Just what are the essentials for work bags that make the cut?

No matter your line of work, it is a given that you need a good work bag. A work bag must be many things– a utilitarian workhorse, a chic bag that works just as well after hours, a handy place to stow your lunch, a tech bag, and your workaday purse for the essentials you may need. And it has to be sturdy, super cool, works with all possible outfits, and, of course, it should also be the most excellent accessory around. Roundly, the right bag can make your day, while the wrong bag can set you up for a disaster. No pressure, but you better get it right.

The essential work bag must combine form and function into one. It must be comfortable to wear–no digging into your shoulders. You need this bag to go with everything because you’re not going to be swapping things in and out of different bags to coordinate with what you’re wearing that day. The straps also need to be long enough–no handheld work bags thank you.

Of course, you are probably looking for a more sustainable choice in your work bag as well. Whether something made from sustainably sourced canvas, made with repurposed leather, or built to last forever, you want a more environmentally aware choice. We get it. You want your work bag to be essentially your everything.

5 Sustainable Work Bags to Inspire

1. Felt and Leather Tote – This bag is made from upcycled materials by Looptworks, a company that has pioneered an environmentally friendly approach to product design and production. The mix of a bold design in grey and black is a slam duck in the style department, too.

2. The Carrier – Made of durable waxed canvas, this bag from Moop is a workhorse. The clean lines and utilitarian function of this large tote style bag make it both versatile and stylish. Available in three different colorways.

3. Knitla – The Matt & Nat brand is committed to not using leather or any other animal-based materials in their vegan designs. This satchel style bag, which is available in seven neutral colors, can be carried by the handle drops or with a removable crossbody strap.

4. Manhattan Tote – Timbuk2 bags are designed to last a lifetime. The bags are made with materials that are tough enough for whatever life throws at you, and they even offer a lifetime warranty for defects or tragic fails. Can’t beat that. This tote is made from waxed canvas with leather accents.

5. Avery Tote – Go Forth Goods strives to make timeless, functional bags that are made to last. The company has a commitment to hand making high-quality American-made leather goods with simple designs and practical functionality. We are smitten.

Related on EcoSalon

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Commuting Woman on Bike Image via Shutterstock

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Springtime showers mean you must up your spring rain gear game.

We’ve all heard that April showers bring May flowers, and we’ve all most certainly experienced that phenomenon ourselves. But whether the rain comes in late winter, spring, or even summer, we’ve all got to be ready–and having those emergency rain ponchos on hand just isn’t going to cut it. From galoshes and booties to trench coats and rain hats, we’ve got a roundup of must-have rain gear to keep you from showing up to the meeting looking like a drowned kitten.

You can hide in the house cursing at the sky, or you can throw on your fabulous rain gear and take on the world–even when it’s a monsoon raining cats and dogs out there.

8 Must Have Rain Gear Accessories for Your Spring Wardrobe

1. Clima Retro Black and White Rain Bootie – We love this retro-inspired Jeffrey Campbell rain ankle bootie. It comes in white rubber and features black Chelsea inserts on the side, a black heel, and contrast stitching. It’s Also available in matte black too.

2. Spring Print Umbrella – This pretty print umbrella is perfectly appropriate for spring! It features an earthy print of leaves, ferns, and trees in a cool fractal formation growing.  After the rainy season, you can even use it a sun shade.

3. Glossy Swing Rain Coat in Rose – For those casual rainy days, we like this glossy swing raincoat to keep your dry. It features a big fleece-lined hood to keep you dry and snap pockets for your phone and other accessories.

4. Rain Bucket Hat – For those dressier times, or when hood just won’t do, consider a functional bucket rain hat to keep the rain from your tresses.

5. Kaleidoscope Umbrella – A colorful umbrella that you can stow away in your bag is a must have rain gear accessory for sudden rainstorms. We love this colorful kaleidoscope pattern!

6. Fayette Trench Coat – Who says a trench coat must be in the khaki family because we love this navy version! Navy is the color du jour for spring.

7. East Coast Trench in Grass – While trench coats aren’t quite rainproof, they can be rain-resistant–and this version in green is just so fun! Just make sure to take your umbrella along too.

