Posh Swaps Blog

The shift dress is probably the simplest form of frock around and the beauty of this style definitely lies in its simplicity. Shift dresses are perhaps one of the most versatile of wardrobe items being suitable for all sorts of occasions from work to weekend and even a wedding or day at the races. For spring 2013, there are some fantastic choices of shift dress to choose from. A classic shift dress can be accessorised in multiple different ways ensuring that it really earns its keep. But if you are on the look out for something that will really make you stand out from the crowd there are plenty of other choices too. We really loved the recent feature in the Guardian with shift dresses for the season ahead from the likes of Matches, Fenwick, Office and Whistles but today we wanted to share with you some much more affordable choices (and even better, they are all ethical and sustaianble too)

Go Neutral

A neutral dress will give you the maximum opportunity to show off some amazing statement accessories. A chunky bib necklace, a bright vintage scarf or a beautifully embellished clutch bag. A neutral shift will act like a blank canvas allowing your accessories to really shine. One of our favourite looks for spring is a simple neutral grey or beige dress accessorised with a neon clutch or shoes. We found this perfect sustainable berri dress by SkunkFunk on style-is.co.uk.

Go printastic

Bold and bright prints are big news this year. This African print shift dress by uber coool brand Fair + True not only makes a big style statement but is also both ethical and sustainable. We would definitely wear it with a pair of killer heels and accessorise with a simple clutch. By keeping the accessories simple and understated, you can let the dress to the talking and keep the look really now.

Go Contemporary

Whilst the shift dress is a classic style, it doesn’t mean that you can’t find yourself one with a contemporary twist. Unusual necklines or hemline and interesting details all add a little something to keep the look right up to date. This wrap style shift, again bu sustainable brand Skunkfunk will effortlessly take you from daytime to evening just add a pair of chunky wedge heels to complete the look.

Go Casual

Last but not least why not go for the casual look. a comfy jersey or linen shift can be teamed with leggings and a cardigan for a cooler day. Seasalt Cornwall have a great selection of causal dresses featuring fun seaside inspired prints on eco fabrics.

We love Timberland for their practical outdoor with just a hint of urban cool. Even better at Timberland, we know that we are not only guarenteed great quality clothing and shoes but also a product that has been manufactured with respect for both people and planet.

The Timberland Earthkeepers range represents the most eco friendly of all the brands products and makes good use of sustainable materials including recycled bottles (of which they used millions in 2012). Whilst they are theoretically using rubbish to make their clothes, they are pretty innovative about it making sure it still performs well to keep the wearer warm and dry. Timberland also meaure their products and factories against a wide variety of ethical and environmental performance indicators and publish the resulting data on their website for maximum transparency.

Here are just a few of our favourite pieces from the Timberland Earthkeepers Collection for SS13  that would be great for spring and summer. Stylish, sustainable and practical no matter what the British weather throws at us!

Timberland Women’s Earthkeepers® Northport Oxford

Timberland Earthkeepers Abington Parka Jacket

Mens Earthkeepers Abington Waterproof Jacket

We have often raved before about the fantastic selection of eco friendly shoes at Spartoo. Today we wanted to share some brands that make lovely sustainable casual footwear including trainers and flat shoes. The great thing about most sustainable shoes is that they are made with a great attention to detail making them really comfy shoes to wear, especially if you are on your feet all day. Of course there is also the benefit that you can wear them safe in the knowledge that they have had a minimal impact on the environment.

FYE stands for ‘For Your Earth’, Their shoes are both colourful and retro fitting well with current fashion. we really love this bright orange pair which will brighten up any spring outfit. FYE use a range of eco friendly materials to make their shoes including recycled bottles, recycled shoes and organic cotton.

Patagonia have a strong commitment to the environment and as well as minimising the environmental impact of their products, they also support a range of different environmental intiatives. They make a range of casual footwear as well as high performance styles designed for outdoor activities. We love these hiking shoes.

Simple is another eco friendly shoe brand making comfortable casual footwear that also looks great. The upper is made of organic cotton and the sole from recycled tyres.

Ethical shoes are comfortable and made to last. They are also usually made from natural materials which will keep your feet cool and allow them to breathe. That said just because you don’t want to compromise on comfort or sustainability, it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on style. These days eco friendly shoes are made from a variety of materials including vegetable tanned leather, cork and hemp. They are often stitched rather than glued and many have natural rubber or recycled soles. All of these features are cleverly incorporated into the design of the shoes so they look great!

If you have never bought ethically manufactured shoes before, the sales is a great time to give them a try. Spartoo have a fantastic sale on with many of their ethical brands including Pikolinos and Dream in Green reduced by up to 50%.

Anapurna by Dream in Green

Makalup by Dream in Green

Delos Shoes by Dream in Green

Betty Print Sandals by Terra Plana

Sandals by Pikolinos

It looks like summer has finally arrived. For most of us this is a great opportunity to get out and about in shorts, pretty dresses or something else stylish. For footwear many of us will swap our court shoes and boots for sandals or flip flops. if you are looking for styles that not only look great but are also super comfy, then ethical shoes and sandals are often a great choice. They are also made to last even if you do like to walk everywhere. They also have the benefit of having a minimal impact on the environment and are made from vegan eco materials or vegetable tanned leather.

Spartoo currently have a fantastic sale on with great discounts and savings on summers shoes. They have a range of pretty summer sandals which would look great with dresses, skirts, shorts and trousers and are ideal for work or play and holidays.

