california select at american apparel takes all the guesswork out of buying vintage
a lot of wonderfilled things come from california - weezer, nwa and fish tacos, (oh fish tacos, you delicious bastids!) so i wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that california select, american apparel’s answer to those who want that vintage look without having to rummage through racks of unorganized garb, is also an export of the golden state. gee, i wonder what gave it away?
anyhoo, i was walking by the new-(ish?) american apparel store near f.i.t., which is one of the choice aa locations that carries cali select and noticed a gaggle of oldie but goodie type heels peeking through the window. further investigation of the store turned up even more one of a kind california select finds like a glittery gold clutch, versatile corduroy shorts and classic tan trench, all hand-selected by vintage tastemakers.
the new term for offering such exclusive pieces at widespread retailers like aa is massclusivity, and i consider it a gateway drug. it starts with finding a slick leather vintage clutch at aa, then leads to buying a sweet tweed skirt from the cali select ebay store, and finally turns into full-blown rack-surfing at the family jewels. there are so many gorgeous things out there that still have a lot of use in them, so i’m glad to see american apparel introducing the appeal of vintage shopping to people who may not have considered it before. resistance is futile.
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cali select isn’t totally about vintage-made pieces. they also recycle these perfect circle vests out of old wool blankets!
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freecycle friday: congratz dawn!
last week’s freecycle friday for this pink and tan novacheck plaid coat was extended because there were so many contenders. in the end, dawn proved to be the victor with this sexy ecotip:
“not only is this a green thing to do, but it’s a great way to start your day with the one you love! my boyfriend and I shower together in the morning in our new york city apartment bathroom, in other words it’s tiny. by doing this we are cutting down on the amount of water we use, as well as the fuel used to heat the water. in addition it gives us a chance to relax together before we have to make our way into a crowded subway for our morning commute!”
rarrrrrrrrr.
thanks dawn!
also, last chance to submit a tip for this special edition chase bank ipod.
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trace the origin of your garment with icebreaker’s baa code
clever alert! icebreaker has a totally rad tracing system for their high-performance outdoor garments called baa code.
all you have to do is type in the code that’s on every icebreaker tag, and it will let you see the living conditions of the high country sheep that produced the merino fiber in your icebreaker garment, meet the farmers who are custodians of the sheep, and follow every step of the supply chain. baavo, icebreaker, baavo!
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their images are pretty stunning too!
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sustainable STYle: alkemie jewelry’s “the maiden voyage” collection!
nowadays, everyone and their mama are “green fashion pioneers.” but most of them can’t back it up when it comes down to the materials and processes.
alkemie can.
they use 100% reclaimed metals (the largest amount you can say you use without straight-up sounding silly) to make their exquisite and unique pieces. talk about heirloom quality.
after all, aren’t the most sustainable objects the ones that are so special, we can’t bear to throw them away?
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the octopus cuff looks like it belongs in a museum
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love those deer earrings
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sustainable STYle: 2fer at the NOW progressive fashion showcase
i spent so much time ogling, trying on and rubbing my face on 2fer’s floaty alice in wonderland-inspired collection for spring at the now showcase during fashion week that i really owe them a post.
at first, i was a suspect about the line because it isn’t made of sustainable or organic materials in the traditional sense. luckily, jinruei fan, one half of the 2fer design duo, enlightened me by explaining that although they don’t source special eco-materials like some other brands do, they do produce locally and use a stocked fabrics program, which allows them to purchase textiles that will otherwise be discarded either because they are from the previous season and are in low demand or because they have been damaged. buying these materials saves them from the dump and avoids having to use brand new fabrics, which take time, money and energy to produce.
smart! the takeaway here is that there are so many ways to produce an end product that is better for the environment. it’s not just about slapping together all the eco-stuff that you can find and making something out of it - it’s about thinking outside the box. remember: the best green features are invisible.
my favorite 2fer looks for spring:
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can you guess which alice in wonderland characters inspired these?
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why is this a site?
swyyne has always been an experiment for me. with all of the other super eco sites out there, i've been feeling like i want to contribute something just a bit different. so for now, here are my random musings.
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