Green Talk® » clothing and shoes

I Rented a Dress for Son’s Bar Mitzvah and Lived to Tell the Story

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 24 May 2011 20:43:35 +0000

Bagley Mischka, Rent the Runway, and me

Buying a fancy dress for a party is just a waste of money and resources especially when you can rent a fabulous one at Rent the Runway How does a $2195 Matthew Williamson gown sound that you can rent for $300? Or Nicole Miller dress that you can rent for $50? No lie, people. I did it. And for my son’s bar mitzvah, yet. (Call me crazy.) My experience? Well you will have to read on.

Why Rent?

Girlfriend, let’s be honest with each other. How many times are you going to wear that dress again? Once or Twice? No one like to see a party girl in the same outfit too many times. Your chic’ness quote will take a nose dive. But on the environmental side, think about the amount of resources used to make that dress that you only wear a couple of times.

Well having it “sustain-ably all” is my new mantra. So you too can be a totally green, hip fashionista without sacrificing style and look. Just to prove my point, I decided to be a guinea pig and took the gamble on son #4′s bar mitzvah. With the help of Amy, Rent the Runway, fab stylist, we picked out 2 dresses that could adorn my pear-ess figure. Did it work? Yes and No.

Body Background

Just so you don’t slough off the article and say Anna must have the perfect body so she can rent any dress, stop right there. I hate my body because I am a 2/4 on the bottom but a 4/with a strong lean towards a 6 on the bottom. I have baby making hips and a J Lo butt. It looks good on her. Not me.

In addition, I am 5′ 3 1/2 inches and fall into the petite category many times. (My boys say I am shrinking as I get older. *Sign*) So, finding a gown that was going to fit my top and bottom is always a challenge especially when you can’t alter the dress.

The Gowns that Were Suppose to Work

Amy must have spent an hour with me. Everything I liked, Amy would tell me it wasn’t going to look good on me. The final picks? See below:

Robert Rodriguez Black Label (Retails for $750 but rents for $100)

Robert Rodriguez Dress from Rent the Runway

I rented the 6 and a free back-up 8 just in case.

Bagley Mischka Belle of the Ball (Retails for $595 but rents for $75)

Bagley Mishkca Dress from Rent the Runway

For an extra $25 I rented the 6 and the 8 just in case.

What about accessories?

You can easily rent a purse, matching earrings, bracelet, and necklace with your dress choice. I rented the following Michael Ases earrings:

The Micheal Ases Earrings

The retail value is $338 and I rented them for $35. I have a small face and Amy assured me that the earring wouldn’t overpower my face.

Did I need a necklace? Amy said no because the earring were just enough. I was set to go. My dresses would arrive on Thursday before the Bar Mitzvah! I could have (and should have rented ) the dresses longer since this was such an important event. I should not have left so much to chance. Bear in mind, the rental cost would be twice the price.

*Gulp*

So, Did they Fit?

Now, remember I am bust-less. Whatever I had, nursing took everything away. I looked like a stick of gum in the Robert Rodriguez. The 6′s top was an inch too big in the chest. I needed a bust and smaller hips to carry this dress off, but it was so gorgeous, light in weight, and very flowy. A princess gown.

The Bagley Mischka dress was to die for since it hit me in all the right places. The problem? The top was a little bit saggy because I didn’t have a bust to fill it out. (Even rolled up socks didn’t help.) You can imagine my panic on Thursday when pictures were the next day.

I immediately shot a picture of me and called Rent the Runway. Ashley was cool as cucumber to my mass hysteria. Given her “Dr” assessment of my picture, I could take the 4. (Who doesn’t love someone who tells you can take a smaller size?) She was ready to press”submit” when I heard dread in her voice.

“Someone just took it…,” she gasped.

Kill me now. Stab me with a pick in my heart like a vampire. I was doomed. T-2 days before the bar mitzvah….

Plan B. Rent Another Gown

Adams Whimsical Dress from Rent the Runway

Ashley decided the Adams Whimsical Dress would be my best alternative since the top of the dress was quite snug. I just paid shipping and received both a size 4 and 6 dress.

