3 Summer Eco Outfits for the Weekend!

READY FOR NEW YORK

1. Uhuru Dress - (Edun Online 197 euros). Made in Peru from organic cotton
2. Fireball Fedora Hat - Livity Outernational (Fashion Conscience £22). 'Made under a Fair Trade project' from sustainable seagrass with hemp and organic cotton lining.
3. Coupe Bag - English Retreads (Feel Good Handbags £65). Made in Boulder, Colorado from tyre inner tubes
4. Kate T-strap Flat Vegan Sandals - Cri de Coeur (Nimli $102). Made in Europe from vegan materials
5. Ashley Large Bangle - (Made £34.25). Made in East Africa from brass (fair trade).

AFRICAN GETAWAY

1. Vintage 1970s Izod Lacoste Peach Orange Shorts - Greasy Waitress (Etsy $58)
2. Organic Coffee Shoulder Bag - The Wren (Etsy $58). Handmade in Cape Town from recycled jute coffee sack with an organic hemp canvas lining.
3. Vintage 80s Sunglasses - Back to the Vintage (Etsy $10)
4. Julia Warm Burgundy Stripe Vegan Shoes - (Charmone $99). Made in Italy
5. Peaches Unicorn Pendant (Made £49). Made in East Africa from 'recycled brass door handles, bath taps and padlocks'. Designed by Peaches Geldof (I just noticed this is currently out of stock at Made, sorry but perhaps keep checking Made's site or check out their other great necklaces).

LAID BACK IN LONDON

1. White Long Henley Tank - (Stewart + Brown $34). Made in Portugal from organic pima cotton.
2. Calla Low Rise Organic Jeans - Del Forte (Adili £60, reduced from £120). Made in the USA from organic cotton.
3. Ethletic Olive Green Low Top Vegan Sneakers - Autonomie Project (Nimli $58). Made in Fair Trade certified workshop in Pakistan with FT / organic cotton and sustainable rubber.
4. Organic Chai Mandarin Lip Balm - All The Better To Kiss You With (Content £4.50)

New vs Vintage - 2 Eco Outfit Ideas

Have a little fun dressing up and try combining two clashtastic colours next time you get your party on. Here are two outfit ideas for those in the mood for something new and those hard-core eco girls only interested in vintage purchases.

THE NEW ECO LOOK

This New Eco look oozes sophistication and modernity thanks to the colour combination of regal plum and summer yellow. The unique Nature vs Future Cut Out dress is made in the USA from hemp and tencel (1. Nimli - $203 or Nature vs Future) while the handwoven raffia clutch bag is made in Madagascar/Kenya from one of my favourite labels, Mad Imports (2. Mad Imports - $75). Complete this elegant look with Charmone's opulent black vegan Cinnamon shoes (3. Charmone - $179) which are made in Italy and then keep jewellery delicate and simple with this brass bracelet designed by Sarah Rhodes and made in East Africa (4. Made - £25).

SPECIAL NATURE VS FUTURE DISCOUNT
Green Lashes and Fashion readers will receive a 30% discount on the above purple cut out dress or any other Nature vs Future item on their website when using the code: GLF30 (valid until Friday 12th June).

THE VINTAGE LOOK

This vintage look is fresh, light and ideal for those simmering summer months. The purple zipper dress from Lola Vintage is definitely a sultry little number but it would look so stunning day or night (1. Etsy - $30). Flaunt the bright mustard yellow vegan clutch from Nikita Jade (2. Etsy - $21) and tip toe around in the clear rhinestone purple fabulousness of these vegan shoes from Decades (3. Etsy - $45). Finally, finish your look with a strong piece of jewellery such as this gorgeous cuff bracelet from Beatomic Beauty which perfectly compliments the bold and playful dress, clutch and shoes (4. Etsy - $30).

Technorati Tags: Fashion, Vintage, Charmone, Vegan Shoes, Mad Imports, Vegan Clutches

Trying to be Green in Maastricht

I've just returned from a long weekend away in Maastricht, situated in the south east of the Netherlands and wanted to share some of the ways I tried to make my mini break as green as possible in this pretty little Dutch town.

