Introducing the newest member of the Keds shoe family: Green! Sustainable style and Keds classic comfort all in one eco chic shoe. Made with organic cotton (thereby reducing hundreds of pounds of toxic pesticides), the shoes are colored with non toxic inks and dyes. 20% recycled rubber goes into the soles and and the shoelaces are made with 100% recycled PET (water bottles). Shop Keds Green shoes here.
Kelly loved the style tip of wearing nude heels with a dress or skirt to make your legs look like they go on for miles and miles (keeps the visual line uninterrupted) but was having trouble finding a pair she liked…Here are a few suggestions:
Love this pair of snakeskin-embossed leather pumps from Calvin Klein, but these are HIGH heels (5 inch heel with a 3/4 inch platform…so you’re talking about a 4 1/4 inch arch…not for the faint of heart). They are fun, the snakeskin feel adds a bit of interest. They go for $90.00 and are available from Lori’s shoes
For nude with a kick, I love these patent leather platform pumps from BCBGirls (available here). Platforms give you some added height, doing double duty with the nude color to keep your legs looking like they start at your armpits and end at never. These are a more managable heel height, with a 3 3/4 inch heel and a 1/2″ platform, giving you an 3 1/4 inch arch. They ring in at just under $100 (99 clams to be exact).
For a classic, sophisticated look, try the Martinez Valero ‘Faye’ Pump with its open crisscross toe and side cutouts. They cost a bit more ($175.00) but the classic look means that you will be able to work them into your wardrobe for years to come.
An affordable price and moderate heel makes these BCBGirls patent slingbacks a great option for almost everyone. A 2 1/2 inch heel gives you a little boost while keeping them wearable. I love the patent shine on a nude heel…keeps it from being boring…and the pointed toe continues to elongate the leg. All this could be yours for only $62.00.
If you are looking for a more casual shoe, this nude cork wedge heel from Moda Spana is just the one. It has a 1 inch cork wedge with a 3 3/4 inch heel, leaving you with a comfortable 2 3/4 inch arch. Equally perfect with a summer dress or denim, $91 will add these to your ever growing shoe family.
For those who can’t do a heel or just don’t want one, this nude sandal is perfect. Sam Edelman’s “Ginnie” is a nude patent flat with oodles of style. You will still get an elongated look with the neutral nude color, even minus the heel. And 80 bucks brings them home.
And finally, the classic of all classics. Lumiani Bianca wins it with this pointy toe nude sling back with a 3 inch heel. Jackie O is smiling down on these shoes. Every lady should own a pair.
Looking for the perfect spring and summer accessory? This bag is the perfect blend of eco and chic. Made out of 100% Fair Trade-certified organic cotton, this little clutch is beautiful, chic, and completely hand made by a women’s coop in Piura, Peru. The incredibly soft yarns used for this purse hail from a Fair Trade facility in Lima and are processed using completely natural and traditional methods. No dyes, chemicals or other synthetic processes have been used to grow, soften, or color the fibers. And it’s a super fashionable handbag. Can’t beat it.
Also available in red, gold, gray and black, each bag is fully lined and features a magnetic closure. The clutch measures 10″ by 6.5″ (from top of handle to bottom edge of bag), just big enough to carry the essentials while still being a sleek and stylish accessory.
With this bag, you get to look good AND feel good! Your purchase of this bag helps the 25 mothers of Northern Creations in Peru grow a sustainable business and improve the standard of living for their families and community. You can purchase the clutch by clicking on this link: Shop Autonomie Project – Fair Trade Fashion & Footwear!. Autonomie Project is a new Fair Trade fashion company offering stylish sweatshop-free & eco-friendly footwear, clothing and accessories. Born out of frustration that most sweatshop-free clothing was unfashionable and most eco-friendly clothing was likely made in a sweatshop, a few good friends set off to start a new and different company. Their mission: to supply high-quality, stylish garments to consumers that seek to make purchases that align with their values without having to sacrifice their own personal style. All while making a positive social impact on our earth and raising awareness about today’s most pressing global issues.
