Typically, the mainstream media portrays thin as the only beautiful body type. Yet, here is an example of the mainstream media, promoting a beautiful, curvy woman. About: Lizzi Miller, A Poster Girl for Positive Body Image
Source: Cashmerejeans.blogspot.com
When we think about ethical fashion, we’re usually referring to clothes, but jewellery is another way we can make a statement about our values. Pippa Small, a Canadian born, London-based artist, anthropologist, and designer, just launched her Spring 2012 collection of ethical jewellery. Already embraced by fans like Rachel McAdams and Julia Roberts, Pippa’s pieces incorporate stones, shells, minerals, beads and other found objects for truly organic treasures.
Pippa furthers her interest in human rights advocacy while practising her art by reviving old traditional jewelry methods and working in Bolivia with the world’s first registered fair-trade gold mine. In 2008, Pippa Small became an ambassador for Survival, the movement for tribal people and the only organization working for tribal peoples’ rights worldwide.
I don’t know about you, but every time I buy a re-usable travel mug I lose it within days. I did this about half a dozen times before I decided the amount of plastic I was going through might be harming the environment more than the few paper cups I’d use at Starbuck’s (I usually have morning coffee at home, after all). Then it occurred to me that the sunglasses principle might have something to do with my inability to hang on to a travel mug. That being, the value I place on the eye wear determines how long I keep it. I’ve discovered that if I really love and look great with my sunglasses I will hold on to them for years, while less coveted pairs have disappeared within weeks or even days. I believe the same to be true with my vanishing travel mugs.
Enter KeepCup which looks like this:
The lovely colour combination and simple design appeal to my esthetic sensibilities before I even think about the environmental benefits, which bodes well for the sunglasses principle. I received my KeepCup from the company, but you can go on the website and design your own…I’m fairly certain I’d hold onto a travel mug I custom-made for myself.
KeepCup is “the first barista standard reusable cup” (because it replicates standard takeaway sizes and fits under the group heads of most espresso machines). Plus:
- KeepCup users have diverted an estimated 30,000 tonnes of disposable cup waste from landfill
- KeepCup users have stopped 70,000 trees being felled for paper pulp.
- International Paper estimates that in the United States alone over 58 billion disposable cups are discarded every year, the majority relegated to landfill. (Oh, it breaks my heart!)
Disposable Cup Facts
- 500 billion disposable cups are manufactured globally every year; that’s about 75 disposable cups for every single person on the planet.
- Half of the plastic used in the world today is for single use items. (Oh, the humanity!)
- The 500 billion disposable cups used in the world each year placed end to end could circumnavigate the earth 100 times.
- World paper use has exploded by 400% in the last 40 years. Now nearly 4 billion trees or 35% of the total trees chopped down are used in paper industries on every continent. (Why is this getting worse instead of better?)
- Very little recycled paper is used to make disposable cups because of contamination concerns. Because most disposable cups are coated with plastic, both composting and recycling of disposable cups is uncommon.
- Most of the world’s paper supply, in fact about 71%, still comes from diminishing forests, not tree farms or the recycling bin.
I am planning to hold on to my stylish KeepCup and stop being part of this easily avoidable waste problem.
So often, it’s the hot, new–and young–actresses that get all the red carpet love at award shows. Not so at the Golden Globes. Fashionista: A Look at all the Stars over 45 Who Stole the Red Carpet
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve avoided wearing my prettiest clothes because I was saving them for a nicer occasion. Weightless: Self-Care is Never a Waste
Beyonce‘s latest promotional image for album “Four” has caused quite a stir–and unfortunately the buzz has got nothing to do with the music. Fashionista: Critics Accuse Beyonce of “Whitewashing”
Consumers are becoming more aware of ethical issues and many are wanting change. But how can we help to drive this change? Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog: Is Boycott the Answer?
Most successful people were not born into success; they simply did, and continue to do, things that help them realize their full potential. Marc and Angel Hack Life: 12 Things Successful People Do Differently
Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.
Fashionista: Are Today’s Lesser-Known Campaign Stars Alienating Brands’ Target Customers?
Golden Globes red carpet walkers took on a challenge: wearing dresses and designs made using green processes. Refinery 29: Chanel, Valentino, YSL, Tom Ford & More Go Green at the Golden Globes
The relationship between strength and vulnerability is counter-intuitive. Daily Good: How Vulnerability Can Be A Strength
Via Already Pretty: Smaggle: How to Walk in High Heels…And When Not to
Youtube: Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus
I have let go of my inner critic. I don’t need her anymore. By Anika: I don’t need her anymore.
It’s not where we stand but in what direction we are moving. Marc and Angel: 101 Simple Truths We Often Forget
Who wouldn’t want to wear something inspired by candy and Andy Warhol? Adhesif Clothing’s SS12 collection uses reclaimed cottons, silks, and nylons to create pencil skirts, patterned dresses, and feminine blouses in candy colours and a style that derives from Warhol’s 60s pop art. With names like the Sugarmod Dress, the Penny Pencil Skirt, and the Twizzler Dress (whch folds to the size of a handkerchief for you frequent flyers), the collections calls to our innocent, playful, girlish…and eco-friendly sides.
Canadian label Adhesif can be found throughout the country and in Toronto’s Distillery District at the Distill Gallery, 55 Mill Street, as well as online at Etsy.
Necessity is the mother of invention, they say, and innovation often arises from a need. When Jonathan Elias tried to sell his clothes online and became frustrated by the choices available, SHOP MY CLOTHES came to life, an online marketplace providing a space for users to buy and sell second-hand designer clothes, shoes and accessories. What sets Shop My Clothes apart from eBay and Craigslist is its exclusive devotion to fashion and its branding as a destination for fashion-forward folks who know something about clothes, understand their value, and are not in the market for bargain basement cheapies.
