The way it should be*

Style Ethics

"All clothing should be sustainable and organic" says designer Hassan Pierre.  "Tha's just the way it should be." And with his green collection - aptly named Way It Should Be* - Pierre is certainly backing up his words.  take this dress: From its organic white stain tiers and black pleated trim (colored with non-synthetic dyes) to its zipper (recycled), even to its han tag made of seeded paper (plant it in soil and wait for flowers to grow), it's totally environmentally friendly.  

from Vogue May 2010

Every decision (even small) counts.. Become a responsible consumer

While the "greener" you would start buying less stuff, I understand it's hard to do that. I am on a quest to buy less clothing and recycle/resuse my old one, there is always that cute shirt you just "have"to have. So for those that still want to continue shopping, we can still be responsible consumers, here are some tips:

1. Buy clothing that are ACTUALLY made in your own country. It's not enough that the label says "Made in the USA." There are many U.S.-controlled regions in other parts of the world were garments can claim to be "American made" and on top of that be made by sweatshop laborers. In fact did you know there are sweatshops HERE in the USA. It's hard to actually know how far the clothes traveled to end up in the stores or how they were actually made, but it's important that we start asking these questions and demanding clothing companies to bring attention to these issues.

2. Organic should be the "fabric of our lives" - According to the Organic Trade Association, producing a single cotton T-shirt takes approximately 1/3 of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers, chemicals that permeate the soil, run into the water, and pollute ecosystems with toxins. Alternatives? Organic cotton. Although farming cotton is still a bit damaging to the earth, taking the pesticides out of the equation, it's healthier for the field workers and for you.

3. Peace, love and Hemp - Hemp can now be made into soft, hight-quality fabric as fine as silk. Also, it can make the cutest vest and dresses (I have a few).

These are just a few examples, but there are much more, it's not that hard to be "green" and to be a responsible consumer. It's not just about protecting the earth, but also about protecting yourself.

With a little help from "World Changing: A user's guide for the 21st century"

In with the old?

So here is the thing.. I own a LOT of clothing! much more than I wear.. lately I've been on a budget because I want to do more traveling, so I haven't been shopping that much (or shopping for inexpensive items) so I have been digging up my closet and found beautiful pieces I have either never worn or worn once or twice before.  I am a shame to say that I have over bought clothes that I didn't really need at the moment, obviously since I hadn't even worn it until now.  I am what many call an impulsive shopper.. and I am not proud of that.. I guess I get that from my dad.. only he buys gadgets and I buy dresses.  So this is what I'm going to do: I am going to minimize my shopping, and start wearing what I already own. Crazy huh? you might think that a lot of if has gone out of fashion, but c'mon retro? vintage? I know fashion is about looking forward and not backwards, but It doesn't hurt to take a peak on the past to understand where the future is going.  Fashion for me is about expression, just like art. I don't think I need to buy a new pair of shoes or a new dress every weekend to express who I am. I think that the most innovative stylists or fashion icons are those who look effortless, yet chic and those that do more with less.  So I am going to start wearing all my many seasons ago clothing items, but giving them a new touch. I am going to express myself with what I have and make the most of it.  I am going to RECYCLE my clothes! Yes, that's the best way I can put it.
I hope you can join me in my journey of expression..
But don't get me wrong, I am for sure donating a lot of stuff.. I always send a lot of clothing down to my grandma's pueblito in Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit.  So if anybody ever wants to donate some of your clothes, let me know! As I write, six boxes of children, women, men's clothing items are being taken to Santiago for people that are not as fortunate as we are.

"We protect what we love.."

Last night I watched the DisneyNature's movie OCEANS and it was absolutely amazing!! It's like Avatar but REAL! no special effects, just real life.  I saw animals that I thought I could only see in movies and that I thought they were only mythical.  It's amazing how powerful and mysterious the ocean is and how much we as human beings depend on it and still keep destroying and polluting it.  We always had this notion that the ocean is so huge that we could never run out of water or we could never pollute it enough, but the reality is that the ocean is in big trouble! And what most people don't know is that 70% of the oxygen we breath actually comes from the OCEAN!! 

I really hope everybody goes to see this movie and realize the beauty that is beneath the surface, and that we need to protected and conserve it healthy.  

If you are not absolutely touched by this movie then what I recommend is going to see the sea lions in La Jolla or go watch the gray whales in their migration all here in San Diego! Seaworld what? nothing beats seeing animals in their natural habitat.. watching the sea turtles making their way to the ocean down in Oaxaca or watching a gray whale take a dive into the San Ignacio Lagoon.  Last year I was lucky enough to go to a trip to San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California Sur, and it was such an amazing experience.  I watched gray whales swim 2 feet from me, spraying water through their baleen onto my face and coming up as though they wanted to play with us.  I was there for two days, in a little boat in total amazed on how could I be so lucky as to be in the presence of such amazing mammals.  These are some of the pictures from that trip! 

Jacques Cousteau once said that we protect what we love.. and I love the ocean, I love every living species in this planet.  I care about protecting and conserving a healthy environment for generations to come so my children and grandchildren can enjoy it. WHAT DO YOU CARE ABOUT?

I ♥ MPAs...

Egypt has created its first marine reserve on the Mediterranean coast!! http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62834M20100309
We can find happiness in protecting the world around us not only because we cherish it for its awesome beauty, power, and mystery, but because we cherish our fellow humans, those who live today and those who will live tomorrow, living beings who, like ourselves, will increasingly depend on the environment for happiness and even for life itself. JacquesYCousteau..