Just Ask

I have started to realize how important it is to just ask for sustainable clothing, even if you are pretty sure a place doesn't carry it. First of all you can be surprised, many places are experimenting with carrying some organic options. Sadly they are often hidden and mixed in with everything else. Asking can often be a way of "training" the salesperson to understand what organic or sustainable is. I have been met by many a salesperson that asked me if "organic is a brand?" Until the sales staff is asked, they often won't bother to learn anything about it. I have also been in the situation where one person is aware that they carry a sustainable item and another isn't, it lets the store know that they should inform their whole staff on the sustainable options. Be sure once you ask you double check the tags yourself, I have also been told things are organic when really they just meant that they were cotton.

So while you're asking, you can ask the staff at Nordstrom to steer you towards these:

I love the World Wildlife Fund's hotter than I should be shirt, although I am not sure if I have the nerve to wear it. It is a great message, a little sassy, and bound to start conversations. A nice balance between the eco doomsayer tees and flowery eco hippy tees. I must admit I have a few of both. I saw these tees at Nordstroms and they are very soft and nicely cut.

Ok, I should be here more than once a month!

So things have been busy to say the least, everywhere but the clothing department. I have not been thinking about clothing much this summer, and have honestly been frustrated by the choices when I've gone out to look. But, a little clothing hiatus produced some pleasant surprises when I stepped back into the mall on a recent 97 degree day.

We went to get a gift for a friend at the Levi's store and while there, I found new men's and women's eco styles, and older styles on sale for $20! That's a bargain in case you haven't ever bought a pair of organic jeans! The newer styles were great and a little more versatile for my figure. I was excited to see that for guys they have 514s in eco now, my husband's cut of choice.
I walked away with four new pairs of jeans that day, which is great because I have about the same amount that are disintegrating into feathery cotton puffs.

On the way out I was walking through Nordstrom and saw a shirt that said "Green is the New Black" the cynic in me said, oh yeah right, I bet that shirt's green. So I went up and checked and it was %100 organic cotton. Another pleasant surprise. They had 6 different styles that day. I bought a couple, though they are a little preachier than I would usually own. The nice thing about wearing a glaring green message on your chest is that you feel even more impelled to practice what you preach. Of course this is marketed to teens, and I alas, am not one, but i will wear it with pride anyway.

So my last pleasant surprise was that when looking online to find a pic of one of the tees I bought, I saw that Seven for all Mankind finally make organic jeans! These, of course are no bargain, but there are plenty of teenage girls and adult women that walk around with Sevens anyway. So I think it's great that they are introducing organics in their line.