Michelle Obama's help not enough for J. Crew

Just a quick link from my Saturday morning browse. J.Crew is eliminating 95 positions in its New York offices and suspending 401(k) company matching contributions. No merit-based pay increases, either. There's a still a chance that the Obama ladies can have an effect: watch the fall collection for styles like those worn by Sasha and Malia at the inauguration.

I used to love J. Crew, and used to have two identical denim skirts (I hemmed one at knee length and left the other mid-calf). But I dropped them back in the early nineties when they helped close down a local shop that sold catalog returns from various merchants. The offense: not destroying the J.Crew boxes for shoes, thus violating the agreement that all labels be removed from the merchandise. That seemed at the time to be incredibly short-sighted of J. Crew, since the store essentially offered them an outlet for their leftovers (some irregulars, but mostly returns for other reasons) and free publicity. After all, most the people who shopped there recognized the various Land's End, Eddie Bauer and J. Crew items from the catalogs, and getting the occasional item for a great low price only increased the love. This was back in the 90s, so perhaps I need to consider letting go of my grudge.

Chic Without Guilt (Slate.com)

Patty and Sandy Stonesifer have an article on Salon.com that reminds me of the sustainable style challenge I gave myself a while ago.Back during the holidays in 2007, I set out to assemble an ethical dressy ensemble for my daughter. (For the results, see the update post.) My experiment was on a much smaller scale - a single outfit, not a wardrobe. We built upon a thrift store skirt, and the Stonesifers went retail all the way. But their article shows, once again, that there ARE options out there, especially online.

The comments on Salon are also interesting, and food for much though and future blog posts.

Rodarte's interpretation of eco-fashion

Red-carpet watchers at last night's Oscars loved Natalie Portman's pink gown by Pasadena design team Rodarte. Rodarte (sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy) is a newcomer to the fashion scene, but is already making a name for itself for sophisticated, hand-crafted styles. Portman is already known for her eco-fashion -- she designed her own line of vegan footwear -- and she is regularly photographed in Rodarte.

Rodarte presents an interesting category of eco-fashion. They are less focused on materials -- they do use hemp blends and environmentally-friendly dyes, but they don't lead with that story in their marketing. Instead, they emphasize process and handwork. In an interview with Treehuggers Emma Grady, Kate Mulleavy explained Rodarte's environmental efforts:

1. From within our company, we have set up a means to recycle all paper and plastic items. We have chosen to use canteens and glasses, instead of bottled water.
   
2. The hand detailing, beading, embroidery, pinning,sewing, and cutting of our clothing allows for us to produce our garments without industrial waste or exhaust.
   
3. Dyeing: our dyeing is a key element to our collection. We have chosen to use a beautiful dyeing process that can only be done on natural fibers. The process allows for our colors to be clear, and pure. This dyeing process is very much a dying art. It is done with all environmentally friendly pigments and without harsh chemicals and without producing industrial waste.
   
4. We privilege craft and technique over mass production, large quantities, and gratuitous waste.

The result is clothing which looks gorgeous, stylish and expensive but not overtly "green".

My mind keeps wandering back to the clothing restrictions of World War II and the importance of obvious adherence to the rules for self-enforcement. (If a woman's dress did not meet the restrictions, it was evident to everyone who saw her.) For green fashion to be persuasive, does it need to be obvious?

"Dressing to Impress" for Power Shift

As a long-time student of the socio-cultural aspects of fashion, I find this fascinating. The organizers of the March 2, 2009 Capitol Climate Action has issued a strategy note asking participants to "dress to impress" at the event. Back when I taught clothing and human behavior, we'd get into heated arguments over the idea of being judged by appearance. My students realized that teachers, law enforcement officers and employers engaged in a kind of "character profiling" of young people based on their clothing, hair, tatoos and piercings, and <i>they hated it</i>. On one level, we all hate being judged by our appearancel in fact, I hate it even more as I get older and attempt to learn the rules for women over 55 who choose not to nip, tuck, dye or dress like 20-year-olds. But I digress.

