Well! If you’re interested in the idea of slow fashion and sustainability (and in Vancouver, BC), there’s a great workshop coming up on April 16th!

Dahlia Drive

Dahlia Drive gathers discarded women’s slips, dresses and men’s shirts and reworks them with colour, images and textures to create one of a kind fashion for the unique individual.

Each found piece is considered on its own merit: type of fabric, pre-existing stains or tears, how it responds to dye. Depending on these qualities, the piece may be buried in the garden with rusty things to over-stain previous stains or patched with pieces of fabric to strengthen a tear. Then each piece is dyed and screen printed with an image of bones, plants, animals, grid textures and/or lace patterns to produce another layer of history to the garment.

Ultimately, Dahlia Drive creates a sculptural piece which is only fully realized on the body of its new owner.

Available in Vancouver at:

Planet Claire

51 Powell St
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6A 1E9

www.planetclaire.com

Tutta Mia
1302 Victoria Drive
Vancouver, BC
604-255-8407

www.tutta-mia.com

Starfire Gallery

6607 Royal Avenue
Horseshoe Bay
West Vancouver, BC
V7W 2B8

P: 604.922.5510

www.starfireattheferries.com

Urbanity

2412 South Granville

Vancouver BC, V6H 3G6

www.urbanity.ca

Online: Dahlia Drive Custom eStore

Adhesif

Adhesif is a Vancouver based clothing company that produces memorable “one of a kind” creations using new and vintage materials. Every design is a well thought out process combining quirky detailing with broad color palettes. The end result is a line of eclectic “Eco Chic” designs that make you feel good and look great!

Click “Shops” for retailer list – http://adhesifclothing.com/

Lilikoi

The word “lilikoi” means passion fruit in Hawaii. To designer Barbara Boswell “lilikoi” means just that : the fruit of her passion. Barbara learned to sew and embroider as a child, and has carried the love of these traditions with her all her life. She studied design at KSA in Nelson , BC graduating in 2003. She also studied at the university of Hawaii at Manoa, a place whose beauty still seems to seep into her work. It was there that she began to conceive of Lilikoi, a clothing line that would bring the abundant beauty of the world around us into the world of fashion.

The Lilikoi line has a strong emphasis on hand printed cloth. Each print is an original drawing transferred to a silk screen for the purpose of production. The individual prints are used for a limited production run thus ensuring the beauty and uniqueness of each piece. Each Lilikoi garment design has been hand drafted and hand graded in the Lilikoi studio by actual human hands!

Lilikoi believes strongly in a hand-made revolution and in the pleasure of creating and owning well made, beautiful, Canadian fashion.

Lilikoi is striving for a sustainable future and we have brought this commitment to the environment into our design work. All Lilikoi clothing and accessories are made from sustainable fabrics such as bamboo, soy and organic cotton.

Signing up for the service takes you to a quiz where you choose your preference between different shoes, celebrities, and runway styles. Some of the choices seem a little arbitrary (a few times I was choosing between two styles and hated both). After the quiz is completed, a “showroom” is created for you featuring shoes based on your style choices.

All of the shoes listed are $39.95: which, with shipping, comes to about $50 Canadian. There are also purses and costume jewellery. The site also offers “dazzledeals”, which are limited-quantity deals offered in a small period of time. Some of the deals are pretty lame (a set of makeup bags for $50? No thanks.) but also a few good ones including a ceramic flatiron and set of gym clothes.

The one slightly sneaky part of the service l is that you need to cancel your order during the first few days of the month or your credit card is automatically charged. This wasn’t a huge issue for me since I’m onlibe every day, but I could see it being a disaster if you forget for 6 months and end up with a $300 charge. The credits can be carried over to future months or used on dazzledeals.

In terms of the shoes, my “showroom” selections have been very hit-and-miss. Some months I find two or three styles I love, but sometimes I don’t like anything. The option to be provided with new styles is available, and a fresh batch of shoes is ready in under 24 hours.

So far out of four months, I’ve ordered two pairs of shoes and canceled two months. The quality of the shoes has been surprisingly good: the materials are man-made but durable, and the shoes are reasonably comfortable.

In summary:

-The heels tend to be pretty high. It’s hard to tell from the photos, so be sure that you check the specs before ordering. A 5-inch heel looks cute in photos, but can be scary once you’re up there.

-You need to go onto the site early in the month, every month. If you don’t want to order, you only have a few days to cancel before your card is charged.

-The quality isn’t *amazing*. The shoes hold up well for indoors and going out, but taking them outdoors too often (especially in Canadian winters) could cause a lot of damage quickly.

-The site can be very slow and laggy at times. I’ve waited up 10 minutes for a page to load.