TRANSPORT

Travelling by Eurostar

How to get to Maastricht by train
Take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then take an IC train to Liege-Guillemins, then another train to Maastricht (sounds fiddly but it was a relaxing and pleasant trip). On our return trip we took a direct train from Maastricht to Brussels (purchasing a ticket beforehand from Maastricht to Vise).
Time: 1 hr 50 to Brussels, then approximately 80-120 min to Maastricht

Did you know?
A Eurostar ticket to Brussels will cover your travel anywhere in Belgium (within 24 hours and not on Thalys or ICE trains).

Why take the Eurostar?
The 'Eurostar emits a tenth of the CO2 of flying' to their core destinations and their website indicates that a trip to Brussels by rail equals 8.2kg CO2 per passenger compared to 140.6kg CO2 per passenger from flying.

More Environmental Actions from Eurostar
- They offset carbon emissions from all journeys
- Aim to reduce their emissions by 25% 'per traveller journey by 2012'
- 'Work with Friends of the Earth on their climate campaign'

Recycling bins on the station platforms in Brussels


Um, where did I leave my bike?
The Dutch certainly popularise and glamorise the greenest mode of transport, the bike! I saw ladies looking ever so chic in heels and skirts riding bikes along the river. How do they do it? And how on earth do they find their bikes in a sea of bikes like in the picture above?

ECO SHOPPING


Dutch label, Kuyichi have wonderful edgy eco fashion such as these Organic Low Rise Skinny Jeans £115 at Asos

Most shops in Europe seem to close Sundays and Monday mornings and Maastricht was no different. Great for locals but not so great for credit card clutching tourists. We did a mad dash around the shops Saturday afternoon when we arrived knowing that was our only chance to see the shops of Maastricht.

Organic and eco fashion was unfortunately hard to find but I did notice de Bijenkorf department store had a small selection of clothing labelled 'Pure' which had organic pieces that all carried the Made-by label (which ensures the 'brand produces its collection in a people and environment friendly manner').

The Dutch are certainly helping to clean up the fashion world with their certifying organisations such as Made-by and Clean Clothes (both have headquarters based in Amsterdam). Hopefully Maastricht and the rest of the country will start opening some great eco boutiques soon!

Fashion observations
It's all about white right now in Maastricht. I'm not sure if it was the beautiful summer weather or perhaps some European fashion tome recently declared 'white is the new black in the Netherlands' but women, men and children were all seen wearing white oh so well from head to toe!

Kuyichi's Lisa Skinny Leg Organic White Jeans
Available at Adili for £90

Fashion note to self:
Cute shoes and European cobblestone streets do not mix. Don't be daft like me and wear uncomfortable shoes if you plan on walking around Maastricht. I am now one blistered sister! Go for comfort and remember to have an outfit ready that is suitable for all seasons. I had no idea it was going to be so hot in Maastricht and while all the breezy white clothed beautiful people ambled by, I was hobbling along in an unintentional gothic / biker outfit of head to toe black! If only I had looked as glam as the Kuyichi model below!

Kuyichi Organic Raw Denim 70s Flare Jeans
On sale at Asos for £35

One fair trade shop I had read about was Wereldwinkel, but I unfortunately ran out of time to find it. I had hoped to find some amazing vintage or at least one vintage store too but was limited again by the shopping hours.

DINING OUT


Organic muesli and fruit for breakfast at the Crowne Plaza

Vegan Pizza

This was from a small but popular Italian restaurant near the Crowne Plaza. This was actually my first cheese-less pizza (I haven't been vegan that long). I had a little chat to the chefs (as you do) and asked them if they could hold the meat and hold the cheese and they were more than happy to hand over this tasty pizza with artichokes, broccoli, onions and mushrooms.

Mushroom Ravioli at Crowne Plaza

I've never been on such chatty terms with chefs as I was on this trip. Granted, I did converse my vegan needs via the waitress when I saw nothing on the menu and again the chef was really accommodating. I had a lovely mushroom, herb filled ravioli served on a bed of sauteed green vegetables and mushrooms with balsamic vinegar. Very delicious!

Vegan dinner on the Eurostar

We slummed it in second class travelling to Maastricht but decided to return in style in Leisure Select where the seats are roomier and a meal is included in your ticket price. My vegan dinner was effectively a plate of vegetables doing weird and wonderful things I'm sure they didn't even know they were capable of (see the zucchini acting as a bowl to contain the ratatouille, while some white vegetable is wrapped around the carrots with a neat little knot). All in all, the meal was tasty and fresh and it was good to learn that Eurostar 'use organic produce sourced in the country of departure and Fairtrade products' in their food where possible'.

