Eco-Chic

I am not the most eco-friendly gal on the block. Our stupid Home Owners Association won't include recycling in the garbage deal they have. We don't have room for extra places to separate garbage and honestly, I don't have the patience to deal with getting it where it needs to go. Self-centered? Perhaps. Honest - yup.

I do, however, recycle plastic bags from the grocery if I forget my totes, recycle all the plastic water bottles from work, as well as the aluminum cans. We keep our thermostat low, but we use a lot of water. There doesn't seem like a win-win scenario unless you have a lot of freakin' time and resources available. Or maybe I'm just lazy. Anyway, when I was in Hong Kong I saw this New Zealand-based reality show about how bad this one family's " carbon footprint" was to the earth. They started keeping a bucket of earthworms in their basement to put organic refuse into. Did you know that an earthworm can eat's it's weight in 24 hours and that it is a hermaphrodite? Anyway, you can plop all your veggies and carbs and such into a bucket of dirt and worms and voila, recycled worm poop to use in your garden! No meat or citrus though, they don't like those food groups.

The point I'm getting to is that I was thinking about my own "footprint" and this time, it was not how it would so nicely fit into a pair of Jimmy Choos. Once I start thinking, I start surfing. Once I start surfing, all things come back to weddings (and those oh-so elusive Jimmy Choos). My surfing found a really cool eco-chic wedding dress lady on Etsy. I thought for sure this chick was from San Francisco, maybe Portland. Oh no. She lives in KNOXVILLE. As in Tennessee. As in the reddest state in the Union (blech) as well as my home state. A-mazing. As are her gowns.

The name of her Etsy shop is Threadhead Creations.  

This is called The Jane (oh, Mr. Darcy!). It's made of organic cotton with an unbleached silk chiffon overlay. Fully lined in organic cotton. Yes, please.

 

Meet The Callie.

"Callie is constructed with five different hemp/silk blend fabrics. The hemp is grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers and is blended with wild peace silk (cocoons are harvested only after the moths have emerged). This dress features an organic cotton base layer and is fully lined in silk. "

How polite. They let the little moths be born before the wreck havoc on their little homes.

For the less traditional bride, there's The April, made of eco-friendly charmeuse.

"The landscape panel is handcrafted using many lovely colors of hemp/silk charmeuse. Over forty blossoms accent the intertwined tree limbs. "

This dress is from the Natural Bridal Collection by Morgan Boszilkov.

Bamboo and organic cotton jersey dress with hand made organic linen flowers and hemp/silk charmeuse details.

'Cuz you know I loves me some shrugs! Organic linen pleated wrap with large hemp silk crepe gathered flowers and hemp silk ties!

 Now everyone is all hip and crazy about "upcycling" ( process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value - thank you Wikipedia). I've yet to see any really pretty upcycled gowns, except for one on Bride Chic. I do think recycled gowns are totally cool though. Like, uber-swoon over this one.

Now, granted the MINK FUR TRIM kinda negates the whole "eco" theme of this post, but heck, that animal has been dead now for like SIXTY YEARS! How is that my fault? How am I responsible for the demise of that little rodent? Whatever. Check out the vintage stuff at The Frock.

Anyway, who can afford a used dress for $3700? If I was going to spend that kind of money, I'd be hittin' me up some Reem Acra, St. Pucchi or Vivienne Westwood. But that's just me. I hope you all have enjoyed this brief and incomplete visit to the politically correct world of eco-wedding gowns, courtesy of The Thirty-Something Bride. My opinion? Wear what makes you feel simply stunning and happy  and that will be the right dress.