Jewelry – Fabulously Green

Category archives: Jewelry

HOT SHOP | Bag, Borrow or Steal Reviewed

27Mar08

A-listers like Anne Hathaway and Gwyneth Paltrow do it all the time: wear diamonds or vintage couture on loan for the Red Carpet. Borrowing rather than owning has its charms, and now we in the real world can dress like Cinderella for a night thanks to a new online couture-for-rent boutique Bag Borrow or Steal.

The Shop: Bag, Borrow or Steal

The Bottom Line: The Netflix of fashion. Instead of renting the Devil Wears Prada, you can actually rent Prada. Or Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Kate Spade and hundreds more. Clutches, earrings, belts are all guaranteed authentic and you rent by the week or month.

The Skinny: Crystal clear site navigation makes browsing and renting a snap. You can search by designer, style, color, or price point. You can either borrow as a guest or a member (which for a monthly rate, gives you 20% off all borrowed items). A free return shipping package allows you to drop it in a mailbox and voila — it’s returned.

At prices starting at $15/week for Coach, red carpet fashion has never been so accessible and so fabulously green. If you love it, you can “steal” it (i.e. buy it).

Wishlist: We’d love to see the shop adopt a carbon offset program like the Carbon Fund for its shipping and returns. As well as consider donating a portion of proceeds to a non-profit like Dress for Success.

Best bets: Perfect place to find designer jewelry for a wedding or black tie event.

The perks: Borrowing is more fabulous than buying — easier on the wallet and the planet.

RELATED POSTS:

>>Sunday’s “It” Store: Zanisa

>>Hot Shop: EcoTobi Reviewed

Filed under Couture Style, Eco Glam, Fashion - Women, Jewelry, Sales+Shopping, Vintage| Tagged celebrity style, Chanel, Eco-friendly, green weddings, Gucci, Prada, Red Carpet fashion, vera wang, Wedding jewelry | 3 Comments

Arre: Stretching the Boundaries of Fashion

05Apr07

I am enthralled by these gossamer pieces of jewelry designed by Arre. Crafted from of all things–rubber bands. Whoever would have imagined that rubber bands could appear so delicate?

Arre’s debut Collection of necklaces, bracelets and earrings is based on the concept of notions stores, and the transformation of everyday objects into fun, wearable works of art. Rubber is considered a renewable resource, since it is a sap that is extracted from living trees. Available in five colors.

Arre is a Mexico City-based design workshop founded by long time friends Erendira Garnica and Regina Santos-Coy. Their pieces are surprisingly affordable (between $35-$65) and are available at various e-boutiques like stars+infinite darkness.

Filed under Budget Fashion, Handmade, Indie, Jewelry| Tagged Handmade, Indie, Reusable | No Comments

Fab Friday | Fashion Finds

23Mar07

TGIF…Here are some fabulous fashion finds to cap off your week…

LACE EMBRACED

Daphne Dress by Pearl Lowe, RRP £695.00
Made with vintage lace, handmade in the UK
Spotted at ecobtq

A HOT LITTLE DISH

Necklace by The Broken Plate
Made from recycled dishware
Spotted at Modish

ARMED & FABULOUS

Lady Olive Bag by jack&marjorie
Refashioned from military surplus materials and vintage brocade
Spotted at StyleHive

Filed under Bags, Fashion - Women, Indie, Jewelry, Refashion+Refurb, Vintage| Tagged Eco-friendly, Indie | 2 Comments

Chic Wrist CAN-dy

21Mar07

I love, love, LOVE these elegant Bohemian Cuffs designed by Hardware by Renee. You would never guess that they are crafted from recycled cans of tea (Arizona Green Tea anyone?) wrapped inside a white brass alloy. Amazingly affordable too ($26 each).

A whimsical cuff for Starbucks’ zealots. There are seven designs in all available here.

Filed under Budget Fashion, Fashion - Women, Handmade, Jewelry, Refashion+Refurb, Unique| Tagged bracelets, Handmade, Hardware by Renee | No Comments

WEDDINGS | Fabulously Green Engagement Rings

28Feb07

artdeco_engagementring
The film Blood Diamond may have been shut out at the Oscars this year, but it’s a winner in our eyes for bringing awareness to the dark side of of the diamond industry. Fortunately jewelry companies such as Brilliant Earth, Green Karat, and vintage jewelers like Isadora’s and Wanna Buy A Watch? offer gorgeous, conflict-free gems for your engagement or wedding. Yes you can be romantic and responsible–isn’t that what an ideal marriage should be?

