It’s crisp, fresh and perfect for summer. Here are tips for pulling off the all-white trend.

There was an abundance of white on the spring 2012 collection runways. It shouldn’t surprise us – nothing says summer more than crisp, fresh white. It’s a great trend with infinite possibilities, and is best worn top to toe – monochrome style. If you know how to pull it off, the only thing you have to fear is colored liquids.

Take inspiration from this runway look by Celine but bring it down to an everyday casual level. If you’re going to wear white pants, denim is the safest way to go. The fabric is thick enough so that you don’t see what you’re wearing underneath, and it also hides flaws (hello, cellulite) that lighter fabrics may enhance. Roll ’em up to ankle-length, pair with a loose-fitting, minimalist top made from 100% cupro and discreetly patterned vegan wedge sandals.

Carpenter Jean in White by Prairie Underground, $175, Juno & Jove / Sydney Top, $105, EcoSkin / Bounty Ankle-Strap Wedge, $150, Cri de Coeur

Mixing different hues of white is a great way to create a bit more layered texture and keep from looking too monochrome. This look by Chloe hits on many of spring’s biggest trends — mixed shades of white, wide-leg pants and wearing a collared shirt underneath a knit sweater. Copy it with an organic knit sweater and organic cotton pants by German eco-label Hessnatur, and a crisp white shirt by Kami Organic. Roll up the sweater sleeves so that the white shirt peeks out underneath.

Organic Cotton Sweater, $98, Hessnatur / Organic Cotton Pants, $98, Hessnatur / White Shirt, Approx. $230, Place des Tendences

White doesn’t have to be dressed-up, it can be low-key and casual. Taking inspiration from the runway doesn’t have to be literal either. This look by Sportmax is all about layering, length and volume. Start with a long, flowy organic cotton dress by Loup Charmant, add a cardigan from Stewart + Brown and a recycled polyester anorak from Organic by John Patrick for a nice layered effect that is elegant without being too fancy.

Organic by John Patrick Anorak Coat, $365, Juno & Jove / Lapel Cardigan by Stewart + Brown, $185, Juno & Jove / Swallowtail Cover Up, $150, Loup Charmant

Get inspired by Alexander Wang’s all-white runway look and be the epitome of casual cool in a perfectly slouchy shirt by Yana K. and pair of Organic cotton shorts by Eairth. White shorts look insanely good against tan summer legs. Dress them up with a Native American-inspired beaded belt and high heels. One last word of advice when it comes to wearing white: invest in good nude-colored underwear.

Itweg Nomad Shorts by Eairth, $115.00, Juno & Jove / Girlfriend Blouse by Yana K., On sale for $84.95, Future:Standard

The post How To Wear It: White on White appeared first on EcoSalon.

Nine ways to wear one of spring’s hottest trends: ankle-length pants.

Ankle-length pants have been seen on the runways of fashion darlings like Isabel Marant for a few seasons now. This spring, it’s the hottest pant shape. A definite love-it-or-hate-it trend, ankle-length pants are easy to pull off, if you know how. The secret: picking the right shoes. We’ve done the work for you and found nine cropped pants and shoes that will make each look a home-run. Pair with a simple tee and a cropped jacket or long blazer and you’re wearing the spring trend as it should be.

Red is one of the hottest hues this spring when it comes to pants. Get inspired by Isabel Marant’s latest runway collection and pair your skinny ankle-length jeans with black pointed-toe pumps. It’s a fail-safe look.

Eileen Fisher Organic Stretch Twill Slim Ankle Jean in Saffron, $178, Eileen Fisher / Novacas Vegan Olivia Pump, on sale for $39.99, Moo Shoes

Take a walk on the wild side by pairing cropped cigarette jeans from Edun with cruelty-free vegan loafers in leopard print. All hues of pink – from soft pastel to hot fuchsia – are very on trend for spring.

