Celebrate the arrival of spring by wearing sustainable pieces in fresh floral patterns.

It seems that spring has sprung early in many parts of the country. Where I live, the air is filled with a sweet scent of orange blossoms and jasmine. Flowers are, indeed, a sign that warmer times are coming in the very near future. Celebrate this by wearing sweet floral prints, which also happens to be one of spring’s hottest trends.

The Cousteau Jacket by Feral Childe 
This little number is a fresh update to the spring jacket. It features one of those great prints that Feral Childe designers Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson are known for (another was famously knocked-off by retail behemoth Forever 21). Made in NYC, from 100% silk crepe.
$320, Kaight

Drip Top by H. Fredriksson
Brooklyn-based designer Helena Fredriksson is also known for her innovative prints, often based on photographs she has taken during her travels. The draping of this top gives it a great fit, sure to flatter most figures. Sustainably made by skilled craftspeople in NYC’s Garment District.
$242, Juno & Jove 

Alkemie Lavender Bangle
We love that this lavender bangle hints at the floral trend without being overt about it. It’s simply a subtle hint to nature. Like all Alkemie’s jewelry, this bangle is handmade in Los Angeles, using 100% reclaimed metal.
$198, Alkemie

People Tree Delicate Flower Shell Top
This sleeveless white peter pan collar top with red and blue mini floral print is a throwback to the 50s, when everything seemed just a bit more polished. Wear it with ankle-length pink pants and pointed-toe kitten heels and you have an outfit worthy of Betty Draper. Perfect paired with jeans or shorts. Made in India from 100% organic cotton.
Approx. $67, PeopleTree

AFIA Goddess One Shoulder Dress
This gorgeous one shoulder dress is just begging to be worn to a springtime garden party where croquet is being played. AFIA designer Meghan Sebold handpicks the cotton wax fabric for all her pieces from the markets in Ghana’s capital city Accra. The clothing is made in sewing cooperatives in Ghana, where artisans are paid a fair wage for their craft.
$200, AFIA

Silver Spoon Jewelry Rose Ring
This rose wrap ring is handmade in the U.S., from antique silver plated demitasse spoon handles. Who says silverware can’t be fashionable? Infinitely adjustable, it fits all sizes and fingers.
$29, FairTribe

Jeffrey Campbell Vegan Sprint Wedge
Part of Jeffrey Campbell’s collection for vegan shoe label Convert, this wedge heel is the perfect mix of springtime color and sporty freshness. Wear it as a way to add interest to any simple outfit, or pair it with other patterned pieces to channel another of spring’s biggest trends.
$120, Convert

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Our top 10 vegan and sustainable shoes for getting your groove on this holiday season.

Are we mad? Torturing you with images of holiday party shoes just as you sit down for a Thanksgiving gorge-a-thon? Excuse us for our optimism, but we think picking out a pair of party pumps for this year’s holiday soirees might be the very best thing to cure your post-meal stupor. From color blocking to shimmering chevron stripes, leopard spot prints to richly hued velvet heels, you’ll be sustainably hitting every trend this year right under that mistletoe.

Here are our top 10 best party shoes that are vegan or otherwise sustainably made.

Stella McCartney High-Vamp Velvet Pump In Teal – A richly saturated teal velvet upper juxtaposed with a flashy golden sole will have you singing D.I.S.C.O. whereever you go this holiday season.

Melissa Shoes The Joy + Alexandre Herchcovitch – A product of the stellar collaboration between Melissa and Brazilian fashion designer Alexandre Herchovitch, these two-tone plastic oxfords with wingtip styling practically guarantees some late night Gene Kelly-esque toe tapping.

Jeffrey Campbell Martini Flat – For those serious booty shakers, a studded flat gives this fall’s trending slipper shape some serious edge.

Stella McCartney Acrylic Heel Color Block sandal – Forward thinking yet elegant, this Stella McCartney show stopper with translucent heel adds a blast of color to every LBD.

Olsen Haus Grace Shoe in Gold/Silver – The timeless zigzag pattern is a perfect match for a 60s style shift dress. The neutral tones in this shoe can be paired with an array of nightlife colors making this shoe a holiday essential for years to come.

Olsen Haus Angel Pump in Leopard/Red – Vegans rejoiced when this sexy shoe came on the market. The leopard print shoe is bang-on trend but yet so classic. The 4” heel is balanced with a hidden front platform to provide extra height and stability.

Beyond Skin Jolie – Silver glittery snakeskin give this black evening shoe just enough extra glitz amongst the sophisticated black base color. An ankle strap provides support and comfort to last on your feet all night long.