So? Do we have a winner? Um, too snug. I couldn’t fit into either the 4 or 6.

The Bagley Mischka and I had to come to an understanding and make the relationship work. It was T-1 before the big day. Thanks to my stepmother who used Hollywood tape on the front and back if the dress, I was a red carpet winner. (RTR supplies the tape.)

Outcome?

People loved the gown and said I was breath taking. Sure, I could have taken the size four dress to show off my girless waist but the size 6 worked. The earring sealed the deal. Everyone loved them and wanted them.

At the end of the night, I took off my dress and slipped it into the return envelope along with the jewelry. Off it went to make someone else’s dream come true.

Would I do it again? Yes and No. Maybe I would rent for a longer period and pay more for such and important party to give myself some breathing room. In addition, I waited too long to pick a dress. I really, really wanted the Matthew Williamson dress, but someone has great taste like me. It wasn’t available.

Join the Conversation

Would (or have you) rented a dress from Rent the Runway
Would you rent a dress for an important affair?
Are you an easy clothing fit?
Do you have tons of dresses in your closets that you never wear again?
Do you think this concept would work for men?

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Eco OAT Sneakers That You Can Run into the Ground

Anna@Green Talk — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:16:30 +0000

OAT biodegradable shoes

Who doesn’t love their sneakers? They are the most comfortable shoes I own and I literally run their soles down until I am literally walking on pavement. I go through 2 pairs a year. So, I was beyond excited when I read about OAT biodegradable shoes being made by Christiaan Maats and his team at OAT Shoes in the Netherlands.

Yes, you heard me right. The whole sneaker is biodegradable. Laces to sole. These adorable shoes come in white with four different colored soles along with a wildflower seed package. So not only are these sneakers functional and stylish, they will produce a flower bed for you! That’s a hard working shoe.

What’s the big deal about biodegradable sneakers?

In 2010, more than $17 billion sporting shoes were sold in the world according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Now, realize this number includes all types of sporting shoes, but I would gather most of those shoes are sneakers. And where are all those shoes going at the end of their life? Chose between these three choices: a landfill, a dump, or a bigger landfill.

Some, however, are going to Nike to be reused to make playgrounds or other sports facilities. While other gently used shoes may be re-used at these fine organizations. The rest. You got it. The old dump.

OAT shoes at Green Fashion Awards. Photo by Peter Stigter.

So, now do you understand why I am so excited? Wear your shoes and then bury them in your garden! I am not the only one excited. They won second prize at the Green Fashion Awards during the Amsterdam International Fashion week.

What are the shoes made of?

I wish I knew. Their website really needs more information, but they seem to be really busy getting their product ready to be sold. From their comments on their blog, the canvas is made out of hemp. As for the chemicals used, they state:

“[W]e’ve managed to avoid having any toxic or harmful chemicals end up in the shoes. The hemp is bleached, but it’s a low-impact peroxide bleach – certified ÖkoTex 100-, no chlorine. The colors are all certified biodegradable pigments.”

Where Can I buy them?

This question seems to asked a lot in the comments of their blog. I just wanted to know if the male model came with the shoes. (Don’t tell the hubby I asked this.) According to the Company, they are expected to start selling in the Spring at selected stores in the Netherlands and Belgium, and will expand to other stores in Europe. In addition, they will be opening an online store.

As for the US and Canada, I received the following email response:

“There might be a small chance to release a very limited amount of the Virgin Collection to the US and Canada – but nothing final yet, fingers crossed!”

Stay tuned to their Facebook page as to upcoming events.

And the Price?

I was a little sticker shocked when I saw the price. EUR 149 /$201.30 for the red/blue pairs, and EUR139 /$187.79 for the green/yellow pairs. (Note, I converted the EU prices so when they start the online site, the dollar amount of the shoes might be different.)

Join the conversation:

What do you think of these shoes?
Would you buy them because of their style or environmental attributes? Or both?
Would you bury your shoes?

