Greening Mom on Her Day

Spring ushers in a celebratory season beginning with two very important lovely ladies: Mother Earth and Mom.  Both equally deserve praise and attention for their unconditional love and generous heart.  For the latter, we shower her with priceless gems such as a hug, a phone call or remembrance, to treasures made with love. 

Recycling the notion that flowers, accessories, and home décor warms her heart on her special day, here are a few green versions both she and Mother Nature can appreciate.

Green Love

Pamper her to all-natural, cruelty-free Herban Lifestyle bath and beauty products.  Herbologist Mary Kearns concocts each item made to order.

Roses don’t necessarily come in the flower variety.  Miami-based jewelry designer Catalina Lemaitre works with Colombia artisans to create vibrant accessories handmade from natural and reclaimed materials such as orange peel and coffee grounds.  Shop Calamarie.

Escama Studio continues to refine its design aesthetic with this stunning Metallic Clutch ($150, sold through Virtuarte).  Local artisans fasten post-consumer recycled aluminum pulltabs with intricate weaving techniques. Simply divine!

Wrap her in a fair trade, hand-print scarf by A Peace Treaty ($210 - $160).

TOMS canvas shoes keep her going all day!  Treat her to the Toms Love Moms special edition and another mom a world away receives a pair, too. ($54)

Bring India to her through embroidered peacock pillows ($45 each) impeccably handmade by Indian artisans (sold through SERVV, a fair trade non-profit).

Travel to the rainforest virtually to observe how chimpanzees nurture their own in Chimpanzee by Disney.  Ticket sales benefit the Jane Goodall Foundation.

Copenhagen Fashion Summit May 3

On May 3rd, the fashion industry will converge in Copenhagen to address a sexy topic: consumption.  Yes, that all too familiar practice we do every day, consume products we need and want.  Speaking for the developed nations, we consume across all industries--food, technology, transportation, and fashion--at significant rates contributing to the ecological issues we have today.  It is estimated each year, over $250 billion is spent on fashion (including accessories) in the United States and over $20 billion in revenue is generated annually.  Percentage spent on ethically-produced fashion?  Unknown.

The NORDIC Fashion Association in collaboration with Business for Social Responsibility held a series of Webinars earlier this year in preparation for the one-day conference.  The two organizations conducted a study to look at consumer behavior and sustainable best practices by fashion companies such as Patagonia and Levi Strauss and government-sponsored initiatives.

To be discussed at the conference, the NICE Consumer Report argues change rests with consumers.  When consumers choose ethically-made products, they choose to reduce their carbon footprint and that of the industry's.  However, blocking this eco-consumption power is awareness, lack of industry transparency and limited options.  The report offers a guiding light for consumers:

• Demanding more sustainable options
• Making choices about what to buy and whom to buy from
• Improving how they care for garments, and
• Making decisions about post-consumption such as responsible recycling.

Rather simple, no?  Always the optimist, I would like to think this guidance yields overnight success; however, we are wired and conditioned beings slow to change.  It takes strength and courage to adopt a behavioral mindshift wholeheartedly.  It requires the consumer to consciously seek options rather than expect to have appear, fashion-wise, in every department store or boutique.  

Coupled with consumer demand is industry accountability.  Summit organizers will also unveil a code of conduct developed specific to the fashion industry.  Inspired by the UN Global Compact's ten principles, the NICE Code of Conduct and Manual requires compliance with sustainability measures relevant to fashion and textile.

Come May 3rd, I will be hosting a fitting in preparation for a fashion installation I'm co-producing for the International Visions Gallery 15th Anniversary Gala (hint, hint, buy your tickets today! Guaranteed an incredible evening of art, fashion, and entertainment, benefiting Amnesty International.  Yes, shameless plug, but for an incredible cause!), but my thoughts will be with like-minded conscious fashionistas advancing this imperative topic.  On second thought, I will use the fitting as a "teachable" moment to share what I have learned and how we can be a more thoughtful consumer.

Please visit the Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2012  to learn more about this special event.

My Earthy Delights

Next to the winter holidays, Earth Day is my holy day of obligation. I prepare for the big day, actually, every day from sunrise to sunset. My green lifestyle includes eating organic, using eco-friendly cleaners, lathering up in all-natural beauty products, taking public transportation when not on foot, and dressing responsibly. The operative word here is strive to lead a green lifestyle and thanks to an increasing number of sustainable products on the shelves, being green is easy. I don't have to tell you the benefits: healthier you, a healthier community, and most importantly, a healthier planet.

Here are a few of my Earthy delights:

Waking up is a three-step process: 1. Reviving sleepy skin with Herban Lifestyle, 2. Drinking my first cup of hot green tea for the day, and 3. Lacing up the running shoes for a long run along Rock Creek Parkway or hopping on the yoga mat.

