Tying the Eco-Friendly Knot, In Style

Note from Melissa: This guest post was contributed by Kate Willson, who writes on the topic of top online colleges. She welcomes your comments: katewillson2@gmail.com.

Organic Cotton and Hemp Blend
'Annie Dress' by Mountains
of the Moon

We all know that living “green” has both good and bad connotations. While it’s worthwhile because it lessens the negative impact on the environment, there are also some who view it as the antithesis of luxury. As Smart. Sustainable. Style. teaches us, living green does not mean giving up lavishness for a granola lifestyle. In fact, you can make being green a truly posh lifestyle change, and nowhere is this more evident than in the concept of a stylish, eco-friendly wedding!

A wedding is typically an expensive affair, both financially and environmentally. Guests are flown or driven in from across the country, which racks up carbon usage, and all of the things that weddings include (favors, food, etc.) can come from carbon-spewing factories as well (not to mention the toll it takes to ship them to the wedding destination!) Check out our ideas for ways to green your wedding without sacrificing an ounce of chic.

1. Keep it Local. One easy way to make a wedding more eco-friendly is to have it in a local area so that guests won’t have to travel too far to attend, instantly cutting back carbon emissions. In many towns and cities, there are loads of idyllic places in which to host a wedding. Take a tour around your city, or to nearby rural areas if you prefer a quaint and quiet wedding. If you and your partner have particularly fond memories of a certain diner, have a wedding party there to celebrate the union, which is much more cost-effective than renting out a typical large banquet hall as well.

2. Stay Small/Handmade. Sourcing all of your wedding needs from local sources or small eco-friendly companies will help to lessen your environmental impact as well. Smaller businesses tend to produce less waste because they are run on a smaller scale than larger factories. As an added plus, you’ll likely receive more one-on-one attention from business owners. Commission your wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses from a local or independent designer instead of a large, faceless clothing chain.  (MotM's Edie and Coco Dresses are both fun bridesmaid dress choices, and you can rest easy knowing that they are produced with luxurious eco-friendly fabrics and packaged and shipped in reused or otherwise sustainable boxes). Also look to communities like Etsy for handmade wedding items.

3. Go Organic. The same mentalities (choosing small, local suppliers) can be applied to food. A great way to serve up delicious, sustainable food is to choose ingredients from local or organic farms. Produce and livestock from local and organic sources typically have a much better flavor anyway, so in addition to protecting mother earth, you’d be serving your guest the most mouth-watering of dishes on your big day!

Do-It-Yourself Floral Heart Wreath
from DIYweddings.org

4. Do It Yourself.  Another wonderful way to make your wedding more eco-friendly is to DIY it. There are many aspects of your wedding that you can have fun tackling yourself, like making your own floral arrangements, boutonnieres, party favors, and wedding cake. With a DIY project, you’ll have more control over the sustainability of the end product. For example, if you make your own floral arrangements, opt for locally grown and in-season flowers rather than having blooms shipped in. You can also opt for beautiful wildflowers or flowers from a friend’s garden to make the perfect bouquets and center pieces. With a DIY wedding cake, you can use the suggestion for #3 (above) to ensure that the ingredients are organic and/or local. When it comes to DIY, the possibilities are endless, so use your imagine and experiment.

For more inspiration on greening your wedding and DIY wedding projects, check out these links:
- An Eco-Chic Chicago Wedding
- A Charming DIY Wedding in Maryland
- DIYWedding.org

you know you're on facebook right now...

...so while you're already there, why not become a fan of Mountains of the Moon?

We promise lots of goodness, like contests, exclusive coupons, and occasionally even a bad joke or two.  We'll meet you there:  Mountains of the Moon on Facebook.

pretty + sustainable fall/winter/holiday

The most wonderful time of the year...
Pretty + sustainable at Mountains of the Moon.

Mountains of the Moon's Sustainable Summer Style Contest & Giveaway!

Enter by using any of the methods listed below.  Choose one, some, or all to increase your chances to win!  MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT THE Official Entry Form FOR EACH ENTRY!  Using the Entry Form is the only way for your votes to be counted.

1. Visit www.mountainsofthemoon.com, choose your favorite summer item, then leave a comment about the item on this blog post. (worth 1 entry)

2. Use this month’s newsletter 25% OFF coupon code (see below for details) on your purchase at www.mountainsofthemoon.com by this Tuesday, 6/15. (worth 2 entries)

3. Like/Become a Fan of Mountains of the Moon on Facebook  (worth 1 entry)

4. Follow Mountains of the Moon on Twitter 
(worth 1 entry)

5. Post the following as your Facebook or Twitter status: "Enter Mountains of the Moon’s Sustainable Summer Style Contest & Win One of 3 Great Prizes!  http://bit.ly/aIxMSU " (1 entry for FB, 1 for Twitter)

6. Post about this contest on your blog with a link to our June newsletter. (worth 2 entries)

Contest ends June 15th!

Winners will be chosen by random number generator software. 
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

 For more details, visit the Mountains of the Moon
June newsletter.  Good Luck!

Introducing... YOU CHOOSE!

