Bows & Girls - Fun Eco Fashion Finds

1. Vintage Off White Bow Hat
The Vintage Closet (Etsy) $68
Hello, old fashioned glamour! This stunning and unique hat is beyond stylish and comes in a colour that would suit most skin tones.




2. Plunge Cocktail Dress - Bahar Shahpar $144
Made in New York / Organic Cotton
This babydoll style dress looks ever so sublime with the prominent bow centre front. The soft, neutral colour (courtesy of low impact dyed gauze) balances the playful nature of the dress brilliantly.




3. Bridal Betty Eco Clutch - ReJenerate (Etsy) $39
Made in Sydney from vintage fabrics
This is a luxe little eco clutch with a lovely pink floral lining. Perfect for fancy occasions or for any moments you just want to feel pretty!




4. Do-Ni Vegan Ballet Flats - $135
Made in Portugal
I can't get enough of these divine vegan ballet flats, especially the sparkly silver pair. There are other colours to choose from, with or without medallion detail and remember that 100% of the profits from the sales are donated to participating non-profit organisations.




5. Vintage 60s Bow Pin - BBB Designs (Etsy) $20
I like the idea of using unusual and pretty pins on your jacket lapels or hats, as it adds a bit more personality. This little silver bow is simple yet special.




6. Prep School Headband - Rose Red Winter (Etsy), $15
Adorable alert! This bow-tastic headband has been made from a vintage bow tie attached to elastic. Also available in navy.




7. Vintage 60s Pink Dress
Planet Claire Vintage (Etsy) $85
I know, the bright pink almost made you miss the bow on this dress but it is there, all prim and proper as a belt. These neon bright colours are big right now but this vintage dress has longevity with ample style and femininity!




8. Upcycled Ruffle Skirt - Round London £50
Made in London
I have featured this ra-ra ruffle skirt before (which also looks like an ode to bows) but it is pretty 80s fantastic, no?




9. Vegan Mohop Shoes - from $136
Made in Chicago
Remember you can go bow crazy if you have a pair of Mohop shoes as they allow for interchangeable ribbon and fabric creativity!




10. Upcycled Fresh is the Word Frock
I Heart Fink (Etsy) $65
Who didn't love watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air back in the day? This recycled top emblazoned with Carlton Banks and his chic bow tie, will attract many smiles and 90s flashbacks for anyone who spots you wearing it.


Where to Find
1) Vintage Bow Hat - The Vintage Closet (Etsy) $68
2) Bahar Shahpar Plunge Cocktail Dress - BTC Elements $144
3) Bridal Betty Eco Clutch - ReJenerate (Etsy) $39
4) Do-Ni Vegan Ballet Flats - Do-Ni $135
5) Vintage 60s Bow Pin - BBB Designs (Etsy) $20
6) Prep School Headband - Rose Red Winter (Etsy) $15
7) Vintage Pink Dress - Planet Claire Vintage (Etsy) $85
8) Upcycled Ruffle Skirt - Round London £50
9) Vegan Mohop Shoes - Mohop, from $136
10) Upcycled Fresh Frock - I Heart Fink (Etsy) $65

Glamorous Eccentric: Tilda Swinton

Here is someone you might not have heard of: Tilda Swinton. Tilda is an acclaimed, academy award winning British actress who always brings the crazy to the red carpet. She is not hounded by paparazzi, so I couldn't find many pictures of her in her everyday garb, but there was plenty of red carpet fun to be had. Take a look at this:













Have you ever seen such things on the red carpet? Usually you get very curvy sexy dresses with plunging cleavage or, on the flip side, large ballgowns. Tilda brings her own sophistication and color sense to a place that doesn't often get to see either. The mainstream fashion press just doesn't know what to do with her, so she is usually on the 'worst dressed' list, but I have to disagree. To me, the worst dressed women on the red carpet are boring. They are easy safe dresses usually found by a stylist and the dress ends up wearing the actress, not the other way around. But Tilda is different. Even her casual clothing is avant-garde:





But the thing I adore most about her is the fact that she lives with her husband AND her lover in Scotland! How awesome is that? Talk about an alternate lifestyle. Now this might not be an option for the rest of us, but good for her for making an unusual choice and not giving a damn what everyone else thinks! So I raise my glass to the completely bonkers Tilda- for being a total original in both her lifestyle and her fashion.

Please Buy These Dresses:

There were so many new cute dresses on Etsy and Ebay I couldn't pick just one!