I admit, I am a sun worshiper; but now I shield myself in Burts Bees Sunscreen.

Slipping into a pair of Neuaura vegan flats offer comfort and support. The memory foam insole keeps me going all day.

A.D.O. Clothing creates amazing separates for the office and weekends. Made in the USA and all organic. Perusing Juno & Jove always results in a "must-have" panic, so I just add to the growing list until the want turns into a need.

On my daily paperless reading list: Ecouterre, EcoStiletto, Eco Fashion World, and Conscious Living TV.

What are your Earthy delights? Don't hold back! I would love to know your green secrets!

My Guy in Spring/Summer 2012

In the Easter Parade, Fred Astaire mesmerizes us with his fancy footwork in one scene donning a white suit with red accents (vest, bow tie, socks, and handkerchief). Some 40 years later, another dashing gent glides across the dance floor in a crisp white suit and black shirting. While my guy doesn't break out in song to tell me how goes his day or lifts me up in the middle of the street a la Patrick Swayze, he does swoon me with his style choices.

For a song and dance man, Fred armed himself in suits with the occasional penguin tuxedo for dining. Granted, that was a bygone era where men dressed to uniform. Mad Men's Don Draper is said poster-boy. Fast forward, casual Fridays everyday of the week dictates his style sensibilities. Agree with me here, words can elude our men therefore we turn to his wardrobe for clues. Does cargo pants, graphic T-shirt, and Toms shoes say he is running to the grocery store or heading to the office?

Perhaps, I should refrain the question from where is he going? to who is he? Men and women alike dress for versatility. We need our clothes to do double duty, serve in multiple environments, and be complementary.

This season, designers gave us pretty much more of the same, there are only so many ways you can cut a suit or texturize jeans. However, his personality bursts through brights and his command for mixing patterns and prints. Guy's follow our lead in shades of yellow, orange, and red paired with warm neutrals.

My guy will be sporting, if I have a say, the following essentials (as conscious wearing as possible). Let me break it down.


Bagobo Suited Jacket by Eairth (100% organic cotton), $595



Citrus Mixed Media Polo by Edun (100% organic cotton), $128



Rogan Puck Indigo Straight Leg Jeans, $298



Alternatively, he can skip the jacket and citrus top and pair with knit pullover by Vandalist (sold at Redeem), $129



The Edward Shoe by Novacas (Faux Suede), $216



Tsovet Watch - if getting him to wear brights is a challenge, opt for colorful accessory like grass green watch band, $395.

So who is he? Someone comfortable in his own skin (sounds familiar ladies) who are confident to pull off a bright, experiment with a trend or two, and know when a special occasion requires a suit.

MSL Presents Spring 2012 Trends "Runway to Realway" Benefit Dress for Success

What do professional women do with their retired office ensembles? One local organization hopes to benefit. That is what Dress for Success did last Thursday, when several law professionals from Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft LLP donated their gently used suits, shoes, and accessories. This was the second annual giving spree the law firm has hosted benefiting DFS. The organization prepares low-income women re-entering the workforce with attire, resume building and interview practice. But more than that, the women receive invaluable lifeskills and renewed sense of confidence and high self-esteem.

Part of the evening called for a style presentation in the spirit of dressing responsibly. I had the honor of presenting my spring 2012 picks from "runway to realway." All the clothes and accessories selected were from designers and/or brands, several of whom are DC-based, that have pledged to social responsibility.

Crisp Whites

Balenciaga













Amina wears A.D.O. 100% organic cotton blazer and 100% Peace silk pencil skirt; Adolfo Dominguez sleeveless cotton top and Calamarie cylinder braided necklace.


Perfect Pleats

Samantha Pleet













Lyndsay sports a gorgeous pleated dress by Adolfo Dominguez. Accessories by Nora Fischer Designs.

Pastel Confection

3.1 Phillip Lim













Perline, a DFS client, looks sweetly confectionate (I think I just made us a new word!) in this baby blue pleated wrap skirt by Kim Schalk (DC-based designer, website coming soon!) and graphic print silk scarf by Adolfo Dominguez. Calamarie ring.






Grecian Goddess

Lanvin


Amina evokes her inner goddess in this svelte grecian maxi dress by Kim Schalk. Metal and leather belt by Kim Schalk.

Tangerine Tango

Derek Lam


Michelle attends a summer BBQ in these floral tangerine capris by Adolfo Dominguez. Ruffle top (100% organic cotton) by A.D.O. Nora Fischer Designs jewelry.

