Green Week Finale - Eco-Living

What a week! I've talked about anything and everything on eco-products. From cosmetics to shoes, we have learned about the importance of saving the planet using products that are made in a sustainable way. To wrap up Green Week I'll bring you Eco-Living. Eco-Living is more than the ever growing trend we have been seeing lately is a way of life, a philosophy, and it seems that more and more people are getting into it. Who doesn't know about the now infamous "I'M-NOT-A-PLASTIC-BAG" bag? It can be said, arguably, that that was the bag that started it all! Now accessories house Hayden-Harnett came up with an eco-bag to support politician turned environmentalist Al Gore. The bag was inspired by Gore's documentary on global warming "An Inconvenient Truth", and the proceeds go to help environmental causes. Even big companies, like uber-chic retail store Barneys, came up now with their own line of eco-clothing. Barneys Green, a line of eco-sportswear, will continue to develop the line with collaboration of guest designers. Hot Topics is stocking in Zoe Tees made with earth-friendly fabrics. Also kudos to jeweler John Hardy who's very much involved in a bamboo reforestation project, sustainable workshops and even a complex of green villas to be built at his property. How visionary is that?! So to help you jump in the green van wagon in style here's the latest you can find in green living, from clothing to home-decor. Have a happy earth, have a happy heart.


Barneys


Loomstate for Barneys Green Slave Mini Skirt $138.00. Available at www.barneys.com


This skirt is certified organic and benefit 1% for the planet.


Green With Glamour


Green With Glamour " Perfectly Imperfect" Cami Dress $117.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

This dress is made with 100% certified organic cotton.


Anna Cohen Pleated Shirt $375.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

100% organic natural colored cotton.


GWG Barrel Bag Red $270.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

This accessories company are redefining vintage! They reuse and re-purpose materials from other vintage designs.



Charmoné Espresso Been Ginseng Heel $315.00. Available at www.greenwothglamour.com


Charmoné Grass Print Ginseng Heel $315.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

These shoes are made using a high quality Italian microfiber that feels just like leather so no cows were harmed during the making of these shoes. Vegan Power!



iWood Eco Designs Tigerwood Aviators Sun Glasses $315.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

These super chic sunglasses besides from being 100% UVA/UVB protection, are also made with eco-sustainable wood.


Deana Bracken Float Like A Butterfly Pillow $175.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

This whimsical pillow is made with 100% organic sustainable cotton.



Woodson and Romefield Sunset Scalloped Mirror $1890.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

A beautiful touch for any room and it is finished with non-toxic paint.




Michael and Nora The cocktails and Lace Chandelier Lamp $3250.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

Beautiful!



GWG Gardenia Soy Candle $23.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

Deliciously scented, this clean burning candle will fill the room with gardenias, white flower and a hint of Jasmine.



The Sustainable Kitchen Cook Book $25.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

Cooking responsibly never was so delicious. This book will teach you how to take advantage of locally grown products in your kitchen.



Hitoshi Tanaka Natural Edge Shallow Cherry Bowl $160.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

This bowls are made with cherry tree wood from trees that had already fallen due to storms.



Esque Decanter and Cups $598.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

The company making these work in a wind powered studio designed to reduce waste and gas consumption. How great is that?!



Vidreco Recycled Glass Pedestal Bowl $65.00. Available at www.greenwithglamour.com

Made with 100% recycled glass and so pretty!

Prius from Toyota Hybrid $22,175.00. For more information visit www.toyota.com

As everybody knows this baby is very planet friendly and gas efficient since it runs on an electric motor also for less gas usage and emissions.

GE Energy Smart CFL Lightbulb 13 Watts (60 watts equivalent) 12 pk $19.76. Available at www.walmart.com

These bulbs use 2/3 less energy, generate 70% less heat and if every home in America replace just one bulb we will save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a whole year and prevent green house gases equivalent to 800,000 cars!

Now the light bulbs contain mercury which can be harmful but only if you break them. Although the bulbs are quite sturdy, just to play it safe, DON'T BREAK THEM!

Now there you have it everybody. This was Green Week a small effort to help create a conscience on the need to save the planet. I hope I'd touch someone. I hope I'd at least get someone curious about what's going on so they can dig and ask and find out by themselves and hopefully they will want to do something. It can be done, you don't have to do everything just whatever you can, that's all. Even if it's just changing ONE light bulb.

Have a happy earth, have a happy heart!

Green Week - Green Shoes

In an effort to create a more sustainable lifestyle we have traded conventional products for green ones. Food, fuel, cosmetics and hygiene products are among the most popular. But we can do even more, now there's Eco-wear, Eco-decoration, Eco-footwear and Eco-everything! While maybe riding a bicycle to work maybe a bit out of the question for some of you, there are alternatives to keep on the quest of a more planet friendly way of life. You can start taking baby steps toward becoming greener by wearing some Eco-friendly foot wear. Conventional shoes are a great source of waste since they are made from man-made, non-biodegradable materials such as rubber and synthetic fabric. Eco-friendly shoes are made with sustainable and recyclable materials and some companies won't even use leather in their products ( good news for the vegans!). Now, an environmentally conscious shoe doesn't always have to look like a Birkenstock, not that there's anything wrong with them, but I'm aware that some fashionistas at heart hate the look of the friendly Birkenstock (I personally love them). So, here are some companies that make some lovely looking shoes and also like to keep it green.


