August • 2010 • CRAVE Vancouver • Connect. Inspire. Succeed.

Archive for August, 2010

Eco-Shic: Nicole Bridger

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

When it comes to clothes, she does it right. When it comes to the environment, she also does it right! Nicole Bridger is known in the fashion world as the pioneer of eco-friendly clothing. Using only organic materials, she creates a natural yet chic and beautiful line of clothing for women. The line started in the spring of 2007 with the philosophy of doing “what is good, what is right, for the earth, its people and spirit.” Nicole also promotes positivity by labeling every garment with “I am LOVE.” Ever since its creation, Nicole Bridger has been taking care of the fashionistas, as well as the earth and I can’t help but admit…I’m in LOVE! Represented by the fabulous Vanguard PR boutique firm, we had an opportunity to connect with Nicole!

What inspired you to create your own collection?

I don’t have my own boutique, but I knew I wanted to create my own line when I was 16. I had always sewn my own clothing but thought I was supposed to go into sciences like my parents. when I was 16, the father of my first love was a shoe designer. It was then that I realized that I could do what I love and make a career out of it. It took me the following 9 years to learn what I needed to make it happen and to piece together the vision of the company.

What are your best selling pieces?

Our knit dresses do very well for us. They are easy to wear, its just one piece add a few accessories and you’re done. They are very comfy but look feminine and are easy to wash. They can be worn at work, at the market or out for a casual dinner.

What makes your collection unique?

I would say the moral fibres of the company. We create eco clothing to help lessen our footprint and to take better care of the earth. We also promote positive energy by putting “I am Love” labels in every piece. We also ensure that everything is produced in an ethical manner. We are about creating a positive impact in this world.

Make sure to check out Nicole’s collection:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Posted in Interviews, Style | No Comments »

Looking good has never been so easy!

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

Have you ever spent hours at the mall, trying on an outfit after outfit in an attempt to find that perfect look for yourself? Once you find the clothes, you have to start searching for the right shoes and once you find the shoes, you have to get the perfect accessories to complete your outfit. Then you finally come home, exhausted – to say the least – and try on the whole outfit only to start second-guessing your choices. If looking good were any easier, it would be called football! Thankfully, there are stylists and personal shoppers to coach us on looking fab. Once they are done with you, you will be a pro fashionista!

Sandra O’Connell

Having developed her love for fashion at an early age, she now shares that love with others as a personal stylist and a wardrobe consultant. She will teach you her ways and have you looking fab every single day!

Operation Style

Ladies, we can’t always trust the opinions of the sales associates. What we need is a brutally honest and helpful shopping pal with an amazing sense of style and that, we have found in Jillian and Kristy from Operation Style! Whether you need a personal style book, help cleaning out your closet or even a stylist for your men, Operation Style has got your back!

A Good Chick to Know

“Outfit? Check! Fab house? Check! Completely ready for a party!” – that is exactly what you will be saying after A Good Chick to Know is done with you. They offer style refreshers not only for your wardrobe but also for your home! Jennifer and Rachel are definitely ‘good chicks to know!’

With a new season just around the corner, why not revamp yourself?

Posted in Style | No Comments »

Girls Retweet

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

In this crazy wired-world, we all need to get away, unplug, recharge but man it’s tough to make that happen! Good thing we have those friends that make us make it a priority, they do all the planning and we just have to show up (easier said than done). Getting ready to get away is so much work, but when you get there…it’s way worth it!

I was lucky enough to be invited to a girls’ retweet recently and the goal was to get away and spend some focused time on projects that were never getting done for one reason or 50 other reasons. We went to a beach house and upon arrival realized our fancy phones didn’t have service. After a collective high-pitched horror scream heard around the world, we settled into the idea of enjoying the next 4 days being off the grid, getting things done (we had wi-fi at least whew) and connecting the old-fashioned way.

It was a rough detox, complete with shakes, the DT’s and blank stares at our phones just freaking over what was going on in the wired-world without us…OMG what WOULD we be missing?!