Group Photo (all photos by Phil Kogan Photography)

Fashion Fights Poverty Annual Dress Responsibly Gala

Since 2005, Fashion Fights Poverty has brought ethical fashion to DC through educational programs and runway shows. I have been honored to help behind the scenes on several of their shows over the years and am excited to moderate their next forum on April 20^th.

On March 31, the volunteer-run organization returns with its Annual Dress Responsibly Gala at Artisphere. On the heels of the NICE Consumer Project hosted by Business for Social Responsibility, the gala reinforces the fashion industry’s environmental impact and puts a spotlight on those designers committed to a low carbon footprint. This year, the event promises a cadre of talented designers, both local and international, proving eco-fashion is equally innovative and luxurious.

How does poverty factor into the equation? Designers who adhere to fair trade principles employ local craftsman and artisans at a fair wage, which may lead to economic development, skill-building and community empowerment. Fashion Fights Poverty has recently partnered with Detroit Lives, a non-profit addressing Detroit’s apparel manufacturing.

The gala will feature a fashion show and presentations by Project Runway Season 7 winner, Seth Aaron Henderson; renewable fabric apparel designer, Earthtec; EcoArtFashion founder, Luis Valenzuela Tara St. James (Study NY); local DC metro area designers, Laura Williams and Ginger Root; NY-based sustainable fabric lingerie designer, Daisy & Elizabeth; LA-based eco-friendly designer, LAVUK; Canadian swimwear and apparel designer, Ashley Zaba; vegan shoes and bag designer Cri-de-Ceour; and animal activist and creator of the "12 in 12 for 12" campaign, Gabby Wild. (recycled paper dress shown in invite); 2011 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Designers Award recipient,

Tickets: $75 General and $150 VIP, http://ffp2012gala.eventbrite.com.

Donations Wanted: As you attack your closet for an annual spring cleaning, kindly consider donating your gentle used items to a shelter. Martha’s Table is in need of men’s clothing and shoes and women’s spring clothing. Location: 2114 14th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20009

Eco-Chic Styles for the Full-Figured Woman

As a fashion stylist, I have had the pleasure of dressing women of all shapes and sizes over the past five years. Many of them seek my services because shopping conjures feelings of frustration and anxiety over fit. Others simply don’t have the time or stamina to search for those quality pieces. I step in by providing a roadmap to finding styles that complement their figure and lifestyle.

However, what tends to present the greatest challenge is the client, male or female, who wants to invest in an eco-friendly wardrobe. I actually get quite giddy when I receive such inquiries because conscious fashion is at the heart of my styling business. I embarked on this journey with the intent of educating consumers on the source of their garments, to present eco-styles that are equally innovative, chic, and modern without compromising the planet and the garment worker who produce them.

Despite my intentions, I am disheartened by the limited options for sizes greater than a 10 and found in a store near you. With the exception of Eileen Fisher (and I am fully aware that not every woman is an Eileen Fisher woman), the Internet holds the best chance for scoring a custom-made and/or full range of sizes. Green blogger, Green Gretchen, offers a comprehensive list of online designers. Search eco-fashions for plus size women and Etsy delivers a plethora of options.

Just for sake of clarification, “eco-fashion” can mean the type of material (reclaimed, organic cotton, tencel, soy, bamboo, hemp, and milk, yes even milk!) to vintage (preferably custom-made rather than a mass-produced item 20 years ago) to custom-made using high quality fabrics by an independent designer who applies a no-waste policy.

Another point of clarification is that eco-fashion caters solely to loose-fitting, yoga-inspired, loungewear. There is definitely a place for such styles such as actually doing yoga but pioneers in eco-design such as Linda Loudermilk, Stewart + Brown, Stella McCartney and Organic by John Patrick prove otherwise. Their vision opens the market for a breadth of styles that speak to your personality.

For the woman who seeks comfort in a loungewear-inspired style, go no further than Indigenous Designs. The fair trade, all organic collection puts the comfort in ready-to-wear. On their Website they have a helpful size chart to take the guesswork out of it.

For the professional woman who needs a bit more structure in her wear, check out collections by Canadian designers Diane Kennedy and Chloe Angus, and Rawganique. Their attention to detail combined with eco-luxe materials yield a message of self-empowerment and sophistication.

Of course, clothes account for part of an ensemble. Vegan shoe designer Olsen Haus and Neuaura include up a size 12. Accessories and handbags add panache to any outfit. My favorites: Jewelry designers - Calamarie, Monique Pean (Website to be relaunched soon!), AK Vintage and handbags by Matt and Nat, Gunas, and Susan Nichole.

If you have a favorite plus size eco-designer, I would love to know. Please send me your suggestion to Katherine@mysignaturelook.

Image: Dress by Chloe Angus