The Hiatus is Over...and this Tunic is FABULOUS!

Well hello again! First and foremost, I must apologize for the extended hiatus. What was originally intended to be a three- or four-day break from blogging turned into a lengthy vacation. I realized that I had lost a bit of the passion I once had for blogging and I needed to focus on some other things in my life. For the past month or so, I have debated coming back to the blog because I used to love it so but I didn't want to have to take another long break. After much contemplation, I realized that there are so many great eco-preppy products out there that the preppy blogging community deserves to know about, and I am honored to be able to share them all with you!!!

Things in our corner of the world are going really well. We are all adjusted to our new home in Nashville and the city has been wonderful! Work is great and things just keep getting better and better. Additionally, I am tweeting these days...a lot. It has become a fun little break for me a few times each day and I love the challenge of communicating in 140 characters or less. If the spirit so moves you, feel free to follow me! My name is ajdelaune.

As my first post back, I want to share with you this adorable tunic from Mountains of the Moon. The Edie Dress is perfect for spring and comes in black and cream, as well as maroon and black.


The dress is on sale right now for $48 and you can get it here.

Mountains of the Moon also has their Coco dress on sale right now. The dress is reminiscent of a Roman Holiday Audrey Hepburn and I have fallen madly in love with it!

You can pick up this classic little number here.

And so, with that, I am back. The posts may not be as frequent as they once were, but they will be regular, I can assure you. Here's hoping you all have a most fabulous day!!!!

A Classic Goes Organic

I am back from all that has been crazy in life! I think I've recovered from working during CMA Fest. I spent most of my time running here and there with the artists I was working with and found myself with limited time to check email and no time to sit and blog. But now, I am back to a more routine schedule and will be posting more frequently.

It's offically hot enough to officially be summer weather and a long-time summer favorite has gone organic. The classic boat tote comes in a new eco-friendly organic cotton but still has the same timeless style we all know and love! The tote is a steal at $15.00


Get it here.

In Praise of Billy Reid

In a world full of green ideas and suggestions, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to tell what is realistic and what is greenwashing. Through all of the waves of eco-information, one thing holds true...buying quality IS buying green. If you buy quality (whether or not it's made of eco materials), you cut down on your need to purchase in the future which cuts down on resources used which cuts down on emissions which...well, you get the picture.

Billy Reid is quality. I finally got the chance to mosey on over to the Nashville store in the Hill Center and I was blown away. Immediately, I was greeted by friendly smiling faces and an aesthetic that made me want to take up residence in the store. Comfortable seating works seamlessly among the racks of classic clothing. In fact, it's almost enough to make you forget you're in a clothing store and instead make you feel like you're at a gathering in a classically styled home with friends. Drinks are served in real glassware with a vintage napkin and store patrons are invited to sit and chat for a while. Each piece in the Billy Reid collection is well thought out and built to withstand the changing tides of fashion. The pieces are certainly worth the investment!


If I had known then what I know now, a six-year-old me would have said, "When I grow up, I want to live in a Billy Reid store."

Sunday's Finest

Whether it's Sunday morning in church, Tuesday evening at dinner, a Friday night date or Saturday brunch, every one of us has a need for attire that can only be categorized as "Sunday's Finest" and, much to my delight, more and more designers are getting in on the eco game. Take for example, this adorable dress from Kate:


This organic cotton frock would be precious alone or paired with a cardigan for so many different occasions. And guys, don't think the designers have forgotten about you! Luxury tie designer and Harvard student Baruch Shemtov will soon be launching a line of organic neckties in lots of fun colors and patterns!

The Making of the Boat & Tote

This is quite possibly the greatest bag in the world!

If you've ever wondered how the Bean Boat & Tote was made, be sure to check out a cool video of the making of the bags over at All Plaidout. View the post here.

Loomstate Comes to Target

Perennial eco-favorite Loomstate has just made its products more affordable and more accessible. The Loomstate for Target collection is available here and at Target stores nationwide.

Thanks to LB for such a fabulous discovery!!!

