Sneak Peek! Our Picks from the 2009 Goodwill Glitter Sale

Truly "Fashionably Responsible"(tm) shoppers know - vintage and gently used clothing isn't just sustainable, it can also be truly chic.

Last night, we had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the vast room that houses Seattle Goodwill's amazing Glitter Sale, set to open Saturday November 14th at 9am. Racks upon racks of vintage, designer, and premium label dresses, coats, hats, shoes, and jewelry beckon you in to the very large space where the sale is set.

^The formalwear offering is formidable - this is just one aisle, all arranged by color

^And the shoe selection is sure to set your heart aflutter. Here, just the pinks and reds!

Here, for your style pleasure, are some of Fashion Ethic's favorite picks from the immense offering. (Please excuse the blurry cell phone pics!)

^Pretty pale pink tulle gown and a yellow sparkler from the 50's

^A gorgeous purple feathered cloche. Vintage, of course!

^A tres Francaise look that can be yours for pennies on the dollar (or Euro)

But the highlight of highlights was hanging on a rack up front: an exquisitely designed frock with deco details (note the insouciant tassle hanging down the back). Paperwork attached to the dress gives information on its provenance and who wore it - a vintage collector's dream come true! And an absolute STEAL at just $24.99. Can you imagine?!

^My sidekick for the night, Sara from SPUN checking out the serious early-2oth-century design

Wondering what prices are like? Here's a sample of what we saw:
$99.99 for an amazing long skirt from Karl Lagerfeld (circa 1990's)
$29.99 for Michael Kors black studded pumps
$9.99, $24.99, and $49.99 for sequined dresses
$4.99 for an epic hair clip

I mean, where else can you find a rhinestone-trimmed captain's hat and a vintage piece like this all for under $50? I believe fellow vintage-adorer Rachel Zoe would agree when I tell you, it's bananas!

^Sara from SPUN ready for women's suffrage! ;)

Betsy McFeely from Goodwill and Tracy Schneider (aka @GlitterSale_Gal on Twitter) were our hostesses last night and you can tell they love their job.

And what a job it is! Tracy made sure we didn't miss the vintage Courreges, Cassini, and an amazing 3 piece maribou ensemble by Mr. Blackwell. She's been tracking her favorites over at the Glitter Sale Blog. Apparently nearly 200 volunteers help make this sale possible; "as you might imagine, it’s quite an undertaking!" says Tracy. I for one appreciate the display by color, and the "Purple 'Red Hats' Clothes" rack made me smile. These ladies know their customer base, no matter what the age!

But it gets better! All proceeds from the sale go to Goodwill programs. Betsy says,

“Last year, Seattle Goodwill’s job training and education programs served more than 2,700 people in the community. Because of the economy, more people than ever are coming to Goodwill. We’re seeing a greater demand in service, both from people who are unemployed and looking for work, as well as from people who are afraid they may lose their job and want to improve their skills.”

So do your part! Hit the sale this weekend and don't forget to let us know what you find. There are many pearls to be had in this treasure trove!


READ our blog post with details on the 2009 Goodwill Glitter Sale

GET the tips and tricks on how to shop the Glitter Sale from @GlitterSale_Gal herself!

CHECK out what fellow fashion bloggers picked as faves!
@ufntarah Tarah at Urban Fashion Network
@SimchaBabe Charl at Your Mother Wears Combat Boots

Seattle Green Festival this Weekend

Headed out to the Seattle Green Festival this weekend? Make sure you stop by the SPUN booth and meet designer Sara Seumae (booth 927), and say hello to the lovely Lynnel at Bien Ella, booth 1009! Don't forget to tell them that Fashion Ethic sent you, and keep an eye out for Fashion Ethic founder Candice Caldwell there on Sunday.

Seattle Green Festival runs this Saturday-Sunday at the Seattle Convention Center. For more information, or to find a Green Festival near you, check out the Green Festivals homepage.

Holiday Spotlight: It's Party Time

Our absolute favorite part of the holidays is dressing up! All the different parties and get togethers between now and New Year's mean we need a few different looks to get us through the end of the year.

If your closet could use a few new additions - items that will last past the party and serve you well into 2009 - Fashion Ethic has the best in ethical dresses with a conscience. All are fair labor/sweatshop-free and designed using eco-friendly fabrics and flattering silhouettes.

Pictured here, left to right:
(1) Sublet's organic cotton/bamboo blend "Beth" twist-front dress in Teal, a Sage BAGGU Bag, and jewelry from Entangles for Fashion Ethic SHOP it.
(2) naturevsfuture's Red Ingeo Tiered Dress and our Silk Chiffon wrap in Wine (the Red Ingeo dress was recently featured on White Apricot's List of Affordable Eco Chic Party Dresses!) SHOP it.
(3) SPUN Clothing's organic cotton "Diane" wrap dress in Midnight with a one-of-a-kind "upcycled" bag. SHOP it.

Visit Fashion Ethic at CRAVEshow Tomorrow!

