Before the ECO age - Growing up Green and not realising.........

All this talk of the environment and recycling - anyone would think this was a modern day phenomena right? This got me thinking..... when did I start recycling and conscious of being environmentally friendly? Yeah okay I thought about the household stuff I have recycled for years before it was considered cool or even so easy but then I started thinking back a bit further...

Clothes

Being an only child growing up in the 70's, I can vividly remember the sheer excitement and enthusiasm I had when my mum brought bags of hand me down clothes from her friends older daughter for me. It was as good as Christmas - I always wrenched open the bags and couldn’t wait to get the treasures out and spread them all over the floor!! Thus proceeded by hours of trying on and prancing about!! Girls for you I guess, but I didn’t value these things any less or really even think about them being second hand either, I took them on as my own and looked after them the same as if they were new.

I even got other great treasures from the grown ups in the family how excited was I to have cast off 1950 and 60s dresses for my dressing up box all swishing with shiny fabric and a multitude of colourful scarves which I spent hours making tents and dens with. Nothing posh I might add but I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread!

I am lucky that my mum is a creative person and I shared her interest in all things made and a love for clothes from an early age. I loved the fact that she made my clothes and helped her pick out the fabrics and colours that I loved. Like a magpie I think I was always drawn to shiny things and sometimes mum had to steer me away from the more synthetic of fabrics should we say! but watching her touch the fabric and feel what is was made of has subconsciously stuck with me and I find myself touching everything before I pick it up off the hanger in the shop today!

I loved my mums home made clothes and always relished that fact that I knew no one else would have the same outfit as me - I certainly never worried about wanting to fit in where my clothes were concerned! I can remember a beautiful yellow full length cotton skirt with print on and a fantastic pair of black velvet peddle pushers she made me for my school disco with smiley face buttons on - I might add this was the 1970's and not the days of rave!

My mum used other items in the house were to created the most amazing fancy dress costumes and outfits for school fetes and plays. I was Minnie mouse, a prize winning snow queen with beautiful sequin dress and a crown made of silver foil wire and some sequins and beads and the most amazing court jester costumes out of red and yellow toweling.

So what else did we do then that’s now considered progressive modern day living?

Buying locally and organic veg....

I used to go to the local shops with my grandma (no supermarkets) who always used a shopping trolley or a basket I can honestly say I don’t ever remember her using plastic carrier bags - was she aware that she was a green champion -probably not it just seemed like common sense!

My granddad used to have an allotment near where they lived an almost every Sunday we would I spend hours sitting in the soil eating fresh peas and help plant potatoes and veg and which we took it home for our Sunday dinner. Granted this was before the days on really relying on the supermarket and out of town shopping and it just seemed normal. No realisation that this was organic veg locally produced and grown without cost to the environment and us!

Recycling...

Well anyone growing up with Blue Peter will I'm sure will remember pestering their mums to save random household items like cardboard cereal boxes, washing up liquid bottles and tubes to make an array of glorious items (which I might add never looked as good as the ones on the telly that the grown up had made earlier) but I spent hours making things. I remember I had a craft book from the 70's which I really coveted and we made painted eggs and moving animals out of old paper card and safety fasteners.

I was always obsessed with stationery and art materials and used to store them in big old ice cream containers stuffed full of treasure amongst other recycled storage solutions were shoe boxes, biscuit and chocolate tins, glass jars which I never considered to be recycled as this wasn’t a word that was ever used?

As I got older this continued really and in my teenage years I used to collect beads and sequins form old clothes and necklaces and make new items and decorate others with them. I discovered second hand shops when really it wasn't yet the cool thing to do, no-one mentioned the word vintage unless they were referring to old cars! However I didn't care as I think I had inherited my bargain and rummaging skills through 2 generations regardless and it meant all the more treasure for me in as they were still relatively unfound. I have had some of the most beautiful second hand clothes from 1940's and 50's jackets, leather suitcases and bags to a full length green chenille coat with a fake fur collar, a stunning pink Jaegar coat from the 1960's most of which I still have today and still wear!

So what’s changed I ask....

Unfortunately today we live in such a fast paced communities and want everything fast and affordable or that with a designer labels drenched in advertisers and celebrity endorsed lifestyle choices. I feel this has made us forget what goes into making food, clothing and other items and if we realised the real cost to the environment of some of the items we consume then perhaps we would perhaps think again about impulse buying and throwing away without a care because it was cheap and we place no value on it in our throw away society. We are more aware now and this is good as it reaches a generation who won’t have the experiences I had as child at home and I hope some of these morals of a bygone age will seem second nature in the future.