Cropped Cigarette Jean, $198, Edun / Leopard-print Loafers, on sale for approx. $97, Beyond Skin

Most people will look best in a pair of skinny ankle-length pants, simply because they are more flattering and tend to accentuate the curve of the calves. Play with another of spring’s trends – stripes – in these organic cotton leggings by Feral Childe and pink vegan pinup-style sandals with a striped cork wedge heel.

Feral Childe Organic Cotton Chain Link Legging, on sale for $69, Jute & Jackfruit / Vegan Wedge Pindowns, on sale for $99, Fluevog Shoes

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, prints are huge for spring. Combine these galaxy/flower print cropped pants with yellow strappy sandals by Cri de Coeur and you’ll nail another hot trend – monochrome.

Low-waisted Skinny Pant, on sale for $112.50, Suno NY / Elegance T-strap Vegan Sandals, on sale for $50, Cri de Coeur

Strike the perfect balance between casual cool and street-savvy elegance by pairing Stewart + Brown’s Organic cotton sweats with shiny black rubber platform heels by Melissa. Top it off with a long black blazer and you may just get away with wearing sweat pants to a fancy dinner.

Stewart + Brown Terry Sweat Pants, $133, Stewart + Brown / Melissa Amazonas Platform Sandals, on sale for $67, Tobi

For a more avant-garde take on the ankle-length pant trend, pair these Organic wool trousers by designer Bruno Pieter’s new line Honest By, with a pair of vegan creepers. Keeping the look simple in all black keeps you from looking like a kid who outgrew his pants.

Adjustable Organic Wool Trousers, approx. $608, Honest By / Novacas Vegan Oxfords, $129.95, Compassion Couture

Keep things easy and breezy by pairing loose-fitting cropped pants by Dace with elegant architectural slingback heels. Add a lace top, sand-colored blazer and or loose-knit sweater and you’ll look like the nature-babe you are.

Dace Timothy Pants, on sale for $122.95, Future:Standard/ Clio Ankle Strap Vegan Wedges, $380, Cri de Coeur

If you’re ready to be totally daring with this trend, pair this printed jumpsuit by Edun with a pair of graphic black and white sandals. You’re guaranteed to turn some heads. Chances are, though, that this look will only work on amazonian model types.

Yoruba Print Jumpsuit, $489, Edun / Charm Bib-front Sandal, on sale for $42.50, Cri de Coeur

The post How To Wear It: Ankle-Length Pants appeared first on EcoSalon.

Peplum is one of spring’s hottest trends, and it’s easier to pull off than you may think. We found five sustainable options for how to wear it.

One of the biggest trend on the runways and red carpets this spring is peplum – flirty frills around the waistlines that help create a curvy, flirtatious silhouette and is flattering for most body types. Judging by the fall runways this trend is also here to stay for a while, which would make investing in one stand-out peplum piece a good idea. It’s also a great trend to keep your eyes out for in the thrift store. There are many ways to wear it – on skirts and tops, drop-waisted or middle-cinching – and it’s easier to pull off than you may think. A good rule is to keep the rest of your outfit simple so as not to look bulky or overwhelm the peplum.

Giorgio Armani showed elegant, streamlined peplum tops paired with textured solids. Create your own take on this look by pairing this ponte peplum top, handmade by Daniela Tabois with ankle-length pants, open-toed sandals and your favorite hat.

Ponte Peplum Top, $110, Etsy/Daniela Tabois

Leave it to Marc Jacobs to perfect the casual everyday version of this trend by pairing an elaborate peplum skirt with a striped long sleeve tee and simple strappy sandals. This look is very easy to copy and make your own. Pair this Girl from Ipanema skirt by Pray for Mother Nature with your favorite striped tee and simple heels.

Pray for Mother Nature skirt, on sale for $59.95, Future:Standard

Get inspired by Rodarte’s colorful, flirty runway looks and combine the peplum trend with another of spring’s biggest trends – pattern. AFIA designer Meghan Sebold totally nailed the peplum skirt look in her new collection, which featured several great patterned peplum skirts, all sustainably sourced and sewn in Ghana.

