I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the First Greenabulous Affair in Atlanta. This event was produced by the areas premier event organizers All About Me Mixer, Futuristic Branding Solutions & Events, Broccoli City, and W Social Marketing. The event team transformed the ultra chic Nouvelle Nail Spa and delivered a spectacular evening of eco-luxury. The guest included both eco aficionados and an eco prurient or two seeking to achieve a greeanbulous lifestyle. This affair had something for every aspiring Eco Diva, eco friendly jewelry, a tasty organic buffet with deserts and cooking demonstrations, organic wine, refreshing juices, an array of eco friendly beauty products samples including nail treatments by Nouvelle Nail Spa’s own using eco friendly nail lacquers.

Cri De Coeur display at Greenabulous-Atlanta, GA

Eco Shoe Source was able to display several stunning samples from eco friendly Cri De Coeur’s upcoming Spring Hearts of Darkness Shoe Collection. This luminescent collection is anything but dark. Cri De Coeur certainly has not missed a detail with this lovely collection of pumps, flats and sexy gladiator inspired shoes, which delighted shoe fans in attendance. This vegan trio featured sparkling sustainable cork heel wedges, sexy satin embellishments, and sultry strappy sandals (pictured: Stella, Lizzy and Emma). I can’t wait to share more with you on this collection in future posts.

Greenabulous Affair was a treat for me also, as I had the opportunity to meet some of the Greater Atlanta areas most greenabulous professionals including the Keynote speaker, Lynnette Young, CEO of Sustainable Atlanta; Zkano Organic Sock creator, Gina Locklear; Beauty Expert Shalawn from Lamik Beauty; Gourmet Skin Care Chef Yolanda Owens of Iwi Fresh; Couturecycle was showing off some of their whimsical eco-message T’s; and never one to miss an event with shoes, Atlanta’s Shoe Shopping Examiner Monique Colbert graced the affair sporting a pair of HOT boots. And to top it off, a lucky winner received a weekend of driving compliments of Smart Car of Buckhead, which auctioned one of their eco friendly vehicles.

Greenabulous Affair effectively accomplished the goal of providing an opportunity for guest and participants to experience the luxurious side of eco and walk away feeling Greenabulous!

More Shoes

~Ar

The UK’s largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer, ASOS.com has officially launched the Green Room. The Green Room is a dedicated destination on the ASOS.com site to support social and environmental awareness for conscientious shoppers. Featuring ASOS Africa, ASOS.com own fair trade label, a collection of clothing and accessories designed, sourced and produced in collaboration with several small communities in Africa. The site will be populated with a virtual Who’s Who list of top eco brands ranging the spectrum of shoes, clothing, accessories and beauty products. By accessing The Green Room, shoppers can follow the journey of their eco friendly products and read stories from the real people behind the brands.

In the Women’s Eco Shoe category, Beyond Skin, Terra Plana, Vivienne Westwood for Melissa, and Swedish Hasbeens (pictured) are brands slated to be offered. ASOS.com is ethical shopping at its best!

More Shoes,

~Ar

Staying true his cutting edge sexy style, Jean Paul Gaultier has returned to Melissa shoes to collaborate and again create a masterpiece in plastic. Melissa Plastic Dreams is known for sustainable technology in recycling and producing comfortably fashionable eco shoes.  Jean Paul’s elaborately contrived creation shows his genius transcends all mediums.   This sexy, strappy nearly four inch stiletto offers translucent points of interest along the mid-sole and ankle.   Jean Paul Gaultier X Melissa shoe will be available in June 2010 in the basics: black and beige, and delicious caramel, lime and tangerine!  The shoes will retail at about $250 USD (£160) and I’m sure destined to be one of the most coveted eco shoes of Summer.

Jean Paul Gaultier X Melissa

Once again, more proof that eco shoes can be sexy and sustainable.

Jean Paul Gaultier X Melissa in Tangerine

More Shoes,

~Ar

I’ve heard that Valentine’s Day is for romance and celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. How fitting for me to share my insatiable love for Eco Friendly Shoes–my most faithful escorts!

Melissa Shoes Vivienne Westwood Lady Dragon

Melissa Shoes collaborates with some of the most inventive minds in the arts, design and fashion. Melissa Shoes partnership with Vivienne Westwood resulted in several alluring designs like these slingbacks. You can do more than ignite a flame with the fashionable Lady Dragon shoes.  Let your fiery pedi peep out through the toes of these shoes in mystical fashion.  Lady Dragon sets the tone perfectly  for romance.

I love that Melissa Plastic Dreams utilizes sustainable practices as its core existence. Melissa developed Melflex and this material has proven to be a phenomenally flexible medium used to produce beautiful shoes. Not only does Melissa Shoes use recycled materials, they recycle, recycled materials, thus further reducing waste. The end results of all this technology, creativity and partnerships are durable, comfortable and enviable shoes that last without harming the environment.

Watch as Corrine Bailey Rae flashes a lovely pair of Melissa Shoes Vivienne Westwood shoes prior to her live performance recently on the NBC Today show.

