shoes

October 18, 2012

Thrifting Haul: Goodwill & Consignment

My biggest problem with thrifting? I am tempted to buy SO much! No matter where I shop, I always manage to find at least a couple of things that would work well in my closet. This time, I shopped at Goodwill and Alexis Suitcase, and I wasn’t disappointed.

What I Found:

INC lace shirt (new with tags): $3.95
NY & Co. sheer button-down: $3.95
J. Jill 100% silk button-down: $3.95
Handmade skirt: $4.95
Nordstrom blazer: $8.95
Cabin Creek “wrinkle-free” men’s shirt: $4.95
BCBG heels: $5.95
BCBG flats: $30 (and totally worth it!)
Elle long cardigan: $10

Most of the items were found at Goodwill — hence the rock-bottom prices. The higher priced items were found at my favorite consignment store, Alexis Suitcase. I don’t mind paying a little more for high-quality items, and the quality at consignment stores will almost always be better than thrift stores because they are more selective about what they sell. On the flip side, though, this means that you’ll generally get a good return when you consign items with them.

With fall in full swing and winter quickly approaching, it didn’t take long for me to realize just how ill-prepared I was. The few cold weather pieces I owned were too big, so this shopping trip was very much focused on warmer items, or at least stuff I could layer. This cardigan will be great for days when there’s just a little chill in the air.

I’ve really been loving menswear-inspired looks lately, and I can easily envision this men’s button-down shirt from Cabin Creek tucked into some high-waisted jeans with pointed-toe boots.

This blue blazer from Nordstrom called to me from a few aisles over as soon as I spotted the color. It is just slightly snug around the arms, but it’s a size 12, and I have every intention of fitting into it beautifully within a few months. My Cinchspiration weight loss journey has already brought me from a size 20 to a 16 (and I’m more than 30 lbs. lighter!), so I’m confident I’ll keep moving in the right direction.

I showed my husband this handmade maxi skirt on the rack, and he looked at me like I was insane. To be fair, I’ve never worn anything like this in my life, and it looks much more like something my pattern-loving mother would wear. But then I tried it with a red sweater that fit like a glove, and I fell in love with it. I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to wear it

This crinkly silk top from J. Jill will be a part of my wardrobe for a long time to come. I can use it to dress up jeans, with slacks, tucked into a pencil skirt or about a dozen other ways.

Another look I’ve been liking, but not quite daring enough to wear (yet!) is a sheer top with a bra showing through. Not everyone does this well, and my goal is to do it in a way that doesn’t look trashy. This top is a dark enough color that I’d be able to get away with a black bra without looking like I’m half naked.

I’ve really been wanting something made of lace, and this INC top definitely fits the bill. The pale pink color is more feminine that I’d normally go for, but it’s lace, so that point is sort of moot, isn’t it? Lol! The top is also a 2x (I’m in an XL or a 1X at the moment) so it fits really loosely. However, I plan to wear it with a belt, so the looser fit just means I’ll get the tunic effect I want.

And finally, the shoes. I found not one, but two pairs of BCBG shoes on the same day, from two different places. The brown pumps on the right obviously win on price, because I found them at Goodwill. And coincidentally, I saw the exact same shoe, in black, at the consignment store later that day. But the flats on the left win on style. Take a look:

The black patent leather is great for winter and for dressing up an outfit, and the ankle straps and back of the shoes feature both silver AND gold, so I can wear them with bling in either finish. Love!

I think I scored pretty well this time. What did you find on your last thrifting trip? Feel free to share links to your hauls in the comments!

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April 22, 2011

Fashion Friday: Earth Day Casual with Timberland Earthkeepers

Today is Earth Day, and among the myriad ways that exist to commemorate the day, one of my biggest goals is to prove to people that sustainability can be incorporated into everyday life painlessly. In other words, it is a great idea to plant a tree or clean up a beach or roadside today, but keep that enthusiasm in mind every day.

Even when you’re shopping for clothes, you can make a conscious decision to support green design — and do so without being relegated to frumpy, boring clothes. Take the Timberland Earthkeepers collection, for example. I was already supremely impressed by their winter boot collection, and I LOVE the two pairs I own. But when I found out they’d released a new spring collection, I was over the moon. In addition to the boots I already love, they’ve added strappy sandals, cute flats and even clothes and accessories to the collection!