The average price per item is $80 to $100 which represents a quarter to a third of the original retail price. Unlike eBay, which has driven away yours truly with its punishing fee schedule, Shop My Clothes charges no fees for either buyer or seller and rather than auction-style bidding, lets the seller set a firm price.
Currently, the vast majority of users are in Toronto, and as the site gains attention, fashion lovers are logging on from all over Canada and into the United States. The service sounds perfect for someone like me who enjoys the eco- and wallet-friendly nature of buying quality secondhand clothes. It’s a unique opportunity to purchase valuable designer items at a fraction of retail while also earning some money cleaning out your own closet. Recently featured in Chatelaine’s holiday shopping guide, Shop My Clothes features such luxury brands as Alexander Wang, 3.1 Philip Lim, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Behnaz Sarafpour, and Chloe.
I’ll be checking out Shop My Clothes. Will you?
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I’ve been selling high quality used clothing on eBbay for a year or so now and have found the juggernaut online marketplace to be spectular for buyers and terrible for sellers. Shoppers demand rock bottom prices regardless of the value of the item and often request a discount on shipping, a cost completely out of my control. One negative comment from a buyer, regardless of his or her mental health, can ruin your reputation as a seller. There have been months where I actually lost money because my fees were higher than what I took in. eBay is definitely a buyer’s marketplace, which makes sense because that’s where it’s bread is buttered.
I like a good deal as much as the next person. I also believe a business or any transaction needs to benefit everyone involved: buyer, seller, and the world at large. In my business, the buyer and the world at large benefit (recycled clothing is good for the environment). Me, not so much. I’m not the only eBay seller dealing with such frustration.
After being undersold on her high-end designer treasures, Pauline Truchot co-founded Style Recovery, an antidote to eBay for fashion lovers who understand the value of gently used designer garments: “I had many nice things in my closet that I didn’t use, and was turned off from selling them on websites like eBay because it’s hard to find an audience who knows the value of the designer items that I love. Most of the things were simply not sold or at very low prices. I noticed a gap in this market and decided to create a website and a community that has the same expectations as I do.“
Enter StyleRecovery.com where items are sold at an average of 62% of retail price and 85% of items for sale were purchased within the last year. Sounds like a win for both buyer and seller. And there’s that recycling aspect again. StyleRecovery.com is the first website that concentrates solely on reselling high fashion products. Registration is free and the first 1,000 members take 10% off their first purchase with the code word ‘Welcome‘.
Will you use Style Recovery?
On Tuesday November 29th, Fashion Takes Action is hosting a high-end clothing swap to help fashion lovers reduce their environmental footprint. Toronto-based FTA has worked tirelessly since 2007 to help educate both fashion businesses and consumers on how to become more sustainable.
The average Canadian contributes seven kilograms of textiles to landfill each year, and clothing makes up a large part of it. This may seem shocking because most people do not throw clothing into the garbage, however putting unwanted garments in the bin at Goodwill doesn’t necessarily mean it ends up on the racks in the store, let alone that anyone buys it. FTA hopes to raise awareness around this issue, so consumers can feel more empowered to make smarter and more responsible clothing purchases.
“There are several ways we can be more sustainable when it comes to our clothing,” says FTA founder Kelly Drennan. “But a clothing swap is a really fun place to start! Not to mention the fact that it is also more wallet-friendly than some of the other options available, something we think people can appreciate a great deal in these tighter economic times”.
Attendees must bring at least ONE item to swap in order to participate. Advance drop off is recommended, and admission to the event is $15. For full event details, including the purchase of tickets, donated clothing criteria and drop off schedule, please visit the event’s Facebook Page.
What’s your experience of clothing swaps?
I receive a ton of press releases every day and although I open and read all of them, it’s rare that I find one inspiring enough to post about. Carrie Parry is one of those, an emerging designer whose creations are whimsical yet sophisticated, timeless yet modern, and best of all, sustainable. The Central Saint Martins grad won the Ethical Fashion Forum’s 2011 Innovation Award, and her designs are born from a passion for producing garments that never go out of style and a commitment to responsible sources and practices.
The Fall/Winter 2011 collection, dubbed Mrs. Montague, draws inspiration from the 1930s cult classic The Women and Japanese polka-dot artist Yayoi Kusama, and takes its name from the originator of the detachable collar, housewife Mrs. Montague. My favourite from the collection is the stunning red dress above which transitions easily from day to night. The collection is produced ethically and locally in the United States, sourcing environmentally conscious materials and handspun textiles, and supporting artisanal communities worldwide.
A preview of Carrie Parry's Spring 2012 collection
Looking for something to do this Friday night, I stumbled upon the news that the exhibit Grace Kelly: From Movie Star to Princess is making its only North American stop in Toronto at the TIFF Lightbox downtown. Toronto is the only North American stop? That never happens!
The exhibit is divided into three sections: Kelly’s life as a movie star, as a bride, and as a princess. Highlights include an exact replica of her Helen Rose-designed lace wedding gown (which many say inspired Kate Middleton’s dress when she married Prince William), several original dresses, her signature Hermes “Kelly bag,” her Academy Award for The Country Girl, and the diamond tiara she wore when she became Princess of Monaco in 1956.
I read a review of the exhibit when it showed in Europe and was struck by Grace Kelly’s innate environmentalism which came through in her habit of wearing the same outfits over and over. She also declared publicly her sadness over the end of her acting career – her husband, Prince Rainier of Monaco, banned the screening of her previous movies and she was forced to turn down the lead in Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie after public outcry in her adoptive country over the idea of her playing a kleptomaniac.
(I saw The Country Girl on Broadway with two of my favourites, Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand, playing the leads. What a cool experience!)Are you a fan of Grace Kelly’s work?