TIMELESS & TRADITIONAL

platinum_princess
Princess Cut Garland Ring Set, Brilliant Earth
Perhaps the brilliant idea behind Brilliant Earth is their Create Your Own Ring option. You choose the diamond (caret, cut, and clarity) and setting to create a customized ring for your honey. Their diamonds are ethically mined in Canada.

My favorite vintage jewelry store is a well-known boutique on Melrose strip in L.A. called Wanna Buy a Watch? Yes, the store does indeed offer an amazing array of time pieces by Rolex, Movada and the like, but half of their store is actually devoted to vintage wedding and engagement rings ranging from the 20’s to the 50’s. The bands above are a sampling of what styles you can buy online, they carry beautiful earrings and necklaces too. Prices range from $400s to $10,000s.

IN LOVING COLOR
colored gemstone such as canary diamonds, blue or even pink sapphires (popular gem of choice in the early 20th century).
pink_engagementring
Pink Tourmaline Ring, Isadora’s
Circa 1920’s this ring is an Art Deco original set into a platinum band. I tried on a similar ring recently — and was surprised to see how complimentary the stone is set against your skin.

sapphire_engagementring

Victorian Sapphire Ring, Isadora’s
Circa 1900’s. This 18KT rose gold ring is centered by a beautiful blue sapphire and accented by sparkling diamonds. Love the elegant simplicity.

canary_engagementring

Canary Uncaged, GreenKarat
Stunning yellow diamond set in recycled 18K yellow or white gold, or 90% recycled platinum. sapphire_engagementring2
Sapphire Engagement Ring, Brilliant Earth
Brilliant Earth offers a full collection of fairly traded sapphire rings.

Secret Love

Binary Ring, $950 by GreenKarat
Designed and hand carved by artist Gideon Weisz, these custom rings give couples a way to share a secret bond. Your desired message is translated and engraved into binary code (the ring shown says “a marriage of values”). Available in recycled yellow or white gold, or platinum. Want an extra karmic boost? Offer to pay a voluntary carbon offset tax with your purchase.

Filed under Eco Glam, Jewelry, Lifestyle Tips, Wedding Style| Tagged conflict-free, cruelty-free, diamonds, Eco-friendly, engagement ring, Fair Trade, Jewelry, wedding ring | Comments closed

Happy Valentine's Day

14Feb07

I Ronni Kappos vintage heart jewelry

Green Heart Pendant by I. Ronni Kappos $90

For those who are pro-love but anti-pink this necklace designed from vintage German glass, silk and silver makes a gorgeous “love” statement. The glass comes from the famed, but long-defunct German glassworks in the Sudetenland region of Bohemia. The molds and chemical pigments used in prewar glass production from this region are no longer available, which is why so many of the shapes and hues are very unusual. Since these beads were made in the 1920’s and 1930’s, they are rare and highly collectible.

The green heart pendant is exclusive to Beklina boutique.

Filed under Fashion - Women, Handmade, Indie, Jewelry, Refashion+Refurb| Tagged Eco-friendly, Handmade, Indie | No Comments

Fab Friday | Fashion Finds

01Feb07

This week’s fashion finds cover the affordable and affluent, but undeniably fabulous.

STEPPIN’ OUT
Charmone Platform Shoes, $315, available at KaightNYC.

Spotted at Style.com

TIE ME UP, TIE ME DOWN
Snap Ties by Erin MacLeod, crafted from vintage ties, $29

Spotted at GreatGreenGoods

REBEL RUBBER

Designers Gaelyn and Cianfarani take recycled inner tubes for a new spin:

Spotted at Haute*Nature

Bromélia Bag by Amazon Life, made with Treetap, a natural latex rubber, and dyed denim

Spotted at Treehugger

Filed under Bags, Budget Fashion, Couture Style, Eco Glam, Fashion - Women, Jewelry, Refashion+Refurb, Shoes, Vintage| Tagged Changeable Style, Eco-friendly | No Comments

Fab Friday | Fashion Finds

26Jan07

Some fabulous links to eco-chic fashion spotted around the web this week:
Emerging Parisian design label SANS debuts a simple yet sensual line of womenswear this season that features fresh and flattering silhouettes and sustainable fabrics made from bamboo, soy, tussah silk and organic cotton. SANS is a collaboration between designer Lika Volkova and sustainable production veteran Alessandro De Vito.