8. High Heel Rain Boots – Rain boots don’t have to be boring and flat. If you are used to rocking heels, don’t let the rain stop you. These Hunter high heel boots should keep your tootsies dry and you looking fabulous.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Woman With Umbrella via Shutterstock

The post 8 Must-Have Rain Gear Accessories for a Stylishly Dry Spring appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ultra feminine details are in for spring, and since the changing of the seasons is just around the corner, we’ve created a collection of beautiful vintage jewelry and watches especially for you. From pendant necklaces to cocktail rings and timepieces, we have several springtime pieces that will look so sweet with all of your warm-weather ensembles.

When possible, choosing vintage accessories is always a great alternative to buying off the shelf. Not only does it support the small businesses that sell the jewelry, but it also cuts back on fast fashion consumerism that is so rampant these days. And besides that, buying vintage means that you will have also purchased a one-of-a-kind item that can serve as a great conversation piece when you’re out and about, or a treasured heirloom that can be passed along to close family or friends.

Thanks to the feminine features and pleasing palettes seen below, buying vintage jewelry for spring means your options will be as endless as they are beautiful!

1. Vintage Yellow Watch

Buttercup is one of Pantone’s top ten colors for spring, which is why we’ve picked this lovely, bright, and cheerful vintage Zarya wristwatch from the 1970s. The brand is said to be a classic soviet ladies watch that was produced in Moscow. This gently used vintage watch has character and the slender yellow textured band would look beautiful with a variety of springtime outfits.

2. Floral Bib Necklace

Floral prints and patterns are in for spring, so we’ve chosen these beautiful vintage enamel bib necklaces from the 1970s featuring sweet little flower designs. These would work well layered with your favorite white blouse and can even be reversed to display the gold plated back, emphasizing the shape.

3. Pink Cocktail Ring

Pink is trending for spring, just as Pantone declared when choosing Rose Quartz as one of the two colors for 2016. And in order to pay homage to such a lovely choice, we selected the 1970s vintage light rose Austrian crystal ring pictured above. Although large, this candy colored ring would still be a great piece to wear with coordinating outfits on an almost daily basis.

4. Filagree Perfume Earrings

These antique Chinese silver filigree and blue enamel pomander earrings are a fabulous vintage find featuring perfume vessels. The orbs are able to be unscrewed and your favorite scent can be applied to a piece of cotton batting and placed inside. With the dainty filigree and floral pattern, you can rest assured that you have the feminine trend covered.

5. Vintage Filigree Watch

Lace is another fashion trend that’s sought after for spring and this Seagull cocktail bracelet watch from the early 1980s is a great example of a vintage timepiece that captures the essence of the delicate material. This can be worn to the office, out for drinks, on a date, or to a wedding. Either way, you can’t go wrong with such a neutrally versatile and sophisticated watch.

6. Pearl Cocktail Ring

This eye-catching cocktail rings boasts a large pearl cabochon bead and is surrounded by clear crystals. The vintage bauble is from the 1970s and would work well paired with dressier springtime outfits for a variety of occasions, like weddings, cocktail hours, Sunday brunches, and even to the office.

7. Vintage Bangle Bracelet

This is the kind of bracelet that will instantly cheer you up every time you put it on your wrist. The beautiful molded aqua blue celluloid bangle is from the 1940s and was made in Japan. The open flower blossoms are dotted with clear chaton rhinestones adding just the right amount of sparkle. This is certainly a statement piece and would look beautiful with flowing maxi dresses and sandals.

8. Mid Century Earrings

These adorable pink and green flower earrings were made in Hong Kong in the 1950s. Too cute to pass up, these kitschy plastic clip-on earrings are perfect for spring and summer ensembles. If you’re hesitant about wearing clip-ons, which is totally understandable, check out this helpful tutorial on how to convert them to posts.

Sharing our vintage jewelry and watch finds has been so much fun and is certainly a breath of fresh air in contrast to the fast fashion that we encounter every day. We hope you’ve enjoyed our choices, and, as always, we want to hear from you! What kind of jewelry do you enjoy wearing? Do you already own any vintage pieces? If so, share your photos and let us know your preferences on the EcoSalon Facebook page!  

