Friday 5

Dress up a LBD for Spoleto

OK, so you splurged on those Spoleto tickets for “Faustus,” chamber music, “Swan Lake” and a few Piccolo events and now you don’t have any money left for new outfits to wear to the performances.

Don’t fret. We called our friend Adie Lee, special events coordinator at Saks Fifth Avenue, and asked her how we could wear the same little black dress to five different events just by changing accessories — a jacket here, a belt or hat there.

We’ve got our eye on a few of these pieces ourselves, so if we get there first you can probably come up with a similar effect using things you already have in your closet.

COCKTAIL CASUAL: When the music heats up, take one strapless little black dress (Diane Von Furstenburg, $325), add a yellow jacket (Tibi, $395), slip on a few gold bangles (Kenneth Jay Lane, $85, $100, $125) and tie your hair back with a print scarf (Pucci, $220). A pair of gold stilettos (Anne Klein, $275) add the finishing touch. Now you’re ready to dance the night away at the Spoleto Soiree following the Renato Braz performance on June 1.

WORK LOOK: Start your day at the office by topping the dress with a black-and-white striped jacket (Nanette Lepore, $395). Add a couple of clear  bangles (Benamun, $60) and a pair of black patent peep-toe heels (Stuart Weitzman, $270) before sneaking out a little early for one of Martha Teichner’s “Conversations with...” This structured bag (Marc Jacobs, $995) in bone — oops, the official name of the color is tapioca — is big enough for all your essentials and your laptop might even fit in the open center section.

CHAMBER MUSIC AT 1: Everyone will be wondering who that glamorous woman is when you show up at the Dock Street Theatre in this black-and-white hat (Louise Green, $340), oversized sunglasses (Chanel, $390), a skinny white belt (W. Kleinberg, $135) and a garnet and pearl necklace (Michelle DuPont, $550).

EVENING AT THE THEATER: Channel your inner animal with a double-sided animal print wrap (Adrienne Landau, $295), paired with a chunky chain-link necklace (Ciner, $188), a pearly clutch (St. John, $495) and black satin stilettos (Anne Klein, $295) for a look that can take you from dinner to the theater.

TRENDY CHIC: For an outdoor event — perhaps jazz at the Cistern — add a wide white belt (Orciani, $195), a clear bead necklace (Kenneth J. Lane, $155) and a woven white tote (Kate Spade, $695).
Brava!

--Christine W. Randall

Five eco-friendly local fashion finds

Wearing green used to be a color choice. Today – with an increasing global awareness of sustainable, eco-friendly economics – wearing green is becoming easier and less expensive, with more options than ever:  Sustainable, renewable fibers; recycled materials; organic growing and manufacturing methods. Here are five items for your closet that you can feel good about buying, not to mention wearing.

(ONLINE ONLY: Look for more about each item "after the jump" link below)

100 percent bamboo sleep slip
$28 from Bamboosa.com
Andrews, SC
Bamboo is a sustainable crop and its natural fibers produce a soft, silky fabric. This slip was featured on the “Martha Stewart Living” TV show and is one of the most popular products at Bamboosa, a 2-year-old start-up founded by people from Mount Pleasant and the first manufacturer of bamboo apparel in the U.S. Designed for sleeping, the slip also caught on as a belted tunic worn over jeans. “It’s unique,” said company co-founder Mindy Johnson. “I had a wholesaler call me yesterday and say ‘You’ve got to get more of these. Nobody else sells them.’”

Organic cotton Morrocan Circle T-shirt
$22 from Bean Thread (web only)
James Island, SC
Organic cotton makes a thicker T-shirt fabric, holds up better and requires fewer chemicals to grow and process. This is one of several offered by Denise Donohue, whose online-only store (www.beanthread.com) offers eco-friendly items to eco-conscious shoppers. “I think people get frustrated because you want to be good, you want to be earth friendly, but it’s so expensive and so confusing, sometimes you just want to say ‘the hell with it.’ But it really shouldn’t cost much more.”

“Even Steven” organic cotton jeans from Nudie
$165 from B’zar
541 King St., Charleston
These retro-styled jeans from Sweden inspire such customer loyalty that there’s even an online MyNudies forum for wearers worldwide. Gustavo Serrano, who owns B’zar (he describes it as “a lifestyle clothing boutique”) with his wife Andrea, points out how rough and stiff the denim is, but says they'll last forever. Web: www.nudiejeans.com

Chaco ZX/2 Sandal
$95 from Halfmoon Outfitters
Charleston-based
Halfmoon offers other eco-friendly clothing lines (Patagonia’s pro-Green policies are extensive), but Chaco sandals put a new spin on recycling. The company designs its footwear to last and offers a 20 percent discount on new Chacos when returning customers ship back their old pair. These re-souled and refitted sandals are then donated to needy families in Nepal and India. Durable items stay out of landfills and reduce energy costs.

Organic cotton Track top
$40 from American Apparel
California-based; 348 King St. Charleston
Most of American Apparel’s clothing line isn’t organic, but the entire business – from sewing to marketing – is located in one building in Los Angeles. This business structure keeps its products competitively priced with overseas sweat-shop fashion even though the company pays a living wage to American workers. “We’re just out to try something different, to make a buck, to bring people the clothes they love, to be human, and have a good time in the process.” Sustainability isn’t just about plants, you know.