-There isn’t a way to specify what types of shoes you want (or don’t want) to see. For example, I prefer black and rarely wear peeptoes, but there isn’t the option to remove these from your showroom.

Overall: shoedazzle is a fun service if you have an extra $50 a month and are looking to expand your shoe (or purse) collection. The personalized selection is a fun way to try new styles you wouldn’t typically wear before investing in higher-quality brands. The shoes are more “fun” than “function” but sometimes that’s what shopping is about, right?

Kdon by Kim Cathers

Kdon is made with 100% recycled and upcycled fabrics.

Kim Cathers has been involved in the fashion industry for over 15 years. She has worn many hats, including, model, designer, retail store owner, environmentalist, Project Runway finalist, and most recently textile recycling activist.

Kim has always been a creative change-maker in her environments. She began remaking her own clothes over 15 years ago; she always understood the intricacies and necessity of living a life close to the earth. At the age of 20, she started a business called “ReStyle” where she would take old clothing and make fresh new items out of them. Kim travelled around to music festivals and farmers markets selling her wears with great success. She then moved to Vancouver five years later to get an education in technical sewing and pattern making. After graduating with the “Innovative Design” award from Blanche Macdonald Centre of Design in 2005, Kim opened and operated a successful vintage shoppe in downtown Vancouver which carried her own unique items as well as other local designers’. Two years ago Cathers was a finalist on Project Runway Canada, which helped to promote awareness and popularity of her fashion line.

kdon by Kim Cathers is a fresh line of clothing that is inspired by the earth created with the joy of imagination and finished with precise hand detailing. Kim designs with an innovative style, and is giving Eco fashion a new, strong voice.

Available in Vancouver at:

Haiku Studios

#410 – 207 West Hastings Street

Planet Claire

51 Powell St

Online:

Planet Claire

Kdon 'Wing-tipped Jodpur' by Kim Cathers

Kdon 'Spaniard Dress' by Kim Cathers

Kdon 'Night Rider Coat' by Kim Cathers

Red Jade

Red Jade creates sophisticated and ultra-feminine clothing which embodies the spirit of a confident woman. Their mission is to inspire women to empower themselves, by enhancing their own individual style while being mindful of the environment. Red Jade sources eco-luxurious fabric such as hemp, organic cotton, merino wool, silk and linen.

Red Jade 'Qadira Vest' & 'Johanna Capris'

Red Jade 'Despina Jumper' 100% Hemp

Red Jade 'Jade Tee' and 'Nikita Pants'

Available in Vancouver at:

Planet Claire

51 Powell St

Online:

Red Jade eStore

Planet Claire

Flora & Fauna

flora&fauna is a Candian eco-fashion label founded in 2008 by Pauline Siu.  Spring-Summer 2009 was flora&fauna’s first collection, with seven unique pieces inspired by of west coast wildlife and lifestyle. Featured on internationally acclaimed eco-news online magazine, TreeHugger.com as one of “20 Green Fashion Designers You’ve Never Heard Of (But Oh You Will)”, our eco-fashion label quickly established a following.

flora&fauna produces clothing in a slow and sustainable manner, offering well  crafted pieces, that easily fits into a modern women’s wardrobe and lifestyle. Our commitment to the earth and all its creatures is shown through  the use of organic and sustainable fabrics, as well as rescued fabrics. All  of our pieces are ethically made in Canada.

flora&fauna is based in rural Ontario, among nature in beautiful Grey County, and is proud to be working along side local animal welfare and nature conservation groups, to make the world a cleaner, happier, and healthier place for our future generations.

Flora & Fauna 'Jellyfish Tube Top'

Flora & Fauna 'Busy Bee Dress'

Flora & Fauna 'Moth Dress'

Available:

British Columbia

hum clothing, vancouver
be clothing, courtenay
prudence organics, duncan

Alberta

dirt eco boutique, calgary
meese, st. albert

Saskatchewan

seed sustainable style, regina

Ontario

awear eco-boutique, collingwood
shopgirls gallery boutique, toronto
ido: independent designer outlet, toronto

Quebec

4 elements, 4326 St-Denis, montreal

Online

flora&fauna online boutique

espy, my favourite boutique in Calgary, is having a monster sale.

espy owner and manager Megan Szanik is putting her entire stock on sale for up to 63 per cent off. That’s men’s and women’s clothes, samples and shoes (shoes!).

She’ll also give you 15 per cent off all makeup and skin-care products.

Fights over clothes will be settled by danceoff to the spin of DJ Jon Spade.

espy, located right on the 1200 block of Ninth Avenue in Inglewood, is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

And if you can’t be there but don’t want to miss out on the sale, call Megan at 403-457-3779 to book a  special appointment.