Related on EcoSalon 

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Image of Jewerly via Shutterstock

The post 8 Pretty Pieces of Vintage Jewelry You Need, Like Now appeared first on EcoSalon.

Lucky for us, when we don’t know what to do with clothes or items that no longer fit (either our bodies or our style tastes), we can turn to Swapdom.com, a site dedicated to trading people’s beloved items that also specializes in the benefits of recycling!

We’ve all had what many like to call the “closet crisis.” You know, where you open your closet doors and brace yourself in fear of the rack snapping and your clothes devouring you like an angry ocean. Or the shoebox mountain that took you months to build comes down like an avalanche similar to a round in Jenga gone wrong. Some may refer to you as a hoarder (you prefer “clothing connoisseur” or just simply “collector”) because you can’t seem to let anything go. What if there was a way for you to feed your habit but also clean out your closet at the same time? That’s right, cleaning and shopping simultaneously can be done on this gem of a website called, Swapdom.

At first glance Swapdom may seem like just another e-commerce website similar to eBay or Amazon. Alas, it is like no such thing out there right now! Normally on those sorts of typical ecommerce websites, you usually have to negotiate with a seller and put bids on items (which you are then feverishly checking on the item 467 times a day, praying that no one has out-bid you). Talk about stressful shopping! It sounds just as bad as going to the mall on Black Friday …no thank you. Good thing Swapdom has taken big strides in changing the game when it comes to the benefits of recycling used and much loved items and giving them a chance at a new life while making all of the sellers and recipients super happy.

The major difference that completely sets Swapdom apart is its swapping system. Gone are the days of wanting an item, hoping the seller will like what you’re offering, resulting in what is supposed to be a successful trade that actually just ends in disappointment because the seller isn’t the least bit interested. Swapdom doesn’t allow room for letdowns. Instead, Swapdom uses a really neat method of grouping people together that are all interested in different items from each other. Basically, the whole negotiation process is eliminated. For example, Person A can give something to Person B and Person B can give something to Person C until it comes back around full circle. That means every customer is satisfied! No more disappointments, frowny faces, or feelings of despondency over a lost item! That’s something we can all celebrate.

Also, Swapdom does ALL the work for you. Seriously. All you’re required to do is request what you want, show what you have to offer, then hang back in your hammock with a nice, cold drink while Swapdom creates a group of individuals looking to swap with each other. Once that’s been done, you have 10 days to approve your swap, then pack and ship the item you’ll be trading and VOILA! Bing, bang, boom, done! How easy and effortless is that?

The best part about this whole site is that so many articles of clothing and accessories (even houseware items and kid stuff!) are saved from ending up in the trash. That’s huge. All of these once-loved pieces and items are blessed with the opportunity to be loved again in a whole new way and continue to fulfill their purposes. Easy and fun with a conscious intention, Swapdom epitomizes the benefits of recycling in the coolest, most innovative way.

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Image via Swapdom

The post Swapdom Exercises the Benefits of Recycling with Multi-Person Trade Site appeared first on EcoSalon.

Value driven jewelry designer Nettie Kent talks with EcoSalon about her process, what changing color in brass jewelry really means and why she chooses to hand make her jewelry in New York City. 

Juliette Donatelli: When people find out your line is made in NYC what is the reaction you get?

Nettie Kent: Buyers here [in NYC] care. My showroom is actually in LA, it’s on the west coast, and they don’t care [laughs]. But people here definitely care. And also people that care about sustainable design, where things are made and all that–they definitely care.

One of my biggest selling points is that everything is handmade in my studio, and all my metals are recycled. I work with an amazing caster. This is all brass and he has just the best quality brass. A lot of casting techniques afterwards they rinse the casting in these super gross harsh chemicals– he doesn’t do that. And he doesn’t do that because he necessarily cares about the environment. He is so funny; his name is Frank and it is a family business. His daughters work there and so does his son, and when I first interviewed him — it was important to me — he was like, in this thick Long Island accent, “My family works here! I am not going to put that shit around here, I am not going to expose them to that.” I said I love you we are working together!