As humans living in a fast paced media society I think things seem to have to be packaged as new or cool for us to sit up and take note as we don't seem to like to look back as it is not considered modern!

Due to the media coverage and those that can remember a bygone age plus the marketers who have jumped on the bandwagon to sell good old fashioned no nonsense common sense at twice the price! the message is getting through and considering us to maybe opt for the simpler life again? I think we will but it seems to be presented as a lifestyle choice these days rather than just the norm.

I am horrified to see younger children are unable to identify basic vegetables let alone know how they grow, or even how they are cooked or taste! I am very lucky that this is something that was second nature tome as a kid and I never gave it a second thought.

How green were you growing up? Please post and share your experiences of growing up green without realising I would love to hear from you.....

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Guys - dressed down, dressing up is your mantra for Autumn/Winter 2007

"An abundance of black, a smattering of beige, aggressive combative gear, oversized coats and ultra thin suits create fascinating trends for men this season."

That is, of course, according to the Style Gurus whose god given word informs us that the predominance of casual wear is gone; instead we will see formal clothing with a relaxed twist, or protective clothing in dark smart colours emerging as the male MUST HAVES!

We must all be in for a treat if the forecasted Tuxedo detailing will influence many of the looks, with the white bow-tie, the cummerbund, satin piping and tails surfacing everywhere. We are also reliably informed that "while the collections range widely, all the clothes are made of extremely luxurious fabrics and careful deliberate construction".

There is a lot more we can tell you about key colours for day and evening, fabrics and accessories to create the look for the cooler weather ahead, so if you are interested, contact us, but the overall message is guys, "Dressed-down dressing up is your mantra for Autumn /Winter 2007."

Steady the ship, now; what on earth does that mean? Most women, never mind most men, will struggle to understand the Fashionista speak and similarly, as we have warned our women, if BLACK is so not YOUR colour, but you want to take the "chequered flag", you will probably need a little bit of help from us!

You will do as well to check out our Fashion Trends Autumn/Winter 2007 article for women on our BLOGSPOT since a lot of the info there relating to COLOUR will apply as equally to you.

We know that many of you guys out there are a little shy about coming forward and asking for help and if you really can't bring yourself to come to us for a SAVVY MAN session, why not treat yourself to a VIRTUALLY SAVVY session where we can still help you from a distance? We are only ever a phone call or email away from delivering a virtual you!

Oh, and one last thing, if your body shape is "waisted" or "straight waisted" how will you know whether this coming season's "slicker than slick" look with its tapering trousers and skinny ties, are right for you?

With greatful thanks to Blink Branding and Kim Bolsover for their contributions to this article

P.S Pass this on to other guys that you know will not want to miss out on the latest hot trends for men!

Jay and Lou xx

Womenswear Fashion Trends Autumn/Winter 2007/8

"Contemporary elegance from a minimalist palette – prepare to black out"

This headline comes with a serious health warning!
Please, please, please when reading this article, take it all with a good pinch of salt (or in our case a large gin and tonic!) and think about which trends/styles will suit your BODY SHAPE, COLOURING and your PERSONALITY!

If, when you've read this article, you think you need a helping hand to discover what shapes, styles and colours suit you, you might want to consider learning how you can save time and MONEY simply by treating yourself to our "Savvy Woman, 1-2-1 colour & style" session (www.besavvy.co.uk/colour_style.asp) OR by booking yourself onto our fab "Bird's of a Feather" evening bash (details at end of article) before you hit the shops!

Seasonal essentials(?)

We have just received a missive from a well-known UK fashion house with a list of 'five essential styling tips for Autumn/Winter 2007" (their words, not ours):

"Knitted cardigan coat, Huge platform shoes, Supa-sized sweaters, Broadbelts and chunky oversized accessories with pleny of bling. "

They also reliably inform us that "the must-have colour combination for the season is black 'n' blue" or "black and more black with only a smattering of colour; just a hint of fuschia, pumkin and violet" oh, and by the way, the fabrics you choose "must have high shine or are shot through with blue-black"

First of all, let's get one thing straight:

Water is essential;
Food is essential;
Oxygen is essential;
and, in our humble opinion, LOVE is essential or your heart will probably shrivel up and die!

