Ah, the age old “I can’t find a vegan coat” adage! As our girl Leanne over at Vaute Couture (an upcoming line of cruelty-free winter coats) line is not yet available, we have continued our hunt for a fierce winter covering that doesn’t harm any of our friends or our pretty planet. Birdies deserve to keep their feathers, and sheep need their wool to keep them warm.   What’s so bad about wool? Lambs are forced to endure a gruesome procedure called mulesing, which we seriously suggest you read up on.  Geese and Ducks Suffer more than you know so you can have your down jackets. What’s an ethical fashionista to do?  Here are some fun options (click images for direct link):

The Ariel Trench from Delia’s rocks a Double-breasted military-style with gold buttons.

This Double-breasted coat with black piping and oversized button snaps is only $50 and perfect for casual outings.

Screw style - want to just be cozy and warm while walking the pups? Merrell Opti-Warm^TM insulation feautures 100 grams of insulation in body and 60 grams in sleeve, Water resistant DWR coating, and Dual handwarming pockets!

The Iris Coat by Rebe (a mother-daughter design team) is an elegantly simple buttoned empire waist coat with a shawl collar. Each coat is slightly unique due to the vintage fabric trim.  Created out of 100% recycled cotton and acrylic blend, vintage fabric trim (make sure your vintage trim is vegan, if that’s your preference).

Emily Katz uses soy jersey, hemp/recycled poly denim, water resistant fleece and organic cotton fleece, all of which support the simple elegance of the silhouettes while making a statement about our place in the environment.  We love this swingy little evening jacket:

This UNA coat is perfect for fall. Organic cotton twill with wax finish exterior with heavy lining, making it appropriate for temperatures from freezing to degrees. Asymmetrical, off-center zip.

Though we happily sport our faux-leather shoes, we collapse into an ethical conundrum when it comes to faux-fur.  We know fur is all the rage right now (gag us with a spoon), so if you must wear a realistic looking fake fur - throw a “I’m Fake!” button on it, and use your faux coat to make a statement for the millions of animals who perish yearly under the auspices of fashion.   You’ll find numerous faux fur options (you’ll have to wade through some pretty Joan Collins looking numbers before you come on something you can make look cool) on http://fabulousfurs.com/.

Many more coat options coming… but this should get you started!  Mwah.

Hi GirlieGirls and Boys!!

Coming at you from sunny lovely Los Angeles!  Here working to enact passing PROPOSITION 2 for Californians, new legislation that will ban cruel confinement systems for animals.  This is a practice so archaic and devastating that all of us - Californians or not - need to set the standards for humane and compassionate treatment for all living beings.

HSUS released this adorable and informative video for those of you who can’t handle graphic footage.  Watch this cute video below to clearly understand this important issue applicable to anyone with a heart:

For those of you who can handle more graphic footage - here is actual footage from a factory farm:

On an entirely different note (and still staying substantively within the genre of social justice); Who doesn’t love this magenta yenta?!

Ponder this for a hot pocket moment;

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?
What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said ‘I do’ to? What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?
What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
What if Obama were a member of the ‘Keating 5′?
What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?
If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are? This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

Promote thinking, discussion, and healthy disagreement! This is the time to talk to anyone you disagree with. Open up the lines of communication and put the facts on the table.  Use your voice!!

GirlieGirl Army Member Laura Little (aka LOLA) is currently putting together a new “body” of work for her show opening in December.  She’s currently casting uber gorgeous women (in NYC, or willing to travel to NYC) who are comfortable being photographed semi and fully in the buck. All photos are tasteful and magnificent.  You’ll have fabulous professional hair and make up too.  What?  You expect to get paid?  I don’t think so.  But you will get some fierce prints.  Here’s your chance to be a living work of art!

Gorgina! (pronounced GORGE-EENA; meaning absolutely to-die-for Gorgy Gorge)

You can see more of Laura’s work at: www.igroupnyc.com under her alias “LOLA.”

How to apply?  Send a few photo’s of your shayna punim to Laura via email: laura@lauralittleproductions.com

Yes, I know.  An eco-glam fellow or lass can buy Mrs. Meyers or Shaklee almost anywhere, but let’s hypothetically say you are cheap or broke or would just rather make deliciously green cleaning products at home, how would you do it?  We got your back, as always.

Most cleaning products leave more toxins behind than the germs and toxins they are supposed to clean up.  Plus they give you, your kids, and your pets cancer.  Read here about what mainstream cleaning products do to your insides.

