Spring and summer weddings are right around the corner and if you are in the market for a unforgettable and eco-friendly dress, I have just the one for you!

Leanne Marshall, the winner from Project Runway Season 5 has an eco flair I never knew about. Apparently, she sources mainly sustainable fabrics for her line and is moving towards a fully eco-label. Brilliant!

It gets better. She is having a sale on her Etsy site, featuring a customizable 100% eco-friendly wedding dress. Made from an organic cotton, hemp and silk blend- the dress is as ‘good’ as its fabulous design. So, if you want a dress that keeps your guest talking for weeks afterwards, this one definitely hits the mark.

The NOW Showcase, NYFW A/W 2010.

A well appointed and intoxicating selection of eco-conscious designers showcased during New York Fashion Week. Catch the recap in this video with previews of the A/W 2010 collections from Linda Loudermilk, JAI, Rebecka Froberg, SUST and Feral Childe.

www.nowshowcase.org

The Weekly Wear is a post dedicated to showing sustainable fashion in action! This week I am wearing the CFDA ‘To Haiti With Love’ tee. The shirt is part of a relief effort to help rebuild the infrastructure in Haiti through the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. The tee is sustainable to me because it contributes to something I believe in supporting and goes beyond simply being a piece of clothing.

The rest of my outfit is pre-owned, as in, it was already a part of my wardrobe:

Leggings- Arden B.

Blazer- J. Crew

Coat- BCBG

Boots- Tory Burch

Tote- Longchamp

Sunglasses- Marc by Marc Jacobs

Don’t forget that you can enter the ‘To Love With Haiti’ customize your tee contest here on GretaGuide! I am getting ready to break out the scissors myself and give this tee some signature style.

Hare + Hart.

The newest ethical leather label to hit the fashion scene- Hare + Hart is a fiercely designed line that is also considered. Advocating the entire use of free range grass fed cows, and a natural acetate biodegradable fiber sourced from a sustainable forest- this line is as eco as it is chic!

For those of you who aren’t ready to give up leather, but do care about where your leather comes from and want to engage in a more ethical manner for purchasing leather goods- this line is meant for you.

Check out an exclusive interview with Co-founders Emily Harrison and Jennie Engelhardt in a Designer Insider Interview on GretaGuide.

This week I had the great pleasure of being invited out to the studio of the online vintage site Market Publique. One of my favorite sites, I got the back story about how vendors undergo a strict approval process, styling tips for their photo shoots, and the true definition of vintage versus second hand.

I always love seeing the behind the scenes, and the MP studio space was every bit as enchanting as I had imagined it would be. A funky cool warehouse space in a hip part of Brooklyn- wood floors, vaulted ceilings and Macs everywhere!

From vintage earrings, to bags, jackets, dresses and of course shoes- the studio is flooded with amazing stock that I can’t help but look through.

I found one pair of shoes that I loved so much, I had to take them home with me!

Platforms, bows, suede oh my! I am sure you can see why these stole my heart.

I think my favorite part about Market Publique, aside from it’s co-founder Pamela Castillo, is the level of scrutiny they exercise when allowing items to be posted. It weeds out the non-vintage (under 20 years old) and you know that what you are getting will be in good condition. GretaGuide is getting ready to co-host an auction of a MP vintage piece so keep you eye out for that.

Okay, so I have decided to start something new here at GretaGuide. On a personal level, I have been moving into a more sustainable fashion lifestyle making adjustments to my purchasing and use of my wardrobe. All of that has been going on behind the scenes and now I feel I should share it with all of you. By focusing on one of the following areas: source, manufacturing, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and quality- I am seeking to engage in sustainable fashion. This is as much a journey as it is a destination. My hope it that I can help show you how to start becoming more sustainable in your fashionable lives along the way.

This week I am featuring a pair of fantastic high-waist vintage trousers that I scooped up this weekend from Zachary’s Smile in NYC.  I had been lusting over a pair ever since I saw the Spring spreads in Grazia and the FT’s ‘How to Spend It’. You can see my inspiration photos below.

The key here is to really embrace the high waist and dress it up with silk or sheer tops, or dress it down with a graphic tee. I like finishing the outfit with a blazer- sleeves rolled for a more relaxed feel, or a long boyfriend cardigan to balance the proportions.

Final details include short layered necklaces that don’t compete with the high waist but add a nice accent. You can also see my signature one-off nail that my friend The Glamourai is calling ‘The Greta’ (hehe). As we move into the warmer weather this trend will transfer to light-weight shorts- I can’t wait for that one either!

The Key To ‘Shift’- a sustainable fashion conference in Berlin (January 2010). Awesome collaboration, amazing designs, inspiring individuals… check it out and join in next time!

“Luxury is to have simple things.” That is the concept behind the recycled and sustainable clothing line by Daniela Pais called Elementum. The collection was on exhibit at the recent Key To ‘Shift’ conference in Berlin, and caught my eye immediately.

Clean lines, neutral colors, versatility- I am all about this one! Each piece has at least three different ways it can be worn- talk about an economical article. There is a real design element as well. The pieces challenge the norm and provide the wearer with something of individual interest. And even though this is a luxury line, the prices won’t scare you off. This may be a bit bold, but I am prepared to call this one of my best finds in 2010.

Over the past month H&M has taken some pretty hefty hits on the image front. To be fair, it doesn’t go without merit- I was completely shocked and appalled by their damaging their own goods of excess stock that they then threw into the dumpster. What a terrible waste of resources!

Now H&M is under the gun about GM (genetically modified) cotton that has been ‘mixed’ in with the organic cotton supply that they sourced for their new organic collection to be released this spring. I am not necessarily defending H&M, but what I want to stress is that this cross-contamination of GM cotton with certified 100% cotton is a new issue that the fiber producers are dealing with, and does not actually reflect the ‘unwholesome’ engagement of H&M in their attempt to become more eco-friendly with an organic line.

See, at the moment, certified organic cotton farmers are dispersed within the same growing areas as conventional cotton farmer who may use GM cotton seeds. So, if you are an organic cotton farmer sandwiched between two GM cotton growers, when the wind blows- those GM seeds have the possibility of being carried over into your organic turf. Therefore, your product becomes tainted, though you have passed off on all the regulation and standards to claim organic status. Is it making sense now… ?

So, although I am greatly disappointed by H&M’s previous action in their disposal of extra stock, I will stand up and say that this recent news is not entirely their fault. In fact, this is an area that clearly needs attention and perhaps from this a new system for regulating the distance between organic and conventional cotton growers will be established.

Moving out of New York was quite a task- especially when you are trying to do so in a conscious way. So, I took the time and sorted through my wardrobe. Offered items on eBay, researched the local consignment shops and donated the rest. No clothing went to the landfill from me!

I have to say, a very pleasant part of this whole experience was the drop-off I did at the consignment shop Second Time Around on Mott Street. No snobby attitudes (unlike another second hand designer label shop I visited) and a genuine affinity to recycle clothes and celebrate classic or fun pieces. They definitely get an A+ rating from me!

Haven’t been? This Tuesday is the perfect time to go. They are having a VIP Insider Night in which you get to shop all the new stock for their winter selection at 50% off before the public. Simply rsvp to: RSVP@secondtimearound.net and go to 262 Mott Street (between Houston and Prince) from 6-8pm to enjoy cocktails and fashion. Hm, now I am wishing I was still in NYC to go to this…!