Via Jill Danyelle of fiftyRx3 for Inhabitat

Sk8bags and accessories by beck(y). Designed by Becky Hickey, the collection featured handcrafted, one-of-a-kind bags, iPod cases, wallets, totes and belts constructed from recycled skateboards and plush fabrics.

Via haute*nature

Accessories by San Francisco designer Liz Saintsing for vintage UNTAMED. Unique bags and belts inspired from refashioned flea-market finds and graphics printed by Liz herself.

Via Miss Malaprop at Stylehive

Kimono Rings by Carrotbox $16 and up. Made using recycled vintage Japanese kimonos and acrylic.

Via haute*nature

Filed under Bags, Budget Fashion, Eco Glam, Fashion - Women, Handmade, Indie, Jewelry, Refashion+Refurb, Sales+Shopping, Unique, Vintage| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Handmade, Indie, Organic | No Comments

A Giving Kind of Love this Valentine's Day

25Jan07

Looking for love this Valentine’s season? Here few fabulously green finds that bring some love and tenderness to your one-and-only, your gal pal and our planet.

LOVE NOTES
These handmade cards by GG2G inspire the “touchy-feelie” this Valentine’s Day. Each one-of-a-kind design is crafted using salvaged fabrics and samples, and printed on 75% hemp/25% post-consumer paper stock.

I love the love peas. We are like. Perfectly said.

BED OF ROSES
I’m not one to buy cut flowers (I prefer to give and receive potted plants and flowers). But if you or your loved one is bouquet-minded then Organic Bouquet is a great bet. Their Charitable Bouquets are certified-organic, and 5% of every purchase is donated to a paired charity. The roses shown above supports the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public, specifically parents and caregivers, about environmental toxins that affect children’s health. With 28 arrangements to choose from, you’ll likely find something that will bring style with a smile.

DECADENT DESSERTS

Custom cakes by Sarah Magid are lovingly made with organic ingredients and in-season, locally found fruits and herbs. I’m dying to taste the Chocolate Loveblossom (left) and the Flutter Away butterfly-inspired cakes (right). Via Oh Joy!

POPPING THE QUESTION…

The Canary Uncaged Engagement Ring by Green Karat is a sunny-colored stunner that is responsibly mined and crafted in a recycled gold setting. The karma believer in me just says no to blood diamonds, and yes to conflict-free, responsibly made engagement and wedding bands.

…JUST A PROMISE TO STICK TOGETHER

Magnetic Ring by Dynomighty, $20. Spotted at GreenerGrassDesign.

LOVING THE SKIN YOU’RE IN
Organic Body Polish by Trillium Organics, $13, spotted at BTC Elements
Pure wholesome goodness for skin. Paraben, fragrance, petroleum, synthetic, and cruelty free. Available in Pink Grapefruit, Cedar Sage, or Lavendar Geranium.

Euphoria Vegan Handmade Soap by YouStinkSoap, $3.25 on Etsy
Chunky all-natural bars blend jasmine, rose and sandlewood. Super-fatted with shea butter for extra moisturizing benefits. Tons of silky, creamy bubbles, sans chemicals. All lovingly made in Michigan.

Love to all of you this season,
Fab Green

Filed under Gifts+Gifting, Gourmet, Handmade, Jewelry, Refashion+Refurb, Wedding Style| Tagged Eco-friendly, Handmade, Organic | No Comments

Etsy Find: A Good Bet

22Jan07

The card player/Scrabble freak in me loves these necklaces by Etsy designer stinkycretingirl. Taking inspiration from cast-off game pieces, they’re transformed into surprisingly boho-elegant accessories.

Alpana Necklace, by stinkycretingirl, $30
Made from a poker chip and a set of vintage rice paper napkins. The seed pearls were reclaimed from a preloved necklace.