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Rent the Runway Rents Designer Dressers. Consume Less, Glam More

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:17:37 +0000

Rent the Runway's dress for the Green Fashionista

Rent the Runway is a green fashionista’s dream. Less consumption with different looks for every occasion. I know. That sounds like an oxymoron but hear me out. Let’s face it, girlfriends, who wants to be caught dead in the same dress more than twice? For you uber fashionistas, more than once.

Why Rent versus Buy?

Tell me if you fit into any of these sizes:

The dresses you own don’t fit you (either too small or too tight. Sadly, these days as I sit on my rump and blog, I am fitting into the later category.)
Dresses are outdated. The Joan Collins style went out, um, in the eighties.
You attend multiple parties during the year. Sweet 16s, Bar Mitzvahs, 30th, 40th, 50th birthday parties, or charity events?
You are a major fashionista and love the most current style.
Other. You are shallow and can’t be caught in the same dress twice. It is okay to admit it. No judgement here. I know lots of you.
You have champagne taste on a beer budget. I understand your pain. Check in this category.

Rent the Runway's Badgley Mischka Dress

What happens if I told you there was a place where you could rent different types of dresses AND accessories to match from designers ranging from Nicole Miller to Badgley Mischka. Personally, I am love with the above off the shoulder magenta cocktail dress which sells for $395 but I can rent for $50.00!

You can rent their dresses for 90% off of retail prices. You heard me. 90% off of retail. No more husband screaming at you because you run up the credit card again with your shopaholic tendencies.

Tell Me More. Do They Have Designer Dresses?

Rent the Runway's Missoni Dress

Really into the expensive designers? Rent the Runway has you covered. They have lots of designers to pick from. Your friends will be jealous with envy when you show up in the above Missoni which retails for $3000, which you rented for $300.

Rent the Runway's Earrings

Don’t forget the matching accessories! Earring and bracelets.

Don’t believe me? Check out my video about the website. My enthusiasm is catchy so watch out!

I’m Sold. How Does it Work?

In a nutshell, on the homepage, you select the date and the size, and see which dresses are available. See here for a slide show of how RTR works. The dress is shipped to you a few days before your date. The Company suggests that you rent 2 different sizes just in case it does not fit you. You get a back-up dress for free. Better yet, you can get a different style for only $25.00 just in case the your first pick does not look good at you. I love this concept so I can hedge the hips issue.

To get the whole scoop, take a look at their FAQs. Ideally, you want to put your order in 3 weeks before your event so that you get the best selection.

The day after the event, just slip the prepaid mailer into the mail and you are done. Doesn’t that sound simple?

Having a Stylist for a Friend.

Rent the Runway Nicole Miller Dress

My biggest concern is my pear shaped body. Lots of really cute dresses look horrible on me. After four kids, my hips have become wider than the Holland Tunnel, and my bust, well, let’s just say, it is gone forever unless Dr. 90210 helps me. I barely had anything and breast feeding just took any hope away. Even gaining weight doesn’t help. *Sign.*

You can rent dresses based on occasion so you don’t look too overdressed when you attend a day to night party, meet the parents, or prom. They even have bump friendly dresses! Additionally, they have dresses based upon body type, sleeve, neckline, length and more.

How do you know what size to get? The Company contains a detail description of the dress, if the dress runs “true to size,” and for what height is the dress intended. In addition, they have a size chart based upon measurements. (Getting out the measuring tape can be scary, but ladies, if you want a better fit, you got to do what you got to do.) Personally, I am going to have to stick with their petite line unless I buy really high shoes and basically sit the entire night. Tall shoes and I are a disastrous pair.

My favorite part of the site are the reviews. Many of the dresses have reviewed by people like you and me saying how the dress fits, what is comfortable, etc. I know me. I would worry that the dress would be too small or too large. Each designer is different. Some think that all women are size 2′s and others oversize so that you can fit into a size that is at least two sizes smaller. I think they do this for psychological reasons. Wouldn’t you buy a dress that is 2 sizes smaller than you normal dress size if you looked fabulous in it?

