vegan sandals

And they’re on sale at Epaulet for $40 in several sizes (I’m an 8 and they fit true to size in my opinion) in the great blue color:

Since I got my Melissa Sin sandals a few years ago, I’ve given up all other flip flops; they’re so much more stylish, they’ll hold up WAY longer, and they’re made of sustainable rubber. And just this year I got a 2nd pair of Melissa sandals, the Secret Love sandal in gold, which I also love, but the thong is a more flattering style on my foot, so I reserve the Secret Love sandals for wear with jeans. (I do get a TON of comments when I wear mine though, people love them!!)

Anyway, if you don’t have a pair of Melissa sandals yet, this is a good pair to try. Also keep your eye on the online sample sale sites, Melissa pops up here and there…

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I just returned from probably the only “vacation” or out-of-town trip I’ll get this Summer and as I wandered around shopping outside in Winter Park, FL with my dad, I tried to imagine vacationing in some exotic locale, eating wonderful food, and taking in beautiful sights. And then I started thinking about “resort” wear – you know, the usually incredibly overpriced collection designers do for the jet-setting among us – and what would be my ideal eco-friendly Summer sightseeing outfit.

But…with my budget the way it is right now, I can’t exactly afford my “fantasy” outfit, so I decided to challenge myself to put together an outfit for less than $100 (shoes, dress & bag). The “reality” outfit isn’t meant to be a cheaper version of the “fantasy” outfit (I really hate “look for less” editorials); it stands on it’s own. And I think it “stands” quite well actually!

Fantasy

I LOVE this handloomed bamboo dress by Lara Miller – it’s slinky, but not revealing, and totally practical for a day of sightseeing and lunch on some exotic tropical isle (this IS the fantasy…)

Lara Miller Dress: $305

Lara Miller Dress: $305

I’m still a huge fan of metallic shoes/sandals because they act as a neutral and go with everything. I’m partial to silver (I have two pairs of silver sandals I wear all the time) and in this case, I think silver goes better with the gray tone of the dress. The sandals are vegan and by Neuaura:

Neuaura Vegan Sandals: $94

Neuaura Vegan Sandals: $94

And finally, no outfit can be complete without a great bag. I really feel like this outfit begs for a handheld bag and I think this one made from recycled leather/suede by Dean is PERFECT:

Dean Handbag: $195

Dean Handbag: $195

Reality

I am constantly praising etsy as a great place to find eco-friendly plus size fashions, but have generally neglected it as an overall eco-friendly fashion resource. No more. There are pages and pages of fabulous organic cotton sundresses by great etsy sellers, like this one by SeaOfTales. They’re not all necessarily cheaper than buying from a retail store, but some are, and nothing beats being able to work directly with the designer to get a dress made JUST for you!

SeaofTales Dress: $42

SeaofTales Dress: $42

And how cute are these vegan sandals…for $19.99???

Novacas Claire Vegan Sandal: $19.99

Novacas Claire Vegan Sandal: $19.99

And again, as with the outfit above, I really prefer sundresses with smaller, handheld bags, so I chose this hand-crocheted, fair trade clutch by the Autonomie Project in a bright by complimentary color to the dress:

Autonomie Project Clutch: $35

Autonomie Project Clutch: $35

Now that I’m finished, I think I like the “reality” outfit just as much as the “fantasy” outfit…so why spend nearly $500 more??

What do you think? Got any fantasy eco-friendly pieces to share?

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10 FABULOUS vegan sandals for Spring!

by grechen on April 19, 2009 | SUBSCRIBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK |

Try this: search for vegan sandals at any shoe shopping site, and inevitably, you’ll end up filtering through pages of Crocs and rubber flip-flops to find the one or two cute pairs of non-leather sandals they have. Seriously – vegan DOES NOT (have to) equal ugly, and I would (almost) rather drink a glass of milk that put a pair of Crocs on my feet. Almost.

