Clothing with a Conscience

Guest blogger Danna Weiss is no stranger to the fashion industry. She was a designer for Donna Karan, an editor at Cosmopolitan, a celebrity stylist for Molly Sims and a TV personality. But, after a near fatal bacterial infection, Weiss gave her lifestyle (and her closet) an organic makeover. Now, the eco-life stylist is using her experience to show the fashion flock how to dress eco-chic.

In this day and age we are so bombarded with media images that sometimes we forget what we believe is beautiful. There are many more issues to consider when buying garments than just designer labels and the season’s trends. With fashion being one of the biggest offenders of the environment, (with 800 million pounds of dangerous pesticides used every year on cotton and 200 thousand people dying of pesticide poisoning in the United States alone) one has to wonder, “Could I have chosen a different blouse?”

The answer is YES. To all those fashionistas that pout that there is simply nothing out there that is eco-fashionable I feel it is my duty to divulge. But, before you start shopping, note that Kate Moss and Sienna Miller seem to get pretty far on vintage. A choice of many eco-conscious girls, including myself, recycling and reusing is almost as fashionable as not looking like everyone else!

Here are some of my favorite fashion picks:

Tiziana Boat Neck Jacket/Top by nature vs. future ($198)
A fierce summer look for the office made from 100% organic cotton.

Cashmere and Hemp Sweater by Viridus Luxe ($147)
The “no-brainer top” with jeans or shorts. You can’t go wrong with this sweater made in their signature cashmere/hemp blend. If you could feel the material, you would buy it in every color!

Willow Wide Legged Jeans by delforte ($190)
Who doesn’t need a pair of great white jeans for summer? This wide-legged pair are made from organic cotton so they are cool minus the pound of chemical fertilizer and pesticide.

Indian Inspired Cotton Voile Tunic by Under the Canopy ($78)
It’s hard to go through summer without a caftan. This one is not only organic, but has a great cut and color.

Danna Weiss is an eco-life stylist, conscious television personality and contributor to Lucky and Organic Style magazines. Conscious Jewelry, her metaphysical crystal and gem line, is available at Kirna Zabete in New York and Holinzoe in Los Angeles.

Eco-Chic Entertaining is a special series for the month of April that is dedicated to the best green vendors, products and services.