SLEEP

View from our hotel room, overlooking the Meuse river

I was unable to find any green hotels online in Maastricht and eventually opted for the Crowne Plaza which was situated by the river and close to everything. I did ask about the hotel's recycling policy and found out that rubbish from guest's rooms is sorted and recycled and that during quiet periods the hotel saves energy by not filling 2 floors and keeping the lights and air conditioning off in those rooms.

My hotel kit
I took my own organic and SLS and paraben free beauty products with me such as:
- Green People's Intense Repair shampoo
- Dr Bronner's Citrus Orange Organic soap
- Akamuti's Kalahari Watermelon Body moisturiser
- Coconut oil (to remove eye makeup and moisturise)
- Eucalyptus spritz bottle (water and a few drops of eucalyptus oil to freshen the room and disinfect).

A cute boutique I thought would make the perfect apartment with its little balcony and enviable riverside location!

Maastricht was a relaxing and mellow place to visit in the Netherlands. Staying green was difficult in terms of shopping and accommodation but that's still the case in the majority of towns. I loved travelling their by train and am already planning another rail getaway soon. I just hope to uncover more eco boutiques, organic and vegetarian restaurants and green hotels! I'd love to hear how you try and stay green when travelling or if you have made any great green travel discoveries! Just drop me a line.

NOT EXACTLY GREEN BUT WORTH A LOOK..

Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore - situated in a former church

Drielandenpunt
Three land point is the highest place in the Netherlands and the spot where 'three lands' converge (Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands). Very fascinating for an Aussie like me! I still get awe-struck that you can pass through 3, 4 or more countries in one day!

Technorati Tags: Maastricht, Kuyichi

9 Eco Sleeveless Summer Tops

Madelaine Top - Kate
Made in Northern California
Organic Cotton Voile
This sweetly tiered top is so elegant and would look cute paired with either black or vintage denim shorts or skirts. Aside from helping the environment by using organic cotton, Kate also plants a tree for every garment sold (through Trees for the Future). The Madelaine top is available in cloud, lilac or summer night colours.
Purchase at The Greenloop for $162




Strapless Puffball Top - Round London
Made in UK
Reclaimed fabrics
You can order this 'summer music festival ready' puffball top above or have something similar made with your own fabrics. Just send a garment you already own and wish to alter to Round London and it could be transformed into a dainty summer top like the two featured in today's post.
Purchase at Round London £35




Amate Top - Zelaya
Handmade in San Salvador
Organic Cotton Knit
When you wear this gorgeous top out and about you better make the streets your catwalk because this top deserves 360 degree pirouettes, swivels and poses that involve facing your back to whoever you are with and peering coyly over the shoulder (not practical, I know but essential when wearing a top like this). The fabulous and intricate leafy detail has been made from the remnant fabric from the top. So special!
Purchase at Etsy (Zelaya) for $68




Centre Pleat Top - People Tree
Made in India (IFAT)
Organic cotton
Another great loose billowy top perfect for pairing with shorts, skirts or jeans. Available in red or slate blue.
Purchase at People Tree for £20

Tory Top - Toggery by Kate D'Arcy
Made in the USA
Organic Supima Cotton
This top has Miami written all over it! The racer back design gives it a casual yet glam look and makes it very wearable for either day or evening.
Available in sun, hot, violet, storm, cocoa or white.
Purchase at Lux Life Apparel for $34




Second Hand Silk Floral Print Top - Diane Von Furstenburg
If you want to slip into a little designer number this summer, why not try this second hand floral DVF? It's a Size 6, is in 'very good condition', likes long walks on the beach and summer holidays in Capri!
Purchase at Oxfam for £49.99




Second Hand Black Frill Top - Zara
Please forgive this pantless pick! Hopefully you can overlook the shameless mannequin and focus on the prettiness (and price) of this lightweight black Zara top.