A special shout-out to all of you here in the Pacific Northwest - Fashion Ethic will be at the CRAVEshow Holiday Shopping party at Seattle's McCaw Hall, tomorrow, December 10th from 5-9pm.

Stop by our booth for deep discounts on winter coats and holiday wear, Fashionably Responsible gifts under $30, and sustainable stocking stuffers under $10. You'll also be able to meet designer Sara Seumae from SPUN, jewelry designer Julia Jacques from Entangles and Fashion Ethic founder Candice Caldwell.

Learn a little bit about our new styling and shopping services and be sure to catch us on the Fashion Stage as we present a live demo of day-to-night dressing using pieces from the Fashion Ethic shop.

For a preview of what's in store, check out Candice in the video below from the CRAVEshow blog!



Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door. Ample parking is available in the garage directly across Mercer St. And please be sure to support the Go Red For Women Campaign and buy a raffle ticket - you may win our red SIGG bottle and red BAGGU!

SPUN on IDEAL BITE

Ideal Bite is another of our favorite ways to get green info. Never preachy, always informative, and totally witty, Ideal Bite sends daily emails on green topics and companies so you can be in the know now.

Today they feature SPUN, the fantastic line of accessible organic fashion from designer Sara Seumae which is a customer favorite here at Fashion Ethic and gaining devoted fans all over the country.

If you haven't checked out what the buzz is about, you're in luck! Fashion Ethic offers the full SPUN line and to celebrate the Ideal Bite feature, is offering 15% off the SPUN line with code IDEAL15 through Nov 27. That's on top of current sale prices!

READ the feature on SPUN, "Girls Just Wanna Have SPUN" at Ideal Bite HERE

SIGN UP for Ideal Bite eNews HERE

SHOP the SPUN line at Fashion Ethic HERE

SPUN Fall 08 Available for Pre-Sale at Fashion Ethic!

Have you noticed how SPUN Clothing is taking the eco fashion world by storm? Recent rave reviews on AOL's StyleList, EcoStiletto, NWSource, and now Green Daily are testament to this brand's up-and-coming status.

With great fits, flattering silhouettes, super-soft organic cottons, and gorgeous low-impact dyed shades, each SPUN piece is created to become a wardrobe favorite. Factor in the affordable prices and you've got yourself a winner!

We've been saying it all along, but it's nice to see others taking note. That includes Hot Moms Club member (and Denise Richards' BFF) Trisha Jochen, who chose SPUN's "Diane" wrap dress for this past weekend's Roots and Shoots Int'l Day of Peace eco-Fashion Show in LA.

Now SPUN's complete Fall line is available for PRESALE at Fashion Ethic. The wrap dress, cowl neck dress, boatneck top, and cowl top are all integral and classically chic pieces. Sizes have been extended to include XL this season. SPUN Fall 08 is expected to ship the last week of October, but you'll want to snag your favorites now because we are not kidding when we say this line is HOT and sure to sell out quickly!

SHOP the complete SPUN line - exclusively at Fashion Ethic HERE

Fashion Ethic Meets Nick Verreos

Candice here. So I just got back from a party here in Seattle where the very amiable Nick Verreos from Project Runway fame was helping raise some funds for charity by auctioning off some of his original designs. It is always encouraging to see designers doing what they can to raise awareness about issues or raise funds to support things they care about. Events like this, designers giving back to community organizationa, and all CFDA has done to fight AIDS, are things that make me proud to be part of the fashion industry.

Speaking of giving money back to community, pictured on the left here is Sara Seumae, designer of SPUN, a 100% certified organic cotton line available at FashionEthic.com. Her line is part of 1% For the Planet, donating 1% of revenue to environmental causes. That's me on the right in the Ryann dress (which, by the way, Nick said he noticed as soon as I came in due to the fab cutouts...and yes, it can be yours on sale right now at FashionEthic.com ;) We flank the lovely Nick Verreos, who is wearing the greatest shawl neck cardigan from Philip Lim, which, while not at Fashion Ethic is somewhat similar to a SPUN piece coming this Fall. Quite the coincidence! You heard it here first!

Announcing the Arrival of SPUN Clothing at Fashion Ethic

We are so delighted to announce a new line to Fashion Ethic - SPUN Clothing, created to allow women to change their closets from conventional clothing to natural fashions without having to compromise style.

Conceived by designer Sara Seumae, SPUN has the planet and style in mind. The line just launched with key pieces all created from 100% certified organic cotton and each dyed with low impact, fiber-reactive dyes for a minimal effect on the planet. SPUN is a member of 1% For the Planet, donating 1% of sales to this great group that supports environmental causes.

Each piece has been tested by your friends at Fashion Ethic for the best fit, flatter, and color, and we are excited to offer this affordable line of quality organic tops, including colors and styles that can only be found online here. Try SPUN today, and if you're like us, you'll have found a new favorite line that you'll look forward to watching grow in the future. Get SPUN.

SHOP the line from their shop page at Fashion Ethic HERE

SHOWN ABOVE: 3/4 Sleeve Top in Black Available NOW and Ribbed Tank available in mid-June