So, it’s more work because when my castings come back they are really dirty and it is more work polishing them and cleaning them up. But for me it is worth it. Sometimes is it a curse [laughs] you know. But the color I can achieve from his brass is amazing.

JD: Yeah, I would have never been able to tell it was brass, I thought it was gold. 

NK: Yeah, it is wild, [matches up gold ring against Nettie Kent brass ring] this ring is gold and you can hardly tell the difference.

Also, I don’t do any plating, plating is a really dirty business.

JD: Why is plating a dirty business? What does it entail?

NK: A lot of customers want things to be gold plated; they think it is more valuable and they think it means that it will stay. But what happens when you gold plate something is first it is washed–it has a nickel coating on it and nickel is a white metal, a lot of people are allergic to it, so that is why I say my brass is nickel-free. Because people think they are allergic to brass, it is not actually brass they are allergic to, they are allergic to nickel. So when something is plated it is dipped in a nickel bath and then dipped in the gold. So between the brass and the gold it has this kind of like a poison on it. It is really hard. The only kind of plating that lasts a long time is micron, and  it is a real thick layer. And it very expensive. It is hard actually to find someone in New York that is good at it. Rhode Island is actually the best.

So I just decided not to do it. People ask me too, and I say sorry I just don’t do gold plating. If you me to make it in gold, I would love to make it in gold for you. It is just not part of what I do.

Here I am going to all these lengths to make my jewelry and make my practice clean. And then to cover it in that seemed totally silly.

I love brass, I love how it changes color with the environment and ages. And it is just an interesting metal. It reacts to your body’s pH too. Your body reacts to brass when it is too acidic, like when you are overtired or drinking too much coffee.

I had to learn all this about brass when I switched over. I had to learn this because people would ask me, ‘Why is my brass turning color?’ And I would say, let me figure that out!

I try to have fun with it, and make things I want to wear. I am not a sales person, but I feel like if I believe in it I can recommend it to people.

images from the brand

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EcoSalon sits down for a fun conversation with jewelry designer Natalie Frigo on her made in New York ethically sourced stones, the three kinds of fashion consumers and what it takes for people to change.

Juliette Donatelli: All your jewelry is made in New York. How important is that to your customer?

Natalie Frigo: I launched my first line in 2010 and I would say that it was made in NYC, and it didn’t matter at all. Nobody cared. There were, like, three people who cared. How could you not care about this? This is awesome! You don’t want something domestic? There would be a couple of stores that would say, ‘Oh, we love that. We will totally promote that.’

So, now people are more excited about it. And I have people who will contact me –buyers and retail customers who will contact me and say, ‘I love your designs, but then I saw it was made in New York, and I knew I wanted to get it.’ And it’s this thing that justifies it to them.

If you are interested in that it matters, but this is not going to convince you to be interested in that.

I definitely still get from buyers, they seem to understand it more, but I do get a resistance on price because my stuff is made domestically. And my stones are ethically sourced. If you don’t know where your stones are coming from, it is like apparel, a little child cut that stone. There is no question in my mind. I would put money on it. Awful. My stones are not like that. They cost more money–two to ten times as much. And so some people are like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s all great but our customer won’t pay more.’ They like the designs but there is a price resistance and they would just rather have a cheaper good. As much as they think that it’s great that it’s made domestically, it’s not worth it to them, or they don’t want to educate their customer or try to get a new customer base.

JD: What do you think it would take?

NF: Really. What could it take? How much more information do you need to make things domestically? The economy fell from underneath us.

There was a woman who came in [to Market 605], she was dressed pretty cute, and she started going through the clothes. I was wearing something from Feral Childe, and I said ‘I love this jacket, I just bought it.’

And she looks at the tag and it’s a four hundred dollar jacket and she’s like, ‘Oh yeah. That’s too expensive.’

And I said, ‘Well, you know, it is an investment piece. I am going to have it for a really long time, it’s very classic, this isn’t going to go out of style.’