Some scary, but interesting, factoids attributed to the chemicals in our mainstream cleaning products: (from HealthyCleaning.com)

• In the past 40 years, at least 70,000 new chemicals have been released into the environment through new consumer and industrial products and food.
• Male and female infertility are on the rise. Research is now pointing to pesticides as a viable cause.
• Women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate than women who work out of the home.
• Each year more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the US, costing the health care system $18 billion annually. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (inflamed nasal membranes) has increased substantially over the past 15 years.
• Asthma ranks among the most common chronic conditions in the United States, affecting an estimated 14.9 million persons.
• According to the U.S Poison Control Centers, “A child is accidentally poisoned every 30 seconds and more than 50% of all poisonings occur at home with children under 5 years of age.”
• Asthma is the #1 cause of absenteeism in schools.
• There has been a 25% increase in the last 25 years in cancer incidence among children under 15 years of age.
• ADD/ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed childhood behavior disorder today. More than two million (3-5%) children have ADD.
• Thirty years ago the 3 major childhood illnesses were chickenpox, measles and mumps. Now it is asthma, ADD and cancer.
• Brain cancer in children is up 40% in 20 years.

If this aint enough to get you cleaning with simple products, we don’t know what is!  First of all, you can technically use Dr. Bronners soap to clean EVERYTHING (and at GirlieGirl Army HQ, we do!).  From washing our pets to our floors, this is an all purpose dream product and is available at any health food store.  Plus a large bottle lasts forever, so it’s economically a smart choice!  Dr. Bronners smells wonderful, is totally natural, and does the job - even in the filthiest of abodes.  But you should also know that some of the most basic household items create cleaning products far superior to the icky commercial jobbies.  White Vinegar is the holy grail of at home cleaning! You’ll get giddy for this site, which gives you 1001 uses for White Vinegar!

Mommy Nature's Gift to the Green Domestic Goddess.

RECIPES:

ALL PURPOSE CLEANER: 2 TBSP White Vinegar, 1 Teaspoon Borax (natural soap), 16 ounces of hot water, 1/4 cup Dr. Bronner’s. Mix vinegar and Borax in a clean spray bottle. Fill with water and shake until the Borax has dissolved.  Add Dr. Bronners. Shake and use.

KITCHEN ALL PURPOSE: Baking Soda, Essential oil. Fill a shaker halfway with Baking Soda.  Add 20 drops Essential oil of your choice. Stir. Add more Baking Soda, then shake.   Sprinkle a bit on dirty surface, then sponge off with warm water.  Rinse well.

FOR FILTHY POTS: 1 cup fine-grade Pumice, 1/2 cup Clay Powder, 2 TBSP grapefruit essential oil, 1/4 cup Baking Soda, 1/4 cup Sodium Lauryl Sulfacetate, 1/2 cup Boiling Water - enough for thick paste. Mix all ingredients together and stir. Store in a container that closes tightly. To use, apply gently with a damp sponge or cloth and scrub.

FLOOR CLEANER: White Vinegar, Water, and Essential oil.  Fill a squirt bottle with equal amounts of Vinegar and Water.  Add 20 drops oil.  Mix and squirt on floor.

FOR THE BATHROOM: 1 2/3 cups baking soda, 1/2 cup Dr. Bronners, 1/2 cup Water, 2 TBSPS White Vinegar.  Mix Baking Sode and Dr. Bronners in a bowl. Dilute with water, and add the Vinegar. Mix with a fork until lumps are gone and mixture has a smooth consistency, adding a little more water is fine. Pour into a squeeze container, then shake well.  Keep lid on firmly to avoid drying out.  Use.  Alternates: 1 cup Dr. Bronners, 1/2 cup Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Borax, 6 cups hot Peppermint tea, 1 teaspoon Eucalyptus Essential Oil. Add Mint tea to liquid soap, stir to mix well. Add baking soda, borax and eucalyptus oil. Store in plastic jug or squirt bottle. Shake before using. This soap can be used for washing floors, tubs, and cleaning almost anything (except your mouth after a round of dirty cursing).

FOR THE TOILET: Use White Vinegar and a brush.  Baking soda can also be used if you like the SoftScrub vibe.

GLASS CLEANER: 1/4 cup White Vinegar, 1/2 cup Dr. Bronners, 2 cups Water, Essential Oil (only if you’re fancy.) Mix soap and water in a spray bottle.  Add vinegar and essential oil.  Shake it up and spray.  We suggest using old newspaper to clean mirrors and windows.  It’s exponentially more effective, and lighter on planet earth since you are re-using.  To use, spray and wipe.  If you don’t want to add the soap (which requires a stronger arm, but think of the bicepts you’ll have!!), it’s fine to omit it and stick with 1 cup of Vinegar per 2 cups of Water.  Alternates: Experiment with lemon juice, club soda, and cornstarch, all of which (mixed together) clean windows well.

KEY LIME DISH DETERGENT POWDER: This recipe is a litte more elaborate, so only go there when you are feeling super badass. 1/2 cup Clay Powder, 2 TBSP Lime Essential Oil, 2 cups Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, 6 cups Baking Soda. Wear a dust mask to mix this formula. Mix clay powder and essential oil; then, in a 2 gallon pail, combine the baking soda and sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. Mix well. You can convert this recipe to a liquid detergent by mixing 2 TBSP’n of powder to 2 cups boiling water, and stir until ingredients are dissolved.   You should use a squeeze top bottle to store this. To use, add aboout a tablespoon of powder or liquid per sink-load while filling sink. For tough jobs, make a paste by adding water and rubbing directly on spot.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT: Use Dr. Bronners, straight up.  We like the Lavender scent!  Use two small cap fulls for a large load of dirty clothes.

