I fell in love with this delicate blue and green floral print, but unfortunately it was on a size 12 mumu when I found it. It was only $10 at Goodwill, though so I thought I’d give refashioning it a whirl. Here’s the (rather shoddy) finished product. I might wear it to NY Fashion Week if it doesn’t fall apart on me before then!

Let me know what you think!

Progress has been made! The platform or “elevated room” that I’ve been trying to explain to everyone (unsuccessfully) is almost complete. Just to give you a little background here, I’ve been renovating my tiny apartment and trying to be as eco-conscious about it as possible. That being said, I was really at a loss for where to source a custom platform like the one that I wanted for less than $500 without having to resort to Ikea.

Long story short, I ended up going to Ikea. LOL. Although there were quite a few replies to my Facebook poll about whether or not Ikea is green, I still think they’re trying harder than others and was willing to buy some of my stuff there as long as I made sure the vast majority of my furniture was either secondhand or that I just didn’t buy any more furniture in general (I already have an old dresser and dining table as well as some chairs I fished out of the dumpster at Stony Brook before I graduated). Anyhoo, read on for more pics and to see how I made the platform.

Okay, I lied. I don’t actually have time to write about what the deets of the platform are right now, but I will fill them in soon. Don’t be angry with me!

<3YY

your tips will be healthier because they won’t have their natural oils stripped and you’ll shave a minute or so off your shower time.

it has a pretty sweet cardboardy look to it too!

update: had a convo with bridgette about this today and found that she’s doing a lot better at this than i am (being that i just bought a new berry).

Sure, this video is a gross exaggeration, but, like every scenario on The Office, it’s got some roots in the truth. As an “environmentalist” and someone who publicly encourages others to clean up their acts and turn to a greener lifestyle, I try to do as much as I can to actually walk the walk too. I say “try” because there are definitely things I still do (eating meat, taking cabs) that give me that cringeworthy “what if someone sees me doing this?” feeling, but now I actually feel like that’s a good thing because it helps keep me on track with the person I want to be. If you represent yourself as someone who lives an eco-conscious lifestyle, here are a few things that you’ll want to make sure you’re doing - or not doing - as much as humanly possible if you don’t want to be called a hypocrite (a.k.a. a self-greenwasher) along how well I am actually sticking to each of these practices myself.

1. Turn off and unplug your computer at night
As a blogger, I rely heavily on my computer in order to get my work done. And when I say “heavily” I mean no computer=no blogging and no blogging=no livelihood. Being a blogger that writes about environmental issues puts me in kind of a weird position - I’m actually using tons and tons of energy everyday on my computer while trying to persuade people to use less power. Well, living in the age that we live in, there’s no way we’re going to be able to give up our beloved machines, but there is something that every green blogger has no excuse NOT to do: power down your computer at night or when you’re not using it and pull the plug out of the socket. It may seem like a serious annoyance to do every evening but whenever I think about cheating and not doing it, I think about how I would act if the readers who look at my articles everyday were in the room with me. Needless to say, it gets done.

2. Take the subway or bus whenever humanly possible
This is a tough one and one that a bunch of so-called environmentalists in the city (including yours truly) are guilty of not doing. Don’t get me wrong - during the hours of 7am to 11pm, I wouldn’t be found in a cab unless I was with a group of others who wanted to take one (making the trip relatively eco-friendly because we’re all sharing the emissions) or I was carrying something heavier than my own body a distance of more than 10 blocks. No, my guiltiest moments don’t occur until after 11pm when, after attending an event or having a few drinks with friends, the thought of taking an hour+ ride on a deserted subway just doesn’t seem feasible to me. So yes, I will take a cab home when those shameful occasions arise but I am vowing to either not stay out so late, or make sure I have at least one friend to cab it home with. So far, I have failed on both accounts 8 out of 10 times in the last 2 months. Yeah - definitely gotta work on that one…

3. Using your own container when you buy coffee, drinks or food outside
This is one that is pretty tough to adhere to but I think I’m doing a decent job. The most difficult part is getting over the stigma of looking like a weird person. I’ve had to refuse napkins and takeout boxes (I can carry a panini in my hand, thanks very much) 2 or 3 times before clerks can comprehend that I really, really don’t want them. When I’m caught out and about without my own reusable food container, I have to just politely turn down the offers of friends who insist on buying me something. “I don’t want to waste a cup” just doesn’t seem like the “cool” thing to say. And I’ve humiliated myself more than a handful of times trying to carry cupcakes home without a box. You know what though? All worth it.

4. Unplug your chargers
This one is a no-brainer but it’s crazy how many people just can’t be bothered to do it. I pretty much annoy everyone in my family about this, but it’s a dead giveaway sign of an eco-hypocrite, so I’m pretty vigilant about it.

5. Keep your big-box store, non-eco purchases to a minimum
Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely adore shopping and fashion. I think it all started with turning a certain age, getting a real job, and finally being able to afford cool stuff for myself. But writing about environmentally-conscious design and preaching about how we need to support eco-friendly fashion and commerce, I really couldn’t keep up my unsustainable shopping habits. Well sort of. I still buy things that I love, but I buy less and from designers that I believe in for their sustainable ethos. I also shop at thrift shops which is pretty much guilt free and a heck of a lot cheaper. In the past year and a half, I’ve only relapsed 3 or 4 times (buying stockings at Target or a dress at Loehmann’s) and while the sustainable and socially conscious pieces I’ve purchased have been generally more expensive than something at H&M might be, I’ve saved a ton of money!

1. Push a needle through a scrap piece of foam core to create a base for you to string the petals of the rosette onto.

2. Cut out teardrop shaped petals of the tulle.

3. Layer the petals onto the foam core base one by one, making sure to pass the needle through the tapered side of each piece.

4. When you feel your rosette is “full” enough, secure it with a needle and thread and carefully remove it from the foam core base.

5. Et voila!

Absolutely stunning felt hats perfect for the start of fall (and hiding a bad hair day). (via Ecouterre)

After:

With the economy in shambles, accessories that allow us to add some flava to our existing wardrobe pieces and avoid having to buy brand new ones seem to be all the rage. My absolute favorite example of this trend? SHOE JEWELRY! Especially these fab pieces by Litter SF. While Litter’s glamorous baubles will cost you upwards of $70, there’s no need to feel left out if you don’t have a pile of dough to spare. I made my own shoe sparkle by taking an old dangly earring I had in my jewelry box and hooking it over the back of my heels. Just secure with a piece of duct tape, and voila - instant FREE shoe bling!

Dame Vivienne Westwood and Melissa Plastic Dreams have done it again! I swooned pretty deeply when I first peeped these on Ecouterre, and will have to control my urges if I am going to resist the siren song that they are singing to me as I navigate this stormy day. Contrary to popular belief Melissas are actually non-toxic and made in a sustainably managed factory in Brazil, so I feel good about shodding myself in them. They’re also shockingly comfy! (via Ecouterre)