A Tale of a LBD

Twelve years ago, when I was in high school, I was a bridesmaid in the winter wedding of my cousin. The dress was a fabulous black floor-length number with a short black jacket atop it. The ensemble was lovely, but I had no idea what I would do with it post-wedding. It was so fantastic that, even though I had nowhere to wear it, it sat in the back of my closet for four years. Then, when I joined a sorority in college, I needed a black shift dress for preference round. Enter the bridesmaids dress. Our family tailor is amazing and with a few snips and trims, the fabulous floor-length evening gown had become a knee-skimming shift. In the last eight years, it has been worn with cardigans of all colors and sans cardigan as well. But always, I repeat always, with pearls (Wouldn't want to let Mama down, now would we?). The dress has seen parties, funerals, dinners, benefits and, most recently, a memorial service. I was honored by a request to do a reading at the service and I accepted, but immediately became riddled with nerves. When the big day rolled around, the dress that had been through so much with me was suddenly calming. So thanks to the dress, and almost an hour of pre-service rehearsal with V who made sure I could get through it without falling apart, I did. And so did the dress.

But there is an eco-spin to all of this. Instead of buying something new, look into your closet and see what can be modified to meet your needs. You never know...your new little black shift dress may be disguised as a formal gown.

Eco-llegiate

University-branded apparel has now entered the green scene!

School House is the brainchild of Rachel Weeks, a graduate of Duke University who wanted to bring ethically-sourced collegiate apparel to the world. She's already introduced Duke apparel and garb branded with other schools' logos is following quickly. As if fun new apparel designed wasn't enough, the factory workers who produce School House earn 2-3 times more than what factory workers down the road earn. Being planet-friendly isn't always about being organic or chemical free. Basic care and concern for our fellow man is also eco-friendly!

Check out the School House blog here.

The Boat Shoe Goes Eco

Finally, someone has created an eco-friendly boat shoe! Timberland's new Earthkeepers Classic 2-Eye Boat Shoe stands firmly on a recycled rubber sole. The boat shoe comes in two classic colors and claim to keep your feet comfy out on the water (or bopping around town) all day. Sadly, the shoe is currently only available for men but hopefully a version for women is in the works!
Earthkeepers boat shoes...Good for the planet, good for your sole.

Cole Haan Goes Eco

Since I started writing this blog, my friends have been like birddogs searching for green products. Rarely a day goes by without two or three emails or calls from friends who have found green goodies. Today, my super stylish friend ML found this fabulous Cole Haan tote made of sustainable materials.

The eco-friendly tote is made from natural recycled fabric with vegetable tanned leather and chrome-free leather trim. The tote is created from bionic yarn containing 30-60% fibers made from recycled plastic beverage bottles. Each tote reuses ten bottles worth of recycled plastic bottles. Get it here. Thanks, ML!!!

Organic Madras

I get really excited when I find old favorites created in eco-friendly fabrics. I just discovered these madras pieces and wanted to pass them along.
The Raquel Skirt:

The Puerto Shorts:

Both pieces are made from 100% organic cotton. The most comfortable fabric just got even more comfy!

Free Shipping from Three Chickadees

When I travel, there are a few things I always take along. Without fail, my travel bag will contain Evan Healy moisturizer, the most recent issue of Real Simple (unless I've already read it too many times) and my Three Chickadees belt in Fantastical Paisley print. The belt is so versatile, it matches just about everything. If you've not yet seen the Three Chickadees site, head over now and give it a look!

Three Chickadees is offering free shipping through Saturday, March 21. Sign up for their mailing list and you'll get all the promotional codes sent right to your inbox!

Sale on Sailcloth

VivaTerra just put their sailcloth bags (in messenger and tote styles) on sale! And let's be real, who doesn't love a sale????

Branch-ing Out

Though the organic cotton bar towels I love are no longer available from Branch Handmade, there are some other great things in the fun little Etsy store.

The nautical prints are available on an assortment of clothing and textile items, like this tshirt:

Branch Handmade also has great hand-printed pillowcases in nautical and equestrian designs:


What a great way to add some handmade character to your home or your closet!