Zara undoubtedly have some luscious pieces but I'm not tempted to start purchasing from the high street again just yet. No, I intend to scour Oxfam's website instead to find some second hand Zara deposits! I had a peek in the Zara store in Brussels yesterday (I was accompanying my mum and wasn't in there for myself - honest) and was quite fashion inspired! I got a lot of new fashion ideas (colour combos, outfit ideas and trends) just by browsing and not buying!
Purchase at Oxfam for £6.99 (size M)

Strapless Bandeau Top - Round London
Made in UK
Reclaimed fabrics
Bandeau tops always look boho chic during summer and this Round London design is no exception. If you're not looking to buy a bandeau top at the moment though, why not try getting creative with some skirts you already own? Just pull them up to wear as a long top or dress and if it looks too baggy, wear a belt for a little waist definition.
Purchase at Round London £35






Caoba Top - Zelaya
Handmade in San Salvador
Organic Cotton Knit
Another sumptuous design from Zelaya that can be worn with leaves to the front or back.
Purchase at Etsy (Zelaya) for $69

Technorati Tags: Vintage Fashion, Organic Tops, Upcycled Clothing

Eco Fashion Spotlight - Cri de Coeur Vegan Shoes

Attention shoe lovers and animal lovers, today is a 'praise the shoe gods' kind of day!' Call all of your friends and let them know you are now going by the name of Imelda Marcos because you will probably be buying every pair of Cri de Coeur's Spring line of shoes!

I'm not going to distract you with too many more words when there are shoes involved. I'll state the important eco criteria so you can move swiftly onto staring lovingly at these stunning shoes.

Cri de Coeur shoes are all vegan and handmade in Europe.
Cri de Coeur are not just content helping beautify the tootsies of eco girls everywhere but they are also committed to helping the planet. They have 'partnered with Carbonfund.org' to offset their carbon emissions and have also 'pledged to sponsor a tree' which will be 'planted for every pair of shoes sold'. Very impressive!



ALEXA
These open toe boots with cut out zipper and sand coloured canvas are the ultimate attention-grabbing shoes! I'm sure they will be gracing the pages of every top fashion magazine.
Pre-order at Nimli for $207 (20% discount)



ABIGAIL
I love, love, love the coloured heel on these adorable sandals. So simple yet so striking! Available in Geranium (above) and also Gold


CHLOE
These Chloe shoes are the perfect pair of elegant flats to have in your growing vegan shoe closet! They will look great with anything! Available in Black (as above), Mimosa & Midnight Black or Black & White
Purchase at Nimli for $72 (were $120)



MELISSA
I've been seeing a lot of strappy-ness in the shoe stratosphere lately and I think these black suede effect Melissa shoes with zip front are sublime.


FRETA
A fantastic take on the strappy sandal! These edgy summer ready shoes will look perfect with any skirts, dresses or shorts.


SIERRA
Who would have thought an elastic band could look so chic and elegant? These Sierra shoes are ideal for work, casual or formal occasions. The Sierra shoes pictured above are 'Moonless Night Suede' (faux) with grey elastic band. Also available in a gorgeous Mimosa and Midnight Black colour.
Purchase at Nimli for $132 (were $220)

Visit Cri de Coeur's website to find out where to purchase more of these incredible vegan delights!

Technorati Tags: Cri de Coeur, Vegan Shoes

9 Best Organic and Vintage Maxi Dresses

Summer is fast approaching (honest - pay no attention to the hail we saw today Londoners) and the maxi dress is the dress du jour! It will certainly work long term too, as it is figure flattering and so easy to wear. Every suitcase should contain at least one gorgeous organic / vintage maxi dress to help you look bohemian-chic on your next summer holiday!



Alligator Maxi Dress - Gypsy 05
Made in Hollywood, USA
Organic Cotton Jersey
I'm loving the way Miss Simpson (or is it Mrs. Wentz now?) is wearing this cool black maxi with obligatory hippy headband and long pendant. Also available in red, blue or purple.
Purchase at Gypsy O5 for $149





Organic Maxi Dress - Gypsy 05
Made in Hollywood, USA (solar powered factory)
Organic Cotton
The twisted straps, v-neck line and tantalising array of summer approved colours (lipstick red, plum, green and many more) have attracted the attention of stars such as Christina Aguilera, Hayden Panettiere, Lauren Conrad (wearing lipstick red maxi in image above) and Anna Kournikova (wearing plum above) who have all been spotted wearing this stylish yet comfortable dress.
Purchase at Gypsy 05 for $100
UK peeps can purchase at Bunny Hug for £73.40



Ombre Maxi Dress - Gypsy 05
Made in Hollywood, USA
Organic cotton
Ombre is still quite a big trend and actress, Kate Hudson (pictured above) proves just how great the charcoal maxi dress looks for a chic and casual day out. Also available in many other colours such as green, yellow and blue.
Purchase at Gypsy 05 for $119



Sky Blue Leah Halter Dress - Eco Chic
Handmade in Miami
Soy / Organic Cotton
It's not hard to see why this is currently Eco Chic's bestselling dress. I love the colour and gorgeous gathering of the halter neckline (very Grecian goddessy).
Purchase at Etsy (Eco Chic) for $115










Long Halter Dress - Stewart + Brown
Made in the USA
Organic cotton
This beautiful plum printed dress requires an immediate trip to Hawaii, Tahiti or anywhere exotic! Wear it shopping, strolling on the beach, sipping drinks by the pool or in your London flat while web surfing luxury hotels in the Pacific (also available in a black sand print).