Two interesting points about the strategy note: first, the acknowledgement of the historical importance of "serious" clothing in the civil rights and union movements. I remember this being a huge point of contention between my African American friends in the late 60s and their parents, who were horrified at their surplus store wardrobes and Afros. Appearance was also controversial during the very early days of the women's rights movement; Amelia Bloomer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others debated the wisdom of delivering their message while wearing reform dress (such as the loose trousers named for Bloomer). Eventually, they decided the clothing was a distraction, and abandoned reform dress for their public work. It's taken progressives forty years to realize that a political demonstration is not a rock concert.

The other item of interest for me (as always) is the response thread, which is a microcosm of my class discussion. Someone even referenced hegemony!

I was planning to be there on March 2, anyway, but now you can count on a report as well. I'll be twittering live, if you want to follow.

Frugal Trend: Alterations and repairs

Time.com has an interesting article today about the booming market for tailors and cobblers. Not surprisingly, hard economic times encourage consumers to send old garments to the repair shop instead of the landfill. This is not only good for the pocketbook, it's great for the environment as well. Unfortunately, during good times it's hard for people to remember those lessons, but we can only hope. Curious about how much alterations cost? That will obviously depend on where you live, but this price list from a seamstress in New Mexico will give you a clue. Discoveries:

Pet fashion alterations!
$5.00 each to sew on patches such as Girl Scout recognitions (!!!!)

Obviously, everything in your closet is not worth repairing. But there are no doubt some items that would cost much more to replace than to repair. I'm an especially big fan of cobblers, because I am very picky about shoes. I'd much rather take a pair of well-made, classic shoes and have them re-heeled than spend the same amount of money on a cheap pair that won't last year. There are about a dozen shoe repair shops within 3 miles of me, but if your neck the woods is cobbler-poor, don't despair. You can have your shoes resoled by mail. What a world!

Now if I could only still tune my own car...

Forbes takes on "America's New Frugality"

There an interesting article on Forbes.com this morning about how changes in consumer spending might alter the investment picture. (Hint: Amazon.com is doing well, but may not be a great investment, as opposed to savings and loan institutions.) Right in the middle is a list of trade-offs consumers are likely to make as they reduce their use of credit and live more frugally:

• Playing sports rather than attending sporting events;
• Discount retailers rather than high-end retailers;
• Lower- and mid-priced restaurants instead of high-end restaurants;
• Eating at home instead of eating out;
• Going on a picnic instead of eating out;
• Watching movies at home instead of going to the movies;
• Reading a book instead of going to the movies;;
• Fixing my car instead of buying a new one;
• Fixing up my house instead of moving;
• Playing games or watching TV instead of going out;
• Clipping coupons when I shop;
• Shopping more for sale items;
• Buying generic or store brands instead of name brands;
• Buying used stuff instead of new stuff;
• Selling stuff I no longer need;
• Drinking water instead of soda;
• Negotiated rates on hotel and travel, vs. full price,
• Free online news and information instead of magazines, newspapers, etc.

I am struck by how many of these choices are not only better for the pocketbook, but also potentially greener and healthier as well.

"Who are you wearing?" Some kid from Uzbekistan

In a restaurant, we overheard a common exchange. “Nice shirt,” said one patron. “Where’s it from?”

The fashionista offered a store name. We returned to our meals.

The question lingered.

Where’s it from? Not just this shirt. Any shirt. Look at your own label. Where’s it from?

Chances are it went through numerous hands before ending up on your
back. That’s where the question takes new meaning. Where’s it from?
And, who’s it from?

In the beginning, there was a child.

So begins this detailed and provocative story of textile and clothing production from a global perspective. It gives whole new meaning to the red carpet question, "Who are you wearing?" We are seeing in the current economic crisis that consumption has consequences -- good and bad. Buy too much (especially on credit) and we save or invest too little, and mortgage our future. Buy too little and there's suffering all the way along the supply chain, from the retailer back to the seven-year-old picking cotton in Uzbekistan. Here's an idea: a future where the work is done by adequately paid adults in humane conditions and with less damge to the environment. Would Americans pay $30 for a T-shirt or $100 for non-designer jeans? If not, what is the answer?

Independent Handbag Designer Awards™ announces prizes for ‘eco’ designers

I am not a handbag designer, but I'd love to see the entries to this competition! The source, Ecopreneurist, is  part of the Green Options network, which is a motherlode of sustainability information.