Still not sure? You can chat with a stylist.

Why so Green?

Think about it. How much clothing do we buy in a year since fashion changes so much? Come on. Be honest. Energy, raw materials, and labor is being used to make our clothes. So, if you can rent a garment (albeit a fashion statement) which can be worn many times by others, see how you reduce your clothing carbon footprint? So, who said being green isn’t fashionable?

I do hope in the future that they carry green fashion designers as well. If there is a particular designer that you like, then just contact them to voice your request.

How Do I get over the Ick Factor?

Some of you are saying, how can I rent a dress after someone has worn it? (Stop saying “ewww” and ick right now, and focus so I can get you over the hurdle.) Many have and here are their testimonials how much they love Rent the Runway.

The Company states,

“All Rent the Runway dresses will ship to you directly from the RTR designer warehouse, where all dresses are cleaned, without any handling in between. We’ve partnered with a premier dress specialist in NYC and developed a process that ensures stringent quality control. We’ll only ship dresses that receive a 100% fresh seal of approval. Our dry cleaner is an expert in eco-friendly, luxury dry cleaning. They utilize an environmentally safe process that certifies that every garment is thoroughly cleaned and cared for, maintaining the impeccable quality of the garment while being kind to the environment (not to mention to your health!). Our packaging is also specially designed to fully protect the dresses during shipment.” (emphasis added.)

As for the accessories,

“All of the jewelry is hand cleaned at our warehouse. Additionally, customers receive alcohol wipes with all earrings and new earring backs with pierced earrings.”

So, get over your badself, and become a Rentanista! I know I will be.

Pictures courtesy of Rent the Runway and a shout out to Climate Mama for the tip.

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How to Remove Gum From the Dryer and Clothes

Anna@Green Talk — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:17:15 +0000

Check out my video below.

The Bubble Gum Story

Sometime I think we glide through life barely noticing the flowers let alone the bees. And because of this someone above thump you on the head like Little Rabbit Foo Foo, and tells you to wake up. In my case, it was the bubble gum in First Son’s pocket that imploded in the dryer.

My Poor Dryer Didn’t Know What Hit it.

When I say imploded I mean it. Pink bubble gum all over the dryer caked on like a bad paint job. A mother’s worse nightmare. Wait a second. No a second worse nightmare. Two months ago, it was ball point pen all over the dryer.

Yes. The Almighty is testing me or either that, someone thinks they are pretty funny up there.

Personally, I feel sorry for this dryer. We abuse the heck out of it with everything little thing that is in my kids’ pockets. Now, some of you are thinking, Anna, don’t you check the pockets?

Yes, when I am focusing which most of the time I am just gliding through the day hoping to take a shower. Why? Because there are blog posts to write, gardening to tend to, dishes, laundry, battles to end so my kids don’t either smack the heck out of the drywall or each others’ teeth, and then there is the poor hubby.

(Trust me. Just because boys get older does not mean they get less physical. That punch just hurts more.)

So, back to the poor abused dryer. Gum. Yep. I just stood there trying to hold back the tears. How was I going to get all of that gum out of the dryer? (Take a look) Oh, and did I mention how each piece of clothing sung a bubble gum tune?

Bad. Real bad.

What was First Born Son’s response?

“You should have checked my pockets when you took the clothes off the floor….” For some strange, illogical reason, he was right but still pissed me off.

How about don’t put the gum in your pocket to begin with?

Oh, by the way, Beth of My Plastic Free Life (you know the one who eschews plastic) tell me that gum is plastic. Really. Read here her article about what gum is really all about. Maybe if you tell them they are chewing Mr Duckie they will stop chewing gum?

Beside Crying, What did I do about the Gum?

I had to time myself out because I felt like a tizzy was coming on. Hurricane Anna with gale winds that were imaginable.

What is the best way from freaking out. Walk away. (As the officer says, “step away from the car, ma’am”) The next morning I did what any gum anquisher would do. (No, I did not call in the gum whisperer.) I sought out my BFF, Sir Google. He gets me.