The ladies o' Mountains of the Moon have been doing a lot of deep thinking recently.  You know - about things like existentialist theory, condensed matter physics, and really significant life decisions (like what colors to use for the spring '11 collection and what types of new products we should add to our line).

During an especially profound brainstorming session earlier this week, we had an epiphany.  Since we've always been inspired and driven by our customers, why not let our customers play an active roll in said significant decisions?

Introducing: YOU CHOOSE!  Starting today, we'll be posting weekly polls on our Official Facebook Page where you can help us choose where to go with our darling little company.  This week's poll asks:

Which of these items would you most like to see at Mountains of the Moon?

• A New Sustainable T-Shirt Line
• A Vintage and Used Clothing Section
• More One-of-a-Kind Statement Necklaces
• A Sustainable Bag/Purse Line

You can have your say by voting right here.  We hope you'll take part and help us create the Mountains of the Moon of your dreams.

xoxo

Summer Solstice Sale & Celebration!

Oh how we've missed you!  Blogger has been having some outage issues here in Chi-town, and we've been without access to Smart. Sustainable. Style. for several days.  It's been rough, but we're back in action (phew!), just in time for us to invite you to a very special event taking place in a few weeks.

If you're on facebook, you can RSVP right here (say yes! say yes!).  I mean really, what's better than sunny cocktails, sustainable fashion, and summer fun?   See you there, sisters in sustainable style.

Electric Edie

In high school, I dressed up as Edie Sedgwick every Halloween. I wore a mini dress and false eyelashes to prom. I read all the books about Warhol's factory scene and Edie's riches-to-rags life of booze, pills, and fashion obsession.

To do this day, I covet pretty much every outfit she ever wore in public.  I even named one of my designs after her. Tortured soul or not, Edie had style.

This photograph in particular is one of my all-time favorites.  It makes me want to make a mad dash to the sewing machine, insert striped panels into the seams of my favorite tank, throw on the nearest pair of black tights, and walk the streets in search some sort of impractical and eccentric adventure. 

The Great Dress Sale is Coming ................

3 days.  Dresses galore.  Every single one marked down.  It's like a dream...  but real.  May 11th-13th at Mountains of the Moon.

My Crush on "Trends," Vol 1: Spring 2010

Despite the fact that my life of fashion-as-career sometimes transforms fashion-as-fun into panic attack inducing breakdowns, due to an inability to let go of workday stress (“Is that Project Runway I see on the TV?  Get it off now, NOW!  Omg, I just saw a dress form covered in muslin.  I can’t breathe!  I’m having a heart attack!”), I am still (thankfully) able to (occasionally) allow myself to enjoy the bliss of immersing oneself in the “this season’s hottest trends” features of fashion mags and blogs.

In order to avoid coming off as an eco-fashion hypocrite, let me explain my love of trends - which, on the surface, do go against most of what the sustainable style world embodies.  Yes, the basic concept of trends itself tends to promote fashion as disposable, sometimes even on the same gross level as a McDonalds cheeseburger wrapper.  But I’m not talking about $12 knockoff dresses produced in massive quantities (by children) that will end up in the dumpster behind your alley in three months.  I’m talking about the excitement that accompanies something new and different.  I’m talking about the endorphin rush that supplements staring at fashion week images or pictures of people on the street donned in various interpretations of these “trends.”  I’m talking about the inevitable enthusiasm that emerges from the exploration of newness in fashion-as-art.  In fact, when you add the sustainability factor to all of this, it becomes even more exhilarating.  Why?  Because an inspiration-fueled challenge presents itself, where one can concoct brand new ways to style garments already in the closet, or opt to buy eco-conscious pieces that are elegantly simple, and timeless enough to be easily updated to the most on-trend-look-on-the-block, with the simple help of a bracelet, jacket, or belt.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get to the fun stuff: my three favorite trends for spring 2010.  Since I’ve already wasted enough of this post with a long-winded attempt to avoid appearing unfaithful to my devotion to the sustainable fashion revolution, I’m going to do this in pictures.  Enjoy.  Oh – and if you have a photo of your fine self wearing your favorite spring look, send it to us and we’ll post it for all the world to see.

NEUTRAL DRESSES



Left: The organic cotton/hemp Audrey Dress, Mountains of the Moon by Melissa Baswell.Center and Right: Frei Designs by Annie Novoty. All three dresses available at Workshop Chicago

SHORTS (AS THE NEW MINISKIRT)

Left and Center: The organic cotton Stella Shorts, Mountains of the Moon by Melissa Baswell.  Available at Mountains of the Moon.  Right:  The Suspend Shorts (made from reclaimed tshirts), Adhesif Clothing.

FLORAL PRINTS

Left: Charlotte Ronson (not necessarily sustainable, but a fun style to scout out at your local thrift store).  Right: The organic cotton Coco Dress, Mountains of the Moon by Melissa Baswell.  Available at Mountains of the Moon

You’re Invited: Sustainable Style Symposium & Swap

We’re having a party and you’re invited! Okay, so it’s not actually a ‘party,’ but trust us, we’ll be sure to make it one. And we shall call said party the Sustainable Style Symposium & Swap at the Summer Camp 2010 Music Festival (hey, we never claimed we weren’t wordy).