Believe it or not, this entire outfit, with the exception of the sunglasses, comes from Timberland.

Sources:

Women’s Earthkeepers® Sleeveless Shawl Neck Sweater, $65. Made of a bamboo/organic cotton blend.
Women’s Earthkeepers® Organic Denim Jean, $69.50. Made of 100% organic cotton.
Earthkeepers™ Beach Cruiser Shopping Bag, $135. Made of 10% leather, 90% organic cotton striped canvas with an 100% organic cotton lining.
Women’s Earthkeepers® Belicia Ankle Strap Sandal, $100. Made of leather tanned in a facility rated Silver for improved energy, water and waste management and a Green Rubber™ outsole made with 42% recycled rubber.
Rawa Bamboo Sunglasses by KAYU, $126 (on sale from $180 for Earth Week)

And this is just a small selection of what they have to offer. I love their cute t-shirts, stylish linen skirt and flats (because as much as I love looking at heels, I hate walking and standing in them for too long).

Check out the rest of the collection.

Disclosure: Timberland is providing me with a pair of shoes from the Earthkeepers collection. As of press time, I had not received them, but this is one way to dress them up. As usual, all opinions are my own.

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September 1, 2009

When Simple Shoes Go on Sale, I Take Notice

While it’s getting easier and easier to find organic cotton t-shirts or restyled vintage clothing, when it comes to shoes, sustainability can be hard to achieve. We can go for vegan looks, but those are usually made with toxic leather substitutes like vinyl. Simple Shoes is one of very few companies I can buy from without wondering what their shoes are made of and what their environmental record looks like.

So when Simple has a huge sale like this one, with some items as low as $4.90, I jump at the chance to buy the necessities.

Particular for my daughter, whose feet grow like weeds, I can’t really wrap my mind around paying a premium for shoes that probably won’t fit her in a few months. With clearance like this, I don’t have to sacrifice my green values just to save some money. The kids’ GT Janie in Nile green is on sale for just $8.90. And as you might imagine, my daughter does have some green in her closet (thanks to my love for Earth-themed t-shirts).

For myself, I’ve been looking for a pair of stylish, but comfortable red flats that can be dressed up or down. So I consider myself extremely lucky to have found the women’s Entire-Silk flats for just $14.90, on sale from $55. The peep toe makes this shoe cute enough to wear with a business casual outfit.

There are some affordable options for men too, so for less than $50, I can outfit the entire family with eco-friendly shoes I can feel good about buying. There’s even an eco-friendly laptop sleeve for just $4.90. Sounds like a great deal to me. I’m getting one for my HP DV2.

Why It’s Green:

Simple Shoes are made with sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled rubber, hemp, recycled PET plastic bottles, wool, coconut husks and 100% post consumer paper pulp
Packaged in post-consumer recycled boxes or sustainable jute bags

Price: $4.90-69.90 on sale (majority cost $19.90 or less). Search for the word “sale” (aff)

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August 21, 2009

Just Give Me a Mohop: One Shoe You Wear Infinite Ways

I may not be a fan of shopping for clothes these days, but shoe shopping is second only to buying a new purse. I know, I know. Overconsumerism. I need to stop it. But I will definitely make an exception for a pair of Mohop shoes. Not because I want them so badly (though that is definitely a part of it), but because with one pair, you literally gain infinite styling possibilities.

Mohop creator Annie Mohaupt makes the wooden shoe bases by hand in her Chicago studio. She uses sustainably-harvested wooden cores, topped with select veneers, and the rubber soles are made of recycled tires. All these parts are pressed together on molds that she designs herself. And since I first discovered Mohop late last year, Annie has added a new treat: she now screenprints her own original graphics onto the bed of each of the shoes.

So how do you wind up with infinite styles from a shoe with such simple beginnings? Well, first you select a base: either low-, mid- or high-heel, in one of three colors. You can even select a square, round or pointy toe shape. And each pair of Mohop shoes comes with 5 sets of ribbons. This is where the magic happens. With a little creativity, you can literally make a shoe that looks any way you want in any color you want, just by switching out the ribbons.

Don’t believe me? All the beauties shown above are Mohop shoe bases styled in different ways. And you can see many, many more possibilities in Mohop’s photo gallery. I’m breathless! And I want a pair. Like now.