And he said, go to Thrifty Fun since they always have do-it-yourself tips. See here for some tips on removing gum from clothes. Suggestions I tried:

Peanut Butter–did not want to deal with the fat stain
Rubbing Alcohol–did not work
Windex–don’t have. Only use vinegar and water for the windows.
WD-40. Not doing.
Ironing the gum onto cardboard. You would think that would work but it didn’t for me.
Throwing the garment in the freezer. I had too many clothes plus the dryer would not fit in the freezer… Plus, the gum was like a stain not something I could peel off.
Boiling water. Didn’t work for me.
Gasoline. Don’t go there with me.

Last but not least. The suggestion that worked…Use Dryer sheets. Generally, I don’t use in the laundry sheets because of how toxic they are. Plus, the sheets makes my kids’ eczema worse. However, it was worth a try to remove the gum.

See my bubble gum removal video below of my results.

I ended up using Downy dryer sheets. Boy, did they smell. Once you go toxic free, everything smells. But, I was desperate. Forgive me, all of you greenies for being so wasteful and using those darn sheets. You know how I feel about toxic products but I was at my wits end. (I also heard that you can use Downy straight from the bottle.)

According to the comments on Thrifty Fun, you are supposed to put the wet sheets over the gum and then turn on the dryer. Well, I did that twice. The gum was loosen by the dryer sheets but you still have to put in some muscle to get off the gum.

As I mentioned before I think I will use Downy straight from the bottle next time. It seemed like it was the Downy that did the trick.

And the Clothes?

The only thing that worked was warm vinegar. I heated up the vinegar and then dipped a used toothbrush in the warm mixture and scrubbed the gum off. Sometimes, the gum would just come off and other times, I would scrub and scrub.

The trick is to keep the vinegar hot. I used the microwave to heat up the vinegar. After a few minutes, I had to run back to the microwave since once it cooled, it no longer worked.

Word of advice, you can only heat the vinegar a few seconds; otherwise, it heat up and goes all over the microwave. Perhaps a small pot would have been better.

In the end, I cleaned the dryer and 90 percent came out of the clothes.

Readers, how do you remove gum from your clothes or dryers? There has to be a better non-toxic way.

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Gorgeous Once Loved Bride Gowns Offered by Recycled Bride

Anna@Green Talk — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:38:05 +0000

Spring is in the air and I am starting to see more wedding ads. It got me thinking about all the expenses my own family incurred for my wedding many, many moons ago. The size of an equity loan. Lots of flowers, 200 guests, 5 course meal. Just because this is what you did. It was the Eighties. Green, no way unless you are talking about the salad served or the dollars spent.

And my Wedding gown.

Fit for a princess. Well, let’s say it cost a small fortune. Why? Because it is once in a lifetime event. Brides are supposed to be gorgeous, radiant, and full of life. A dress that you will only wear once. Unless, you decide to take it out of storage and wear it for Halloween as your Bride of Frankenstein costume. You can still be gorgeous and green with a recycled gown for Recycled Bride and have left over green to buy those energy efficient appliances for a new house.

Huh, a recycled bride’s dress?

Tell me Dorothy, you can’t see yourself in the above recycled Vera Wang or any of the other bridal dresses for sale on the site? One is pretty than the other.

Why Recycled Bride?

Now lets be honest, girlfriends. I hear the but, but, Anna, this is my special day! You just don’t understand. (sniff. sniff.)

I too bought into the once in life time Cinderella story and bought a designer wedding gown complete with overflowing headpiece. The dress was worn literally 6 hours and if I recalled cost over $1500. That was 25 years ago. (Crap, that long ago?)

But it was my special day and all brides have to have a special gown. The one that speaks to them. If my dress was featured on a “where are they now show,” you would have to look in a spare closet in my house. All boxed up in plastic and no where to go. Maybe hoping to be worn by the daughter I never had. (Four sons later and the oven has been closed.) But when I look back at the cost that my bridesmaids and I shelled out for that 6 hours of time, it was absurd. I was young, not too green, and stary eyed. It was my wedding…

“But Anna, you bought the best dress in the house. Why shouldn’t I?”

