Category Archives: What You’re Wearing

Newlywed Overhaul

Swapping single style for wifely beauty by M.J. Prest

{This is a guest post by our great friend M.J. Prest, founder of the popular online sustainable fashion mag Ethical Style. Read more from M.J. and her brilliant staff at EthicalStyle.com}

Everyone knows the bride who headed straight to the hair salon for a “post-wedding chop” after coming home from the honeymoon. Or the one who dropped serious bank at the mall for a wifely wardrobe makeover.

Now all of a sudden, I’m the new bride who craves a new look.

I used to tease my older, wiser friends for this après-marriage inclination to reinvent. Now that it’s my turn in the stylist’s chair, I’ve come to the realization that there’s nothing Stepford about wanting to refresh your appearance after you become a Mrs.

Newlywed Mandy Moore changes up her look

An informal survey of my friends who have gotten married in recent years revealed Continue reading →

Clothing Recycling Brilliance

All we women really want is a little Give and Take.

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If you’ve ever read this blog, you know that resale is a way of life for me. I’m all about the power of preowned. My clothes come from the local designer consigment shop, I find fabulous furniture for a steal on Craigslist, buy flea market art, and have a million secret spots for cool vintage jewelry. And just when I thought I’d seen everything that the world of resale had to offer, this article about clothing recycling in the LA Times turned me on to a brilliant new idea…the swap boutique!

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So right there in that photo is my personal hero of the week, Dora Copperthite. She owns what may very well be the first swap boutique in the history of the universe. It’s called Give and Take, and it’s in Playa del Rey (14 minutes from my house, according to Mapquest — woo-hoo!)

This is one of those ideas that makes such darned good sense that you wonder why it’s never been done before. Copperthite’s swapping system is better than consignment, easier than eBay, and ensures a neverending supply of swappable swag for her discerning customers. Here’s the deal: Continue reading →

Shop at Home, Recessionista-Style

Celebrate America Recycles Day by discovering new treasures in your own closet

What are you doing to celebrate America Recycles Day this Sunday, November 15th? How about recycling all of the ill-fitting, damaged, and out-of-date clothes hiding in the murky recesses of your closet (um…or is that just my closet?) It’s easy to turn old clothes into new treasures. And no, I’m not suggesting any labor intensive DIY projects — it is the freakin’ weekend, after all.

America Recycles Day is November 15th

Instead, visit the absolute best tailor in your town, and work with him/her to rehab your wardrobe. It may cost you $5-$20 per item, depending on the alteration, but that’s still way cheaper than shopping for new clothes, and you’ll be doing your part to help reduce textile waste. (Big-ups to Victor, my local needle-and-thread genius. He sculpts jeans to fit like a glove, and has breathed new life into clothes I thought unwearable. Hit him up if you’re in Santa Monica.)

In the past, I’ve rehabbed everything from formal gowns to bikinis. Here are a few of my fave recylceables, with images to inspire:

Short dresses: The hot little minis from your 20s can start feeling a little…well, short, once you hit your 30s. Have them reworked into cute tops like this one from Karina Grimaldi, perfect to wear with jeans.

Karina Grimaldi Tank

Sweaters: Once a cashmere or wool sweater has a significant hole or stain, it’s hard to repair. If your sweater’s elbows have worn away, turn it into a chic vest or stylish waistcoat.

knit waistcoat via netaporter.com

Pants: For pants that are scruffy or stained at the cuff, make them into a pair of sexy cutoffs or cool knee-lenth shorts like the ones below.

Long shorts by Ben Sherman

Formalwear: Transform the bodice of a formal dress into a sexy little top like this one from LaRok. Use the fabric from the skirt to create a scarf or wrap.

Corset by LaRok

Finally, don’t give up on stained clothing — just dye it a darker color. You can do this yourself using non-toxic dyes like these, or ask if they provide this service at your local green dry cleaner.

Happy America Recycles Day! Inspire other RB readers to recycle their closets by sharing your best clothing rescue stories. E-mail me at Tracy <at> RecycledBride <dot> com.

Late Autumn Style from Stewart & Brown

Wrap yourself in organic cotton, Mongolian cashmere and hemp jersey pieces from Stewart & Brown this Fall

Even here in sunny Cali, the temperature is starting to drop. Which makes these soft, layerable henley T’s from eco-clothier Stewart & Brown look extra scrumptious today.

Organic Cotton T's by Stewart & Brown

I’m toying with the idea of ordering the Zigzag dress, pictured below. It’s very Missoni, minus the sweat-inducing fabric and the hefty pricetag. Made of fair trade, 100% merino wool, this dress looks cozy!

(Um…did I mention it’s cold here? The office is like an icebox, and I’m working in my coat. Just bloggin’ through the pain…)

The Stewart & Brown Zigzag dress

This basket weave one-sleeve wrap also looks terribly inviting. It’s made of 100% hand-knit Mongolian cashmere and has a super-cool horn button at the shoulder. I’m kind of a wrap addict, and have been known to layer on multiple scarves and wraps. It’s sometimes very chic, and other times I just look kind of…well, homeless. But fashion is all about taking risks, right?

Hand-knit Mongolian Cashmere Wrap

And finally, to remind us all of sunnier days, check out this darling little crocheted pullover! This dress is just perfect to bring along for a destination wedding or honeymoon. It can be worn over a bikini for day or a slip at night, and the organic cotton fabric won’t wrinkle in your suitcase.

: Stewart & Brown Hand-Crocheted Dress

Stewart & Brown participated in GreenBlogCon 2009, where they put on a great fashion show that featured some of their newest styles for 2010. I’ll be sure to let you know when those pieces become available on their site. In the meantime, check out the other stylish clothes at StewartBrown.com.