More Eco Shoe Love,

~Ar

Friday, February 5, 2010 is National Wear Red Day sponsored by Go Red For Women. Wearing red is a way to show support and awareness of heart disease, the number one killer for American women. Here are some of my personal eco friendly shoe recommendations to accompany your red ensembles.

No doubt if you are a regular follower of Eco Shoe Source, you know that Neuaura Shoes, is an eco designer that always comes through with amazing mixes of animal friendly and high-fashion shoe designs. She never misses nor sacrifices when it comes to innovative earth friendly shoes. I love the flirtatiousness of the Miette sandal. The criss-cross straps and braided sequined lands right at the sexiest part of a woman’s foot. Personally, I would wear this shoe with a hot red dress, a pair of Linda Loudermik jeans, and even leggings paired with a red bamboo sweater over a Global Ghetto Organics t-shirt.

These Red-diculous flats from Olsen Haus Shoes offers endless styling options! The Babylon Red eco-friendly shoe is perfect for casual, dressy or everything in between. Like Neuaura, Olsen Hause is 100% committed to being 100% animal-free/cruelty-free while maintaining a high standard of ethical social responsibility in animal rights, human rights, and the environment. A perfect pairing when it comes to our health.

Next to wearing black, red is my favorite color so I could wear it every day. The Go Red for Women campaign is a great excuse for us earth lovers to wear red with a greater purpose–our health. There are many ways you can learn about supporting the American Heart Association’s awareness and educational programs throughout the year. I encourage you to visit their sites.

Go Red!

~Ar

This post may be a little late, but some of us busy-nistas are still adjusting to “2010″, besides, it’s never too late for shoes!  After wearing my precious toes out from attending holiday parties, two of my annual New Year rituals are my first pedicure and flipping through my new 365 Days of Shoes Calendar. I have been a fan of these Workman Press calendars for years and have them prominently featured in my office.  Adapted from the bestselling book, Shoes: A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals, Slippers & More by Linda O’Keeffe, I love that 365 Days of Shoes is packed full of avant-garde, deliciously chic shoes. 365 Days of Shoes brilliantly exhibits an eclectic mix of glamor, deco, classics, and futuristic shoes from the industry’s premier shoe design houses. This year I was so pleased that among the glossy pages of luxury shoe designers as Jimmy Choo, Casadei, Manolo Blahnik, and Stewart Weitzman were some of Eco Shoe Source’s favorite eco friendly designers. Sprinkled throughout the 2010 Calendar was Charmone and Natalie Portman for Te Casan. Charmome’s popular Cinnamon Bordeaux (shown below) makes an impressive debut as the featured shoe in the wall calendar for the month of December.

The 365 Days of Shoes Calendars are available in wall, desk and refrigerator magnets. If you haven’t picked up your calendar for 2010, please visit Workman Press site, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Also, in the spirit of being eco friendly, each year the 365 Days of Shoes Calendar can be saved and recycled as great wall art, used for decoupage projects or decorating your shoe boxes.

What a wonderful Green option in these challenging economic times to start each day with a new pair of shoes by only making one purchase! Happy New Year and More Shoes!

~Ar

A great source for eco Friendly news of all kinds is Tree Hugger.com. I was so excited when I found their article listing some of my favorite eco/sustainable fashion designers from the beautiful island of New Zealand. The list includes eco favs like StarFish, Icebreaker, and Miranda Brown as well as others that I’m learning about.

Miranda Brown

For more www.treehugger.com

Like many of you I have felt deep empathy for those who are suffering as the result of the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti and subsequent aftershocks.  It pains me to see the images of thousands of innocent victims suffering and listening to reports from NPR during my daily drives. As I contemplate unimaginable suffering for the survivors, I am forced to put my own life in perspective and recall “there but for the grace of God…” This calamity as well as others that have occurred in recent years has moved me to support charities that provide rescue, relief and support in emergency situations. I immediately sought out Soles4Souls, an organization I am very familiar with, as Soles4Souls is not new to charitable shoe giving.  Soles4Souls has established The Haiti Project and has committed over 1 MILLION pairs of shoes to aid in the recovery and rebuilding process for Haiti. Locations around the US will be collection sites from January 20th – February 13th. By entering your zip code on the Soles4Souls site you will be able to find shoe collection locations near you.

There are currently over 40 US charitable organizations participating in Haiti relief in addition to thousands of agencies and countries around the world that have been there over the years and are arriving to provide aid. As you look to help, the following is a list of some organizations for you to consider for humanitarian assistance.

American Red Cross – The American Red Cross helps prepare communities for emergencies and keep people safe.
American Institute of Philanthropy – The American Institute of Philanthropy is a nonprofit charity watchdog organization that helps donors make informed giving decisions.
CARE – CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.
Doctors Without Borders – Doctors and nurses volunteer to provide urgent medical care in countries to victims of war and disaster regardless of race, religion, or politics.
Eco Lips – Cause Balms supporting World Wide Village
Madre – MADRE is an international women’s human rights organization that works in partnership with community-based women’s organizations worldwide to address issues of health and reproductive rights, economic development, education and other human rights.
PETA – PETA is offering funding for any animal emergency services in Haiti, including for euthanasia to put badly injured animals out of their misery.
UNICEF – UNICEF works for children’s rights, their survival, development and protection.