Is trading down to cheaper clothes a good strategy in a recession? yes and no

The Associate Press reports the results of a report by the International Council of Shopping Centers-Goldman Sachs that suggests that people have not reduced their clothing spending by as much as expected, and seem to instead be "trading down", buying cheaper clothing, not less clothing. Here's the part that caught my eye:

Life isn't too rosy for the nation's apparel retailers. On average,
sales at nearly a dozen apparel companies fell 12.1 percent in January.
Hardest hit was Gap Inc., which saw same-store sales plummet 23
percent. At the San Francisco-based chain's Old Navy stores, comparable
sales fell 34 percent. Sales fell 16 percent at women's clothing chain
Cache Inc.

The month was grim for teen- and youth-oriented chains
and department stores, too. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said sales
skidded 20 percent, although the figure wasn't as bad as experts had
expected. Conversely, analysts expected sales would dip just 2 percent
at Children Place Retail Stores Inc., thanks to parents who were
expected to continue to buy clothing for their kids, even if they
wouldn't buy for themselves.

Experts were wrong. Sales there fell 11 percent.

It appears that consumers are buying their kids' clothes at discount stores or sale prices. This makes good sense, considering that children outgrow their clothes faster than they wear them out. Before today's strongly gendered styles, expensive clothing such as winter coats could be purchased in tailored styles and neutral colors and handed down to several children. (Boomer readers may remember a double-breasted navy wool coat worn by several siblings, male and female.)

For their own clothing, adult shoppers are buying less and being pickier, which is a different strategy, but just as smart. I've seen scads of last year's fashion darlings on the clearance racks (I'm looking at you, cropped jacket with the 2" buttons) and no price would be low enough to tempt me. I have bought two fleece turtlenecks (new, on sale), a cashmere polo (thrift store), a pair of snow boots (discount outlet) and some replacement socks and undies. That's going to be it for my new winter items, and I'm fine with that. Sorry, Macy's.

color and the minimalist wardrobe

Coco Chanel knew the secret to elegant minimalism; so did Diana Vreeland, the famed editor and one of Chanel's best customers. The little black dress, black turtlenecks, black pencil skirts and well-cut black pants are all wardrobe staples that form the basis for hundreds of different ensembles. Not everyone can wear black. It's not just a matter of complexion; I have owned as many as three beagles at once, turning black into "black with a coating of short white hair". But the central truth is: pick a flattering neutral that is immune to fashion's whims. Black, gray, white, khaki, navy,brown. Acquire basic, season-spanning, well-made pieces in your chosen neutral. When an item wears out, replace it.

Then the fun begins. For the rest of your wardrobe, rely on colors that work together and with your own skin and hair color. There was a very big deal made of this back in the 80s, and there are still books, websites and professional consultants to help you out (see "Color Me Beautiful"). You need to work with current trends -- perhaps you've noticed it's easier to buy pink than red lately. Wear Palettes provides sample combinations from current fashion outfits; colr.org lets you create your own from flickr images or a photo you upload. (Also a cool way to create a color palette for a craft project.)

Don't go crazy; the more each individual piece works together, the larger the number of outfits you can create. I've used this approach for decades for my "conference" wardrobe: black (but not necessarily matching) pants, skirt and jacket with one top per day in red and/or white. Accessories provide additional color and texture, and dress the outift up or down. (If the beagle ever came with me, I'd have to re-think this.)

Thanks to Marybeth for the Wear Palettes and colr.org links!

New Resource: Green Fashionista.tv

If you prefer your green fashion info video-style, instead of text. There's a new option: The Green Fashionista.tv, a video blog by California-based eco-stylist Pam Brandon. Accordng to the website,

The Green Fashionista is an Internet TV
program sharing green fashion information, facts, tips and how-tos. We
cover green fashion topics like eco-fashions made from sustainable
fabrics, how to recycle what you already own, and where to shop for
used and eco-friendly fashion.  We also have fun with topics such
as celebrities who are dressing green, finding a popular look in a
green version, and more. Host Pam Brandon proves you can look fabulous
and leave a smaller carbon footprint by going green in the fashion
scene!

So far, I like what I see. It's a nice blend of DIY, interviews and trend-spotting.