I recently joined the Ethical Writers Coalition, and these ladies (and one gentlemen) have been hard at work creating an exciting media campaign to coincide with the upcoming New York Fashion Week. Style Stories is a project that celebrates and promotes sustainable fashion; items that are locally made, eco-friendly, vintage, fair trade, cruelty-free, or organic.

StyleStories-Main-640Anyone who knows me might laugh to hear that I am submitting photos to a fashion blog, but I do love clothes and dressing up. I just usually opt for practical items I can wear to take the dog for long walks (which in the winter has me looking like a homeless bus monitor . . . safety first!)

Anyway, I had a lot of fun finding and choosing my favorite ethical pieces – and they all worked together surprisingly well.

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  •  My hat is from this amazing etsy shop – IRISMINT. It was made in Boston, from all-natural fibers that were produced in America. Even though I’ve never met the shop’s owner, it still felt really special to get a gorgeous, hand knit hat through the mail.
  • My sea fan scarf has lasted through 2 winters. I wear it every.single.day and it still looks beautiful. It is from Snoozer Loser and was produced in Brooklyn, NY with water-based inks.
  • My leggings are by one of my best friends, the amazing Nicole Lebreux. Nicole uses either vintage or sustainable fabrics in all of her clothes, and she make the most comfortable, flattering, fun things to wear.
  • My wood and brass bracelet was purchased several years ago through the “World of Good Store” on Ebay (now defunct, sadly). It was made using fair-trade labor and sustainably-harvested wood. I wear it all the time and still get so many compliments on it.
  • My black wool dress is a vintage hand-me-down.

So now it’s your turn! You can submit your outfit (it only needs to include one sustainable piece) by February 12th! More details below;

THE CRITERIA

  • Locally made means produced near you, which could mean your city, your state, or even by you
  • Eco-friendly is a broad term. Think about the material used and ask questions (Is it a natural fibre? Is it made from recycled materials?)
  • Vintage or secondhand is something that was previously bought and owned by someone else. Preloved, as they say.
  • Fair trade is an item that may be certified fair trade or bought from a company you know pays living wages to its employees and producers.
  • Cruelty-free means vegan, so anything not made from animal products like leather, wool, or fur.
  • Organic means produced without pesticides and certified as organic. This would refer to the textile (e.g. cotton, bamboo) and should be in the materials list on the tag.
  • Ethically-produced is another broad term. This would encompass all of the above criteria and possibly more (sweatshop-free, child labour-free, etc.)

TIPS

  • DO look for good light and an interesting background.
  • DO take a clear photo of yourself wearing your sustainable item(s).
  • DO tell the story of the item(s) or how you acquired it/them.
  • DON’T use this platform to promote brands that don’t meet the above criteria.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

  1. Submit your photos to the Ethical Writers Coalition at The Style Stories OR post to Instagram using the hashtag #StyleStories15
  2. Include the sustainable criteria behind your outfit. Bonus points for a good story behind your style!

The photo gallery will be kicking off during New York Fashion week February 12-19. You could be featured on The Style Stories that week, so send us your best! If you have questions, please ask them in the comments below.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: FEBRUARY 12, 2015