Purchase at Adili for £150 or Stewart + Brown for $218

Vintage Halter Neck Maxi Dress - Love Miss Daisy
This pretty paisley print will stand out proudly next to other one toned maxi dresses and the fact it is 1970's vintage, adds a genuine infusion of hippy history!
Purchase at Love Miss Daisy for £22




Fuchsia Roxie Maxi Dress - Komodo
Made in Nepal (Made-By member)
Organic cotton voile
Komodo have been doing altruistic fashion deeds for a very long time, so you know you can always rely on them for some genuine eco-friendly wardrobe staples. This v-neck summer maxi dress is no exception and looks great in either the fuchsia or green shades!
Purchase at Bochica for £50




Vintage 1970s Tomato Red Maxi Dress - Love Miss Daisy
You can't go wrong with a sultry red dress. This vintage one is eye-catching for all the right reasons and features beautiful straps that have a 'braid of sparkle and pearlescent sequins'. Very nice!
Purchase at Love Miss Daisy for £35 (UK Size 16)




Vintage 70s Black and White Floral Maxi - Ramona West
A dressier version of the maxi dress that would look quite divine paired with chunky wedge heels. The black and white pattern creates a classic and sophisticated look (comes with matching adjustable belt and is fully lined).
Purchase at Etsy (Ramona West) for $55 (size S/M)

Technorati Tags: Maxi Dresses, Organic Dresses, Vintage Dresses, Gypsy 05, Stewart + Brown

6 Eco-Friendly Footwear Finds from Etsy

Organic Baby Boots (Portland)- Infusion
Handmade in Oregon
Organic cotton, hemp canvas + hemp / organic cotton fleece
I have not featured any organic baby / kids wear products on Green Lashes and Fashion before but as soon as I saw these 'too cute to be true' baby boots, I just had to include them in today's Etsy feature. These boots are also available in a Pink and Green style for girls (made from corduroy, vintage linen, hemp canvas, hemp / organic cotton fleece).
Purchase at Etsy (Infusion) for $34



Eco Toes - Infusion
Handmade in Oregon
Vintage Herringbone Wool with vintage linen weave cotton lining
The above baby booties may have made some adults a bit jealous and want to search for some similarly cute and cosy footwear of their own. Thankfully Infusion have created a lovely grey pair made from vintage fabrics with a hemp canvas sole and coconut shell buttons.
Purchase at Etsy (Infusion) for $45



Vintage Bubblegum Pink Shoes - Avant Anthologue
I think every girl should aim to have the perfect selection of ballet flats in her life (pairs in black, metallic, patterned and finally a pair in their favourite bright colour). Bright ballet flats are a great and affordable way to add a bit of fun and personality to any outfit.
Purchase at Etsy (Avantanthologue) for $24 (size 7 or 7.5)



Vintage Silver & Gold 1960s Pumps - By The Way
I love a little silver and the added gold in these shoes makes them even more dazzling! They look so 60s, so dainty and like most cool vintage finds, these shoes still look completely modern!
Purchase at Etsy (By The Way) for $20 (US Size 8)



Vintage Pink Vegan Flats - This Year's Model
I really thought I was a girl not overly fussed with pink things but the growing number of pretty pink eco products popping up on this site is proving otherwise! But seriously, how can you not fall for these pastel pink vegan flats? Worn with organic jeans and LBDs, they will look super sweet.
Purchase at Etsy (This Year's Model) for $18 (size 7)



Vintage Seafoam Flats - Scottie in a Canoe
These flats remind me a bit of Morocco with their shape and bejewelled turquoise and silver gems. I think the unusual bluey green would work well as a contrasting colour for any outfit and I also love how these vintage vegan flats inject some unique mystic into a green girl's shoe selection!
Purchase at Etsy (Scottie in a Canoe) for $25 (size 7)