Terra Plana

Terra Plana Helena Heels 90.00 GBP or $180.00 aprox. Available at www.terraplana.com

Terra Plana Taj Flat 80.00 GBP or $180.00 aprox. Available at www.terraplana.com


Soft Stars Shoes (for the little ones)


Soft Star Shoes $39.99. Available at www.softstarshoes.com



Greentoe




Greentoe GT Jane $85.00 Available at www.birkenstocksd.com


Earth


Earth Mirage Boot $119.00. Available at www.birkenstocksd.com


And ofcourse the One and Only...


Birkenstock


Birkenstock Madrid Silver $69.00. Available at www.planetshoes.com

Now you can walk happily knowing that your helping the ground below your feet stay forever green. Tomorrow will be the last day of the Green Week and I'm coming up with lots of great GREEN stuff. Stay tuned, you don't want to miss it!

A Day With Out Make Up

My morning routine, when it comes to skin care, it's pretty simple. Not because I have found that miraculous product that does it all, but because I haven't found a good moisturizer that will actually deliver, so I don't care much. If it wasn't because my skin feels really tight after cleansing I would skip moisturizing altogether and go straight to make up application. My skin is the dreadful oily/combo which means that some days I got a shiny T-zone AND dry, flaky patches on the rest of my face, so I use a pore minimizer on my oily areas and spend the rest of the day re-applying moisturizer on the dry ones. How is that possible?!?!? That is until I discover Boots Botanics. Recently, I ran out of my blah moisturizer and thought that since they are all the same to me I will not spend more than $10 on a new morning cream. So I headed to Target ready to get any Aveeno or Olay moisturizer with SPF and there it was, the Boots display so pretty and new (I love pretty and new) it attracted me like flypaper. The first thing that actually caught my attention was the No 7 line with their high potency, age fighting ingredients at prices ranging from $5.99 to $20.00 it was a dream come true. But I have to admit that I am a natural products junkie, I love everything that says "botanical" because I believe in the power of plants. Boots Botanics claims to have very high concentrations of plant extracts in their product so you can actually benefit and see a noticeable difference on your skin. That day I got me the Complexion Refining Day Moisture Lotion SPF 12 and the Skin Brightening Cleanser. The next morning I washed my face and noticed that it didn't feel tight at all, but proceeded to apply the moisturizer with the same indifference I do everyday. I was running late so I didn't do my make up thinking that maybe I would have 5 minutes to do it at the office, the day got crazy and I never did my make up. What a surprise when I went to the restroom and looked at the mirror, my face was glowing, no shiny areas, not a dry patch, no huge pores, just beautiful skin. I honestly just stood there in disbelief, I have finally found a product that actually delivers, that is natural and that doesn't cost a fortune. Now I actually look forward to my morning routine and might as well just skip make up altogether, well, not really, but I could.

Boots Botanics Complexion Refining Day Moisture Lotion SPF 12 $12.99. Available at www.boots.com or Target.

Boots Skin Brightening Cleanser $6.99. Available at www.boots.com or Target

Bare Naked

This season the fashion trends in rigour are not for the faint of heart; therefore, a conscious fashionista must proceed with caution. Recently, I read a post about layering irresponsibly, which was extremely funny and enlightening. So I felt, as a fashionable citizen, that it was my civil duty to raise awareness on another issue, color over-use. I've seen gals on the verge of leaving people color blind due to pigment over exposure. So, for the ones who are Chromatophobic ( fear of color) or the ones that just want (or need!) to tone it down a little there's a solution. Designers are taking nude color and giving them a flair. Now the latest accessories come in natural tones and luscious textures such as patent leather, lace and satin perfect to compliment high pigmented clothing pieces. You can either match a beautiful primary color dress with neutral pumps, which also has the effect of elongating your legs, or pairing a neutral outfit with colorful accessories for a bang. Either way you wear your colors just remember that balance is key. After all, you don't want to look like if a rainbow had vomited all over you ( see exhibit A below).

Exhibit A:

Fined! for color over-use AND irresponsible layering.


Josie Natori Kace Top $140.00. Available at www.neimanmarcus.com


Polka Dot Blouse $19.80. Available at www.forever21.com


DVF Crocheted Shift Dress $425.00. Available at www.neimanmarcus.com


Halter Sparkle Dress $26.50. Available at www.wetseal.com

Valentino Histore Patent Satchel $1695.00. Available at www.saks.com

Nine West Francesca Large Patent Satchel $85.00. Available at www.ninewest.com

Brian Atwood Slick Pumps $560.00. Available at www.saks.com

Nine West Lucero Pumps $79.00. Available at www.ninewest.com

Yellow !!!