Here are just a few of the styles of ethical shoes available

Wedge Heels by Pikolinos - a perfect medium height heel, great for wearing with jeans or any casual outfit.

Wedge Heels by Dream in Green - tan is such a versatile colour, these shoes will go with just about any summer clothes. The wedge heel and colour also helps to elongate the leg.

Sandals by Pikolinos - of you prefer flat sandals, these pretty ones will look fantastic with both bright and pastel colours.

Flip flops by Birkenstock - for around the beach and swimming pool these flip flops have a comfy sole shaped to fit the sole of your foot.

We all remember jelly shoes as children. They were so perfect for playing in the garden, paddling in the sea and just about any other mischief you could think up to get into. I bet you have sometimes wished that they made shoes for adults that were just as fun with their candy colours and sparkly bits!

Well you really can take a trip down memory lane with Mel shoes made from plastic. But don’t worry these shoes are just as much fashionable as they are plastic. They also have the added bonus of being super easy to clean (no polishing required) and sustainable (they are both recycled and recyclable)

If you want to keep your feet really cool this summer, Mel even have some breathable styles with hole in them!

For lovers of flip flops, there is the Lilly Pilly. With their cute heart decoration, they will take you from beach to barbeque and bar in style.

For festivals or when it just won’t stop raining these Mel Boots are the perfect stylish alternative to wellies

You can now be eco friendly and also Shop the latest trends online from evening dresses to jeans and just about everything in between. There are some fantastic online magazines including Daisy Green, which are helping to educate and inform us on how we can look stylish and also look after the environment.

One of our favourite ethical brands at the moment is Kuyichi. They have a fantastic selection of classic and contemporay jeans that will never go out of fashion. Jeans are generally quite a sustainable choice especially if you buy them from an eco friendly retailer like Kuyichi. They last for ages and are generally a piece of clothing that most of us will get loads of wear from. You can check out our post on the history of jeans here.

As pioneers of sustainable fashion, Kuyichi were one of the first brands to introduce organic jeans. Now they continue to make their much loved jeans but also continue to innovate with new styles and sustainable textiles. Most of their collections are made of organic or recycled fibres.

The Kuyichi brands is all about style with a soul. The brand is fresh and contemporary but also true its roots. It makes beautiful and stylish clothes with respect for both people and the planet. The label is all about being relaxed and enjoying life but they do not believe that this enjoyment should cause suffering to others.

This post was written by Ceri Heathcote of Ethical Fashion Blog.

A few weeks ago I went to The Good Fashion Show and was really excited to also be able to attend Swap in the City, a clothes swap party or swish. The clothes swap phenomena has really taken off since ’swishing’ was invented by  Futerra, the UK’s leading sustainability communications agency. If you are looking for a party to attend or would like to find out more about how to organise your own party, their website www.swishing.org has plenty of information.

Swap in the City was organised by Nicole of Total Renewal, who has a wealth of experience in organising swishing parties and  even has beauty therapists on hand to give treatments whilst you are waiting for the swapping to begin.

We were told to bring along up to 10 items of clothing either designer, vintage or high street. I took along 2 vintage, 2 designer and 2 high street pices and on handing them in at the beginning of the swap was given tickets with numbers on allowing me to pick corresponding items from the swap. The swap began with the ring of the bell and there was a rush of excitement and grabbing as everyone reached for the pieces of clothing that had caught their eye. I managed to grab some amazing pieces  and although it wasn’t all vintage and designer, I didn’t really mind as I loved it and will definitely wear it.

I would definitely recommend anyone to give a clothes swap party a try, it is fun, a fantastic way of refreshing your wardrobe and recycling any clothes that you do not wear. To be fair to your fellow swappers, the clothing that you take along should be in excellent condition and something that you are proud to pass on. You should also be completely happy to part with item of clothing as once it has been entered into the swap their is no going back!

Clothes swapping is a fantastic way to get some new clothes and get into ethical and sustainable fashion. So what do you think, would you like to give clothes swapping a try?

If you love ethical and sustainable fashion, you should also check out www.style-is.co.uk which features a range of ethical clothing, shoes and fashion accessories.

Pikolinos is one of my favourite ethical shoe brands. I can definitely vouch for the quality and amazing comfort of the shoes but they are also manufactured with respect for the planet. The shoes are made in Spain using natural materials with interesting details like stitching. The majority of Pikolinos shoes are manufactured using vegetable tanned leather, water-based dyes and solvent free glues which considerably reduce any environmental impact. The company also supports a variety of different social cuase through the Juan Peran Foundation.

For autumn and winter this year, I am loving the tower heel hiking boots, practical court shoes and casual knee high boots. These shoes and boots combine practicality with style and are versatile enough to go with a range of different winter outfits.

Pikolinos - Brujas Rico - Chocolate

A great choice for every day wear. These boots would look good with any skirt or dress and tights.

Pikolinos Tolouse Grey Court Shoes

For the office, it can be difficult to find a pair of hardwearing and practical shoes that look great with a suit. These are perfect and versatile enough to go with trousers or skirts.

Pikolinos - Izmir Tajo Boots

If you like to keep up with the latest fashion, these heeled hiking boots are just what you need. Wear with chunky socks for trendy and toasty feet all winter.

Pikolionos Izmir Kihu Boots

Finally I love the cosy faux fur trim and double buckles on these boots. You couldn’t get much cosier toes.