya Hindmarch "I am not a plastic bag", I think I used it for two weeks before I realized this bag is more of a purse than a bag for carrying all my groceries!  And I hate how it became sooooo trendy to the point that people were missing the point of the bag's purpose!

With all that being said I have to admit that Stylehive has compiled a list w/photos of some great looking eco-totes.    What I like best about this list is that they have something for everyone in a variety of styles and price points.  Kudos to them for not thinking every green girl wants a hippy-chic cotton canvas bag (although I do have plenty) but sometimes we may want to splurge on the green glam item such as Goyard's market bag in recycled canvas; according to The Business of Fashion blog, these bags last forever - a great thing to know when you are trying to justify the $1k price tag!

Technorati Tags stylehive eco-friendly bags goyard

The JC Report: Eco-Chic

I do not know how many of you subscribe to the JC Report Newsletter.  It is absolutely one of my favorite websites on fashion.  Always cutting edge and ahead of the trends.  Here is an article taken from their end of the year report.  The whole report was goode but I am only posting Jason's report on Eco-Chic.  And if you haven't signed up to recieve the newsletter yourself please do so.

Eco-Chic Showcase
Kuala Lumpur

Early last year, we outlined some of the emerging eco-conscious styles in our Sustainability issue. The subject has since taken on momentum, with a wave of nature-nurturing trends hitting the market, as well as eco brands now grouping at fashion and trade shows and appearing on department-store floors. Several conferences and newletters have also formed to bring organized dialogue to the movement, and we attended the ecoStyle Award ceremony earlier this month in Kuala Lumpur. The award was created to bring attention to international green designers within the creative community (fashion, architecture, and product design) who have developed "stylish and environmentally sustainable initiatives."

"There is so much going on around the movement," said Simon Lock, managing director of IMG Fashion Asia Pacific. "We wanted to be part of the voice of change." IMG co-sponsored the event with NYC Inc, in conjunction with Tourism Malaysia and Earth Pledge, a New York-based organization at the forefront of the sustainability movement. The committee nominated Stella McCartney, Jurlique, Anna Cohen, Terra Plana, Knoll, Q Collection, and Dr. Ken Yeang as models of excellence for their unique designs and use of materials, as well as effective and relevant ecological sustainability. Yeang, a Malaysian architect, was awarded the top honor for his invention of a bioclimactic skyscraper. "Eco-design is designing in such a way that the human-built environment integrates benignly and seamlessly with the natural environment. Both the human-made and the natural must blend together, so there will be no pollution, no waste, no detrimental consequences on the environment. This is something we all need to address for a common, sustainable green future," Yeang said on the topic.

More than 20 designers also participated in the Future Fashion runway presentation, which provided further breadth to the presentation. Brands such as Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, Karen Walker, Heatherette, and Diane von Furstenberg each showed a single outfit made exclusively from environmentally sustainable fabrics and textiles. Simon Lock explained that this showcase held particular importance as a second-prong initiative "in engaging the industry at large. We want to create ongoing initiative... We want to create activities that have a direct outcome, not just awareness."

Holding the first event in Malaysia was of symbolic importance for organizers. Malaysia has been a poster-child for adopting conservation policies — from industrialism to tourism — but as the environment gains greater attention, we anticipate more eco-accolades throughout the world.
-Jason Campbell

The Splendicity Roundup

From the Splendicity community, comes the most splendid of the week.

Beauty and Fashion Tech has Eight New Year's Resolutions. CelebLOOK asks who looked better: Carrie Underwood or Miley Cyrus? Beauty Secrets Revealed Is Giving Away 2 Wonderful Spa Kits. Viva Woman finds out why glass storage is better for natural skincare products. NY $pender shares her New Year's Resolutions. All That & a wonders about the lengths women go to be skinny. Indie Style File puts the spotlight on designer Ohne Titel. Her Accessories has picked her favorites from 2007 and her not-so-favorites. Shopalicious scores a dress with both casual and party flair, from Brooklyn fave, Bird Boutique. Style...a work in progress makes her style resolutions for the upcoming year as she ponders the words of Benjamin Franklin, “How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them”. Temptalia shares a tutorial to get cat eyes using liquid liner, plus the easy neutral eye. Petite Fashionista tells us how to mix the high and low. Shoe Blitz says, Feeling Blue? Try these Emilio Pucci Peep-Toe Pumps. Have a splendid week!

Kitty Cooper Has Cute Shoes

FINALLY!!  One of my main complaints about eco-fashions is that it can be really ugly at times, especially in the shoe department.  There has been only one shoe designer that I have come across in the past, that I feel is even worth mentioning and that is Charmone.

I love Stella McCartney, and the raffia sandals in teal she did last season were divine, but even she at times could use a little help in the shoe department, not to mention most girls don't have "daddy is a rock star" budgets so her designs are really out of reach...until now!  If you are in the UK you are lucky, but for the rest of us around the world go online to Kitty Cooper's boutique, she has the most darling, ethical shoes out there!  Her motto is Beauty and Ethical shouldn't be a contradiction, we couldn't agree more!

Technorati Tags: shoes ethical Kitty Cooper

Vintage Shopping Is Goode For The Planet

Now that the holidays are over I don't feel so guilty going out shopping just for myself alone.  The weather is rainy right now and most people are back at work, so sneaking away in the middle of the day is the perfect time to hit the boutiques.