 
WHEN: Saturday May 29, 2010. 12 - 1 PM.

WHERE: Summer Camp 2010 Music Festival

WHAT: Getting “more for less” may as well be the official motto of American society. Sadly, the fashion industry is no exception, often churning out cheap, disposable products that are environmentally destructive and exploitative of laborers. We all want to do our part to protect the earth, but how can we do this through our wardrobes without spending a ton of cash? How can we still feel chic and on trend without buying new clothing every season?

Join eco-fashion designer/stylist/fashion show producer Melissa Baswell (Mountains of the Moon, CounterpArts), band manager/sustainable event producer Vince Iwinski (Umphrey’s McGee, Green Apple Music & Arts Festival), fashion show producer/stylist Mary Welch Fox (CounterpArts), environmental activist James Gooch (Change of Atmosphere), and special surprise guests(!) for an upbeat discussion and Q&A session on the true meanings of sustainable style.

Then join our panelist for the official Sustainable Style Clothing Swap! Bring a piece of new or very gently used clothing and take home a new clothing item of equal value for free. You’ll also receive a Summercamp Go Green Raffle ticket for participating in the swap. Any unclaimed clothing will be donated to a local charity.

Eco-fashion talkin’ and swappin’ with a dash of music sounds an awful lot like a party to us.  RSVP right here.

Mountains of the Moon SS10 - The Movie!

Okay, it's not exactly Martin Scorsese, but it's still a lot more entertaining than just looking at photos, right? Enjoy!


Mountains of the Moon by Melissa Baswell: The Spring 2010 Collection

What's Your Favorite Look for Spring? (Win a $30 Gift Certificate!)

Ahhh, sweet spring fashion. We're pretty excited around here about the fact that the arctic tundra better known as winter in Chicago is finally coming to an end. Daffodils and tulips are peeking through the ground and the recently barren trees are fresh with green leaves. Most importantly, we're eager to put away the winter wardrobe and focus on the (much more fun) flowing fabrics and elegantly free-spirited shapes that only come with spring fashion. With our own spring 2010 collection (designed, as always, using only sustainable fabrics) now available in stores and on our website, the sweet smell of sunshine seems closer than ever. Each of us has a favorite look from the collection, and we want to know yours as well. You can even win a $30 Mountains of the Moon Gift Certificate! Just vote for one of the four spring looks below, then post a comment on our Official Facebook Page about why it's your favorite. On April 26th, we'll choose the winning comment.

UPDATE (4/27/2010): The Mountains of the Moon staff has voted on all of the thoughtful, creative comments we received on our Facebook Page. All of them were absolutely wonderful and so fun for us to read, but alas, we could only choose one. And the winner is... Itsuko Koizumi! Itsuko's comment poetically expressed how Look #1 embodies the essence of spring:

The first look with the blue skirt is my favorite spring look. With the blue of the skirt being akin with the color of the skies, and the faintest hint of floral print in the ruffles on the tank top, this outfit gives off a very airy, fresh kind of feel. The hairband also gives it a native edge, tying it to nature.

Congrats Itsuko!  And big thanks to everyone else who voted and contributed comments.  Please continue to vote for your favorite below...  We value your opinions and use them to help us decide what to design for future collections.

Such an Honor to Be Nominated...

...but winning is especially nice. ;)

We just got word that we've been nominated for two Best of Mindful Chicago Awards: Best Local Fashion Designer (Melissa Baswell) and Best Place for Eco-Fashion (Mountains of the Moon)! Put on by the amazing folks over at Mindful Metropolis, these awards are Reader's Choice, so if you like us, please vote for us right here!

Celebrate the Season: Sustainable Style Sale & Soiree!

We hope you'll join Mountains of the Moon for Sustainable Style Sale and Soiree, a very special holiday shopping event and party on December 17th! Support local businesses and green your holiday gifts with incredible 'last minute' deals and discounts on sustainable fashion, accessories, jewelry and shoes from some of Chicago's best designers. Enjoy free organic cocktails and snacks, music, a live art installation and more! Admission is FREE (so invite your friends!) There is plenty of free street parking available.

WHEN: Thursday, December 17th from 5 to 9 PM.
WHERE: Colori EcoPaint Boutique, 2243 W. North Avenue, Chicago.
WHAT: Everything you ever dreamed of, that's what!
Click here for more deets.

Hosted by Melissa Baswell and Mary Welch Fox of Mountains of the Moon, Michelle Quaranta of Colori EcoPaint Boutique, and Gen Art.

Special thanks to the following amazing companies/organizations for donating their products and efforts to this event: Gen Art, Colori EcoPaint, Veev Açaí Spirit, Ginger Bliss Beverages, Cafe Bloom, Mindful Metropolis Magazine, Chicago Fashion Resource, Raw Creations, Umphrey's McGee, Chad Smith Photography, the Arboretum of South Barrington, DJ Ron Trent, and artist Tyrue Slang Jones.