I reformed my way. The last two Bar Mitzvahs, I wore designer dresses that were bought at thrift shops. Want to see the last dress? See here on the short PBS video. Now, you tell me that dress doesn’t scream Hollywood?

How About the Bridal Party?

Recycled Bride has sumpin, sumpin for everyone. Mother of the Bride dresses, Groom and Groomsmen clothing, dresses, center piece decor items, and even a beautiful diamond ring.

You don’t have to be a bride to appreciate this site. Many bride dresses can function as a prom dress or special dress for a charity event. Check out this year’s red carpet dresses. Lots of white and most could double as a wedding dresses. Wedding dresses don’t have to be all poofy like they use to be. Sooo, Joan Collins.

By the way, why you are staring at all of the stars on Recycled Bride’s blog, check out the tampon chandelier. (BTW, I love this blog. It is for anyone who loves green design.)

Not done yet gushing about Recycled Bride. There is even bridal registry items that you might swoon for. Someone else’s dislikes could be your love.

Got You Sold, Now What?

Now I got you sold on the idea. Check out the website’s how to. In addition, there is a nice piece about how to buy a recycled dress. Don’t buy thinking you are going to shrink into the dress unless you are going to be on one of those boot camp reality show.

On the flip side for brides that realize it is unfair to box a dress in plastic for its life and want to sell them so they too can party another day, see here on how to sell your dress. Remember, if you love something, let it go free. (or something like that.) Haven’t you heard of BETA, bride gown ethical treatment association?

And My Own Gown?

My thoughts are to dye it black or emerald green. Remove the puffy sleeve, and wear it to Fourth Son’s Bar Mitzah. Heck, I have to top Third Son’s Green Bar Mitzvah. One problem. My waist is just a teensy bit larger than when I got married. Four kids later, not so teensy. I see another challenge surfacing…

Readers, would you consider wearing a once loved gown or selling your own after the big day?

Would anyone buy a wedding gown for an event other than a wedding?

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InStyleBelly: Pregnancy Consignment with an Eco Chic Attitude

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:02:49 +0000

Photo courtesy of Fit Pregnancy-June-July 2009 and Maternity Designer, Liz Lange.

I love consignment shops. Some of my best consignment purchases have been for special occasions. Think about it. How many times do you wear the same dress to an event? When I saw an article in a local magazine about InStyleBelly, an online consignment shop for the chic swelling belly set, I remember how much I spent on my own maternity wardrobe over a decade ago.

Let’s face it. You only wear prego clothes for a certain amount of time and then you need to move onto the next size to fit that swelling bump. When you are pregnant, you have to buy work clothes, play clothes, and perhaps a nice dress or two. When all said and done, you have laid out some pretty hard earned money. Worse yet, your next pregnancy occurs in a different time of the year, and you may need additional clothes.

Krista Karo, the president of this online Consignment Company, knows first hand that just because you are pregnant you don’t need to sacrifice style or cash. With one child at home and another on the way, she too has experience the high sticker shock of maternity clothes. Check out the clothes in the above picture. Are any of those dowdy?

What I love about buying at consignment shops is you are lowering your footprint by buying what exists. Just think. Every time you buy a new garment, energy is expended and natural resources are depleted. In the case of pregnancy clothes, buying used is a slam dunk since you wear these clothes for such a short time.

But why buy from this Company? Karo accepts only high end or designer labeled garments from all over the country. They must be in great condition, current (no more than 2-3 years old or vintage) no piling,and minimally worn. With great names like Michael Kors, Nicole Miller, Juicy Couture, and other designer labels, who wouldn’t want to look their best for a fraction of the price? Plus, the website has a handy size chart so you can fit into those Joe’s Jeans with no problem. I bet you never thought you could look this good in maternity clothes?

The website is updated daily and if a item does not sell within 90 days, it is shipped back to the consignor. (See here about the consignment policies.)