There are many ways to help others and it doesn’t require a lot of money…it only requires a giving spirit.
~Ar

Terra Plana Gaia Boots

Charmone Dragonwell

NeuAura Arinos Black Croco

Toms Shoes Glitter

‘Tis the season to give and for many of us it’s gotten a bit harder. I wanted to share some wonderful options of fashionable giving for the conscientious eco shoe aficionados. The great thing about the following is they offer ways of giving no matter what time of year it is.

1. TOMS Shoes has provided shoes to over 300,000 children around the world since the inception of their One for One program. With every pair of TOMS Shoes that are purchased, TOMS gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Many of their comfortable shoes are vegan or made from recycled and local materials and produced under strict “no sweatshop” criteria.

2. It’s a bootie! It’s a shoe! It’s a sling back! I love Neuaura Shoes Arinos Black Croco. This animal friendly shoe versatility is unlimited.

Pair it with a pencil skirt, leggings, wide-leg trousers and beautiful soft bamboo jacket. Neuarua Shoes chooses 2 charities each season to donate 10% of all online sales. For more information check out their

3. From the High Tea Collection, Charmone’s Dragonwell vegan boot will get you over the river, through the woods to wherever you’re headed during the holidays in high eco style. The military inspired embellishments are a great look with skinny jeans. Sustainability and giving at Charmone Shoes starts with manufacturing shoes in sweatshop free environments, thereby providing living wages. 5% of all profits from their shoes are donated to charities that support people, animals and the environment.

4. Don’t just go green, go thigh high with these sexy boots. Kailia Footwear is where sustainability meets sexy Italian styling. Chiara is a handcrafted eco friendly boot that is sure to please for turn heads beyond the holiday. Compassion spurred the launch of Kailia’s sister brand, DoNi- Gift of Love, which exclusively helps numerous non-profit agencies with animal and environmental causes. Impressively, 100% of after-cost profits from on-line sales are donated to those organizations.

5. Saving the one of the best for last, I can’t even begin to describe my excitement when I first found these Terra Plana Gia Boots! The 2007 Ethical Fashion Award Winner never misses details with their shoes and this boot has it all! Whipstitching throughout, wooden heel, and a lining made from recycled memory foam. Talk about lighting up the Kinara or Menora, these veggie tanned boots are that hot! You can even select the detailing patchwork styling for the rear calf. One of the best forms of giving is to your friends; Terra Plana gives you 10% off when friends you recommend make a purchase from their site.

Regardless of how hard times can be, we each possess the power to give of ourselves. The thing about giving is you typically get more back especially when it’s done selflessly. My gift is to motivate you to consider adding fabulous eco shoes and compassionate manufacturers to your giving tree and help change the lives of others, animals and the environment in a fashionable way.

Happy Holidays!!!!

~Ar

I just had to share this great article that I found on The Green Bean Blog.com by Megan Barlow.

If you’re on the market for new footwear, why not try environmentally friendly shoes. With sneakers, flats, heels, and other designs available, there’s a style on the market that’s right for you. You don’t need to give up style and comfort in order to become a friend of the Earth.

Many people immediately think of Birkenstocks or moccasins when they hear the term “environmentally friendly shoes.” This should not be the case, because modern eco-friendly shoes don’t sacrifice style for their lower carbon footprint.

Environmentally-friendly shoes are made of organic or recycled materials. Their linings can be made from bamboo or recycled yarn. The outer layer of the shoe may be made from hemp, organic bamboo, or any other sustainable material. Their soles are often recycled from old tires, while their laces can be made from recycled plastic.

There are several companies that manufacture environmentally-friendly shoes. These companies make a conscious effort to decrease their carbon footprint with regards to their operations, including their processing, manufacturing, and shipping activities. Even large companies are working toward decreasing their carbon emissions by restructuring their processing methods in order to conserve energy.

Consumers should be well informed and should read the labels to find out whether the pair of shoes they’re considering buying are environmentally friendly. Often labels will include information regarding the total environmental impact of the footwear. Some manufacturers have a rating system with regard to the carbon footprint a pair has. If the product is said to be organic, then it should have a USDA label. Such a label certifies the product as having been made from natural materials without chemical processing. The health of the ecosystem where the sources of materials were grown will also be considered.

Many people also take fair trade into account when they select shoes. Farmers are among the worst treated professionals in the world. “Fair trade” means good working conditions, fair wages, and reasonable treatment of the environment. Fair trade also gives farmers the freedom to choose whom to trade their goods with. Additionally, GMOs and toxic pesticides are not allowed in the manufacturing of fair trade products.

Most environment ally friendly shoe manufacturers use minimal and biodegradable packaging to keep their carbon footprint low. Additionally, companies often donate part of their profit to organizations committed to the environment.

You can go online and do your research to find out where you can buy green footwear. Some retail stores have entire “green lines” because of the demand for such products. Buying and using environmentally-friendly shoes is one easy way to help care for our planet.

To read more sustainable lifestyle news, visit The Green Bean Blog and Megan Barlow at The Green Bean Blog.com

~Ar