And she said, ‘Yeah, I don’t shop like that. I buy multiple things every season and I never invest in anything. I have friends that do that, I am so impressed. But I can’t do that.’

You can do that right this second! You could get that one thing right now and just start. So people who shop like that are also the buyers.

What does it take to change a person?! I feel like some people are just never going to think it matters. And then there are people on the fence, and the more they learn about it they get super excited. And then there are people who have always known about it and they’ve always been into it and they are all about it.

I would say most of my accounts are galleries or local stores that have been in their communities for a long time and are interested in developing relationships.

JD: It’s all about the relationships we build.

NF: Yeah. You don’t have to have everything made domestically but you could have some things. People want to buy domestically, but they are so used to not having to pay for things on that level.

JD: Getting the conversation started is so important. If Michelle Obama, someone who is always being asked who she is wearing, made a simple statement about where it was made, because it was probably made in the USA because of the designers she wears and the quality of the pieces–a little awareness like that could go really far. 

NF: Yes, we need good fashionable ambassadors.

I got into a conversation with this guy, he was one of the workers at a show that I was setting up for. He came over to my booth, and said, ‘Oh your stuff is really cool,’ and I said thanks, it’s made in NYC. He said, ‘That’s awesome. I had to stop buying Carhartt because they don’t make it in America anymore, they make it in Mexico.’

He was amazing! Just this regular guy wearing t-shirt and jeans, and he’s all mad because Carhartt stopped producing domestically. You need people like that in all walks of life. He’s probably lecturing his friend non stop about wearing something made in China!

Related on EcoSalon

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images from the brand

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Cold weather shouldn’t mean that one forgets about style! It is possible to keep warm and to stay stylish with these warm chunky knit accessories.

1.Red Chunky Gloves

Image: Loveisaround

Make a statement and go red with these chunky knit gloves with gold button detail. Adding colorful accessories like these red pretties can shake up even the most boring old pea coat or parka. These are also long enough that they won’t leave your exposed to the cold.

2. Arm Warmers

Image: knitwit321

Cold weather accessories aren’t just for outdoors either. When the wind comes whipping through the house, arm warmers can help keep chilly hands warm while typing away at the keyboard. These pretty diamond stitch arm warmers feature pretty black lace detail, too.

3. Muffler/Scarflette

Image: CanfieldCrafts

Here’s a great unisex scarflette/muffler to keep you warm when the temps plummet. Wear it around your neck to keep your warmth from escaping, or around your face when those winter winds are brutally blasting you in the face. Available in black, sage, country blue or autumn red.

4. Oversize Slouchy Beanie

Image: Julbyjuliagasin

This hand knit chunky oversize beanie with pompom detail is made from soft chunky wool  and acrylic yarns. Can be worn with a folded or unfolded edge to make it shorter or longer depending on your style. This hat is perfect for when you really aren’t in the mood for messing around with winter.

5. Corset Cowl

Image: fringe

And for something a little more sophisticated, but just as fun, we love this “corseted” cowl in red with black velvet lacing. This is a fabulously sexy and dramatic fashion statement that’s sure to get you noticed and keep you warm and toasty. It can be worn as a long draped cowl in the front, as a turtleneck capelet, as a scrunchy cowl, an off-the-shoulder capelet and a hood.

6. Legwarmers

Image: GraceandLaceCo

Pair these legwarmers with a pair of fleece-lined leggings for the ultimate in cold weather comfort. Lounge around the house or wear those out in the frigid cold to add another layer of warm chunky knit. These slouchy off-white legwarmers feature ruffled lace and very dark brown buttons. Wear peaking out of your boots or with flats or heels.

7. Rococo Hand Knit Shawl

Image: ElenaRosenberg

To add some luxurious flair to your outfit, add this Peruvian-made merino wool, alpaca and silk shawl in pretty terra cotta red. Perfect for either day or evening wear, pair this with your favorite jeans and turtleneck or with a LBD dress to cover your arms. This shawl features a highly textured geometric pattern and playful ruffles all around. Just gorgeous!

