Black & charcoal gray business skirts

A staple for the bottom half of many business outfits, the black or charcoal gray skirt can be very versatile.

Pair with a colorful blazer or silky blouse to emphasize the shape and flair of the individual skirt. Below are several examples of how the classic skirt can be eco-fashionable.

Poppy Skirt, $60, us.topshop.com.

Fair True Slouch Skirt, $63, fashion-conscience.com.

Chinti and Parker Cotton-Jersey Miniskirt, $65, outnet.com.

Bow-embellished Hemp Pencil Skirt, $236, outnet.com.

Eco-fashion turns heads @ NYFW

New York Fashion Week revealed the new looks for the Fall/Winter 2011 lines, and eco-fashion designers held their own ground during the weeklong festivities. 


Though we're practically in spring mode, it's reassuring to know thick knit cable sweaters and professional trench coats will have an updated dose of eco-friendliness with organic fabrics and recycled materials alongside the satisfaction that less waste was generated by the whole process. 

Check out the websites of the following designers where the Spring 2011 lines promise a stylish season ahead.

Square Project
Recycled polyester, organic cotton, and hemp are just a few of the eco-fabrics Tara St. James uses to create vintage-inspired pieces. Bold stripes may be a common trend, but with the addition of crisscross straps and pierced triangles make all the difference. 

Image: Ecouterre.

Bodkin
Design meets environment is a connection Bodkin wants to maintain for their consumers. Bodkin, named for any sharp object that can tear holes through clothes, produces sustainable clothing whether organic wool is available or not, the alternative is responsibly dyed wool that uses less chemicals during the process.  

Image: Ecouterre

Edun
Ethical fashion that promotes a local economy is always a positive thing. While making ecofashion, the proceeds go to communities in Tanzania, Tunisia, and Kenya where the clothes are made. The lookbook shows fashionable pieces from wrap jackets to chiffon tanks with an eco-flair. 

Image: Ecouterre.

Organic by John Patrick
One of the eco-fashion brands celebs like Leighton Meester wears for a day of work. The signature simplicity of white, black, and beige pieces made from organic cotton come in handy to complete any outfit. There's also foreign communities producing the clothes and benefiting from the profits: a plus in the eco-fashion world. 

Image: Ecouterre.

Knee-length eco-skirts with a flow

Skirts are perfect to wear this time of year if it's not too cold with boots, especially skirts made from eco-fabrics such as bamboo, organic cotton, organic wool, and hemp. 

Sabra skirt, $56, faeriesdance.com

Plume Mid-Length Skirt, $65, xylemclothing.com

Organic zip-up sweater jackets

It's cold outside, and I'm in California. So as the weather gets worse, a zip-up sweater jacket sounds really warm.

Ladies' Furry Zip Up Hoody, hemphoodlambusa.com

Of course, with eco-fashion on the rise, zip-up sweater jackets this season can be made from organic cotton, wool, and hemp. Also, these featured models have a turtleneck section that equals more warmth. 
 

Organic Kiera Zip-Up Sweater in Red, $89.95, store.hempest.com