FabSugar

Trend Alert: Organic Denim

FabSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:30:33 PDT

Every fashionista should be trying to incorporate some form of organic fashion into their lives. Whether it's switching from plastic to cloth grocery bags, embracing everything eco-fashion-friendly, or simply keeping abreast of the changing fashion terrain, I think we can all agree going organic is a healthy direction for fashion folk alike. An easy foray into this evolution is investing in organic denim. Most of the offerings right now are pricey but at least you can feel like your jeans are doing the earth some good, and look good doing it!

7 FOR ALL MANKIND Organic Denim Bootcut Jean in Yosemite, $162	Elsom Organic skinny leg jeans, $160
Loomstate Denim Tote Bag, $99	Del Forte Calla Skinny, $195	Levi's� {Capital E} eco 501 Jeans, $245

Madewell's 2012 Resolutions Inspire a Fresh Batch of Styling Tricks

Hannah Weil — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:02:11 PST

Some resolutions are vows to get in shape or promises to get organized, redecorate, or otherwise self-improve - these resolutions culled from Madewell's latest looks we love are designed exclusively to amp up your 2012 style. The brand delivers another round of its covetable, make-you-want-it-all styling tricks with a look at 12 ways to reinvent your wardrobe. From new layers to fresh white denim, we're walking you through the label's adorable lookbook and pulling inspiration from each covetable ensemble. Click through to see how Madewell's outfitting the new year, and get inspired to shake up your own style routine.

25 Things to Do With Old Jeans

Wise Bread — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:00:46 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Recycling fabric is a powerful green living and cost saving strategy. Denim is one of the coolest fabrics to do it with. It's sturdy, gains character with age and can be acquired very inexpensively at yard sales or in your own "old clothes" closet. Some of the coolest ideas I've found?

Pot holders. In my opinion, these look far better out of used denim than the new stuff. And you can incorporate your own style via choice of trim or a patch stitched to the outside. Here's a link to some tips for making your own.
Cool quilts. You can do this in many forms. Different shades of denim patchwork options abound and are certainly sturdy and fun. Unfortunately, one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen I've been unable to find pictures of. It was done with pieced denim, but they had left on all the details like pockets, buttons, belt loops, etc. It made for a really fabulous unique quilt with a lot of attitude. If anyone has a link to a picture of one of these, please post below in the comments section.

For more ideas, read on.

Gift Guide: Desk Accents For Favorite Girlfriends

Elka Karl — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:53:04 PDT

Whether your best friend is still in college or graduated years ago, everyone knows that a few charming accents will help bring a smile to her face as she tackles that chemistry assignment, tax return, or those endless work emails. Here are some of my favorite finds for adding style and charm to your home office space.

To get everything organized, gift your friend with a tray where she can assemble pens, pencil cups, paper clips, and other desk needs. The Melamine Hummingbard Botanic Tray ($16, bottom row, left) adds a lot of loveliness for a low price point and is perfect for any lady you love who favors romantic style.

If your gal pal is in the writing profession, she'll appreciate this charming Chronicle Books Wood Journal ($5, bottom row, right), which she can write in using the striped Acmestudio Sing Sing Pen ($39, middle row, middle left). This clever little pen is the world's thinnest four-function pen and is made of hand applied lacquer on brass with German made components. When your girlfriend totes her laptop from her desk to the cafe, she can embrace retro technology trends with the Thomas Paul Luddite Laptop Case ($68, middle row, right), made of hand silkscreened denim.

And while almost all of my choices are quite affordable, I did have to include one major and beautiful splurge. The Rablabs Crystal Frame ($365, bottom row, middle left) is simply gorgeous. It would be perfect for displaying a treasured portrait of a friend, family member, or child.

To shop the rest of the items from my gift guide, just click on each image.

A Chic (and Cheaper) Alternative to Eskayel's Wallpaper

Elka Karl — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:30:45 PDT

While I adore Eskayel's wallpaper collection, the company's gorgeous abstract designs are often out of reach from a pricing perspective. And when it comes to the design-loving renters out there, wallpaper is often a big no-no due to issues with their lease. Furthermore, it often doesn't make sense to invest in an expensive wallpaper when one's time in a rental is undefined, and could be for a time period of a year or less.

Although Eskayel is known mostly for its bespoke wallpaper, the designer behind the line wanted to create something for people who can’t afford to wallpaper an entire room or wall, or who rent and aren’t allowed to make any dramatic transformations to their pads. With these factors in mind, Eskayel introduced its wall hangings. The wall hangings are available in linen, organic denim and wallpaper in a variety of sizes - from two feet square to almost five feet by nine feet long. Prices range from $80 to $620.

Again, not a small investment, but when you consider the price for a piece of wall art that large, it begins to make sense. And I certainly wouldn't mind substituting an Eskayel wall hanging for a large piece of art. The abstract and engaging patterns are works of art in themselves, and draw the viewer in with their unusual patterns and lovely palettes. Would you consider - or have you already - substituting a fabric wall hanging for art in your home? Which Eskayel hanging is your favorite?