FABRIC SOFTENER: Toss 1/4 cup of White Vinegar to the last rinse cycle of your wash load.  Don’t worry, it won’t smell like vinegar.  The Vinegar also brightens, like a natural bleach.

DRYER SHEETS: Pour a few drops of Essential Oil (your choice of smell, there are so many!) on a hand towel or wash cloth.  Toss in dryer with your clothes.  Re-use forever (adding the drops of essential oil each time).

All you need is a little elbow power and creativity and you can make anything!  We believe in you!!!

Calling all fabulous animal & earth loving artists & fashion designers!

Now through October 7th, Chicago conscientious fashion newbie, Vaute Couture, Inc. has launched an open source fashion experiment to birth the ultimate winter coat- vegan, eco, green, and warm enough for a Chicago winter… But they need YOU to design the winning looks! Just enter a fashion sketch & bio info to spec at their website, www.VauteCouture.com, click on How It Works, and be sure to read the “Challenge Details” before beginning your sketch!  This contest is for formally trained designers as well as more intuitive illustrators as well. 3 Winners get $1000 each and are showcased on the site! Even better, profits from one of the three lines, the Vaute Coat, go to Farm Sanctuary in NY and Cali, which rescues and advocates for abused & neglected animals.  For any questions or just to say hi, contact Vaute’s founder, Leanne, at Leanne(at)VauteCouture(dot)com. Hurry! Sketches need to be in by October 7th! Multiple entries will be accepted.

This logo is so cute, we almost peed our pants.

Who is this chick?

Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart is the beauty and brains behind Vaute Couture, Inc.  We wanted to know more about her the second we saw her logo (LOVE!).  Learn all about her (well, as much as you can learn in a few paragraphs) below;

Websites: VauteCouture.com, OnOurSleeve.com Email: Leanne@VauteCouture.com

GirlieGirl Army: Why Coats? You know what they say about beds…you spend 25-33% of your life sleeping,  so you better get a nice one? Well, in Chicago we wear our winter coats more than a THIRD of the year. It’s what I’m seen in more than anything and I’ve been trying to find a coat cute enough, warm enough, and good to the animals and Earth since my post awkward years began.  Traditionally, vegan and eco outerwear tend to be more sporty or casual, which is great for a hike, but can ruin a pretty outfit in a snap.  Just when I thought I was the only one with winter coat woes, I started hearing friends complaining too… some wanted to just be warm and fabulous, others wanted to be that and conscientious too.

GGA: What’s your story? I’ve been animal free since fifth grade, when I chose my science fair topic to be factory farming, vivisection,and the fur industry instead of cool baking soda volcanoes. Back then I was too busy having art galleries in my bedroom and tracking down lost dogs and cats in the neighborhood to care much what I looked like or grow a sense of style. At the time I thought fashion was something about labels, popularity, and fitting in (all of which I knew nothing about!) Then, modeling some with Ford Models in Chicago, with contracts in Taipei and Hong Kong, made me take a second look at fashion.  I realized it was actually about things I really loved, like art and an outer expression of what’s on the inside. I’ve always loved starting ventures & seeing what we can do together, from an animal rights group in college that volunteered thrice weekly at Chicago Animal Care, protested Ringling Bros. and brought Howard Lyman in front of a packed student and faculty crowd, to organizing half my MBA full time class to do pro bono business consulting for New Orleans start-ups last winter.  Between schooling I fell into marketing for start-ups with very young amazing CEOs and realized that was what I wanted to do.

GGA: Tell us about this project: I am not a designer, I have absolutely no technical talent in any part of the clothing making process, seriously none.  But, I know there are tons of amazing talented artists out there that if I can bring us all together each doing our little thing for each part of the process, it could be cool to see what comes out, not to mention super fun!  I get giddy about communities where many voices collaborate, like Monday night orchestra. Everyone is in the moment together, playing their part, focusing on the same line of measures.  It is an experiment and a journey and there are inevitably wrong notes and missed beats, but in the end, the goal is the music. In essence, this is a fashion experiment, a crazy bootstrapped labor of love- experiment… something I can give it all to & meet people that inspire me.

GGA: How old are you, and where are you from? Just turned 26, born and raised in and near the city with the windiest winters.

GGA: What’s the future for your line? During material research sessions I’ve noticed some inspiring fabrics that, if I listen closely, whisper to me what they want to become. :) Those are next. Longer term, there are a few directions Vaute Couture could grow into, and while the core will always be about living fabulously in harmony with animals, I’m open to see where life takes us. We will certainly always have products dedicated to funding nonprofits who work for animals, as the Vaute Coat will be donating profits to  Farm Sanctuary this season. But a far off dream is to begin our own foundation for animals…. One day!