40's Pink Dress Size M, $64.99



1940's Baby Blue Dress Size M/L, $42


Floral Dress Size M/L, $65


Polkadot Dress Size M, $49.99


Summer Dress Size M/L, $38
From our lovely Strawberry Koi!



Puppy Skirt Size M, $46



Velvet Flapper Dress Size: ? due to tunic style, $24.99 starting bid.


1930's Floral Dress Size: M, $14.95 starting bid



Zebra Dress size M, $23.50 current bid

The Fashion Issue

I think my favorite month for magazines has to be September since they are all devoted to fashion. In the case of Elle Decor, we get to peek into the stylish homes of some of the top fashion designers and executives. The living room above belongs to Robert Duffy, the President of Marc Jacobs International who has been Marc's business partner since the beginning of the designer's career. You can think of then as the American version of Giancarlo Giammetti and Valentino.

I had a friend who used to work for Robert Duffy so it was fun for me to see into his Provincetown, Massachusetts home that I have heard so much about. It's a uniquely personal space that wavers from clean and spare, the influence of his architect Stephan Jaklitsch and designer Richard McGeehan, the same team behind the Marc Jacobs boutiques, to warm and collected. The library reminds me a little of his West Village home which is full of beautiful antiques. I think those who work in fashion have the most interesting homes that reflect their creative careers and they are also another example of how many different ways there are to dress your nest!

Photo by William Waldron courtesy of Elle Decor

Good Hair Day

I think I have finally gotten the hang of my new haircut. I tried to do a pageboy style set and here is how it turned out:




And here is a snap of the whole ensemble:


(photos taken by Chana Malka)

Forgive the ghetto background, I was standing in a parking lot after having breakfast with my girls.

Dress: Vintage Vixen
Belt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Nine West

Hampton Designer Showhouse: Living Room by Robert Stilin

I think it's important to remember that Showhouses aren't always reality. Sometimes the rooms are a little over the top or just might not appeal to everyone. As I've mentioned before, I think it's important to keep an open mind. There is usually some aspect of a room that you can take away or be inspired by even if you don't like the entire room. Just because it's not your style, doesn't make it wrong.

The Living Room is the Hampton Designer Showhouse was designed by Robert Stilin who also designed the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year with Ina Garten. My friends and I really liked this room in person. The walls are a pale lavender which sets of the modern and contemporary art. It also has a small kitchenette attached so to me it had the look of a very chic city apartment for an art collector and was also very soothing and relaxing. I also didn't even notice until I looked at the photos that they hung the art over the paneling. I know this might not appeal to everyone but I have to say that it worked in person. It was a bit of a masculine room but it could be reworked for a woman by lightening up the upholstery fabrics. It's also important to keep in mind that many people live in the Hamptons year round so they might not want a beachy feeling home but one that reflects how they also live in the city and that's how this room feels to me. To each his own.

Photos by Heather Clawson

How To Give Up Milk Chocolate

Image: Chocolate Shoe by Izzy Plante (Flikr)

Saying ciao to cacao is something many people aim to do for a plethora of reasons. I personally wanted to stop eating milk chocolate as it was the only thing holding me back from being a certified vegan (well, except for honey, so I guess I'm not fully there yet but it's not like I'm calling myself a vegetarian who eats fish and chicken). Anyway, chocolate was my only stroke of wickedness in the food world and the thought of living in a world without decadent and not so decadent, melt in your mouth, 'turn any bad day good' chocolate delights seemed just wrong!

I've never been a dairy Mary except for the milk chocolate (Green & Black's Organic Milk Chocolate was my weakness and I'm sure they have noticed a significant decline in their sales since I gave them up back in April). So what convinced me to give it up for good? One read of the 'Famous Milk Letter' did the trick (see link at end). So, now I was ready to venture into a world without milk chocolate but how was I to do it? How would I cope with the inevitable cacao withdrawal symptoms of shaking, mood swings and mistaking strangers in the street for walking Kit Kats, Caramello Koalas and Toblerone bars? I wasn't sure how to give up milk chocolate for good but as I clung tightly to my empty Green & Black's chocolate wrapper, I vowed to find a way!

Here is how I gave up milk chocolate several months ago with no relapses. I truly haven't found it hard at all and have enjoyed exploring the land of vegan chocolates as they are just as delicious (even more so), often quite good for you and leave you feeling much better after eating them!