Melissa Shoes Electric in Gold – A remarkably comfortable heel that looks great with skinny jeans and party dresses infused with Melissa’s signature bubblegum scent so your tootsies will always smell great. Now that’s a party trick not many can pull off.

Beyond Skin Josie – A golden snakeskin sandal with a retro block heel looks great with tights or bare legs.

Coclico Coleridge Redbud – What could be more seasonal than deep plum suede shoe this year? With draping across the top of the foot and a zipper closure, these shoes also feature extra comfy padding.

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The latest Jeffrey Campbell For Convert collection is going fast.

Hands up. Who has a closet full of eco-friendly-made shoes? I thought not. While the days of design-lacking green clothing are most definitely over, it remains hard to find stylish, sustainable shoes. “Shoes are the worst eco offenders; it’s the way they are made,” says Randy Brewer, owner of Berkeley’s Convert store. It’s no surprise that his first vegan- and earth-friendly collection with LA-based cult shoe designer, Jeffrey Campbell, a long-standing pal, proved such a hit this past spring.

“Out of all the lines I carry, these are the store’s best sellers,” he reports, “I’ve had calls from all over the world for them. Everyone is really looking for hot vegan and sustainable shoes right now.” Brewer is used to being at the forefront of a new trend. His innovative store dedicated to both style and sustainability on Berkeley’s Fourth Street was the first Bay area store to carry hard-to-find men’s apparel, plus a good mix of women’s sustainable and local labels. As the second collection of Jeffrey Campbell’s shoes begin to hit the store in time for fall, the charismatic Mr. Brewer is busy preparing for the rush.

The “Mention” slipper in Python, also available in quilted pewter.

Once again, the new collection is made leather-free using dead stock materials and non-animal based glues. Alongside the “runway” platforms and flatforms are options for those who are seeking an “eco” aesthetic in their everyday shoes. Mr. Brewer is a fan of the “Mention” slipper, “it’s timeless, it’s ageless really, “ he reports. “Anyone can wear this. It’s been a big hit with older and younger customers. The shoe comes in new color ways and fabrications. “The quilted is a little more traditional, the python is so right now, it looks good with black and a lot of our customers wear all black ensembles, we’ve noticed.”

Borrowed from the boys, the best selling “Prospect”brogue.

The two tone “Prospect,” an eye catching and seasonless borrowed-from-the-boys style (similar styles were seen on models at Balenciaga and Jil Sander’s spring runways), was re-issued for the latest collection, as it proved to be a big hit the first time around.

If you’re not yet scrolling through these photos deciding which style will be yours, here’s something else you should know about the new line, “They’re comfortable too,” shares Brewer, echoing a well-known secret among Jeffrey Campbell shoe lovers. “They took out the leather interiors and replaced it with canvas,” says Brewer, improving both its green credentials and its summer comfort, “It’s not so sweaty.”

Platform Power, the “99 Tie” in sustainable raffia.

The Jeffrey Campbell for Convert collection retails from $104-$159 and is only available at Convert in Berkeley.

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Sustainable style news from EcoSalon’s West Coast fashion correspondent.

Chill-Cation – For those San Francisco style seekers planning to stay put for the Memorial Day weekend, pen in partying hard at Chillin’ Productions 13^th year Anniversary party on Saturday night. Held at the historic and high-vaulted two-story warehouse, SOMA’s Mezzanine, the lineup includes work from 200 artists and 80 fashion designers set to an eclectic blend of music by seven DJ’s and live music. Homegrown art and shopping, soaring vistas and local watching. Saturday, May 28, 8:00 pm –  2:00 am. Tickets $10.

Platform Power! – What do you get when you cross an LA-based cult shoe designer with Berkeley’s most innovative sustainable fashion store? A to-die-for collaboration of platform, flats and saddle shoes that are perfect for your 70’s inspired summer style. The result of a long-standing friendship between the designer, Jeffrey Campbell and Convert owner, Randy, the five designs are made leather free using dead stock materials and non-animal based glues. If you’re lucky enough to grab one of these super hot numbers , you’ll be voting with your dollar to affect change in true Berkley counter-revolutionary style. Based on this line’s reception, Campbell will consider including more sustainable styles in his future regular collections.

Barely There – Memorial Day got you thinking about lazy days by the pool? Then it’s time to add buying a bathing suit to your list of things to do. Things have changed from years of suits with fussy details and out of season color ways. One of Southern California’s hottest local swimwear lines, Cali Dreaming, has the suit that is as perfect as you are (yes, you are). Their focus is on comfortable fabrics, a signature nude color palette, and astonishingly flattering cuts. All suits are made in Los Angeles from fabrics sourced locally. Getting ready to bare was never this easy.

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