Turquoise Floral Peplum Skirt, $100, AFIA

For a simple lady-like take on this trend, look no further than England’s newest style icon Kate Middleton, who was recently spotted wearing a peplum coat. Copy Kate’s regal look in this 100% Melton wool jacket by Canadian eco-label Elroy.

Hyssop Jacket, on sale for $101, Elroy

Peplum was all the rage on the red carpets this awards season, most memorably on a dress worn by the always stylish Michelle Williams. Somewhat unexpectedly, comedienne Tina Fey also nailed this trend, in a flattering navy number that made her look seriously curvy. Take this look to your next party by wearing Elroy’s 100% raw silk Cocos Dress, which features a sweetheart neckline and subtle peplum detail.

Cocos Dress, $99.99, Elroy

The post On Trend: Peplum appeared first on EcoSalon.

We’ve got sustainable versions of 7 gorgeous belt trends spotted on the runways.

Belts are one of the season’s hottest accessories, seen all over the runways. They are also an easy way to dress up an outfit, giving it that little extra something that will set you apart from the crowd. Leather is and will continue to be a topic of controversy. If the leather is sourced and treated sustainably and the belt carefully made by hand, it’s a good investment piece since natural materials like leather do last for a very long time.

The fun thing about belts right now is that there are many different styles from which to choose — from ladylike double-wrap belts to bondage-like harness belts. Here are seven of our favorites.

Double Long Salmon Skin Belt by Leila Hafzi
Double-wrapped belts were seen at Victoria Beckham’s show, perfectly complementing her ladylike dresses with an edge. This one by Leila Hafzi is made from vegetable dyed salmon skin, a sustainable alternative to leather.
$110, Juno & Jove 

Bow Skinny Belt by Brave Leather
Almost every single look at the Burberry Prorsum show featured a bow belt, in a variety of colors. While it’s still cold out, wear it on top of a jacket or trench coat, and for summer pair it with a dress or light blazer. We like pairing this belt style (available in a rainbow of colors) with an outfit that is not-so-sweet for a nice contrast. Brave Leather belts are hand crafted in Canada by skilled craftspeople, in a safe, ethical factory.
$60, Brave Leather 

Wide Leather Belt by De Palma
Celine — which still seems to be every fashion editor’s favorite line — showed wide belts, worn low on the hips with wide-leg trousers and simple boxy tops — a look that I will personally copy this spring (while regretting what I said about low-waisted pants earlier). This simple, understated wide leather belt is hand made in California using vegetable-tanned leather coated with beeswax. Available in four different colors.
$143, De Palma Leather 

Kim White Equestrian Belt
This look by Paul & Joe perfectly shows how to take the too-sweet edge off a girly summer dress. Cinch the waist with a corset-style wide belt in a metallic hue. This one by Kim White is handmade in the U.S. and has a gorgeous pewter-finish with just the right amount of shine.
$110, Kim White

Ashley Watson Obi Belt
Zac Posen’s Asian-inspired collection featured several different styles of traditional (and not-so-traditional) obi wrap belts. For a look that will work in real life, try this quilted one by Ashley Watson, made from super soft, guilt-free reclaimed leather. Also available in brown suede and light tan.
$124, Beklina

Leather Harness by Norisol Ferrari
Bondage-like leather harnesses were, somewhat surprisingly, seen on the runways of designers like Herve Leger and Monique L’huillier (as seen above). We like how a tough piece like this can add a definite edge to an outfit. This custom handcrafted leather harness by Norisol Ferrari was designed in collaboration with harness master Zana Bayne — she made the one Lady Gaga wears in her You and I video.
From $1200, AhaLife 

Handmade Native American-Inspired Beaded Belt
Our bet as to what all the fashion bloggers will be wearing this season is a Native American-inspired beaded belt. They look great with low-waisted denim and summer dresses alike. Support the people whose heritage inspired this look and order yours from Native Arts Trading, who custom makes hand-beaded belts (and hat bands) to order.
From $395, Native Arts Trading.

The post Runway to Real Life: 7 Gorgeous Belts to Wear Right Now appeared first on EcoSalon.