The weather has been marvelous lately here in the mid-west and everywhere. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and you just want to shine. And what's the best way to feel sunny and spring-y? Yes! flirty, playful, girly sun dresses in the color of the moment, YELLOW! This bright color flatters most complexions and gives you an instant glow. Yellow was king of the runways at the collections and will dominate the scene this season. Pair it with white and neutral tones for an easy laid back look or with black or red to dress it up. Either way you wear it yellow is sure to make you shine, you little Miss Sunshine.



Romina Lanaro RTW S/S 2007.

BCBG Max Azria Swiss Dot Bubble Mini Dress $300.00. Available at www.saks.com

Amelia Dress Forever21 $15.80. Available at www.forever21.com

Other must have in yellow:

Chinese Laundry Pumps on sale for$45.99. Available at www.macys.com


Gwen Bag Forever21 $20.80. Available at www.forever21.com

Marc Jacobs is Dead... At least to me.

Today is a very, very sad in the world of fashion, or at least in my world. While reading one of my very favorite fashion magazines, In Style, I got excited at the pictures of the celebrity packed fall fashion shows. Every single A-Lister looked glamorous and sophisticated wearing the latest trends, but the horror happened, I spotted a picture of LIL'KIM... WHAT!!!??? No! I thought my eyes were lying to me so I looked again, and then the whole world crumbled in front of me. It was in fact a picture of LIL'KIM with a caption that reads as follow " Marc Jacobs muse LIL'KIM kicked back in the VIP section at the designer's post show bash..." LIL' KIM? Marc Jacobs's M U S E!? What can possibly be so inspiring about the walking fashion DON'T that is LIL'KIM? Instead of his muse she should be more like his pro-bono extreme makeover project. How did this happened? How can I ever look at my MJ Stam Bag without felling disgusted again? Why!!!??? OH, Whyyy!!!??? If that picture caption is true, then Marc Jacobs (tears streaming down my cheeks) is dead to me! I will NEVER wear anything inspired by that human atrocity that is LIL'KIM. Marc Jacobs (1963-2007) R.I.P.



Sorry but I couldn't bare the sight of LIL'KIM any longer; therefore, I'm taking down the pictures.

No Chip, No Kidding

Now, I'm not a nail polish fan. Why? Well, because despite all of my efforts and the gazillion nail polish brands I've tried, my manicure doesn't last me two days. I've found that my Chanel polish is as good as my Wet N Wild and that OPI may last me a little longer, but nothing to fuzz about. Although, I must confess that I've learned some tips to make your manicure last, like buffing your nails since the ridges actually make them chip faster and having an oil free nail base since your natural oils prevent the polish from really adhere to the nail. But all this may only make a very little difference until I discover Sally Hansen NO CHIP 10 Day Nail Color. At first I was skeptical, but at $4.49 it was worth the try, so I put this top coat up to a challenge. If it lasts me at least 5 days I would be more than happy. Well, I painted my nails with a beautiful, but cheap, Cover Girl pink color and coated it with Hansen's No Chip Top Coat. Today is the fourth day and it looks as fresh and shiny as the first one, I'm not kidding, my nails are so shiny they actually look like patent leather. How awesome is that!?! Sally Hansen NO CHIP 10 Day Color is keeping its promise. So far, so good. I'll keep you guys posted on the final number (of days with an intact manicure), but this is the longest I've gone without my polish chipping off so I'm sold.




Sally Hansen NO CHIP 10Day Nail Color in 01 Clear $4.49. Also available in 23 beautiful colors. Available at www.ulta.com or your nearest drug store.

Spring's 9 Must Have from Saks!

This spring the fashion trends are just adorable. From dresses to vibrant colors everything screams sunshine and good times. And although there are countless "must-have" lists and every single glossy grace their covers with "The-All-You-Need-This-Spring-Shopping-List" a girl can never get too much advice on how to look your best specially if it comes from our much beloved Saks Fifth Avenue. This is why I bring you Want it!, courtesy of Saks. Want it! is a line created to take trends from runway to real way that includes daywear, evening-wear, bags, shoes and much more. The line is also full of fashionista's favorites such as Dolce and Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Valentino and VeraWang Lavender label. Even the guys can enjoy the Want it! line with the 9 top trends from Ermenegildo Zegna, Diesel and Prada Linea Rossa. It doesn't matter if you are fashion challenged or a hard core fashionista Saks has something Hauté for everybody. Happy Hunting!


The High Waisted Belt

W. Kleinberg -Krung Snake Belt $325.00

The Flat Shoe

Marc Jacobs Keyhole Skimmers $395.00

The Chic Day Dress

Burberry Chech Shift Mini Dress $430.00

The Floral Fragrance

Clinique Happy $49.50 for 3.40oz. ( Although I personally recommend Clinique Happy Heart)

The Cocktail Dress


Carolina Herrera Strapless Cotton Eyelet Dress $3490.00

The Crisp White Shirt

Robert Rodriguez Pleated Blouse $286.00

The Platform Shoes

Le Silla Crisscross Platform Sandal $610.00

The Handheld Bag

Versace Quilted Satchel $2115.00

The Shorts

Piazza Sempione Seersucker Shorts $405.00

All available at www.saks.com