They are admittedly a bit pricey, though realistically, they only cost a fraction of what traditional (read: not green) designer shoes cost. When you can wear one pair of shoes this many ways, and you know that they are handmade in the U.S. by an environmentally conscious artisan, they are more than worth the price. Given the current 6-8 week waiting list for shipment, I’d say that lots of other women agree with me.

If you don’t want to wait, you can also shop the Mohop Etsy shop for some ready-made styles. And I believe I know where my next $150 will be spent.

Why It’s Green:

Handmade in Chicago, IL
Wood is sourced from sustainably-managed forests in the U.S.
Soles made from recycled rubber

Price: $136-148; prices start at $90 for ready-made pairs on Etsy

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August 2, 2009

So Sue Me: I Love Zoe & Zac

There has been lots of talk in the green community about zoe & zac, better known as Payless’ new line of eco-friendly shoes and accessories. Some greenies have said that the styles were average at best, and that they weren’t at all impressed by the selection. Some have said it doesn’t matter if Payless makes one eco-friendly line, since most of their other shoes are made from plastic or other petrochemicals. The treehugger in me slightly agrees with the last point, but here’s why I disagree overall.

1. Eco-friendly products are being exposed to consumers who never may have considered buying green

As far as I’m concerned, it’s always a good thing when big box or chain stores add more green products to their shelves. Sure, they may only be doing it so they can claim to be “green” even when the vast majority of the other products they sell are still toxic, but that’s not really the point I’m trying to make. If a consumer walks into a store like Payless looking for a cute pair of shoes, I’m just happy that they may walk out of there with a green product, even if they do so by accident. Once they read the zoe & zac shoe box (which is 100% recycled, by the way), they will get an education about why the product was made the way it was made. And maybe, just maybe, next time they’ll actually walk into a store looking for something green. Even better, maybe they’ll choose not to walk in a store at all and learn to live with less.

2. They may not be high fashion, but they certainly are cute

Simply put, you can’t please everyone. But Payless did an admirable job of trying to create styles that would appeal to a wide segment of the population. And considering the fact that these styles were meant to be made for women AND little girls, they didn’t do a bad job. I’m not in love with all of the designs, but there is enough variety that I can find a pair or two of everyday shoes. The selection I’ve shown above is pretty representative of what the zoe & zac line has to offer.

3. They are truly green and well-made

These aren’t your typical Payless shoes. Because let’s be honest — you don’t expect a pair of shoes from Payless to last a long time. But I have a pair of the flats, and let me tell you — they are well made. The stitching is tight and precise, the recycled rubber soles are thick and sturdy and the organic cotton canvas is some hardy material. I’m making no claims about how long they would last with everyday use, but if you take good care of them (like you should all your shoes), I’d be willing to bet you’d get at least a couple of years of out of them. And if you know anything about model/designer Summer Rayne Oakes, you’ll know she’s the real deal. You’ll know that she would never represent a brand if they weren’t eco-friendly and socially responsible. From the organic cotton uppers to jute-wrapped wedge heels and recycled rubber outsoles, it’s obvious why they passed her high standards.

4. Last but not least, affordable = accessible

In theory, I have no problem at all paying $300 for a pair of eco-friendly shoes that will last me forever, especially given that my shoe size will likely remain unchanged for the rest of my life (unless, of course, I get pregnant again and my feet gain another half size). But when you’re shopping on a budget or for a child who will outgrow shoes in a heartbeat, that type of investment isn’t feasible. And for some people, it is just straight up out of reach. Not gonna happen. In a million years. So why not make eco-friendly shoes and accessories, all under $30, and put them on the shelves of a store where those people are likely to shop anyway? Sounds like a good way to make sustainability accessible to the masses.

Now if I could just find out where these shoes are made, I’d be happy. Because let me tell you Payless, if they are made in China or somewhere else overseas when there are perfectly good factories right here in the U.S., you’ll lose some points in my book.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Payless isn’t paying me to say this (although I am a Payless affiliate). I just really believe in the power of making green products available to everyone. The way I see it, that’s the way we’re going to really begin changing the world.

Why It’s Green:

Made with sustainable materials, including organic cotton canvas, hemp, jute, linen, EVA (non-PVC) foam beds, recycled rubber soles and water-based glues
Packaged in shoe boxes made of recycled paperboard with minimal printing with soy-based inks
For each item sold, Payless will contribute $1 to The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Campaign

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