Want to look like a pregnant soap opera star? At InStyleBelly, you can. Allison Sweeny’s pregnancy clothes are being donated to benefit Autism Speaks, an organization that sponsors autism research and awareness. Karo would love to accept other celebrity mom’s clothes for good causes. So, Heidi Klum, send Karo your clothes on behalf of a special charity!

Love clothes? Read Karo’s blog as she dishes about maternity wear. Honestly, she make me want to be pregnant again. (Not happening. Oven is closed.)

Head over to InstyleBelly and explore the 3 Gs! Great clothes. Save some green. Good for Mother Earth.

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Feelgoodz Flip Flops Make your Feet Eco-luriously Happy

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:38:20 +0000

See my giveaway below!

When I received an email asking if I would try Feelgoodz Flip Flops, I was a little hesitant. Could I honestly judge how they feel when I have never been a big fan of flip flops? Your feet feel like they have been walking on the road and the strap between your toes is so uncomfortable. To be honest, I never understood how people could walk around with flops on all day.

So why did I decide to try them? Kyle Berner’s passion for life. He describes himself as a self proclaimed flip-flop-wearing kind of guy, and left his desktop job for Thailand seeking adventure. He ended up teaching English in Thailand and soaking up the culture and its people. While attending a market place searching for a new pair of flip flops, he discovered “Thailand’s most comfortable, all-natural rubber flip-flop.” Natural latex is abundant in Thailand. Shortly thereafter, Feelgoodz was born which combines his love of flip flops with the country that he adores.

You have to love this guy. His philosophy:

“Mai Pehn Rai.” It’s Thai for “It’s cool, no worries, or take it easy,” and this is how we want to live our lives.† It’s our mantra, our lifestyle.† Adopting this philosophy helps us build a better business and a healthier lifestyle.

But this Flip Flop Company is not just a bunch of guys singing “Be Happy.” They are doing their part for the environment as well. The flip flops are made of biodegradable natural latex. Only nontoxic dyes are used. They also use only recycled paper and recycled flop hangers. When your Flip Flop wears out or you just get tired of them, send them back to the Company and they give them to worm farms.

That’s not all. The Company believes in giving back.

“One reason we started this business was to give back to the people of Thailand. It is imperative that our Thai employees are treated fairly. We don’t condone child labor. We demand fair wages. We expect proper working conditions. Currently, there are no natural rubber fair trade programs set in place, and therein lies part of our cause.”

To that end, the Company has distributes 3 percent of its profits to fair trade, environmental, and micro-lending organizations. In addition, the Company also plans on developing an infrastructure that creates a healthy economy in Southeastern Asia.

So, back to my feet? I wore the sandals around and thought they were very comfortable. They molded to my swollen feet and the strap did not burn my toes. If I wasn’t so self-conscious of my swollen feet, I would have worn them all day. (I suffer from adolescent onset Lymphadema which causes my feet to swell especially in the summer.) Show you how much I love you guys. Who else would put their swollen feet on their website?

See the picture above of how thick the Flip Flop is.

I also love the different Flop colors available. I choose the pink ones to try but there are eight other colors to choose from. (Don’t all gals love pink?)

My only problem with the sandals is that they run a little small. I ordered a size 7 flop and perhaps I should have ordered a 7 1/2. My feet were at the end of the sandal. Berner told me use the following as a guide when choosing the appropriate woman size:

American size 6-7.5 – Thai 9.5

American size 7.5-9 – Thai 10

American size 9-10 – Thai 10.5

American size 10-11 – Thai 11

He explained that I might have been border line and perhaps should have ordered the size up. My advice is order a size up just to make sure they fit properly. Loving the shoes as much as I do?

Men, don’t fret. You can order a pair too. Size start at size 5 and end at size 13. You can grab a pair (or two) at selected local retailers or the Company’s online store. Priced at $19.99 . Just click on your choice of flip flops and the website will take you to a page where you can order your size.

Want Feelgoodz feet? I knew you would. The Company has been very kind to offer one Green Talk reader (male or female) your choice of Feelgoodz Flip Flops. Here are the rules:

You must be over 18 and live in the US.

