Being Green and Fashionable are Not Mutually Exclusive

For those of you who are unaware, today is Blog Action Day. Thousands of bloggers, big and small, are posting about the environment - and what we can do to help - today, so check out http://www.blogactionday.org/ to read some of the great posts.

Since we're all about fashion here (and I have another blog for the more serious stuff), I thought I'd introduce everyone to some environmentally friendly fashion that is both stylish and green (and doesn't cost an arm and a leg like Stella McCartney's gorgeous but spendy collections). Beklina is a online boutique that is dedicated to sustainable clothing, accessories, and paper products - and it doesn't sacrifice chic-ness for green-ness.

Here are a few favorites:

The little black dress on the left is from Beau Soleil, an elegant label that is reminiscent of Vena Cava or a little Parisian atelier - definitely not the hippie-wear typically associated with organic clothing. The other two are from Stewart + Brown, and they are cute, flattering, and very of-the-moment.

Of course, if you're in the Chicago metro area and want to try things on before you buy, there is always Pivot, the city's first full-fledged eco-boutique. They carry popular organic labels like Linda Loudermilk, Bahar Shahpar, and Undesigned by Carol Young, along with many others - and for those of you who still think environmentally friendly clothing simply can't be fashionable, there's not a scrap of burlap in sight.

Granted, if organic clothing just doesn't appeal to you, there is always the option to buy a few well made pieces instead of tons of cheap, trendy crap. Although the quick H&M or Zara fix is appealing (and I've succumbed to it on more than one occasion), it's better for the environment - and your appearance in the long run - to spend a little more on something high quality. Besides, you're worth it.