I’d say, mission accomplished.
Launched by two friends, Organic Giraffe was created over a plate of peanut butter toast out of a desire to create something organically hip. Mission accomplished. These giant scarves made from organic cotton are close to blanket size so they make a great wrap, but given that they are ultra thin they easily coil up to a perfect scarf without being bulky. You can purchase them through their etsy store here
Want to shine up all your bling without all the harsh chemicals? Try this super easy trick. Line a glass casserole dish with aluminum foil and place your tarnished jewelry on the foil, leaving a little room between each piece. Sprinkle it all with baking soda and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 10 magical minutes and abracadabra, everything is shiny again! Okay, it’s not actually magic (the tarnish gets pulled to the aluminum foil) but the bottom line is it works. Ta da.
Who goes digging through old comic books and piles of old game pieces and thinks “jewelry!”?
Luckily for us, Kristina Ackerman does. This Atlanta based artist uses old Dominoes, Scrabble pieces, and Rummikub tiles as her base for SUPER fun jewelry. Adding comic book or magazine images, she creates one of a kind pieces that POP with color and originality. This is taking REUSE to a whole new (and fun to wear) level. You can see (and purchase) her pieces via her etsy site here.
These accessories are the perfect way to add a bit of color (and a bit of pop culture) to your jeans and t. shirt wardrobe. Totally affordable, these make great gift ideas too! They’re great conversation pieces, as well…when you tell someone your ring is made from an old scrabble tile, you can work in how your cousin Nick, although bright, for some sad reason always cheats at Scrabble…
The first in a series of ECO-friendly products from Heys, the EcoCase is made from 100% recycled plastic. Utilizing recycled materials to create new durable goods not only helps to reduce the demand for new materials and new resources, but it also reduces materials that would otherwise fill a landfill. The EcoCase is a Spinner luggage with 4 wheels that is very durable due to its flexible plastic material (ABS) to absorb impacts (keeping all your packed goods protected!), and the 360 degree wheels make it a breeze to navigate in crowded airports. Plus it comes in 6 color choices (red, black, silver (my fave), turquoise, bronze and pink) so your colorful case will stand out from the crowd on the conveyor belt!
It’s also lightweight, expandable, and is their first hardside luggage to have special ‘Piggy-Back’ straps (see above pic)- which are usually found on soft-sided luggage only.
The Ecocase has a fully lined interior with a built-in divider with a mesh pocket, and an internal telescopic handle with a push-button locking system. Travel green!
Move over, pashmina this luscious shawl is every bit as soft and warm as the famous cashmere blend, but it’s woven entirely from bamboo. Bamboo fabric has a natural sheen and softness that feels and drapes like silk but is less expensive, more durable and definately environmentally friendly. And you have 21 gorgeous colors to choose from! I find pashminas perfect for travelling, when you know you will be a little chilly on the plane but don’t want to carry a bulky jacket with you…this keeps you feeling warm and looking hot (or cool…)!
Irony or fate? My favorite handbag label to date is vegan bagline Matt and Nat. I am one half of my own Matt and Nat as my older (and only…and therefore favorite) brother is Matt and I am Nat(alie).
But this is but just smidgen of why I heart Matt and Nat’s bags. Their line of vegan handbags is not only animal friendly (and earth friendly as leather processing is highly toxic), but fashion forward too. The perfect accessory for the urban tree hugger. Recently they have taken their game up an eco notch by making bags out of recycled plastic bottles: the spring 2008 collection saw them made into nylon bags (the yoga tote is amazing), while the fall 2008 collection made the bottles into cozily modern felt bags. Being green doesn’t have to mean shapeless hemp bucket bags. Love the planet AND carry a fabulous bag, Matt and Nat style.
Check out their full lines for both men and women, including shoulder bags, laptop totes, diaper bags, and brief cases.
