Fighting Fashionista

If you’re in the San Francisco area, you must check out the Goldenbleu sale tonight. I went to the last one, and that’s why I’m grounded from going to this one. Goldenbleu’s shoes and bags aren’t eco, unfortunately, but they are damn gorgeous, and you’re guaranteed to have a new favorite item that has longevity. And buying things that you’ll love and want to keep for a long time, rather than thinking of clothing as disposable, is earth-loving behavior, n’est-ce pas? This has been your public service shopping rationalization for July 30, 2008, thank you!

This is who I want to be when I’m of a certain age. Iris Apfel, “geriatric starlet and founder of Old World Weavers” is badass. The necklace. The glasses. She’s rocking that cane like nobody’s business. Apfel is 86, and she’s on Vanity Fair’s 2008 international best dressed list in its 69th year running, which was released Tuesday. Quotable quote when asked what fashion item she cannot live without: “Do you have a favorite child?” Let’s assume the fur is faux, shall we?

Another favorite is Carine Roitfeld, French Vogue’s editor in chief. She was already one of my favorite style icons, but I love her all the more now that I know her style icon is Christopher Walken.

After perusing the Nimli site, I had to show you these awesome clutches from Mad Imports (top) and Raw Bags. So much cuteness. And they’re made of natural, fairly traded, recycled and handmade materials. Picture yourself a la plage in your maxi dress, accessorized by a little handful of love. To complete your tropical vision: Begooddesigns recycled leather flat woven and petal sandals.

A representative from Pamplemosses, a label that makes adorable bamboo T-shirts, pointed me to Nimli.com, where some of their fall line is previewed. Love the hoodie! I want it in Turquoise. Would be cute to wear while teaching Pilates if I ever manage to complete my certification. Great undies too. The graphic on this turquoise tee is also gorgeous — I love to see a lion and a birdie resting peacefully under a tree. The hand-drawn artwork on all of their garments is silkscreened using low-impact waterbased dye. Can’t decide if I prefer the turquoise or the black. All of the above should be available around August 10.

I just found this adorable bamboo top by Pamplemosses on StyleHive. I would, of course, wear it with pants. But I love the swooping back and the pattern around the bottom. Plus, pamplemousse is my favorite foreign word, and the brand is a cute play on the Frenchy word for grapefruit. I also love the off-the-shoulder tee — I love an exposed shoulder — on their site (see below). The brand doesn’t have a ton of outlets (you can buy this shirt here on sale for $66), but when I emailed their info

address about where to buy their garments, they promptly returned a very nice email saying they could ship whatever I wanted directly to me, and even send me pics of their new Fall line, which isn’t on the site yet (I’ll post them when I get them!)