8. Red, White and Blue Hat

Image:  AnytimeScarf

Another great unisex design and just in time for the Winter Olympics, show some American spirit with this fun and functional U.S. flag pattern hat.

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Top Image: PeonyKnits

The post 8 Chunky Knit Accessories: You’ll Make Any Excuse to Bundle Up Now appeared first on EcoSalon.

We know that during the winter months creating stylish outfits seems like afterthought. Our main concern is mostly staying warm and deciding if it’s okay to wear leggings, dresses and boots to work–everyday. But, it’s important to keep one’s sartorial spirit alive and to that end here are some great chunky handmade jewelry pieces (and one vintage design we love) from Etsy that are just perfect for the season.

1. Lisner Winter White Vintage 1950s Jewelry Set

Image: STLvintage

Go vintage with this pretty Lucite style chunky necklace from the 1950s. Make a vintage statement and pair this pretty set with a cardigan and a pencil skirt for a librarian-chic look or wear with a rockin’ rockabilly style cocktail dress. Wearing vintage is the ultimate in re-purposing chic!

2. Chunky Knit Necklace

Image: IKKX

Get bold and sport this knitted statement necklace made from mint green polymer clay rings and super soft grey cotton yarn. It’s fastened by tying on the cotton ribbons and so the length can be adjusted. This handmade jewelry style comes in a variety of color combinations to suit your winter wardrobe.

3. Knit Necklace

Image: NeekaKnits

This chunky handmade jewelry design is part necklace and part scarf and is the perfect necklace to add some drama to your look without sacrificing comfort and warmth! This easy to wear piece is made from hand-knitted circles that are joined to form a necklace that slips over the head. Who says fashion can’t be comfortable?

4. Winter Bangle Grey Branches Chunky Perspex Bracelet

Image: JessicaSherriff

For a true statement design, consider this chunky bangle. It’s made from Perspex acrylic, which is similar to Lucite, and features a gorgeous photo image of grey silhouetted winter tree branches. The way the bracelet is constructed it creates an optical illusion of softness as the image is viewed through the Perspex. Each piece is one-of-a-kind.

5. Scandinavian Winter Textile Bead Necklace

Image: TomBjornDesigns

This chunky necklace is made with eco-friendly cotton beads and is more than just a chunky handmade jewelry statement necklace–it can also be used as sweet nursing necklace. This design features icy white, silver grey and deep burgundy cotton beads, but other color combinations are available.

6. Winter White Choker

Image: jursvi

This chunky winter white choker is made from lightweight polymer clay, so it makes a statement while still being completely comfortable to wear.  This stunning handmade jewelry design fastens together with magnets for easy on and off too.

7. Branches Pendant and Earrings Set

Image: BeautySpot

Finally, here’s a more delicate resin jewelry design featuring a stunning photograph from Russian photographer Tatyana Kirsanova. In shades of cool winter blue and greens is a photo depicting the first hints of spring.

Related on Ecosalon

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The post 7 Chunky Handmade Jewelry Designs for Winter appeared first on EcoSalon.

Tired of flimsy umbrellas that don’t really keep you dry? Pelcor’s new cork skin umbrellas are expertly crafted to last.

Most umbrellas are flimsy affairs, with frames made of aluminum and nylon canopies. They’re supposed to be treated with an acrylic coating on the underside and a scotch-guard type finish on the top, but I’ve definitely had umbrellas become soaked and then leak after about 5 minutes in a strong rain.

Pelcor is a Portuguese company looking to upgrade the umbrella’s image, with an eco-friendly twist. Their entire product line is made from cork, a sustainable material that’s found predominantly in Portugal.

The cork oak has an extremely long lifespan and is the only tree in the world whose bark regenerates itself. It takes 20 to 25 years before the first cork can be removed from a cork oak, but after that, it can be harvested every 9 years. Removing the bark without harming the tree is an extremely delicate task, requiring highly-skilled artisans that are usually paid well for their efforts.

In 2003, Sandra Correia, granddaughter of the founder of Pelcor, 30 year-old cork factory, challenged her father to think beyond the champagne stopperss that had been the company’s bread and butter. She wanted to make cork feminine and fashionable. Correia envisioned creating accessories out of cork skin as a way to help sustain the cork industry and bring to market products that are both stylish and practical.