Step 1: Replace the habit
I think this is the most profound step to breaking any bad habit. You need to do or eat something similar to your habit so the change feels easy and less of a shock. My routine involved some milk chocolate after dinner as my dessert so I made sure I had a vegan chocolate ready to eat in lieu of the milk chocolate for the evenings. Whatever time of day your cacao craving strikes, try and eat a vegan chocolate treat instead. You won't feel deprived and there are so many delicious vegan options out there. Just remember, some people say it takes approximately 21 days to form a new habit or even less to adapt to a new food or taste, so stick with it and it will soon feel very natural.

Step 2: Try eating delicious vegan chocolate

Booja Booja Truffles
These are hands down the product that make being a vegan with a sweet tooth easy. I never used to like truffles but one or two bites of Booja Booja's Hazelnut Truffles is enough to satisfy any chocolate cravings. They are divine!

Plamil Chocolate
This is another great one that many vegans probably already depend upon as the range is just like the chocolates you once loved in bar form and in delicious flavours. From what I remember, when I first tasted this chocolate I did notice the texture was different but now that my taste buds have adapted, I often reach for a strip of this chocolate for a treat (especially the Orange Chocolate).

Pulsin Discs
These raw chocolate discs are blended with exotic and potent ingredients such as goji berries, vitamin C, maca and ashwagandha root. Try the energy bomb with guarana, korean and siberian gingseng and great tea extract before your next ashtanga yoga class or when that 4pm sugar slump hits. Other varieties include: Berry Burst, Bliss Bomb and Coffee Brownie.

Cocoa Loco Nakd Bar
I've found these bars to be great for those times when you're on the go or can't find a decent vegan lunch or snack. They are tasty, filling, vegan, raw, high in protein and contain no artificial ingredients. The Cocoa Loco bar contains: dates, oats, mixed nuts, raisins, apple juice, cocoa and natural flavouring.

Non-dairy Chocolate Ice Cream
Chocolate and ice cream lovers will have all their sweet needs meet in a tub of good quality vegan chocolate ice cream. I favour Booja Booja's Hunky Punky Chocolate ice cream as it only has four ingredients and tastes incredible. I also like how their ice cream is light and refreshing and doesn't leave you with that icky feeling so many dairy ice creams often leave you with.

Step 3: Drink some chocolate tea
Ideal for those moments when a chocolate craving strikes or you begin to miss hot chocolates. Sipping some chocolate tea is a healthy and light option that still offers a wonderful chocolate taste and aroma! Try Pukka's Organic Pleasure Tea with cocoa, licorice, cardamom and chicory.

Step 4: Be a chocolate beauty

Perfect Organics Body Butters
A little chocolate scented body butter is great for you and your skin and thankfully Perfect Organics offer two delicious shea butters with organic cocoa butter: Mint Chocolate and Mandarin Chocolate (very natural and luscious with only four ingredients).

Raw Gaia Raw Chocolate Orange Bath Melt
Soak in a decadent bath and let your chocolate cravings drift away as the organic cacao butter and sweet orange oil soften and repair your skin.

Raw Gaia Raw Chocolate Face Pack
Raw Gaia also do a fabulous antioxidant rich, chocolate face mask which leaves skin with a healthy glow (see end of post for review).

Akamuti Shea Cocoa Mint Foot Butter
Keep your tootsies soft and pretty with this lovely foot moisturiser containing organic cocoa butter and tingly, cooling organic peppermint and spearmint essential oils.

Badger Balm Cocoa Butter Lip Balms
Moisturise your lips with organic cocoa butter from Badger Balm. There are two packs to select from (Mint, Mocha & Creamy or Orange, Lime and Creamy). These lip balms also contain soothing organic aloe vera, moisturising olive oil and beautiful organic essential oils. The Mocha Cocoa even has extracts of dark roasted organic Arabaca Coffee beans.

Step 5: Read the Famous Milk Letter at Not Milk

Where to Find
Booja Booja Hazelnut Truffles - Goodness Direct £1.29
Plamil Chocolate Review
Pulsin Discs - Reviews or purchase at Goodness Direct £1.66
Nakd Cocoa Loco Bar - Goodness Direct £1.05
Booja Booja Stuff in a Tub - Goodness Direct from £1.79 to £5.99 Pukka Pleasure Tea (Organic) - Natural Collection £2.09 Mint Chocolate Shea Butter - Perfect Organics $12.99 Raw Chocolate Orange Bath Melt - Raw Gaia £4.50 Raw Gaiai Raw Chocolate Face Pack Review Shea Cocoa Mint Foot Butter - Akamuti £7.50 Cocoa Butter Lip Balm 3 Pack - Badger Balm $13