I love browsing thrift stores and vintage boutiques for one of a kind finds.  And would you know that second hand stores are as eco-chic as it gets!  Why?  Because it's the ultimate in recycling!  Heck I'm even going to out on a limb and say that an old vintage fur coat is better than a new one from Dennis Basso's current collection.  As stores such as H&M, GAP, ZARA, and Forever 21 send women out looking like carbon copies of one another, the eco-minded fashionista knows that she will never "see herself" walking down the street, in her one of a kind find.

Nowadays you can make eco-shopping even easier by doing it online.  Many vintage stores now have websites set up where you can view a portion of their collection, but I will admit it doesn't beat going to the store and rummaging through all those racks (admit it, it's fun!).  One of my best finds is a cool 50's style winter coat for $10!

So the next time you go shopping try to by-pass "Department Store Du Jour" just this once and see what you local vintage girls have in stock !

Check out Mama Stone Vintage for cool stuff online with a great look book for inspiration too!

Technorati Tags: vintage clothing recycling shopping eco-chic

Christmas gifts for the Eco-savvy

The girls over at WhoWhatWear daily put together a holiday gift list with really cute ideas according to your sense of style.  I of course was interested in what they suggested for those who are eco-savvy and must say I was impressed with the items they selected (and the other suggestions for Style Setter, Social Butterfly  and Type A were dead on - goode job ladies)!

Let's start with those wood trim sunglasses from iWood.  I like that these aren't too trendy yet and not everybody has them. 

This skirt is a goode find, as it can work for both day and evening.  The designer Camilla Norrback believes in eco-luxury (we love that!) and uses environmentally certified natural materials.

  This bag by Foley+Corinna is on my gift list to me (unfortunately this bag has been copied many times over, sign of a goode design, but still, don't buy a fake one get the real deal.)

There's more on the list so check it out!

Technorati Tags eco-savvy gifts holidays

Fashion Week Went Green!

I've been in communication with the goode folks over at Sophisticated People are Into Green, in other words Sprig.com and they have a great behind the scenes at fashion week video of sustainable clothing designer Peter Ingwersen and his line NOIR, actually change that to SEXY sustainable clothing because his stuff was hot!  I loved the shoes he paired with the outfits and FINALLY someone is bringing style to organic clothing, because I am definitely not feeling the yoga pant/tunic combo at all, and a girl can only wear so much Stewart + Brown.

This video is in two parts, here is part one.  I think Part I shows more of the clothes.  Part II is the fashion show but mostly what's going on behind the show and only a few shots of the clothes, but watch Part II anyways for the ending, there's a hottie named Beat!

Technorati Tags fashion sustainable Peter Ingwersen Noir

A Peacock Clutch

Are you familiar with WhoWhatWearDaily.com?  It's this adorable fashion blog that doesn't care what you're eating or who you're dating, only what you're wearing, according to them.  Anyways in a post a while ago on uberstylist Rachel Zoe (she's coming out with a new book on her cardinal rules of style, which should be interesting since I find her taste quite questionable at times,but I digress....), they featured this adorable peacock feather bag. 

Normally I am not a fan of feathers or fur but this bag was stunning and the goode news is that it's hand-made with cruelty free feathers!  This bag can be yours for the mere price of only $225 from the online boutique Dangerous Mathematicians.

Technorati Tags peacock bag Rachel Zoe cruelty free style

Green Fatigue?

First there was green washing that we needed to worry about now there's green fatigue!

The girls over at Fashionista have a really goode blurb on what I'm sure a lot of people are feeling called green fatigue.  We are being so inundated with ECO-everything that people are starting to feel a little apathetic, and with so many "eco-gimmicks" hitting the market I don't think it's helping the cause.

Sure everyone ran out and waited in line for two hours for the Anya Hindmarch "I'm Not A Plastic Bag" bag, and the Cargo Lipsticks are selling really well, and if one more person tells me how green they are because they installed bamboo floors during their remodel I'm going to scream.  Speaking as a contractor (my day job) Pergo floors with a bamboo veneer is so NOT green, okay!!  Even I am failing to see how this is converting the masses to The Goode Life.  We are burning ourselves out with this eco-gimmick stuff everywhere! 

If being green has done one thing en masse, then that is, it has created a whole new market of profiteers.  Make money - that's fine, I'm a capitalist to the bone; but I'm not going to go slap the "eco" prefix on a can of motor oil just to try and sell it in this new burgeoning market!

Ugggh, I'm so tired just thinking about this, hence green fatigue!

Technorati Tags: green eco-friendly Fashionista

Win some Essie Nailpolish!

To enter today's contest:

*Guess the designer who designed this beautiful dress pictured below. One of our member blogs is featuring this designer today as well. *The first person to find the featured designers first and last name, along with the name of the blog that this designer is featured on today will win. The correct answer, including the full name of the designer and the member blog that they were featured on, must be left in the comments of today's Splendicity blog contest post to win.

The prize for winning today's contest is a 5 piece set of Essie Nail Polishes.

Thank you to Essie Cosmetics for sponsoring today's contest. For over 25 years, Essie has been the beauty industry's leading authority on nail care and color. From humble beginnings of 12 colors, the rainbow Essie now offers has grown to more than 200 of the hottest shades with the most memorable names. And Essie doesn't stop at just nail color; there is a complete line of professional nail care products that help promote health and beauty for every hand they touch. Be sure to read the contest rules before entering. Thank You!

Technorati Tags Splendicity Essie Nailpolish