yay – mad men is back! what the heck slimeball don draper? anyway, as i’ve mentioned here before, i love getting a glimpse into fashion in the 50′s/60′s when watching mad men. i’m so jealous of the costume designer’s job! check out this great video with the designer, janie bryant, giving a tour of the costume shop for the show.
and check out sohomode, a great shop on etsy, with handmade clothes that look just like outfits betty draper or peggy olson would wear, but modernized!
i have some sad news ladies..fall collections are hitting stores, which means the summer is almost over.. but, the good news is summer clothes are on sale and there’s still a good month left to wear them! one awesome sale that is going on right now is from new york designer ES one of one. look at these vibrant prints and colors of these clothes – love them!
i’ve featured tortilla girl before here on the clothing menu and i just stopped by her etsy store again and am loving some of the new summer designs. i first fell in the love with the seersucker bubble dress..kind of reminiscent of carrie’s candy girl outfit in sex in the city, no? then i saw the linen printed bag..and then i saw the lace tunic top. they are all so pretty!
zippers! they’re not just for holding up your dresses or pants – they are a fun detail that’s being added to clothes and accessories this season. i love the unexpected texture the zippers add to these pieces.
deadly ponies: mr. zipalot bag made by new zealand based designers.
Anne Michelle: very cute and only $29.50.
Kate Cusack: a whole line of jewelry made from zippers!
Megan Leone: Megan is an eco-conscious designer who uses vintage and recycled materials in her designs.
Katherine Nicole: love the purple color! this color works for every hair/skin tone.
leanne marshall: from the winner of last year’s project runway! one of her only designs up on etsy now that she’s selling clothes through bluefly.com.
“she’s like a rainbow” is the debut collection from Dainty June, a new line from 3 friends who aren’t so new to designing great clothes. jennifer johnson created the line E.C. Star, which i’ve featured here and here, and jen and erica daking, started All-Mighty, a clothing line and fashion website. this bright and refreshing collection is perfect for the summer and a happy reminder of being a child in the 80s, don’t you think?
the clothes just recently started selling. i’m not sure of all the places, but i know you could buy them at some of my favorite online clothing shops: modcloth.com and All-Mighty
i love this 70s-inspired dress vanessa hudgens is wearing – the color, the fit, the flow! it’s a bit of a different take on all of the ruffle dresses out there. such a fun dress for a night out dancing! check out similar dresses by Anavaa Kisasa, reef, and Girl on a Vine.
last week on the cut i read that the stylish nicole richie is going to be expanding her house of harlow jewelry line to include clothes and shoes. such a great idea and i’m super-excited for it because i’ve been loving her post-the simple life style! so to hold us over until the clothing line comes out, here are some ways to get nicole richie’s style:
1) silver party dress by Cristina David
2) tie dye bag by The Style Rules
ps – this bag looks just like nicole richie’s, right? that’s because it was made after The Style Rules saw nicole richie’s bag, but couldn’t afford it. so she designed her own!
3) paisley maxi dress by Daytrip
this post on the makool loves you blog was my inspiration for this post. ice cold lemonade in the summer is the best and it’s my summer crush too! here are some dresses and tops inspired by lemonade to brighten up your day!
Gina Michele : makool loves you : Cori Jean : ccdoodle : holly stalder
Gaia Conceptions opened my eyes to the concept of ethical and sustainable fashion. reading about the process the designer, Andrea, takes in making the clothes really made me think about what goes into the clothes i wear everyday. all of the clothes in the Gaia Conceptions collection are made of certified organic and eco-friendly fabrics, like certified organic cotton and raw silk. each piece is hand dyed in low impact and natural dyes and each item is made just for you based on your size and color choice. love it! check out my q&a with Andrea here:
How did you get started creating clothes?
When I was a young girl my aunt taught me how to sew clothing for my dolls. Then I grew to be 6 feet tall and needed to always alter or make things for myself. I started out as a Fashion Design Major in college and learned the fundamentals of sewing and patternmaking. Then switched my major to fibers where I learned how to dye and began thinking about fibers in a more sculptural way, which led me to finally complete a degree in Sculpture. However, I continued to design and sell my clothing at festivals while I was finishing up my degree in Sculpture. Just as I was about to graduate I put my clothing on ETSY….Right about the same time I heard back from the schools I got into ETSY had me as a featured seller and I all of a sudden had a full time job doing what I love to do most.
What three words would you use to describe your current collection?
Comfortable, Multi-functional, Sustainable
What do you think makes your designs different?
My designs are simple, functional, and easy to wear. They layer well with each other and make a subtle statement. I want them to bring out the beauty in a woman without overpowering it. However, I would say it is the environmental ethos combined with the designs that really sets Gaia Conceptions apart from the rest. Continuing to make great clothes that are as sustainable as possible is the fundamental goal. We have installed water-catchment systems, a natural dye garden and studio, and are always searching for new organic and humanly cultivated fabrics.
What do you see in the future for your collection?
I definitely want to bring in more natural dyes and I’m also interested in finding a way to turn my scraps into something that I can sell for charity. I’m thinking quilts and dolls would be nice. At some point it would also be great to build a Living Machine to clean all our wastewater and solar panels to provide energy for all the sewing equipment.
Why should people buy clothes from an independent designer instead of a mass-market store?
Well the coolest thing about buying directly from the artist is it helps people like me support themselves and do what they love each day. However, there are so many other benefits to the community and perks to you as a buyer as well. Each independent designer is different, but hear are some of the things that make Gaia Conceptions good for the client and the planet:
- All garments are made to order so each piece is made specific to your size and needs and it also means there isn’t any Gaia Gear clothing sitting on a rack somewhere hoping to be loved one day. It also saves a ton of resources and energy.
- Because everything is made in-house and I’m super picky about the sustainability and human friendliness of each garment from seed to shipping. Everyone involved with the creation of your garment was paid a fair wage and had a healthy work environment.
one thing that’s great about the popularity of ethical and sustainable fashion is that there are now so many innovative designers who are creating clothes that are good for you, their workers, and the environment, but are also very fashionable and unique. here is a small selection of the many great clothing lines:
Stewart + Brown is an ethical fashion line with a full collection of everything you would need for your wardrobe – including dresses, shorts, sweaters, and blouses – that are made using a variety of organic and sustainable fabrics. Stewart + Brown’s mission is to apply the wisdom of sustainability to everything they do while inspiring others, just as they have been inspired, to do the same.
ecoSkin uses only environmentally sustainable luxury fabrics that are woven, dyed, and sewn in the US. the designer, Sandy, oversees the design and production of her entire line from making sure the manufacturing facilities are meeting her demanding environmental and labor standards to ensuring the design of green hangtags and labels. and she does all of this with one key thing in mind – eco-conscious women also want to dress sexy and chic!
Leanne, the designer for Elroy Apparel, has been designing clothes since she was a teenager. when she graduated school, she noticed there were a lot of casual clothes made out of organic and sustainable products, but that was it. so she started a socially responsible clothing line made of organic and sustainable materials that’s fashionable and can be worn outside of the gym. she’s clearly done a good job of merging fashion and social responsibility!