We quickly filled that void with chocolate, red wine and walks on the beach. We found our shoulders sinking back down from our ears (with the help of the massage therapist we brought with us) and the swelling in our thumbs going down. We were so happy to let our 10,000 words a day flow as opposed to being corralled to 140 characters in a text or tweet.

Of course the walks on the beach were still captured on our fancy phones for posting later to prove how much fun we had. It made me think of that age old questions, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it does it make a noise?” I wondered, “If we walk on the beach and have fun, but don’t take a pic and post it to Facebook did we actually have fun?”

Disconnecting was a challenge, we have all become so dependent on that mobile phone crack. But what a fabulous experience…we slept in, we created amazing things (yes on our laptops), we sat by a fire pit and told stories and made s’mores. We belly laughed, we talked about boys (some 4 yrs. old and some 40), we breathed in the fresh salt air and we ate…holy cow we ate and it was great! And not a #4 from the drive-thru window but homemade grandma recipes of chicken verde and snack bars…like the good old days!

Let’s be clear…I have a foot firmly planted in both camps. I love me some texting but I also love making memories in person (a dying art). I love the tools that allow you to be connected 24/7, heck Facebook allows me to attend my high school reunion, daily, without having to buy a cocktail dress or loss 20 lbs. But I worry that my kids couldn’t keep track of their shoes from day to day but they haven’t misplaced their phones in five years. Are they so wired and dependent that they won’t know how to play capture the flag without that tech appendage?

I challenge all of you to go rogue…try it, disconnect and in that space you may realize how great it is to really connect, maybe even at a fabulous girls retweet!

Posted in Crack-Up | No Comments »

Bloggers To Watch Out For: Fashionistas

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

From runway show recaps to laid-back street looks, the world of fashion blogging is a vibrant virtual scene. It’s not necessarily about the newest, hottest, or spendiest trend — it’s about the textiles, color palettes and silhouettes that make us feel gorgeous.

For a jolt of wardrobe inspiration to pull you through the dog days of summer, bookmark Jazzi McGilbert, Sally McGraw and “Miss” James Kicinski. While their personal styles may diverge, their message is the same: get dressed, and get going!

Jazzi McGilbert of JazziMcG.com

Thrift store scenester? Or haute couture hound? Jazzi McGilbert (aka Jazzi McG) confidently struts straight down the center of the spectrum. Her blog traipses through the world of high fashion, throws the spotlight on intimate “intern confessionals” and shares a few DIY treasures (Alexander Wang sock garters, anyone?). As Jazzi puts it, her mission is to “let everyone know that the fashion industry can be tackled without a trust fund”. Can I get an amen, sister?

Sally McGraw of Already Pretty
Can one personal stylist change the way women view their bodies, and themselves? Sally McGraw thinks so. The lovely McGraw elevates her passion for chic clothing with an outspoken commitment to body acceptance. Blog posts like “What IS Flattering?” provide commonsense insights into topics that have frustrated shoppers since the dawn of time. And her weekly contests and giveaways — which range from cotton scarves to summer frocks to hefty gift cards — are not to be missed.

“Miss” James Kicinski of Bleubird Vintage
Chic baby mama. Vinyl record collector. Frilly knicker designer. Miss James is a retro inspiration — and a drop-dead gorgeous one, at that. In addition to writing about her latest Etsy obsessions and selling dreamy vintage-inspired collections through her online shop, James also blogs over at N.E.E.T. magazine. Best of luck as she stylishly feathers the nest for her new baby (due in July). What a busy little bird!

*This post was written by Alexandra Franzen for the CRAVE company:

ALEXANDRA FRANZEN is a writer + editor + organization freak. She designs rockstar resumes, leads personal branding jam sessions, writes marketing copy and teaches wallflowers how to hustle like a gangsta’. You can find her blogging up a storm at Unicorns for Socialism and tweeting away @alex_franzen.