Sustainable Wedding Garb...and HVG's First Press!

I was recently interviewed by Lisa Iannucci, freelance writer for the Poughkeepsie Journal. Lisa has written several articles regarding sustainability and contacted me for her piece about sustainable clothing. Lisa's piece, titled Sustainable Clothing Gaining Popularity, was published in the April 29th edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal and yours truly is quoted in it! So exciting! 

This is Hudson Valley Green's first press. Wooohooo! 

When Lisa interviewed me over the phone, I was prepared. I had written notes and replayed what I was going to say in my mind over and over again. I was going to be well spoken and intellectual and funny and basically all around amazing. And then I actually got on the phone with Lisa and all of my preparedness went right out the window. 

I was so nervous. I stumbled across my words, I think I ended up rambling about things that may or may not have been related to the topic.  But in the end, I think it went okay! Check out the article and let me know what you think!

(c) Everyday Beauty

As I was preparing for my interview with Lisa (and by the way, she was really very nice), I jotted a few pages of notes (a.k.a. scribbles) about what I think sustainable clothing really is all about.

Sustainability is such a buzz word right now and I think it can really get overused; however, I do think you can make very real, very sustainable clothing choices. The key to sustainability is limiting your role in consumerism and making smart consumer choices.

(c) Hudson Valley Green....Lizzie's back and her mom's hands!

Here are some simple ways to be more eco-friendly when it comes to your wedding garb:

• Go Vintage (or just gently used). My mother altered my grandmother's dress for me and I was able to proudly wear a family heirloom on my big day. If you aren't lucky enough to have a family dress, check out chic vintage and consignment shops for beautiful dresses. Many have been worn just once and some may have never been worn at all! If someone in your family isn't a gifted seamstress, research quality tailors to have to dress fit to your size and style. And if your local second-hand shop doesn't have anything in stock, check out websites such as RecycledBride.com and NearlyNewlywed.com for gently used (or new!) designer dress for a fracture of the cost of a new dress. Remember, a reused dress is always more eco-friendly than a new, organic hemp dress.  

(c) Helen Neafsey...at the Greenwich Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop

• Go Organic. If vintage isn't for you, pick a dress made with organic or eco-friendly materials such as cotton, hemp, or bamboo. Visit websites such as Etsy.com (check out NaturalBridals) and AdeleWechsler.com for really beautiful eco-conscious gowns. 

• Go Old. Having bridesmaids in your wedding? I bet many of them have been in several weddings before. Ask your lovely ladies to wear a dress that they already own. They will save a bundle of money and will save you (and them) the hassle of choosing a dress, the fittings, and the gas to and from the tailor.

• Go Black. If having your bridesmaids be color coordinated is important, ask your girls to wear similar black dresses of their choosing. A little black dress never goes out of style and can be worn multiple times to several different functions. Already own a LBD? Perfect! If not, your bridesmaid can purchase a dress that fits their shape, style, and budget AND can be worn again. That's a Win-Win in my book. 

(c) Hudson Valley Green

• Get creative. I was lucky enough to inherit some truly stunning strands of cultured pearls from a family member. Because many of the strands are a bit too long for my taste, I have been taking them to Beads of Westchester, located in White Plains (Westchester Co.), to have the extra pearls transformed into earrings for my friends and family. The lovely women at Beads are so talented and it costs virtually nothing to have the pearls redone into new pieces. By reinventing an old piece of jewelry into several new ones, I get to share a family heirloom with my loved ones as beautiful gifts and I save a bunch of money. Unfortunately I didn't think of this for my wedding but I wish I would have! Pearl earrings would have been perfect gifts for my bridesmaids. 

(c) Hudson Valley Green

Happy Planning, 

Lizzie