The first product she created was an umbrella, which I recently had the good fortune of being invited to test. The first thing that struck me about this Pelcor cork umbrella was the subtle but delicious scent of dry wood and the extremely smooth texture of its case. It felt light and thin, not at all like the cork boards and wine corks we’re all used to.

“After the tiradia (process of harvesting), the cork is left to dry in the meadow,” explains the Pelcor website. “Raw planks of cork are then boiled, making them more elastic and easier to flatten, after which they are sorted by thickness and quality.”

Once I removed the protective sleeve, it was time to unfurl the umbrella. For me, the action was a little stiff, but I’ve read that cork skin is a lot like leather, becoming smoother and more supple over time. The umbrella popped into place with only a little effort, revealing a lovely cappuccino-colored canopy, just the right size for protecting your head from summer showers.

It might be a little counter-intuitive, but cork is naturally impermeable, buoyant, elastic – even fire resistant. It kept me dry without any of those chemical-based waterproofing agents that grace the canopies of other umbrellas. I especially loved the curved handle, which brings to mind the classic “business man” umbrellas of the early 2oth century.

The Pelcor umbrella is available online, in two versions – tall and compact – at Pelcor’s website.  Prices range from $148 to $165.

Images: Pelcor

The post Cork Umbrella from Pelcor: Stay Sustainably Stylish (and Dry) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Our favorite accessory picks to keep you on trend this season.

The eye-catching shoe, the to-die-for purse or perfect pair of sunglasses, they induce covetousness from all but the most prudent. And you can’t blame us really, after all, accessories are what separate us from the animals as Olympia Dukakis famously opined as Clairee Belcher, in the ’80’s classic Steel Magnolias.

That wise character knew that style is in the small details. Those finishing touches can really transform the simplest of outfits, making accessorizing an essential skill for those who keep one eye on fashion and the another on the planet.

In a season that embraced trends as pastiche as pastel colorblocking, sheer paneling, solid gold throwbacks and flamenco ruffles, the best strategy – for those hoping our new purchases remain relevant beyond the end of June – is to keep your basics basic and focus on accessories to keep you on trend.

Image: Stella McCartney

1. Stella McCartney’s Valerie faux suede platform sandals feature a transparent wedge in this seasons hottest material plexi. Part of the 90’s revisit, the see-through trend is a clear hit this season.

Image: Warby Parker

2, Inspired by the mod feel of the ‘60s, hexagon-shaped sunglasses are a unique way to inject this seasons trend for geometric retro designs into your look. In addition to being beautifully made by design-centric designer frames maker, Warby Parker, for every pair of glasses sold, a pair will be donated to a person in need.

Image: I. Ronni Kappos

3. Spring’s dominating pastel palette has even die-hard goths dreaming of sugar and spice and all things nice. They’re easy to love, but harder to mix in with an already established wardrobe of darker clothing. A subtler way to add the prettiness of pastels to your seasonal look is to wear one of Ronni Kappos delicate pieces. Made from a collection of vintage glass beads salvaged from a long-forgotten German glassworks factory, the pigments used in the creation of the beads are no longer available making each piece a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Image: Vogue.co.uk

4. While the ‘it’ bag trend has lost some of its steam recently and so much of the pressure to change the color of our purses each season evaporated, the need for a classic carryall remains. Gucci launched the world’s first collection of zero-deforestation handbags during Paris Fashion Week last month. Guaranteed to have caused zero-deforestation, the eco versions of its Jackie, Hobo, and Tote bags each come with a passport detailing the exact history of its chain of supply, ensuring that all the cow hides used are legally and ethically produced.

Image: Beklina

5. Paisley prints are among the trendiest patterns this season. Hui Hui’s colorful and large scarf in string paisley print is made from 100 percent silk and adds a bohemian air to every look. Hui Hui is an independent German designer creating luxury scarves with hand crafted detailing, good ethics, high-end construction with a focus on amazing fresh modern prints.

Top Image: Adorned Magazine

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