Welcome Back Gant!

I have a love-hate relationship with my mailbox. First of all, it is far too small. Nothing larger than 4 inches wide will fit in the box. Secondly, it is far too deep. Things get lost in the bottom of the box (which opens from the top) causing an assortment of problems. In spite of the trials and tribulations of mail retrieval in my building, I do love getting the mail every day. Today, I successfully pulled all of the mail out of the tiny box without my arm getting stuck. The challenge was certainly worth the reward when I realized that Gant Magazine arrived today! Part catalog, part magazine, Gant Magazine is aesthetically pleasing from beginning to end. Get your own today at the Gant website! If you're the type that looks once and throws magazines and catalogs out, the site offers two planet-friendly options. You can download the magazine to your computer or you can look at it on the website.

Gant, the all-American clothing company (based out of Sweden, oddly enough), was on hiatus for a while, but the classic brand is back and in a big way!

The Spring/Summer collection has plenty of old favorites and some new additions. To boot, Gant is debuting a line of organic bedding! Three cheers for old favorites!!!

Inching Towards Spring

Spring is by far my favorite season and it is right around the corner! It's time to grab some eco-friendly spring staples. Swing by your local secondhand shoppe, participate in a springtime clothing swap with friends, or pickup some seasonal goodies in planet-friendly fabrics.

For the ladies:

Velvet's Hanazia Dress (note: the dress is not made of velvet, but by a company called Velvet) is the perfect day-to-night dress that will get you from work to evening activities.

Pair it with some Bonannos and an eco-friendly tote and you're ready to go!

And for the gents:

Try on Loomstate's organic cotton chino shorts.

And what says "Welcome to spring" more than a white button up oxford in comfortable hemp and cotton?

Roll up the sleeves, toss on a cap or some sunglasses, and you're ready for a barbecue!

Skirting the Issue

For a long while, it seemed as though eco-fashion came in only two varieties: trendy and casual. Now, more and more companies are coming out with classic pieces. Take for instance Sublet's Beylah pencil skirt.

This would be a great piece for work. Pair it with a button up and a pair of classic black heels and you're good to go!

In the Trenches

VivaTerra's Organic Cotton Hooded Trench is on sale right now. It comes in two practical colors and the bracelet-length sleeves are adorable! This would be a great right-now coat for the folks living in warmer climates or save-it-for-spring coat for those of us experiencing more frigid temperatures!

Denim Therapy

Let's face it, sometimes you fall in love with a pair of jeans the way you fall in love with a puppy. You love them, you wear them as soon as they come out of the laundry, they become almost part of you. Trust me, I know, it happened to me. I bought a pair of jeans when I was a sophomore in college that still, to this day, hold a special place in my heart. They weren't flashy, they weren't designer, but they were comfortable. Basic bootcut jeans. I wore them frequently with everything from tshirts to polos to oxfords to dressy tops. And then the inevitable happened. They became holey jeans. But not in the cool holey places, not on the knee or by the pockets or anywhere on the leg. They did not become rockstar jeans. They became holey in a region where even the mention would make my grandmother would blush. I was devastated. Something inside me told me to hang on to them so I put them in the back of the drawer, all the while hoping for a miracle to come about, a miracle that would allow jeans to be magically repaired.

Meet the miracle!

Denim Therapy Denim Repair

Here's their process:

We have reunited thousands with their favorite jeans and we know we can help you too. Its simple:

1. sign up for denim therapy (its free!)
2. ship us your jeans
3. we'll give you an estimate
4. we apply therapy (only if you still want us to)
5. you are back in your favorite jeans

The proof is in the pudding. Here's the before:

And the after:

Now you can hang on to your favorite jeans for a while longer!

The Polo Goes Eco

Patagonia's Polo Shirt for men is made from organic cotton and garnered outstanding reviews, both from customers and from Evo. The shirt comes in a plethora of colors and prices range from $30 (for discontinued colors) to $55.


So fellas, if one of your resolutions was to go green this year, here's a great way to start!