Leave me a comment here telling me about why you love to wear flip flops. If you don’t have a specific reason, just say so.

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Green Scenes from Washington DC

Anna@Green Talk — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:40:40 +0000

Over the weekend, we were in Washington DC looking at colleges for my oldest. We decided to make Washington a family weekend trip while we visited Georgetown and George Washington. Of course, I always have my trusty camera to capture the greening of America as I travel. Here are some of the green finds I found in the Nation’s capital:

I saw this sign near the grass right by the Lincoln Memorial. I have a fascination with Buffalo grass and have always wondered how it would fare in New Jersey. (I know, an odd thing to have a fascination about.) It is supposed to be drought tolerant. Does anyone have Buffalo grass? Is it like fescue grass?

Here is a picture of the Buffalo grass that I took as it was just getting dark. It looks like regular grass to me but I tried to reach over to touch it. I sure the security guards at the memorial were wondering what I was doing.

I think this is an electric car for the park service to tool around in. I walked around it looking for a the gas tank but could not find it. It says “E4″ on it. Does anyone know?

These recycle bins were in the subway. I don’t recall seeing newspaper recycling bins in the NYC subways. (Anyone, correct me if I am wrong about this.) I like this idea since so many people read the newspaper while traveling on the subway. Now, instead of putting the newspapers in the trash, you can put in it in these containers.

I was really impressed with the DC subways. They were so clean and cool on a very humid night. When I have been in the NYC subways in the summer, it can be very hot.

If you live in a big city, you probably have seen buses like this bus. If anyone knows of a private bus service in NJ that uses natural gas or a hybrid, let me know.

On this note regarding the buses, I have never seen a hybrid taxi before. Is this common in your city? This cab driver must have thought I was completely crazy to take a picture of the side of his taxi.

Great Vintage store in the Georgetown Area. The owner told me that there is a store in Las Vegas and this store in DC. She has both new and old clothes. She told me that they are very careful as to what they select to make sure it is in excellent condition. I picked out a vintage green 1950′s dress but did not have time to try it on. The owner assured me that they would have a website soon so you can buy online. Do you have a favorite vintage store in your city?

I passed by Tugooh Toys, an eco-friendly toy store located in the Georgetown area. Unfortunately, it was closed when I took the picture. The banner in the window reads as follows: “Save what’s left. Go Green!” Check out Hannah Schardt’s story, “Safe and Sound Toys” in the Washington Post (September, 2007) with a blurb about this store.

I was dying to check out Sweet Green, a yogurt and organic salads place in Georgetown.
My husband ordered their plain fozen yogurt ice cream with a topping. (It is not organic.) It had a unique authentic yogurt taste just like plain yogurt. He enjoyed the tart taste. (See picture to the right.)

The store is the real green deal in trendy Georgetown with their compostable utensils as well as their menu printed on plantable paper.

I got my first close encounter (of the first kind) with a BigBelly solar trash can. On the trash can, it says it can hold enough trash to reduce the amount of trash collections by 4 times. The solar panel is on top of the trash can. (See picture to the right.)

Unfortuneately, some people did not put their garbage in the trash can and the recycling can was overflowing with recyclables.

This Georgetown University building’s solar panels were installed in the 1970s during the oil crisis. Today, those solar panels are still work horses pumping out 30% of the energy needed for the building. I like how the solar panels are integrated into the design.

What I liked about DC is the number of small parks and lush landscape. Many times I was told to “hurry up” since I was literally smelling the roses. I did not recognize some of these plants and hope you can tell me what they are. What is the dark purple plant and the small pink ground cover?

I love these red plants. They are all over DC. What are they? Does anyone know if the deer like them?

These trees were all over DC. Some had big red flowers. This one seems to have berries.

Pink Salvia? Anyone know its name?

Please add to this post as to other green aspects of Washington DC. What is your favorite place to visit while you are there?

Is there a green aspect in your city you would like to highlight? You never know. I might be visiting there looking at colleges. I have three more kids to go.

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