Fighting Fashionista

Forever 21 has two organic cotton T-shirts, and they’re cheap! $15. Compare that to Loomstate’s $55 T-shirts (which, I hate to say it, are not as soft as F21’s). F21 says their (really cute, check out the cheetah one too) T’s were “inspired by the Planet Earth television series,” (which rocked, did you see those wild dogs work that crazy formation? and that shark just mow on that poor seal? What a showboat, right? He couldn’t just eat the poor thing, he had to launch himself completely out of the water and down it in one mouthful!) so points for F21 even though their sales people are not helpful and shopping there makes me feel like I should report directly to Leisure World.

It’s awesome that so many online shops are featuring “eco-chic” boutiques. But why do they have to put those ridiculous headbands on the models? All the kids at SXSW were wearing those things. Maybe I’m just getting old but they make me think of dressing up for Halloween as Sacagawea.

According to this article, headband sales at Goody increased 52 percent in 2006. Let’s hope that means the trend is on its way out!

The Budget Fashionista did a poll last week to find out whether her readers had purchased “Green/Eco-friendly fashion.” The results say that 48 percent have, but 51 percent think it’s “too granola.” I’m not that surprised by the results, but I am surprised by the granola categorization. I think most fashionistas these days know that most eco-fashion is no longer made of burlap-like materials, but gorgeous, soft fabrics like bamboo and tencel (although arguments exist about how “eco” these fabrics really are. let’s face it, fashion is by definition not a very earth-friendly pursuit). And there’s plenty of evidence out there that modern eco-style is anything but hippie-dippy. Case in point here is Lara Miller’s bamboo “silvia blouse,” made of bamboo and available at Style Scene.

Steve & Barry’s, the insanely inexpensive ($9 dresses) retail chain that sells Jessica Parker’s line, demands ethical practices from its subcontractors, according to a New York Times story published yesterday. How is it possible that a $9 dresses were not made in a sweatshop by 11-year-olds in Bangladesh? The article quoted the owners of the billion-dollar company, Steve Shore and Barry Prevor as well as “chief partnership officer,” who it seems would be responsible if Barry and Steve found themselves in a Kathy Lee Gifford-style debacle. Prevor said the key is the razor-thin profit margins.

No eco lines yet, but it can only be a matter of time. And my excuse for not previously knowing anything about Steve & Barry’s was that they don’t have a story in San Francisco. But, alas, they do indeed.

I have so many happy things to blog about I didn’t know where to start. So here’s an arbitrary item: eco-conscious designer Rogan Gregory is creating a line for Target! He heads up Edun, Loomstate and Rogan. An inexpensive eco-line answers my complaint that eco-friendly clothing is too damn expensive. The clothes will cost between $15 and $45. Nice. Here’s hoping the clothes are too. These shorts will come no where near my body. But I heart the sweatshirt and all tops with off-shoulder potential.

If you’re lucky enough to be in NYC May 9-11 or in L.A. May 16-19, you can check out the line at Barneys. A press release says: “This event marks the first time a mega American retail powerhouse will clear merchandise on their floor to feature a collection from an affordable mass retailer.” Well, hot damn! The line will be available at Target starting May 18 in honor of my birthday, natch. I’ll be in Paris celebrating and doing Pilates, but when I return it’s straight from Charles de Gaulle to Tar-zhay, which is somehow appropriate.