I'm not much of a sentimentalist so things like "karma" or "it was meant to be" don't usually send me leaping to conclusions about my destiny, whether it be whom to date or what to buy. I also have a very discerning eye when it comes to jewelry. That being said, this dainty and sweet … Continue reading Leaving the Nest: Non-Profit Jewelry Takes Flight
One of the hottest fashion trends this spring is the so-called tunic. Unfortunately, when I hear that word my eyes roll back in my head and all I can visualize is the floral muumuu my mom wore on our trip to Hawaii in 1973. Despite that, I decided I wouldn't sleep until I found at … Continue reading Don’t Let the Muumuus Get You Down
Everyone loves a good story. In fact, I'm a sucker for one. As a young girl, I'd squeeze in next to my dad and the huge armrest of his brown and orange plaid recliner (yes, it was the 70s) in eager anticipation of the next chapter of "Alice in Wonderland". An hour later, he'd peel … Continue reading What’s the Story?
Don't cancel your next appointment at the nail salon just yet. Your squeaky clean eco-conscience and your pretty, polished nails need not be mutually exclusive. I'll admit that my concern about the toxicity of nail polish and remover didn't arise until well into my green-conscious years. I don't have a good explanation for this, other … Continue reading Pretty, Polished and Green?
I'm going out on a limb and broaching a subject most women (who have brothers or sons or boyfriends or husbands) would prefer not to touch with a 10 foot pole. Literally. The subject: stinky athletic socks. If you haven't been exposed to the inside of a gym bag or entered your son's room and … Continue reading The Sock Problem
Depending on where you live, there's at least a month of winter remaining, which translates to 30-plus tights-wearing days to go before it's time to bring out the organic self-tanner and bare your pretty legs. Until then, keep them warm with a pair of these organic bamboo tights by Sternlein. My classic Wolfords are finally … Continue reading Walk Out of Winter in Organic Tights
There is eco-friendly fashion, and there is eco-friendly fashion. The first you might classify as newly crafted out of organic and/or recycled materials with a conscious attempt to have very little, if any, effect on the environment. The second is the re-used variety - purchased from second-hand shops or your grandmother's closet. I entered a … Continue reading Say Yes to Seconds
Luxurious, soft, refined, sophisticated. What could be better than cashmere? At one time my answer would have been an emphatic "absolutely nothing!" That was before I knew about Deborah Lindquist, one of LA's most adored and eco-conscious designers. Her passion for the environment combined with a cutting-edge fashion sense has made her a forerunner on … Continue reading The Best Made Better
It's not uncommon for me to have a week old collection of receipts living in the bottom of my handbag - from the ATM, Starbucks, my local pharmacy and dry cleaners. Just the other day as I dug through the overflow in search of my ringing cell phone, it occurred to me that I could … Continue reading Fashionably Paperless
As eco-conscious shoppers, we've been bypassing the plastic or paper option for a while now. Most grocery stores even have their own brand of reusable bag for sale at the check-out line. It's not as if we're without options. But doesn't it appear that every week a different celebrity is spotted with the new "it" … Continue reading Style Is Always in Fashion
One of my favorite Christmas memories is of unwrapping gifts and watching my Grandpa stick the used bows all over his balding head. And when he ran out of territory uptown, he'd start sticking the bows to his limbs, all the way down to his feet. We grandkids adored him for this - we'd laugh … Continue reading The Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Rebag
It may be the one and only, undisputed, all-women-unite fact that I'm aware of - that when the men in our lives wear pants we'd prefer they wear them well. My extensive research* in the pant department has revealed that there's nothing better than a really worn, really comfortable pair of pants that fit properly. … Continue reading Let Him Wear the Pants, and He’ll Wear Them Well
You don't have to live in Seattle to know that a good umbrella is hard to find. In fact, of the more than 33 million sold in the U.S. every year, hundreds of thousands end up broken, abandoned and in a landfill somewhere. I've often wondered, as my own ragged umbrella turned inside-out carrying me … Continue reading Undercover
Kim Derby 