A supa-sized sweater (or whatever the latest trend is) is absolutely NOT. One addition to your wardrobe from any list may well make it complete or may help expand your choices of what to wear, but none of them are ever essential.

Lists like these make our blood boil! Who exactly are these self-opinionating people to offer such generalist advice like this to all women? YOU are utterly unique and individual and deserve to be treated as such! These silly people expounding such silly rubbish should be taken outside and pelted with their own silly rubbish!

Secondly:

It seems that when winter beckons and the skies are grey and dank, most of us instinctively start to think black and wear BLACK especially when searching for that little knock out number to get us through the party season. But did you know that the colour BLACK is associated with oppression, coldness, menace and heaviness? No wonder we all turn to couch potatoes in the winter!

So, what exactly does it say about our fashion industry when they are telling us that "the essential colour for Autumn/Winter 2007 is BLACK"? 70% of all the clothes sold currently in the UK (irrespective of the season) are BLACK (38% in Europe). Is it because the fashion buyers just fill their shops with BLACK because they know we'll buy it because it is safe, or is is us saying "give us BLACK, because then we are safe!"

So, when it comes to autumn/winter wear 2007 shopping:

It will come as no suprise to you to discover that most women, wanting to create this season's clinched silhouette reminiscent of the 1930's look, will make a beeline for BLACK. So, whether or not you are a Fashionista, before you hit the shops, ask yourself these 2 questions:

1. Do I look good in black? (If you are a "stawberry fizz", a "warm spice", a "sparkling champagne" then the answer is probably or should be "NO"!)

2. Do I feel good in black?

If you are answering "NO" to both of these questions, they why waste good money on buying clothes in BLACK before you've learnt HOW to wear black!

But even if you look good in black, why not try something a little different, just for the heck of it?

We can tell you how this coming seasons latest colour trends and styles in a way that compliments your skin tone, hair and eye colour as well as how you can adapt to make your wardrobe work for your life situation (business, casual, holidays, weddings etc).

Remember, a classic piece of clothing is often a major investment and should last you for several seasons, irrespective of what the fashion gurus tell us are "essential". So it's worth putting somethought into what will look good with the rest of your wardrobe - assuming of course, that you have already started weeding those poor lonesome items that never see the light of day and moving towards a co-ordinated wardrobe? You have, haven't you?

Virtual wardrobe (no excuses for getting it wrong!)

If you can't make it to one of our "Birds of a Feather" evening bash or for some inexcusable reason can't (or won't) book onto our 1-2-1 "Savvy Woman Colour & Style" sessions, here's a final option....

For a small investment, we will create you a personalised virtual colour profile and wardrobe with the added option to purchase our unique shopping guide which will tell you where to purchase the latest trends for your body shape!

Oh, and one last thing, because we love and care about you, we will send you, with our compliments, a free lipstick that is absoultely, definately guaranteed to compliment your skin tone and make you look even more FAB!

What are you waiting for? We are only ever a phone call or email away! www.besavvy.co.uk/contact.asp

Birds of a Feather evening bash!

£10 is all it will cost you to join one of our many, popular Birds of a Feather evening bashes where you can learn what to wear for the cooler months later this year, particularly if BLACK is not you, dahling! (and that applies to over 85% of UK women).

The next bash is all about "Fashion Trends for Autumn/Winter 2007" so not only will you be able to take away some really worthwhile advice for the coming season whilst having a fab night out with the girls, but also have learnt a bit about your body shape, face shape and much much more.

Let's face it,

Do YOU know your own bodyshape and know how to drape it to create the perfect silhouette?

Does your hairdresser understand your faceshape AND colouring (we bet not - perhaps that's why you are never REALLY satisfied with the cut/colour??!),

Does the beauty assistant at the beauty counter know which colour make-up palettes are right for you and is interested in making you look wonderful or does she/he simply want to "make a sale" come what may?

So, put this date in your diaries NOW - 2nd August 2007 to make sure YOU don't miss out on the "flocking"

Venue: to be confirmed

Time: 7pm onwards

The high eco-cost of fashion

Why is it that most textile recycling bins are usually stuck on some smelly, disgusting bit of land at the back of a supermarket? We wanted to come up with an eco-friendly way of disposing clothes, shoes and other garments (other than the poor old charity shops) and hot on the idea of a public "Ditch n switch" (clothes swap). What do you think of the idea?