That’s what I did.

I found myself perusing the aisles of Walmart at 1:00 this morning in an attempt to get my Christmas shopping over and done with (yes…I have become one of THOSE shoppers) but I just don’t think I can pass up these great markets over the weekend:

December 9th to 12th: Butterdome Craft Sale at the University of Alberta; admission $7

*Be sure to check out Natalie Gerber and her very cute clutches*

December 10th:

SAIT Christmas Craft Sale: Handicraft and Artisan craft sale; free admission

Decmeber 11th & 12th/18th & 19th (YES 2 weekends!):

Market Collective: old Ant Hill building in Kensington; $3 admission or food donation

Happy hump day!

What are Spats, you say?  Spats originated in the seventeenth century and were linen or canvas shoe coverings that fasten under the bottom of the shoe and button up the side. They were first designed to protect shoes and ankles from mud and water while walking. Spats were worn by men in militaries around the world, from France to Japan, but between 1910 and the mid-1930s, spats eventually became an elegant men’s fashion accessory, often associated with gangsters and dandies.

SPAT TRIVIA  ↓

• DC Comic villain The Joker has been seen sporting them in earlier interpretations
• Michael Jackson wore them for Smooth Criminal
• “Spats” Colombo (played by George Raft), the villain in Some Like It Hot, wore white spats.
• In the film Benny and Joon, Johnny Depp wears spats as his character Sam.
• In the classic Honeymooners Christmas episode, Ed Norton gives Ralph Kramden a pair of spats for Christmas.
• Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s right-hand-man Riff Raff (hunchback) is known for his snazzy white spats.
• Hillel Slovak wore them regularly while performing with his band The Red Hot Chili Peppers.  The RHCP album cover for the Abbey Road EP depicts this as well.

Wool Spats by Fait Avec, available in Vancouver at Planet Claire and online. These spats come in blue, black, ivory, grey lace, and plaid. They are a wool blend, so they keep your legs warm !

The spats are all lined for quality and cuteness, and come in a long and short version.

Since I’m in love with all things web and all things fashion. I decided to give it a test run.

You start out by being presented by two styles at a time, and choosing your favorite.  Afterwards, it gives you a style grouping: classic, romantic, edgy, etc. Kind of fun, but I didn’t need the quiz to know what category I fall into.

Next you’re given a selection of cuts, colours and fashions. This was my favourite part. You’re given the option of choosing what you “Love” and “Hate”, by category (tops, bottoms, shoes, etc). This part was really awesome, because it allows me right away to filter out styles I *know* won’t work on me. (for example, reptile prints, wide-leg pants, and peep-toe shoes are a huge NO). Next, you choose a “love” and “hate” list of designers. I was impressed by the designers list: they had a few smaller labels and it wasn’t all expensive.

After that, you’re directed to your boutique of recommended items. I was pretty happy with what was displayed for me: all black, and mostly things in my style. The layout is simple and clean and easy to follow. You can also save or share items, which is great for gift-giving season.

So give it a try! You might find something new you love, or at least have fun daydream about someday being able to afford your wishlist. (Mine is here if you want to follow me, by the way. It’s my birthday soon.)

And I’m sorry.

I’ve been under the gun at work, pulling too many hours of overtime and not concentrating on my passions.

I haven’t been able to write much since #DSS2010 but I’m hoping to be pulling a Part II over the Christmas holidays.

On Part 1, I scored a pair of Fergalicious Roughriders and two pairs of Madden Girl heels, a task split between Designer Shoe Warehouse and Famous Footwear.

But the real win came at a Payless Shoe Source in Sandpoint, Idaho.

The Fioni Madge Flat Over the Knee Boots.

They’re black faux-suede and they were on sale for $34.99, down from $59.99. That’s in U.S. dollars, of course. In Canada, we’re probably looking at $70 for the boots. If you’ve seen them at a local Payless for less, let me know.

Over-the-knee boots always conjure images of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. She’s uber-slutastic as a down-and-out hooker who has to Sharpie over a spot on her killer patent-leather thigh-highs.

That was in the 1980s and now 20-some years later, we’re bombarded with OTK boots as a sexy, smart addition to any shoe closet.

Within days of returning from #DSS2010, the Stylelist wrote on how average women (read: not supermodels, not hookers and not glamorous Hollywood starlets posing as hookers) can wear the OTK.

I pair mine with a mini dress and patterned tights, or jeggings/leggings and a long shirt. I’d stay away from any blouse that had ruffles, for fear of looking like a pirate and having to end all of my sentences with ‘yarrrrr, matey.’

Probably best to leave the sword and metal hand hook at home for the day, too.