Mercury Madness

A week ago, today, my friends and I rocked it out at the annual, Spring Mercury Fashion show. I must say the people of Portland's Mercury know how to put on a show!

Some of my favorite designers of the night were Liza Rietz, (liza-rietz.etsy.com), Janeane Marie, (janeane-marie.com), and Isaac Hers (phloxpdx.com). Each of these designers understand their niche and remain true to that. I actually felt cheated when only 4 looks of Janeane marie were showcased. I turned to my friends with a "was that it?".

Although all of the designers had something great to offer the audience, I believe the one that made us all think was Adam Arnold. Totally unexpected, we watched in awe as models came out in sleeping-bag-like apparel and slurpees! That's right - we all had to take a double. With laughs and appreciation, he definitely made a point. As noted in the program, our society has fallen in love with comfort! Comfort food, comfort activities and yes - comfort fashion.

All said and done, Mercury provided a great night to enjoy my gal pals and speak fashion. Because that, my readers, is really what it's all about.

Eco-PunK'd

Have you been Punk'd?

Did you know that you can really find eco-friendly garments in places like Target and Wal-mart? Yes, you can. It seems like everyone is jumping on the 'eco' bandwagon to get a piece of the hottest trend of the 21st century. Although many companies have veered away from this, due to recent, economic hardships, it continues to be the way to one-up the competition.



Watch out for labels, companies and garments that are not 100% sustainable (eco-friendly). Sustainable is all about taking it back to the virgin state garments come in. It's expensive and extremely challenging for those who really are sustainable, to compete with those who are 'faking it' to make the next buck.

Some of my favorite sustainable designers/labels are: Toms Shoes, Melissa Baswell (Mountains of the Moon), Lara Miller, Sofada, Loyale Clothing and of course my own label - BELLADONNA MARIE. Apart from providing great sustainable products, many of these companies go the extra mile to help. Loyale donates portions of proceeds to the environmental organization Green Corps. BELLADONNA MARIE supports Share our Strength (a non-profit organization designed to help feed starving children across the U.S.).

Don't get Punk'd! If you decided to go eco-friendly, make sure it's real. Happy Shopping!!