But if you’ve been reading Green Grechen for any time at all (or any of the other fabulous eco-fashion blogs out there), you KNOW that if anyone can find stylish, cute, and even avant-garde vegan sandals online, I can :)

And here they are…

  1. Melissa Mystery Gladiator Sandals in Red: $71 at Tobi (but you can use code 20GRECHEN for 20% off!). I have a pair of Melissa’s plain black Sin Sandals and lived in them all last Summer. They’re way cooler than flip flops, and super-comfortable with the thick sole. And yes, I was wary that they were “plastic” at first, that they would stick to my feet, etc., but they don’t. They’re wonderful. And these gladiator-style sandals are just awesome…

    melissa plastic sin gladiator sandals 20% off at tobi.com

  2. And speaking of red…vegetarian sandals by Vegetarian Shoes at MooShoes.com: $39.99. I kind of wish they didn’t have buckle on the side, for more of a simple, classic look (exactly like the Matt Bernson Love sandals I love so much…), but it’s not that intrusive. I just love the color…

    vegetarian sandals at mooshoes.com

  3. Slow and Steady Wins the Race canvas wedges at Hejfina: $100. These are my favorites – I’m seriously considering getting a pair of these. I’m not 100% sure they’re 100% vegan, but they are canvas, and there doesn’t appear to be any leather inside or on the sole. I love everything about these, the light color (that will get delightfully dirty as Summer goes on…), and cut-out styling, and the wedge. Oh, how I love a good wedge :)

    slow and steady wins the race canvas wedges

  4. Speaking of wedges, this is my other favorite…Beyond Skin Serena organic cotton & hemp Sandal at Greenloop: $280. I’m mostly in love with the beautiful design on the side of these babies…

    beyond skin vegan wedge

  5. And another wedge…the Lentil by Madden Girl: $58.99. I’m a sucker for a wooden heel!

    madden girl vegan wedges

  6. You can’t go wrong with a good, classic espadrille – they’re normally made from canvas: Castaner Espadrille at Endless, $184. I have a pair of these Castaner espadrilles (in red) that are a few years old and I love to wear them to brighten up an otherwise singular color outfit.

    Castaner Women's Adivina-8 Wedge Espadrille

  7. Cri de Coeur Freya Sandal at Nimli: $200. These would be so cute with a short tank dress; simple, but perfect.

    cri de coeur freya vegan sandal

  8. Olsenhaus Vegan Goliath Sandal: $99. These are really lovely, and would be so beautiful with a long sundress or a pair of wide-leg trousers.

    olsenhaus goliath vegan sandal

  9. And c’mon, these are so retro-cool, they’re a must-have! This is the new Dr. Scholl’s renew style (based on the classic exercise sandal) made from sustainable Brazilian wood footbed, recycled metal adjustable buckle, flat traction corn-based outsole that is durable, yet biodegradable, and for each pair purchased, 10 trees are planted.

    drscholls hemp vegan exercise sandal

  10. (you don’t think I’d let you leave without mentioning at least ONE pair of Birkenstock’s did you?? ;) ) Finally, the Birki’s vegan Milos: $85. I really love this thong/gladiator style (they’re not your mother’s Birkenstock’s…or even mine 10 yrs ago LOL) in fun patent “leather.”

    birkismilos vegan sandals

Which ones are your favorite? Did I miss anything?

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20% off New Spring Arrivals at Nimli

by grechen on March 5, 2009 | SUBSCRIBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK |

Nimli has just added tons of new-for-Spring items from Sublet, Kelly B, Beau Soleil, lingerie from Eberjey and Cosabella, handbags from Ashley Watson and English Retreads, and these lovely vegan sandals by Cri de Couer:

cri de coeur vegan sandals 20% off coupon for nimli

Use code PREORDER09 for pre-paid pre-orders (like these cri de coeur sandals), and try “grechens08″ or FINAL09 for 20% off everything else at Nimli.

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